Total and Corbion form a Joint Venture in bioplastics: Total and Corbion are joining forces to develop bioplastics by creating a 50/50 joint venture to produce and market polylactic (PLA) polymers. The two partners plan to build a world-class PLA polymerization plant with a capacity of 75,000 tons per year at Corbion’s site in Thailand that already has a lactide (PLA monomer) production unit that will become part of the joint venture. Corbion will supply the lactic acid necessary for the production of the PLA and the lactide. The new company will be based in the Netherlands and will launch operations in the 1st quarter of 2017, subject to regulatory approvals.
Corbion starts construction of 75 kTpa PLA bioplastics plant: Corbion held the ground breaking ceremony on November 9 to mark the official start of construction of its new PLA bioplastics polymerization plant at the existing Corbion site in Rayong, Thailand. Upon completion in 2018, the plant will be able to produce the complete Luminy® portfolio of PLA neat resins – from standard PLA to innovative, high heat resistant PLA. The new PLA bioplastics polymerization plant in Thailand will produce the complete Luminy portfolio of PLA neat resins.
Amerplast launches AmerGreen brand: Amerplast, one of Europe’s largest flexo printers and bag converters and a leader in innovative packaging solutions, has launched the AmerGreen brand as part of its quest of being a forerunner in transforming the flexible packaging industry into an environmentally sound business. AmerGreen involves progressively converting Amerplast’s PE materials to PE from renewable biomass resources. In cooperation with Braskem, world leader in the field of biopolymers, Amerplast offers its customers Green Polyethylene (Green PE), made from a 100 % renewable resource, sugar cane ethanol.
New fact sheet on standards for bioplastics: European Bioplastics has compiled a new fact sheet on relevant standards and labels for bio-based and biodegradable plastics. The fact sheet provides an overview of the numerous standards and test methods already available to explain the properties ‘bio-based’ and ‘biodegradable’ in connection with plastic materials and products, and explains why they are important. The fact sheet is available online and can be downloaded on the EUBP website.
