Dear members,

Please find below an overview of the activities of European Bioplastics throughout August 2019. 

Regulatory Affairs (WG REGA)

Revision of the Packaging Directive's Essential Requirements (ER)

In August, the European institutions decreased their activities decisively due to summer break and numerous absences of officials.

European Bioplastics focussed on planning its contact programme with newly elected and re-elected Members of Parliament as well as on organising a parliamentary breakfast workshop hosted by Slovenian EPP MEP, Franc Bogovič.

With regard to the European Commission dossiers at hand, European Bioplastics followed up with the respective consultancy (Eunomia) and shared insights on the next workshop dates with its members:

• Revision of Essential Requirements for packaging – next workshop 15 October
• Kick-off workshop on specifications of Single-use Plastics Directive – 18 October
• Study on relevance of biodegradable plastics in a circular economy – next workshop 22 October

What else? EUBP contacted the Joint Research Center (JRC) of the European Commission regarding the status quo of the initiative to develop a ‘Method for comparative LCA regarding alternative feedstock for production of plastics’. Mr Rana Pant (project leader at JRC) agreed to join our next EUBP WG REGA meeting via phone and to share an update with the group.

WG REGA Meeting: In August, WG REGA did not meet due to summer break absences. The next WG REGA meeting is taking place on 4 September in Brussels.

For detailed information on the work of the WG Regulatory Affairs, please contact Kristy-Barbara Lange (lange@european-bioplastics.org).

Product Groups

Product Group Biobased

The working programs of the PG has been finalized and approved by the group. The work on the projects will start in the next weeks.

A new Task Force 3 on Feedstock has been established - for more information, please see the webpage.

For more information regarding bio-based plastics including sustainability issues and the work of the PG and TFs, please contact Constance Ißbrücker (issbruecker@european-bioplastics.org).

Product Group Biodegradables

The working programs of the PG has been finalized and approved by the group. The work on the projects will start in the next weeks,

For more information regarding PG Biodegradables, the TF Marine, and Seedling certification, please contact Constance Ißbrücker (issbruecker@european-bioplastics.org).

Working Group Standardisation

On 20/21 August, EUBP attended a meeting of CEN/TC 261/SC4/WG 2 during which details of the standard for home compostable carrier bags were further discussed.

For more information on standards for bioplastics, current standardisation processes, and certification of bioplastics, please contact Constance Ißbrücker (issbruecker@european-bioplastics.org).

Communications

In August, we submitted an article on the new German packaging law, which will be published in the Packaging Journal’s K-Fair special issue (publication in October). We also facilitated an interview with Packaging Europe, featuring Stefano Facco from Novamont representing the EUBP Board and added additional messages on bioplastics and sustainability as well as the linking of circular economy and bioeconomy (publication in October).

Currently, we are working on further updating the content of the following fact sheets, position papers and brochures:

• Environmental Communications Guide
• Bio-based plastics – fostering a resource efficient circular economy
• Marine Litter
• Recycling and recovery: end-of-life options for bioplastics
• Bioplastic packaging – combining performance with sustainability
• Standards for bioplastics
• Bioplastic carrier bags

The WG Communications’ video project proceeded throughout August. The graphic designer sent a draft version at the beginning of August. In an internal correction loop, EUBP provided comprehensive feedback. The WG members have been asked for feedback, which will be included in the final correction loop. The video will be finally approved during the next WG call in September.

Furthermore, together with US Plastics, EUBP is currently discussing messages for the upcoming Bioplastics Week (23-27 September), which will be distributed via Twitter.

For more information or questions concerning the communications activities of EUBP, please contact Oliver Buchholz (buchholz@european-bioplastics.org).

Events

In August, we have started assessing the collected speaker proposals in order to create a program for the 14^th conference on the 3/4 December 2019 at the Titanic Chaussee Berlin.

We have signed further media co-operations to promote the European Bioplastics Conference. There are closed partnerships with Coating International, Packaging Europe, EuropaBio, EUWID, Green Chemical Blog, Nova Institute, Packaging Journal and Renewable Matter.

Furthermore, we are happy to announce that we have signed our next two big Sponsors for this year and we are looking forward to finalise the next agreements next month.

If you would like to discuss sponsorship to promote your brand through the European Bioplastics Conference, exhibit your products and services, or otherwise be involved, please get in touch with our new Event Manager Hannah Heimann (conference@european-bioplastics.org).

Furthermore, we are currently in our last preparation for our exhibition at the K-Fair (Dusseldorf 16-23 October). We are happy to welcome you to our booth - Hall 7a – B10.

Planned activities

WG Regulatory Affairs:

• Draft answer to Council Conclusions on circular economy (together with partner associations)
• Develop short version of ER input to Eunomia for member use
• Provide input on consumer education and share of certified compostable plastics (in the EU) to Eunomia in the context of the study on ‘Relevance of biodegradable plastics in a Circular Economy’
• Follow-up on new timeline for LCA study with JRC
• Planning of EP breakfast with MEP Bogovic in September 2019
• Draft discussion paper on feedstock for bioplastics;
• Find potential new date for NGO workshop on feedstock for bioplastics (Sept)

Communications:

• Finalization of video about bioplastics
• Update of fact sheets, position papers, brochures
• Preparation of messages for Bioplastics Week 2019

If you have any suggestions regarding the content and/or format of our monthly report, please do not hesitate to share them with us.

This email is sent to all the contacts of our member companies that we have registered in our database. If you would like to share it with further colleagues, kindly send us an email to members@european-bioplastics.org.

Kind regards,
Hasso v. Pogrell