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 [...]
Fantastic Bioplastic Finder by Circuteria Read in the following a guest article by the Berlin-based start-up Circuteria. In the consumer products industry, there still remains a lack of information and understanding in regard to sustainability. Many manufacturers want to produce more sustainable products with biopolymers but often do not know what materials to use. The [...]
Read in the following a guest contribution by BIO-PLASTICS EUROPE (BPE) introducing the European research project coordinated by the Hamburg University of Applied Science. For the EU Horizon 2020-funded project BIO-PLASTICS EUROPE “bio” is indeed the way forward. With 22 partners from 13 countries, the project represents both, the research and the industry sector. [...]
Constance Ißbrücker, Head of Environmental Affairs at European Bioplastics e.V. Life cycle assessment (LCA) has evolved to be the preferred tool to assess the environmental sustainability of certain products and materials. Recently it has also been used with great enthusiasm to compare bio-based with fossil-based plastics. It seems to be an easy instrument to draw [...]
On 3 March 2021, the EUBP webinar “Organic recycling within the circular economy: the role of compostable plastics” explored the contribution of biodegradable and compostable plastics to help the EU to meet its organic waste recovery targets by the end of 2023. In order to establish a truly circular economy, the EU needs to capture this untapped potential by collecting and organically recycling this waste into high value compost for soil enrichment. In her welcome statement, our host MEP [...]
On 8 February, the European Parliament adopted its Own Initiative Report on the Circular Economy which recognised the role of bioplastics for the future. Amongst other issues highlighted, the MEPs emphasised the potential role of bio-based and biodegradable and compostable plastics in the circular economy whilst noting that bio-based and/or biodegradable plastics alone will not provide a solution to the environmental concerns related to plastics. [...]
For quite some time now, the European Commission (EC) is putting a special focus on biodegradable and compostable polymers when assessing the general role of bioplastics. This becomes obvious when looking at the number of related EU studies and reports that had been published in 2020. The last publication in this regard was the [...]
This year has already seen quite an impressive number of studies, reports, and additional publications related to bioplastics that were published by the European Commission (EC). Most of them contribute to the development of a framework for bioplastics included in the EC’s Circular Economy Action Plan. For the bioplastics industry, a clear framework is [...]
As for many other industries, also for bioplastics 2020 had been an exceptional year. Thus, its industry representatives were eager to come together to analyse the last twelve months and discuss about future market opportunities and challenges. Being the leading business forum for bioplastics, the annual European Bioplastics (EUBP) Conference, which took place from [...]
BASF Launches Circular Economy Program In a circular economy, the aim is to avoid waste, reuse products and recover resources. "Companies that can provide solutions for the transformation to a circular economy will have a crucial competitive advantage," said Dr. Martin Brudermüller, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors and Chief Technology Officer of BASF, speaking about [...]
