EarthFirst Films by PSI produces first PHA home compostable packaging film EarthFirst Films by PSI, a global bioplastic film technology and manufacturing company, announced in an 18 May statement the successful completion of the first commercial run of PHA - polyhydroxyalkanoate - home compostable packaging film. Although the PHA materials have been certified, the film will go through [...]
SUP Directive Guidelines: a long list of inconsistencies and questions left unanswered With almost one year of delay on the timetable set by the Single-Use Plastics Directive, the long-awaited Guidelines have been finally published at the end of May 2021. From now on, the document will represent the vademecum for the activities of both the national [...]
Francesco Degli Innocenti, EUBP Working Group Standardisation The development of a framework for bio-based and biodegradable/compostable plastics is a key deliverable of the new Circular Economy Action Plan, which was published by the European Commission in March 2020. Several studies have been launched and published since then to lay down the scientific basis [...]
Everything you need to know about the UK’s incoming Plastic Packaging Tax From April 2022, a new tax on plastic packaging will be in place in the UK. Which products will be affected, how much is it, what penalties and sanctions are in place if manufacturers don’t comply, and what steps should the industry [...]
NatureWorks and IMA announce strategic partnership NatureWorks, the world’s leading manufacturer of low-carbon Ingeo PLA biopolymers, and IMA Coffee, global market leader in coffee handling, processing, and packaging, have announced that they have entered into a joint strategic partnership aimed at accelerating the market for high performing K-Cup compatible compostable single-serve coffee pods in North America. The multi-year partnership [...]
UK Government may ban oxo-degradable plastics following consultation The UK Government says it may introduce a ban on oxo-degradable plastics, following its consultation seeking evidence to develop standards for biodegradable, compostable and bio-based plastics. After having received 85 responses, it is now also exploring the issues that were raised in the government’s consultation on an extended producer responsibility scheme for packaging, as well as in its consultation on introducing greater consistency [...]
In each issue of the Bioplastics Newsletter, we present some facts about a member of European Bioplastics. This month, Dr. Alberto Zanon, Sales Manager Biocomp, Sirmax Group, shares some interesting insights on his company. 5 facts about Sirmax Biocomp S.R.L., Italy Sirmax Biocomp S.R.L. - former Microtec S.r.l. - is a private company, part of the Sirmax Group, based in Italy (Pianiga, Venice), which aims to [...]
Polymateria misuses RecyClass Recyclability Evaluation Protocols RecyClass, a cross-industry initiative that offers recyclability certifications and recycled content traceability certification for plastic packaging, informed about a misuse of its RecyClass Recyclability Evaluation Protocols by the British start-up Polymateria. After RecyClass had refused a request by Polymateria, the company commissioned Impact Solutions to carry out a recyclability test for their polyethylene film with biodegradable additive technology called PLM-G. Later, the [...]
BIOnTop’s research teams are pursuing various strategies to optimise biopolymers with a specific focus on protein-based coatings. European Bioplastics supports the BIOnTop project as consortium partner. Most sensitive foods are packaged in multi-layer composite films to ensure sufficient flavour, water vapor, and oxygen barriers to maintain products’ quality and increase its shelf life. However, most of these composite [...]
Constance Ißbrücker, Head of Environmental Affairs at European Bioplastics e.V. Life cycle assessment (LCA) has evolved to be the preferred tool to assess the environmental sustainability of certain products and materials. Recently it has also been used with great enthusiasm to compare bio-based with fossil-based plastics. It seems to be an easy instrument to draw [...]
