As the market for bioplastics grows, inevitable questions around the sustainability of bio-based products continue to be of relevance to the brands and organisations who are driving this growth. We sat down with Rolf Hogan, Executive Director of the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials, to discuss the key trends in the bioeconomy, the kinds of [...]
In the context of the EU Plastics Strategy and the recently published proposal for a Directive on the reduction of single-use plastic products, biodegradable and compostable plastics are increasingly being discussed with regard to their potential to contribute to tackling marine litter. Constance Ißbrücker, Head of Environmental Affairs at European Bioplastics (EUBP), provides some [...]
Total Corbion PLA, global technology leader in poly lactic acid (PLA), announced the launch of a novel technology that can create full stereocomplex PLA in a broad range of industrial applications. The proprietary technology enables PLA applications to withstand temperatures close to 200°C (HDT-A). The new stereocomplex PLA – a material with long, regularly [...]
On 18 April, the European Parliament approved the package to update the EU waste legislation, including a revision of the Waste Framework Directive and the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive. Apart from new ambitious recycling and landfilling targets to boost the re-use of valuable materials in waste, the new legislation also acknowledges that bio-based [...]
From 2023 onwards, separate collection of bio-waste will be mandatory across Europe in order to increase the overall amounts of separately collected waste and to help meet the ambitious recycling targets set out in the new EU waste rules. Yet, the separate waste collection systems (including for bio-waste) still vary widely among the 28 [...]
On 21 March 2018, Member of the European Parliament Franc Bogovič (EPP) hosted a breakfast debate on 'Biodegradable mulch films: Reducing environmental impact of plastics in agriculture‘. The aim of the workshop was to provide the EU institutions with scientific information about the technology of biodegradable plastics, in particular their benefits in agricultural applications [...]
On 16 January 2018, the European Commission published its Communication ‘A European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy’. According to the Commission, this proposal is an ambitious step towards making the European plastics system more resource-efficient and drive the change from a linear to a circular system. Bioplastics provide crucial impulses for innovation [...]
In February 2018, the district of Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, located in a historic part of Barcelona, introduced a door-to-door separate waste collection system as part of the Zero Waste Strategy of the municipality. The project aims to minimise the quantity of waste sent to landfill and, more importantly, to involve citizens in order to make [...]
Last October, the European Parliament voted in favour of the use of biodegradable mulch films in the revision of the EU Fertilisers Regulation. Biodegradable mulch films have been available on the EU market for many years, meeting a high level of acceptance among European farmers. They play an essential role in modern agriculture as [...]
In each issue of the Bioplastics Bulletin, we present 5 facts about a member of European Bioplastics. This month, Patrick Schiffers, CEO of Synvina, shares some information on the joint venture between BASF and Avantium with the aim to become the market leader in FDCA and PEF. Patrick Schiffers, CEO, Synvina 5 [...]
