Dear members,

Please find below an overview of the activities of European Bioplastics throughout September 2018. 

Internal Organisation

We are happy to announce that Ms Elena Cantos joined us as Communications Manager in October 2018. Elena has profound experience with a range of sustainability topics, and looks back on eight years working experience in communication. We look forward to introducing Elena to you at the next members meeting in December.

Hasso von Pogrell (pogrell@european-bioplastics.org)

Regulatory Affairs (WG REGA)

With regard to the draft directive on ‘Marine pollution and the reduction of single-use plastics’, we analysed the amendments received by the European Parliament’s Committee for the Environment (EP ENVI) on their corresponding draft report. In September, the numerous opinion-giving committees (AGRI, ITRE, ECON, PECH) also published their draft reports, received amendments, and voted their input reports to ENVI. EUBP monitored these processes, and in the case of the AGRI committee, we sent a voting recommendation to Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). Parallel to this process, we continued our engagement programme with the Parliament, the Commission, and the Council. EUBP met with Sweden, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Romania, Denmark, United Kingdom, Netherlands, and Greece. In the Parliament, we talked to representatives of ITRE / ECON (rapporteur Kappel), as well as MEPs Pedicini, Federley, and ALDE advisor Wilhelm Bargum. Since this is a very ambitious file, and since the time pressure and political expectations are high, we kept the link to the Commission alive and met with DG AGRI, DG RTD (Research), and DG GROW in order to make our points heard in all three future trilogue parties.

On 13 September, the European Parliament’s plenary voted on the final report of the Plastics Strategy of rapporteur Mark Demesmaeker (BE/ECR). The outcome was quite balanced for bioplastics, and the passage mentioning our industry was more extensive than we expected. You can find the final report as well as our corresponding press release under the following links:

Report (please go to page 12): http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//NONSGML+REPORT+A8-2018-0262+0+DOC+PDF+V0//EN&language=EN

EUBP PR: https://www.european-bioplastics.org/bioplastic-materials-value-propositions-well-reflected-in-european-parliaments-report-on-plastics-strategy/

Furthermore, European Bioplastics reviewed a report of DG RTD on ‘Research and innovation towards a circular economy for plastics’, which is giving a wide range of policy recommendations. This report will be discussed in a two-day workshop in October, in which we will also participate.

European Bioplastics will evaluate further initiatives on product policy, eco-modulation of fees regarding extended producer responsibility actions, and the revision of the essential requirements for packaging. We will keep you updated should any of these files produce relevant opportunities for our industry.

WG REGA will meet next on 6 November in Brussels.

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

Product Groups

Product Group Biobased

TF1 evaluated the template for the estimation of land use of bio-based plastics; the data will be revised incorporating the new market data for 2018 and 2023.

EUBP is an Advisory Board member of the H2020 RIA Project STAR-Pro-Bio, which is developing sustainability assessment tools for bio-based products. In September, EUBP participated in two workshops discussing social criteria to be incorporated into the sustainability scheme under development by the project consortium.

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

EUBP will change the legal registration of the Seedling Logo in order to make it easier to take legal measures against the misuse of the label. In the next month, the Seedling will be registered as a certification mark (“Gewährleistungsmarke”), which will lead to a change in the regulations governing the use of the mark. An experienced lawyer in the field of trademark regulations accompanies the process.

The PG is still working on the Background Paper on biodegradable mulch films. All comments have been collected and implemented, and the final draft is currently being prepared. Publication is planned for November.

Working Group Standardisation

CEN/TC 261/SC4/WG2 has shared the second Working Draft of “Packaging – requirements and test scheme for home compostable carrier bags”. The deadline for the submission of comments was 28 September. The next meeting of the CEN WG to discuss the comments will take place 15/16 October in Paris at AFNOR. If necessary, the WG Standardisation will have a web meeting afterwards.

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

Communications

Please find at the following link a selection of relevant media clippings from September 2018.

The WG Communications will meet in October/November to finalize the storyboard of the two animated videos on the benefits and end-of-life options of bioplastics. The aim is to finish both videos in the next couple of months.

EUBP had a web meeting with the nova-Institute to discuss the new bioplastics market data for 2018-2023. The delivery of the data set will be at the beginning of October. EUBP will then start to develop the graphics, which will be presented at the EUBP conference on 4 December.

EUBP is member of the Advisory Board of the European Project BioCannDo, which aims to increase awareness for bio-based products. The project will compile and distribute educational materials on the bioeconomy and bio-based products. On 6 September, EUBP participated in a web meeting to discuss the set on bio-based food packaging.

For more information or questions concerning the communications activities of EUBP, please contact Elena Cantos (cantos@european-bioplastics.org).

Events

The registration for delegate tickets and exhibition spaces for the 13th European Bioplastics Conference taking place on 4/5 December 2018 at the TITANIC Chaussee Hotel in Berlin is in full swing. The exhibition hall is filing up nicely, with 31 exhibitors registered by the end of September. Several (media) cooperation initiatives were conducted over the summer, encouraging delegates and potential exhibitors to get involved. Two review articles will be released in November 2018.

The program compilation is nearing completion. A sneak-peak mailing was released in September announcing some of the highlights of the 2-day agenda. A mailing with the final agenda is planned for October 2018.

We are happy to announce also NatureWorks and PTTMCC joined the group of sponsors for the conference. We are now grateful of the support from BASF, BE O, Biotec, NatureWorks, OWS, PTTMCC, and Total Corbion.

If you too would like more information about the European Bioplastics Conference or discuss how to get involved this year, please get in touch with Joanna Wilde (wilde@european-bioplastics.org).  

Projects

EUBP has been working with its partners on the submission of selected project proposals in relevant areas responding to call H2020-BBI-JTI-2018, which closed on 6th September. A key focus was on call topics relating to bio-based and biodegradable/recyclable packaging and bio-based coatings. Should the proposals be approved (results are expected in December), EUBP would primarily contribute to communication, dissemination, and exploitation activities.

The on-going BBI project PolyBioSkin is nearing its half term, and the progress made so far will be presented at a one-day event in Rome on 22 November in connection with the 13^th World Congress on the International Society of Cosmetic Dermatology, organised by the PolyBioSkin consortium partners and co-hosted by consortium member Prof P. Morganti of MAVI cosmetics. To find out more or attend, please contact ahrens@european-bioplastics.org.

Planned activities July 2018

• WG Regulatory Affairs:
  • Marine litter / single-use plastics: engagement programme with EP and Council, analysis of amendments and voting recommendations for ENVI vote (10 October) and plenary vote (24 October); preparation of corresponding press release.
  • Participation in DG ENVI workshop ‘Research and innovation towards a circular economy for plastics’.
  • Participation in EC workshop on product policy (sessions on chemicals and textiles).
  • Analysis and communication on release of Bioeconomy Strategy update, visit of Bioeconomy Strategy conference.
• Position regarding bioplastics LCA (TF1)
• Finalisation of Fact Sheet Mechanical Recycling and drafting of Fact Sheet Chemical Recycling (TF2)
• Background Paper on bio-based building blocks (TF3)
• Finalisation of the Background Paper on biodegradable mulch films (PG Biodegradables)
• Meeting of CEN/TC 261 SC4 WG 2 (Development of standard for home compostable carrier bags)
• New market data evaluation and creation of the market data graphics (in cooperation with nova-Institute)
• Compilation and submission of several interviews and conference preview articles for various packaging magazines

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