Brussels, 20 November 2023 – A recent study from Wageningen University & Research (WUR) yet again confirms the advantages of compostable coffee capsules over any other type of coffee capsules. Last week, WUR(1) released a study which assessed the environmental impact and circularity of coffee capsules made from compostable biobased materials, aluminium, and conventional [...]
Recently, the University of Gothenburg published a press released entitled “Paper cups are just as toxic as plastic cups” quoting the "Single-use take-away cups of paper are as toxic to aquatic midge larvae as plastic cups” article authored by Carney Almroth et al. in 2023 We found this press release misleading due to different elements [...]
Brussels, 28 September 2023 – European Bioplastics (EUBP) supports the development of robust methodologies for assessing the environmental hazards associated with various materials when they become litter. However, elements of the press release may be considered misleading. The press release “Paper cups are just as toxic as plastic cups” from the University of Gothenburg [...]
Recyclability studies on Poly(lactic acid)/poly(butylene succinate-co-adipate) (PLA/PBSA) biobased and biodegradable films Coltelli, M.-B., Aliotta, L., Fasano, G., Miketa, F., Brkić, F., Alonso, R., Romei, M., Cinelli, P., Canesi, I., Gigante, V., Lazzeri, A., Recyclability Studies on Poly(lactic acid)/Poly(butylene succinate-co-adipate) (PLA/PBSA) Biobased and Biodegradable Films. Macromol. Mater. Eng. 2023, 2300136, https://doi.org/10.1002/mame.202300136 Biobased Polymers for Environmental [...]
A new publication by the Renewable Carbon Initiative challenges the commonly held belief that using food and feed crops for bio-based materials is detrimental to food security. Against the backdrop of a global hunger crisis, the paper argues that the biomass debate is flawed, subjective, and lacks sufficient evidence. It suggests that other factors [...]
Open the document The final methodology for life cycle assessment (LCA) of alternative feedstock for plastics production clearly and structurally favours fossil-based over biobased plastics, and so undermines many of the deliverables set out by the European Green Deal. This is wildly at odds with the EU’s commitment towards reducing dependency on fossil-carbon [...]
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 [...]
Francesco Degli Innocenti, EUBP Working Group Standardisation The development of a framework for bio-based and biodegradable/compostable plastics is a key deliverable of the new Circular Economy Action Plan, which was published by the European Commission in March 2020. Several studies have been launched and published since then to lay down the scientific basis [...]
Contrary to popular belief, certified, industrial compostable organic waste bags neither bear harm for soil or human health, nor do they contribute to the problem of microplastics, as experts underline. On the contrary, they convey chances for a higher quality and quantity of collected organic waste. Read in the following a guest commentary by the Verbund kompostierbare Produkte e.V. (Association for Compostable Products / “Verbund”). For many years now, the [...]
