Mazda teams with Mitsubishi Chemical to develop bio-based engineering plastic grade: Mitsubishi Chemical Corp. and Mazda have jointly developed a new grade of Durabio, a bio-derived polycarbonate engineering plastic suitable for molding large cosmetic automotive parts. Durabio is based partially on isosorbide, which in turn is derived from sorbitol, a widely available natural feedstock. [...]
The new German packaging law (Verpackungsgesetz, effective from January 2019, we reported earlier this year) includes provisions under which the participation fees for packaging shall be adapted in order to incentivise the use of recycled and renewable materials. The consequential increase in bio-based plastic packaging and the expected rise of new types of materials [...]
Berlin, 29 November 2017 – The results of European Bioplastics’ annual market data update, presented today at the 12th European Bioplastics Conference in Berlin, confirm a stable growth of the global bioplastics industry. “The global market for bioplastics is predicted to grow by 20 percent over the next five years. The transition to a [...]
Photo Lars Borger, Head of Product Marketing – Emerging Businesses at Neste (Suisse) SA In each issue of the Bioplastics Bulletin, we present 5 facts about a member of European Bioplastics. This month, Lars Borger, Head of Product Marketing – Emerging Businesses at Neste shares some information on one of the worlds [...]
Sugarcane © Wikimedia Commons Braskem, the Americas’ leading producer of thermoplastic resins, and Danish-based Haldor Topsoe, a world leader in catalysts and surface science, have signed a technological cooperation agreement to develop a pioneering route to produce monoethylene glycol (MEG) from sugar. The companies invest in the construction of a demonstration plant [...]
Perstorp launches world’s first portfolio of renewable polyols: In response to the fast-growing global need for more sustainable coatings, resins and synthetic lubricants, Perstorp has developed a portfolio of renewable alternatives to the essential polyols Pentaerythritol (Penta), Trimethylolpropane (TMP), and Neopentyl glycol (Neo). Two new polyols – Evyron and Neeture - complete the company’s [...]
Launched and adopted in 2012, Europe's Bioeconomy Strategy addresses the production of renewable biological resources and their conversion into vital products and bio-energy. The strategy is needed to ensure that fossil resources are replaced with sustainable natural alternatives as part of the transition to a low-carbon circular economy. Its main purpose is to streamline [...]
IKEA’s first large-scale bioplastic product: The popular re-sealable sandwich bag ISTAD is the first large-scale bioplastic product from IKEA. The bags are made from bio-based plastics derived from sugarcane where everything is either used or reused, so there is no waste in the production. IKEA estimates to sell 1.4 billion ISTAD bags this year, which [...]
Berlin, 17 October 2017 – Biodegradable plastics offer innovative solutions to improve recycling quality by facilitating the means for more efficient separate waste collection. This has been confirmed by a recent study jointly released by Corepla, the Italian Consortium for Collecting, Recycling, and Recovering Plastic Packaging, the Italian Composters Consortium (CIC), and Assobioplastiche, the [...]
New bio-based PE films: UPM Raflatac, a global manufacturer of label materials, extends its range of film face materials for the European market with a new plant-based material that provides a sustainable alternative to fossil-based films for a wide variety of end uses. RafBio PE performs just like standard PE film, and its excellent [...]