Open the document Mechanical Recycling is currently the dominant recycling technique for post-consumer plastic packaging waste. Sorting and reprocessing technologies are available in most EU Member States with varying levels of recycling quotas. EU waste legislation requires binding recycling targets in the future. Recycling biobased plastics increases the fossil carbon reduction potential by [...]
“Plastics play an essential role in modern society. However, their value chain is currently unsustainable, contributing to the generation of climate changing emissions and increasing waste and pollution. Reducing such impacts while retaining plastics’ usefulness requires a shift towards a more circular and sustainable plastics system”, states the European Environment Agency (EEA) in a [...]
In in the context of the currently discussed REACH restriction of microplastics, several business associations representing producers of biobased and biodegradable materials, including European Bioplastics, developed a joint letter to raise concerns about the proposed definition of “natural polymers” and its impact on biopolymers. The signatories’ members are companies that industrially produce solutions based [...]
The European Commission is currently revising the EU’s rules on food contact materials (FCMs), particularly in light of its recent initiatives on Single Use Plastics, Sustainable Products, and the revision of the rules on packaging and packaging waste. In order to meet the EU’s ambitious environmental objectives, the Commission should introduce specific rules to [...]
Compostables could help fight plastic pollution A recently conducted survey commissioned by TIPA, a manufacturer of compostable packaging solutions headquartered in Israel, and conducted by YouGov has revealed that a large majority of UK adults favour the implementation of a collection system for all recyclable or compostable packaging from households across the UK. The [...]
The recently published leak of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD) revision proposal sent a shock wave to the affected industries within Europe and beyond. The bioplastics industry finds itself confronted with a factual ban on most compostable plastics packaging. The ban has the potential to shut down wide sections of the industry concerned [...]
The big picture, as formulated in the European Green Deal, is quite clear: Europe needs to become a more sustainable, resilient, and competitive economy. The bioeconomy has a huge potential to contribute to the Green Deal transition as it encompasses all sectors involving the use of renewable resources, without comprising biodiversity goals. It is [...]
Soil is an essential non-renewable resource that plays a central role in our lives by providing healthy foods and sustainable materials for a growing world population. In order to specify the conditions for a healthy soil and soil restoration, the European Commission (EC) is currently developing a new EU law on soil health. European [...]
Australian researchers discover seaweed solution as PFAS alternative for fast-food packaging Flinders University materials researchers in Australia and One-Five, a German biomaterials developer, are using seaweed extracts to develop biopolymer coating materials to replace current foodservice packaging. The biomaterials are designed to replace conventional fossil-based plastic coatings used in grease-resistant quick service restaurant (QRS) packaging. The [...]
The Product Environmental Footprint method could become the EU’s guiding approach for environmental impact assessment; to be fit for purpose, it should appraise the carbon footprint of bio-based products. As the European Commission increasingly plans to rely on the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) method as the guiding approach for environmental impact assessment, an accurate [...]
