Open the document Europe is currently the world’s largest coffee market, accounting for 32% of global coffee consumption. As such, single-serve coffee capsules have become increasingly popular with billions of them consumed yearly in the EU. Their production numbers also reflect this, having increased almost fourfold from 2018 to 2022, with Europe as [...]
Open the document In 2022, the European Commission adopted a policy framework on the sourcing, labelling and use of biobased plastics, and the use of biodegradable and compostable plastics. The policy framework was announced in the European Green Deal, Circular Economy Action Plan, and Plastics Strategy with the aim to contribute to a [...]
Open the document Compostable plastics evidently help to increase the quality and volumes of separately collected organic waste, which in turn is used to produce high-quality compost that is crucial for healthier and more resilient soils. By bringing more carbon-rich compost back to the soil, compostable plastics help to rebuild soil organic matter [...]
Open the document Biobased products are products wholly or partly derived from renewable materials of biological origin (i.e. from plants, crops, trees, algae and biological waste). These products are used in a wide range of applications, such as energy, textile, plastics, pharmaceuticals, hygiene, food and many more. Ideally, biobased products are circular by [...]
Open the document Microplastics and their potential environmental and health impacts have been of growing concern in recent years. Everything, including every material originated in or produced by nature, will eventually abrade or degrade. This is just as much true for plants that will turn into humus, as it is for mountains and [...]
Open the document European Bioplastics recognises the need for a more resource efficient and sustainable economy. An overall reduction in the consumption of plastic shopping bags will play an important role achieving this goal. European Bioplastics advocates the introduction of suitable measures to minimise the consumption of oil-based plastic shopping bags, such as [...]
Open the document European Bioplastics (EUBP) welcomes the EU Commission’s efforts to replace the traditional linear economy model (make, use, dispose) by implementing an ambitious circular economy throughout Europe. Bioplastics, and biodegradable plastics in particular, can play an essential part in putting the envisioned circularity model into practice. This paper refers to biodegradable [...]
Open the document Claims about biodegradability and compostability are widely used to label products and packaging regarding their end-of-life. Biodegradation can take place in different systems (industrial or home composting) and environments (soil, water). In general, the sole claim “biodegradable” on products and packaging, without indicating specific standards or environments in which the [...]
Open the document Enzyme-mediated plastics are not bioplastics. They are conventional, fossil-based plastics with additives. They are neither biodegradable nor compostable. EuBP recommends using only materials certified according to EN and ISO standards. Find the answers to frequently asked questions on enzyme-mediated plastics.
Open the document Biodegradable and compostable products that are certified according to the harmonized European standard EN 13432 (or EN 14995) are suitable for organic recycling and will completely biodegrade in an industrial composting plant, with no adverse effects on the process or on the final product (compost). These materials are working well [...]
