In order to achieve the ambitious goals of the European Green Deal, respectively the Circular Economy Action Plan, the European Commission already initiated a significant number of regulatory processes. To improve Europe’s waste management in line with the waste hierarchy and the implementation of the polluter principle, the Commission had initiated a Call for [...]
In each issue of the Bioplastics Bulletin, we present 5 facts about a member of European Bioplastics. In this issue, Gottfried Krapfenbauer, Product Manager Bioplastics AGRANA, shares some information about the Austrian producer of starch and starch-based bioplastics. 5 facts about AGRANA Starch, Austria As an Austria based, multinational company with over 9000 employees [...]
Swell idea: Bioplastic surf boards gain traction In France, a company is using 3D printing and bio-based materials to bring the surf community a more sustainable experience. Wyve, based in the Basque beach area, is replacing the polystyrene and EPS foam “blanks” that make traditional surfboards buoyant with inner hexagons that trap air. The [...]
Dutch researchers join forces to boost PHAs market introduction Invest-NL and Wageningen University & Research are joining forces to accelerate the market introduction of PHAs (polyhydroxyalkanoates). Wageningen Food & Biobased Research has been conducting technological research for 30 years into the production and usage possibilities of PHAs for various applications. They are currently participating [...]
In modern agriculture you can find a great number of plastic products that help improving the efficiency and, thus, the yield of the cultivated product. However, due to certain conditions that accompany many agricultural procedures, a not-negligible share of plastic remains in the soil. Especially in areas of intensive agriculture, significant amounts of microplastic [...]
A recently conducted study which focused on the identification and quantification of microplastics in final refined compost found no remains of used EN 13432 certified industrial compostable bioplastics. If correctly composted, their use does not contribute to the increase of microplastic pollution. Microplastics and their potential environmental and health impacts have been of growing concern in recent years. Compost produced from separately [...]
Member portrait: Bio Valore World In each issue of the European Bioplastics Newsletter, we present some facts about a member of European Bioplastics. This month, Davide Scarano, CEO of Bio Valore World, shares some interesting insights on his company. 5 facts about Bio Valore World, Italy The EarthBi project was born within Bio Valore World SpA to provide a benefit to the company. EarthBi is the first PLA production plant based in Europe, in Italy in [...]
Sulzer PLA bioplastics production technology selected for NatureWorks' new plant with annual capacity of 75'000 tons Developed to support the increasing global demand for polylactic acid (PLA) bioplastics, NatureWorks’ fully integrated plant will utilize Sulzer Chemtech's advanced lactide purification and polymer production technology to produce 75'000 tons per year of Ingeo polylactic acid (PLA) [...]
Study Shows Consumers Favor Sustainability in Products & Packaging The Plant Based Products Council (PBPC) recently released its annual consumer research study showing growing consumer demand for products made from renewable and sustainable materials. In general, the study found 61% of consumers are more interested in companies who produce or use plant-based products. At [...]
Constance Ißbrücker, Head of Environmental Affairs at European Bioplastics e.V. The EU Plastics Strategy presented a vision where innovative materials and alternative feedstocks would ultimately replace fossil resources. In this context, the Joint Research Centre (JRC) was tasked in 2018 by the European Commission to elaborate an appropriate life cycle assessment (LCA)-based method to evaluate the potential environmental [...]
