bioplastics MAGAZINE Issue 06/2022

Looking back at this issue of bioplastics MAGAZINE I can’t help but notice two themes that currently seem very central in many different areas of plastics, be it in the topic of composting or (advanced) recycling. These two themes are also very related, on the one hand, we have the question of quality and on the other the view on and value of waste.

News

Every three years representatives of the plastics industry pour into Düsseldorf from all over the planet for the biggest plastics and rubber trade fair in the world – the K show (see pp 34). And for the fifth time, for three days (October 20 to 22, 2022) of this humongous fair, bioplastics MAGAZINE organized the Bioplastics Business Breakfasts (B³). The fifth anniversary of the B³ was once again a huge success, with 125 participants from 27 countries, most of the hybrid event participated in person.

The first Advanced Recycling Conference organised by the nova-institute in Cologne was by all measures a full success. The two-day hybrid conference on the 14th and 15th of November had 224 participants from 21 countries, 150 of them were in the room, 34 speakers spread over 8 different sections, 9 exhibitors, and a wide range of topics in and around advanced recycling.

BIOMAC launches open call for nano-enabled, biobased material solutions

Adhesives are compounds that are used to bond materials and hold them together once their surfaces come into contact. Their properties allow them to easily join materials of different natures.

The accumulation of plastic waste in the oceans, soil, and even in our bodies is one of the major pollution issues of modern times, with over five billion tonnes disposed of so far. Despite major efforts to recycle plastic products, actually making use of that motley mix of materials has remained a challenging issue.

The power of evolved ancestral enzymes and biotechnology

Recently, a Korea-Spain joint research team recreated bioplastic from wasted by-products from gas fermentation from steel mills.

PlastoCyan is a project developing an eco-innovative technology for the production of bioplastics in cyanobacteria that uses nutrients from municipal wastewater and wastewater from the dairy industry.

The world’s first commercial-scale CO2-to-methanol plant has started production in Anyang, Henan Province, China.

Scion (Rotorua, New Zealand) scientists have been instrumental in developing and testing biodegradable nursery pots that will help nurseries and Kiwi gardeners to reduce plastic waste and its impact on the environment.

Nuez Lounge Bio® is a beautiful and comfortable armchair that respects the environment. It was designed by Patricia Urquiola (Milan, Italy) for the international brand Andreu World (Valencia, Spain). The unique furniture is made using IamNature®, a new generation of biobased PHA material.

Waving ‘Bye Bye’ to vinyl: Bye Bye Plastic & Evolution Music team up to change the fate of the music industry and launch the world’s first bacteria-made vinyl record

K'2022 Review

The company Brabender, together with the TU Dresden (Dresden, Germany) and the University of the Philippines (Quezon City, Philippines), is researching the processing of seaweed into a cost-effective and sustainable plastic alternative. The films and packaging made from seaweed could be used in the future as films for detergent pods or dishwasher tabs, for example.

Something not deemed possible has become a reality: fully biobased and biodegradable glass-fibre-reinforced compounds. Arctic Biomaterials (ABM) from Tampere, Finland, are delighted to announce the recently established collaboration with Helian Polymers (Belfeld, the Netherlands).

CJ Biomaterials and NatureWorks will develop innovative sustainable materials solutions

Faulty test design and questionable composting conditions lead to a foreseeable failure of the DUH experiment

Renewably sourced polyamide brings style, durability, and performance to households

APP NEWS

Growing awareness around environmental and ethical issues continues to drive demand and need for more sustainable practices and products. In order for companies to be able to prove sustainability claims, a robust chain of custody process is necessary for credibility and compliance with new regulations, such as the (European) Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) and the EU Packaging Levy.

Industry experts at the nova-institute have worked tirelessly to provide a structured, in-depth overview and insight into all advanced recycling technologies. While a full report on these technologies is available it can be quite daunting for beginners to the topic – hence here a quick overview and short explanation of the most common advanced recycling technologies.

In November 2022, Lars Börger, Vice President Strategy and Long-term Development, Neste Renewable Polymers and Chemicals, said: