Swell idea: Bioplastic surf boards gain traction In France, a company is using 3D printing and bio-based materials to bring the surf community a more sustainable experience. Wyve, based in the Basque beach area, is replacing the polystyrene and EPS foam “blanks” that make traditional surfboards buoyant with inner hexagons that trap air. The [...]
In modern agriculture you can find a great number of plastic products that help improving the efficiency and, thus, the yield of the cultivated product. However, due to certain conditions that accompany many agricultural procedures, a not-negligible share of plastic remains in the soil. Especially in areas of intensive agriculture, significant amounts of microplastic [...]
A recently conducted study which focused on the identification and quantification of microplastics in final refined compost found no remains of used EN 13432 certified industrial compostable bioplastics. If correctly composted, their use does not contribute to the increase of microplastic pollution. Microplastics and their potential environmental and health impacts have been of growing concern in recent years. Compost produced from separately [...]
Member portrait: Bio Valore World In each issue of the European Bioplastics Newsletter, we present some facts about a member of European Bioplastics. This month, Davide Scarano, CEO of Bio Valore World, shares some interesting insights on his company. 5 facts about Bio Valore World, Italy The EarthBi project was born within Bio Valore World SpA to provide a benefit to the company. EarthBi is the first PLA production plant based in Europe, in Italy in [...]
Sulzer PLA bioplastics production technology selected for NatureWorks' new plant with annual capacity of 75'000 tons Developed to support the increasing global demand for polylactic acid (PLA) bioplastics, NatureWorks’ fully integrated plant will utilize Sulzer Chemtech's advanced lactide purification and polymer production technology to produce 75'000 tons per year of Ingeo polylactic acid (PLA) [...]
Constance Ißbrücker, Head of Environmental Affairs at European Bioplastics e.V. The EU Plastics Strategy presented a vision where innovative materials and alternative feedstocks would ultimately replace fossil resources. In this context, the Joint Research Centre (JRC) was tasked in 2018 by the European Commission to elaborate an appropriate life cycle assessment (LCA)-based method to evaluate the potential environmental [...]
EUBPConf2021: multi stakeholder panel discussion on bioplastics and EU policy After last year’s 100 percent virtual format, the European Bioplastics Conference was finally able to re-open its gates in Berlin and welcomed around 140 participants. The other half of the overall 320 participants attended online. During the different conference sessions and in [...]
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, [...]
