EP report ties in with provisions for feedstock differentiation and use of biodegradable and compostable plastics recently adopted in Waste Directive and Packaging Directive Berlin, 13 September 2018 – The European Parliament’s report on the European Strategy for Plastics adopted today by the plenary testifies to the increasing acknowledgement and endorsement of the value [...]
DIN CERTCO offers certification for biodegradable mulch films: Mulch films help to protect plants, improve soil and increase yields in agriculture and horticulture. A major problem with conventional mulch films is the time-consuming collection of residues after use. Biodegradable mulch films offer a unique advantage as they can be left on the field to [...]
In response to the EU Plastics Strategy published by the European Commission earlier this year, the European Bioeconomy Alliance (EUBA) presented a discussion paper to the European Parliament and the Council of the EU to urge the institutions to underpin the Commission's approach with concrete actions on how to realise the potential of bio-based [...]
Berlin, 29 May 2018 – The European Commission presented an ambitious new Directive to tackle marine litter by introducing a number of measures including reduction and restriction of selected single-use plastic products, such as disposable balloon sticks, straws, cutlery, plates, cups and food containers. “The proposal is a meaningful addition to existing legislation and [...]
On 18 April, the European Parliament approved the package to update the EU waste legislation, including a revision of the Waste Framework Directive and the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive. Apart from new ambitious recycling and landfilling targets to boost the re-use of valuable materials in waste, the new legislation also acknowledges that bio-based [...]
NatureWorks names Richard Altice new President and CEO: On 24 April, NatureWorks' board of directors named Richard Altice as the company's new President and Chief Executive Officer, replacing Marc Verbruggen, who led the company from 2008 to his retirement in 2017. Altice comes to NatureWorks from PolyOne Corporation where he was Senior Vice President [...]
On 21 March 2018, Member of the European Parliament Franc Bogovič (EPP) hosted a breakfast debate on 'Biodegradable mulch films: Reducing environmental impact of plastics in agriculture‘. The aim of the workshop was to provide the EU institutions with scientific information about the technology of biodegradable plastics, in particular their benefits in agricultural applications [...]
On 16 January 2018, the European Commission published its Communication ‘A European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy’. According to the Commission, this proposal is an ambitious step towards making the European plastics system more resource-efficient and drive the change from a linear to a circular system. Bioplastics provide crucial impulses for innovation [...]
The Netherlands to ban oxo-degradable plastics: After France and Spain implemented actions in 2017 to limit the production, distribution, sale, provision and utilization of packaging or bags made from oxo-degradable plastics – conventional plastics that falsely claim to biodegrade – the Netherlands now, too, announced plans for a complete ban of oxo-degradable plastics. "A [...]
The European Commission has recommended EU-wide measures be taken against so-called ‘oxo-degradable‘ plastics. In a report published earlier this month, the Commission said that "a process to restrict the use of oxo-plastics in the EU will be started". European Bioplastics (EUBP), the association of the bioplastics industry in Europe, strongly welcomes this clear commitment [...]
