This year’s K, the largest plastics trade show in the world so far, stretching over a whole week from 19 to 26 October 2016, drew 3,285 exhibitors and about 230,000 visitors from more than 160 countries to the mammoth Messe Düsseldorf, Germany. That’s a 5.5 percent increase in visitors compared to the K 2013 (the [...]
Corbion, Global Bio-Polymers, and Maxrich announced their collaboration on the development of a biodegradable root growth container to improve the agricultural efficiency and environmental performance of rubber tree plantations. Initial trials for new, bio-based and biodegradable root protection cone for rubber trees by Corbion, Maxrich and Global Bio-Polymers have been promising Natural rubber [...]
The EU Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste, as modified by the EU Directive on lightweight carrier bags in 2015, tasked the European Commission to adopt specifications for labels of home compostable plastic carrier bags. Accordingly, in June 2016, the Commission asked the relevant European Standardisation Committee, CEN, to develop a standard on home compostable [...]
Bio-TPV as a substitute for soft PVC on floors: Fraunhofer Umsicht is developing a bio-based TPV material that could conceivably replace soft PVC in vinyl flooring. The researchers at Fraunhofer Umsicht are exploring the possibilities of a new, plasticizer-free, bio-based, thermoplastic vulcanizate (Bio-TPV) consisting of a soft, bio-based component, such as natural rubber, dispersed in [...]
AIMPLAS develops biodegradable dairy packaging suitable for pasteurisation FKuR launches new Bio-Flex blends that reduce the thickness of compostable films BASF offers compostable particle foam with high bio-based content Original Food now offers their premium wild coffee in biodegradable coffee capsules AIMPLAS develops biodegradable dairy packaging suitable for pasteurisation The dairy sector will [...]
Reverdia and Wageningen UR Launch Development of Durable Bio-PBS Compounds: Reverdia and Wageningen UR Food & Biobased Research launched a joint development programme on bio-based PBS (polybutylene succinate) compounds for injection moulding. The new bio-PBS compounds will be durable and based on Biosuccinium™. The final compounds are expected to have an improved carbon footprint in [...]
EUBP stresses importance of improving waste management on land to solve the problem of marine litter Press Statement Berlin, 6 June 2016 – In a recent report on ‘marine plastic debris and microplastics’ published earlier last month, the UNEP describes the sources and effects of plastics and microplastics in the oceans and outlines potential [...]
InnoviaFilms sells Celophane business to Futamaura: Earlier in April 2016, InnoviaFilms announced it had signed an agreement with Japanese plastics manufacturer Futamura Chemicals Co Ltd to sell its Celophane business and assets, including its NatureFlex bioplastics film production. Innovia Group, which manufactures high-tech film products for industrial applications and banknotes says it will further strengthen [...]
The new wording of the French implementation decree on single-use plastic bags, which was published by the French Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy on 1 February 2016, sets out clear requirements for the reduction of single-use plastic bags in favour of bio-based, biodegradable and home-compostable bags, in line with the EU Directive. [...]
Since January 2015, separate collection of organic waste is mandatory in Germany. The implementation, however, has been rather slow, and not all municipalities provide separate biowaste collection schemes yet. The German association for compostable products ‘Verbund kompostierbare Produkte e.V.’ therefore recently called for municipalities to implement the separate collection of biowaste and support the [...]