bioplastics MAGAZINE Issue 03/2016

The Australasian Bioplastics Association (ABA) has called for support of certified compostable bags as an alternative to single use lightweight plastic bags.

The aim of bioplastics is using them as an alternative solution for conventional plastics. Therefore, to a large extent, they should be compatible with the existing technologies.

Have you ever experienced a standing ovation at a technical conference? I certainly never had – at least, not until recently. And that’s a story I now feel a need to share with you.

The terms biodegradable and compostable can be quite confusing words. Both words define biological processes but these concepts have often been misused in the field of marketing, leading to confusion. Any new products claimed to be compostable should be certified according to standardized testing methods and need to be identified with well-recognized logos promoted by several well-positioned entities.

As bioplastics become more popular and an emerging material of choice, The Society of the Plastics Industry - SPI’s Bioplastics Division recently released a new report “Bioplastics Simplified: Attributes of Biobased and Biodegradable Products”, which explains bioplastics in simple terms so that people can understand their benefits. The SPI Bioplastics Division defines bioplastics as “partially or fully biobased and/or biodegradable.”

RPC Promens Consumer Nordics has developed a one-liter milk bottle made entirely from a non-oil based bio polymer (bio-PE) produced from sugar cane.

In this issue we continue our new series with statements of representatives of well known brand owners.

The IfBB, Institute for Bioplastics and Biocomposites at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Hannover, Germany, developed a bio-based material for the Fair Computer Mouse project initiated by Nager IT, an association focussed on encouraging humane working conditions in the factories of the electronic industries by developing socially and environmentally sustainable electronics.

Celebrating its 30th edition, CHINAPLAS 2016, the 4-day-long extravaganza was held end of April at Shanghai New International Expo Centre. A myriad of eye-catchers were comprised of exhibits and concurrent events that covered every application industry and every stage in the life cycle of products along the lines of innovation, automation and green technology, including bioplastics in a special Bioplastics Zone.

Dutch company converts a co-product into high value technical grade potato starch

In line with its stated commitment to environmental sustainability, U2, a large Italian supermarket chain, has fitted out its bakery points of sale with 100 % bio­degradable and compostable bags made of paper and a transparent bioplastic window made from NATIVIA film.

DIN CERTCO is once again leading the way with NF T 51-800 - certification of home compostable products. ‘We open the door for your market acceptance in France’.

For three days at the end of March, Orlando, Florida was the stomping ground for anyone and everyone in any way involved in biopolymers, and especially in NatureWorks’ Ingeo PLA.

Disposable plastic items are typically made out of two types of plastics: polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene (PS). Plastic utensils, in particular, are highly regarded for the affordability and convenience. However, once these utensils are contaminated with food, recycling them becomes challenging.

While everyone knows wood-plastic composites (WPC) e. g. for decking and fencing, now a wider range of material options for WPC formulations are opening new opportunities for molders.

Innovia Group, the global leader in high-tech film products for industrial applications and banknotes, announced in mid April an agreement to sell its Cellophane business and assets to Futamura Chemicals Co., Ltd. The deal is expected to complete on or before 30 June, 2016.

Aethic, the London-based skincare company that launched Sôvée, world’s only scientifically proven ecocompatible sunscreen, is to be the first cosmetics company to use a clear packaging film specially developed by Italian MATER-BI manufacturer Novamont. The material is to debut with Aethic’s next production run of its sunscreens and face creams.

At the beginning of the 21st century the chemical industry undergoes an accelerated and revolutionary change in the conversion from hydrocarbons to carbohydrates as feedstock.

Half of the world’s fruit and vegetable crops are lost during the food supply chain, due mostly to premature deterioration of these perishable foods, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.

At the recent ITR conference (see more at pp 12) Thijs Rodenburg, CEO of the Dutch company Rodenburg Biopolymers announced it: The family owned company has partnered with global confectionary company Mars to develop new biobased wrappers for their candy bars. And as a result the first Snickers bars with biobased wrappers were introduced to the European market last fall.

After more than four years of research, the international consortium of the PHBOTTLE project has achieved the first worldwide prototype packaging made from a waste water derived bioplastic material – PHB – obtained from the organic matter, primarily sugars, present in the wastewater of the juice industry.

Just in time for Earth Day 2016, Solegear Bioplastic Technologies (Vancouver, Canada) announced the official launch of its newly branded, plant-based office accessory line, Good Natured, and its first B2B partnership with also Vancouver-based Mills Office Productivity to distribute the products to business customers in British Columbia.

Biomass side streams are finding their way into novel bioplastic composites in New Zealand thanks to local industries and innovative and imaginative scientists at Scion.

For the plastics industry, the component weight is of critical importance for the material costs. A good way to keep it light-weight is to produce components with low wall thickness. Reducing the component weight means to save on material and costs.

Metabolix, Inc. has announced that the Company is exploring strategic alternatives for its specialty biopolymers business and for its Yield10 crop science program.

On April 5th the Innovation Award Bio-based Material of the Year 2016 was awarded to three innovative materials in suitable applications. The competition focused on new developments in the bio-based economy, which have had (or will have) a market launch in 2015 or 2016. The winners were elected by the participants of the 9th International Conference on Bio-based Materials in Cologne, Germany.