Sustainable sourcing of feedstock is a prerequisite for more sustainable products. That is why European Bioplastics supports: the general sparing use of resources and increase of resource efficiency (e.g. through use cascades), the implementation of good agricultural practice, corresponding third-party certification, and a responsible choice of feedstock: The use of food residues or [...]
The use of genetically modified (GM) crops is not a technical requirement for the production of any bioplastic materials that are commercially available today. If GM crops are used, the reasons usually lie in the regional feedstock supply situation or are based on economic decisions. Most bioplastics producers do not use GMO feedstock [...]
Yes, to some extend. Today, bioplastics are predominantly produced from agro-based feedstock (i.e. plants that are rich in carbohydrates). At the same time, the bioplastics industry is investing in the research and development to diversify the availability of biogenic feedstock for the production of biobased plastics. The industry particularly aims to further develop [...]
There are various ways to ensure a sufficient supply of biomass for the production for food, feed, and industrial/material uses (including bioplastics) now and in future. These include: Broadening the base of feedstock: The bioplastics industry is currently working mostly with agro-based feedstock (i.e. plants that are rich in carbohydrate, such as corn [...]
According to the FAO, about one third of the global food production is either wasted or lost every year. European Bioplastics acknowledges that this is a serious problem and strongly supports efforts to reduce food waste. Other deficiencies that need to be addressed are: logistical aspects such as poor distribution/storage of food/feed, political [...]