Sustainable sourcing of feedstock is a prerequisite for more sustainable products. That is why European Bioplastics supports: the general sparing use of resources and increase of resource efficiency (e.g. through use cascades), the implementation of good agricultural practice, corresponding third-party certification, and a responsible choice of feedstock: The use of food residues or [...]
The use of genetically modified (GM) crops is not a technical requirement for the production of any bioplastic materials that are commercially available today. If GM crops are used, the reasons usually lie in the regional feedstock supply situation or are based on economic decisions. Most bioplastics producers do not use GMO feedstock [...]
Yes, to some extend. Today, bioplastics are predominantly produced from agro-based feedstock (i.e. plants that are rich in carbohydrates). At the same time, the bioplastics industry is investing in the research and development to diversify the availability of biogenic feedstock for the production of biobased plastics. The industry particularly aims to further develop [...]
There are various ways to ensure a sufficient supply of biomass for the production for food, feed, and industrial/material uses (including bioplastics) now and in future. These include: Broadening the base of feedstock: The bioplastics industry is currently working mostly with agro-based feedstock (i.e. plants that are rich in carbohydrate, such as corn [...]
According to the FAO, about one third of the global food production is either wasted or lost every year. European Bioplastics acknowledges that this is a serious problem and strongly supports efforts to reduce food waste. Other deficiencies that need to be addressed are: logistical aspects such as poor distribution/storage of food/feed, political [...]
The feedstock currently used for the production of bioplastics relies on only about 0.02 percent of the global agricultural area – compared to 97 percent of the area, which is used for the production of food and feed. This clearly demonstrates that there is no competition between food/feed and industrial production. Of the [...]
Today, bioplastics are mostly made from carbohydrate-rich plants, such as corn or sugar cane, so called agro-based or 1st generation feedstock. Currently, 1st generation feedstock is the most efficient feedstock for the production of bioplastics as it requires the least amount of land to grow on and produces the highest yields. The feedstock [...]
The emerging shift from crude oil towards renewable resources is driven primarily by the sustainable development efforts of the plastics industry. Finite oil resources and climate change constitute two broadly acknowledged challenges for society in the coming decades. Reducing the dependency on oil and mitigating the effects of climate change are therefore two [...]