Member portrait: Tetra Pak In each issue of the Bioplastics Newsletter, we present some facts about a member of European Bioplastics. This month, Anke Hampel, Innovation and Sustainability Director of Tetra Pak, shares some interesting insights on her company. 5 facts about Tetra Pak A one litre Tetra Pak® carton package is typically made of approximately 70% paperboard, 25% plastic and 5% aluminum. This high [...]
PLA with “20% recycled content” unveiled by Total Corbion Total Corbion PLA launched a new Luminy PLA (Poly Lactic Acid) made with chemically recycled post-industrial and post-consumer waste, which, according to the company, is the world’s first commercially available bioplastic product of its kind. Luminy PLA grades offer the same properties, characteristics, and regulatory approvals as virgin Luminy PLA, but are partially made from [...]
Berlin, 14 December 2021 – Last week the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) published a report assessing the sustainability of agricultural plastic products[1] recommending the replacement of non-biodegradable, conventional polymers with biodegradable, bio-based polymers. “We welcome this recognition of the environmental benefits of these bioplastic products”, commented François de Bie, [...]
Berlin, 30 November 2021 – In June, the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission (EC) published its methodology for Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) comparing the environmental impact of fossil-based to bio-based feedstocks for plastics production. “Together with other bio-based industries, we support LCAs as a valuable instrument to measure environmental sustainability. Unfortunately, the approach of the JRC in this study lacks important elements that are crucial for a fair, comparative assessment of bio-based and fossil-based plastics. As a result, it clearly favours conventional plastics made from fossil resources”, comments Hasso von Pogrell, Managing Director of European Bioplastics (EUBP). Over the past [...]
At the end of last year, the European Commission has started to revise the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD) and its Essential Requirements. After the implementation of the Single-use Plastics Directive (SUPD) which came into effect in July, this revision could mean additional far-reaching changes for the whole plastics industry. In a three-month [...]
Screenshot of speakers (and moderators) during the workshop on “Upcycling bioplastics from food & drink packaging”, 20 October 2021 © PRESERVE, upPE-T, UPLIFT On 20 October 2021, the EU projects PRESERVE, UPLIFT, and upPE-T held a joint workshop with around 160 participants to introduce their initiatives on upcycling bioplastics to a wider audience [...]
Tetra Pak expands production of plant-based coatings for aseptic cartons to North America As demand for sustainable packaging continues to grow, Tetra Pak has expanded production of aseptic cartons made with sugarcane-based polyethylene (PE) coatings to their Denton, Texas converting plant. The cartons incorporating plant-based PE will come with a plant-based cap, also derived from sugarcane. The plant-based PE coating offers [...]
Italy’s plastic tax postponed again under new budget plans Italy’s planned plastic tax, which was get off the ground in 2020 and aims at promoting a reduction of single-use plastics, has faced a series of delays. The Italian Government refers to economic factors connected to the pandemic to justify the delay. The tax on [...]
Source: European Commission Read in the following an article by Katharina Hinse, Environmental Affairs Manager at European Bioplastics (EUBP). I thought plastic straws, plastic cutlery, and EPS take-away boxes were banned this summer. So why do I still find them everywhere? Well, as always, it’s complicated: Even though the Directive (EU 2019/904) [...]
In each issue of the Bioplastics Newsletter, we present some facts about a member of European Bioplastics. This month, Robert Mack, EMEA Government Relations Senior Director of Kimberly-Clark, shares some interesting insights on his company. 5 facts about Kimberly-Clark, United Kingdom Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB) and its trusted brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries. Fueled by ingenuity, creativity, [...]
