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 [...]
With growing market volumes of innovative bio-based and biodegradable plastics such as PLA (polylactic acid), the recycling of these materials is becoming a more viable option. We therefore spoke to Steve Dejonghe from Looplife Polymers Site, a recycler in Belgium that already successfully recycles PLA for a number of industrial projects, about the recyclability [...]
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 [...]
Every year, the European Bioplastics Conference features a well-rounded conference programme attracting senior executives from across the bioplastics value chain, policy bodies, NGOs, and brand owners. We are happy to announce the final speaker line-up of this year’s conference, taking place on 28-29 November 2017 in Berlin, Germany. François de Bie, Chairman of [...]
Test bottles made from PET © Synvina PEFerence, a €25 million EU project, was officially launched at the end of September 2017. The partners will be cooperating for the next five years to establish an innovative value chain for FDCA (2,5-Furandicarboxylic acid) and PEF (Polyethylene furanoate), including the intended construction of a 50,000 tons [...]
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, 24 October 2017 – Today, the Plenary of the European Parliament voted in favour of supporting biodegradable mulch films in the revision of the EU Fertilizers Regulation. European Bioplastics (EUBP), the association for the bioplastics industry in Europe, welcomes the outcome. “The inclusion of biodegradable mulches in the EU Fertilizers Regulation will help [...]
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 [...]
Biodegradable mulch film © European Bioplastics Berlin, 5 October 2017 – In the light of the upcoming vote of the European Parliament on the revision of the EU Fertilizers Regulation, European Bioplastics (EUBP), the association for the bioplastics industry in Europe, calls on the Plenary to confirm what has been approved by [...]