Issue 06/2018

ISSN 1862-5258 

Nov / Dec 

06 | 2018 

Compostable 

sanitary napkin 

project wins 

13th Global 

Bioplastics Award 

| 10 

bioplastics MAGAZINE Vol. 13 

Highlights 

Bioplastics from waste streams | 20 

Films, flexibles, bags | 12 

... is read in 92 countries

BIO-FLEX ® 

AS VERSATILE AS YOUR REQUIREMENTS 

Biobased up to 85 % 

Certifi ed home compostable 

Certifi ed industrial compostable 

Heat resistant 

Food contact approved 

Easy processable on existing equipment

Editorial 

dear 

readers 

As you read these lines, the 13 th European Bioplastics Conference in Berlin is over 

or – for some of you – still going on. And as always, we are grateful to European 

Bioplastics for giving us the opportunity to present the Annual Global Bioplastics 

Award at this prestigious event. For those of you who missed it, turn to page 10, 

where we present this year’s winner. We had already reported about the project 

earlier this year, and it so happened that the development was anonymously 

proposed for the award – and won. 

Films, Flexibles, Bags is traditionally the first highlight topic of every December 

issue of bioplastics MAGAZINE. And the other this year is Bioplastics made from 

waste streams. 

It is also interesting to see that in the aftermath of our 1 st PHA platform World 

Congress , the response continues. A group of four experts have now come 

together to found GO!PHA - the Global Organization for PHA - a global initiative to 

accelerate the development of the PHA-platform industry. 

As always, we’ve rounded up some of the most recent news items on materials 

and applications to keep you abreast of the latest innovations and ongoing 

advances in the world of bioplastics. 

Lastly, I’d like to remind you of the 3 rd bio!PAC conference on biobased 

packaging in Düsseldorf next May – the call for papers is still open. If you have 

an interesting topic to report on, please let us know. The same goes for the 

first international bio!TOY conference. At the end of March, we are going to bring 

together raw material suppliers and toy manufacturers in Nürnberg, Germany, the Toy 

City. See pages 11 and 13 for details. 

Let me take this opportunity to wish you all a relaxing time over the holidays as this 

year comes to an end. Together with you, our readers, we look forward with confidence 

to a new year of challenges, innovations - and events. On our calendar, we’ve already 

marked down Chinaplas, taking place next year at a new location in Guangzhou and 

of course the K’show in Düsseldorf in October and a host of other events. We’ll be 

covering as many of these events as possible - and we hope to see you there, too. 

Until then, please enjoy reading bioplastics MAGAZINE. 


ISSN 1862-5258 

Compostable 


project wins 

13th Global 


| 10 

Highlights 



Nov / Dec 


... is read in 92 countries 

Follow us on twitter! 

www.twitter.com/bioplasticsmag 

Michael Thielen 

Like us on Facebook! 

www.facebook.com/bioplasticsmagazine 

bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/18] Vol. 13 3

Content 

Imprint 

Nov / Dec 06|2018 

3 Editorial 

5 News 

10 Events 

36 Application News 

41 Brand Owner 

45 10 years ago 

46 Basics 

50 Suppliers Guide 

53 Event Calendar 

54 Companies in this issue 


10 And the winner is.. 

Films/Flexibles/Bags 

12 What’s new for cellulose based films 

14 That’s not my bag 

From Science & Research 

18 PLA in the post-consumer-recycling stream 

28 Improved biobased fibres for clothing applications 

29 New method for high yield FDCS production 

30 Compostable plastics behaviour 

42 Land use 

Report 

32 Go!PHA 

39 Tui-Cruises 

Bioplastics from waste streams 

20 Waste cooking oil as source for PHA 

22 Is Algae a sustainable feedstock 

24 Valorizing side stream 

Materials 

26 Calcium Carbonate opens new 

opportunities for the use of PLA 

Applications 

34 PLA in the fridge 

Publisher / Editorial 

Dr. Michael Thielen (MT) 

Samuel Brangenberg (SB) 

Head Office 

Polymedia Publisher GmbH 

Dammer Str. 112 

41066 Mönchengladbach, Germany 

phone: +49 (0)2161 6884469 

fax: +49 (0)2161 6884468 

info@bioplasticsmagazine.com 

www.bioplasticsmagazine.com 

Media Adviser 

Samsales (German language) 

phone: +49(0)2161-6884467 

fax: +49(0)2161 6884468 

sb@bioplasticsmagazine.com 

Michael Thielen (English Language) 

(see head office) 

Layout/Production 

Kerstin Neumeister 

Print 

Poligrāfijas grupa Mūkusala Ltd. 

1004 Riga, Latvia 

bioplastics MAGAZINE is printed on 

chlorine-free FSC certified paper. 

Print run: 3.400 copies 

bioplastics magazine 

ISSN 1862-5258 

bM is published 6 times a year. 

This publication is sent to qualified subscribers 

(169 Euro for 6 issues). 

bioplastics MAGAZINE is read in 

92 countries. 

Every effort is made to verify all Information 

published, but Polymedia Publisher 

cannot accept responsibility for any errors 

or omissions or for any losses that may 

arise as a result. 

All articles appearing in 

bioplastics MAGAZINE, or on the website 

www.bioplasticsmagazine.com are strictly 

covered by copyright. No part of this 

publication may be reproduced, copied, 

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in any form, including electronic format, 

without the prior consent of the publisher. 

Opinions expressed in articles do not 

necessarily reflect those of Polymedia 

Publisher. 

bioplastics MAGAZINE welcomes contributions 

for publication. Submissions are 

accepted on the basis of full assignment 

of copyright to Polymedia Publisher GmbH 

unless otherwise agreed in advance and in 

writing. We reserve the right to edit items 

for reasons of space, clarity or legality. 

Please contact the editorial office via 

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The fact that product names may not be 

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is not an indication that such names are 

not registered trade marks. 

bioplastics MAGAZINE tries to use British 

spelling. However, in articles based on 

information from the USA, American 

spelling may also be used. 

Envelopes 

A part of this print run is mailed to the 

readers wrapped sponsored bioplastic 

envelopes 

Cover 

Aakar Innovations 

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daily upated news at 


Novamont opened new 

Origo-Bi production site 

News 

The official inauguration of Mater-Biopolymer, Novamont’s newly refurbished 

site for the production of its biodegradable biopolyester Origo-Bi, took place on 

19 October, in Patrica, Italy. 

At the end of the preceding "The Regeneration continues" conference, the guests, 

including representatives of institutions, local administrations, universities and 

research and industrial partners of the Group, were given a tour of the plant to have 

an opportunity to take a closer look at the production process. 

In line with Novamont’s strategy of revitalizing sites that have become old and 

obsolete, the new Mater-Biopolymer has been converted from a former PET 

production plant into a modern facility for the production of biopolyesters based 

on renewable raw materials, using a more sustainable and low-emission process. 

The highly efficient plant is equipped with a complex system of utilities to minimize 

costs and waste through the recovery and enhancement of waste. In 2016, the site 

started the construction of a waste water distillation section from the process that 

made it possible to recover the tetrahydrofuran (THF) that is generated during the 

polymerization reaction, which, once distilled, is destined for the chemical and 

pharmaceutical industries, among other things. MT 

www.novamont.com 

Think Sustainable 

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biobased and biodegradable 

plastics (certified according 

to EN 13432), we provide you 

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• Injection Moulding 

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Our team of highly experienced 

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help you – contact us! 

Braskem joins Europe’s Bio-based 

Industries Consortium (BIC) 

Chemicals company Braskem announces it has joined European network Biobased 

Industries Consortium (BIC) as a full member. 

BIC represents the private sector in the Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking 

(BBI JU), a public-private partnership (PPP) with the EU worth €3.7 billion. By 

joining BIC, Braskem has become part of a wider network committed to bringing 

bio-based products to market. 

Established as a pillar of the European Commission Bioeconomy Strategy, BBI JU 

operates under EU research and innovation programme Horizon 2020. It supports 

the development and production of bio-based products in Europe via biorefining 

research and demonstration projects, including large-scale commercialisation, 

through investment in innovative manufacturing facilities and processes. MT 

www.braskem.com 

BIO-FED 

Branch of AKRO-PLASTIC GmbH 

BioCampus Cologne · Nattermannallee 1 

50829 Cologne · Germany 

Phone: +49 221 88 8894-00 

Fax: +49 221 88 88 94-99 

info@bio-fed.com 

www.bio-fed.com 


News 



Unilever and Bio-on work together 

Unilever (headquartered in Rotterdam, The Netherlands) 

and Bio-on (Bologna, Italy) recently announced the start of a 

strategic partnership to develop, produce and sell personal 

hygiene and care products that guarantee a smaller or no 

environmental impact. Using patented bio-technologies 

for natural, biodegradable microplastics (PHA) production, 

Unilever and Bio-on are taking an important step towards 

building a more sustainable economy and more responsible 

consumption in the personal care sector. 

This collaboration is designed to meet the demands 

of consumers, who are increasingly concerned about 

sustainability and making purchasing choices that respect 

the environment, whilst making the most of the skills and 

excellence at both companies. 

Unilever's knowledge and large-scale presence on the 

personal care market with noted brands such as Mentadent, 

Dove, Zendium, Glysolid, and Sunsilk, teams up with the 

exclusive know-how of Bio-on, specialised in biotechnologies 

applied to widely used materials, to create completely natural 

products and solutions. 

"For Unilever, developing a partnership with such an 

excellent Italian company as Bio-on is an important step 

towards the goals we have set ourselves with the Unilever 

Sustainable Living Plan, primarily to halve the environmental 

impact of our products by 2030," claims Fulvio Guarneri, 

Chairman & CEO of Unilever Italia. "This collaboration 

makes us very proud because it is one of the most important 

examples through which Unilever is making concrete moves 

towards sustainability in our business strategy." 

"Research into innovative products and cutting-edge 

formulations that respect the environment and people is 

now a priority in the personal care sector," explains Marco 

Astorri, Chairman and CEO of Bio-on. "We are very pleased 

to work alongside such a major player as Unilever, with 

which we will have the great opportunity to introduce real 

sustainable innovation whilst reaching an increasingly broad 

consumer base." Bio-on will work with Unilever through two 

new companies, which will focus 100% on exploiting exclusive 

technologies to develop, produce and supply personal care 

products. MT 

www.bio-on.it | www.unilever.it 

Dupont completes expansion of Sorona production 

DuPont Industrial Biosciences has completed the expansion 

of their Kinston, NC manufacturing facility, which produces 

bio-based, high-performance DuPont Sorona ® polymers 

From the expansion, DuPont has increased the facility’s 

capacity to produce Sorona polymer by 25%. This investment 

is reflective of the growing demand for Sorona polymer 

throughout the carpet and apparel markets and an emerging 

global focus on building the circular economy. 

“This expansion is a direct result of the significant growth 

in global demand for Sorona polymer and a testament to 

DuPont’s commitment to manufacturing innovative products in 

North Carolina,” says Michael Saltzberg, Ph.D., global business 

director of DuPont Biomaterials. “We are grateful for the support 

from partners that made this project possible including: Lenoir 

County Economic Development, North Carolina Community 

College System, Lenoir Community College, Duke Energy 

Corporation, North Carolina Department of Commerce and 

North Carolina Department of Transportation.” 

DuPont Sorona polymer is made from 37 % renewable 

plant-based ingredients and has many versatile applications. 

As compared to similar materials, like nylon 6, Sorona 

polymer uses 30 % less energy and releases 63 % fewer 

greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to reducing its reliance 

on fossil fuels, Sorona polymer combines eco-efficiency with 

function, as its high-performance qualities can be used in 

a variety of applications. Fibers made with Sorona polymer 

exhibit exceptional softness, inherent stain resistance and 

uncompromising durability, offering a sustainable, highperforming 

material option for customers throughout the 

supply chain. 

DuPont Industrial Biosciences employs more than 90 

workers in Kinston through the manufacturing of Sorona 

polymer. With the startup of the line, four additional employees 

also are being recruited. MT 

tinyurl.com/sorona 

Magnetic 

for Plastics 

www.plasticker.com 

• International Trade 

in Raw Materials, Machinery & Products Free of Charge. 

• Daily News 

from the Industrial Sector and the Plastics Markets. 

• Current Market Prices 

for Plastics. 

• Buyer’s Guide 

for Plastics & Additives, Machinery & Equipment, Subcontractors 

and Services. 

• Job Market 

for Specialists and Executive Staff in the Plastics Industry. 

Up-to-date • Fast • Professional 

6 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/18] Vol. 13



News 

EU Parliament's single-use plastics ban - 

Bioplastics can provide an alternative, EUBP says 

The European Parliament recently approved its report on the draft Directive on Marine Pollution and Single-use Plastics. 

“European Bioplastics fully supports the transition from a linear to a circular economy. Bioplastics enable more sustainable 

solutions for a range of products“, says François de Bie, Chairman of European Bioplastics (EUBP).“We agree on the importance 

of reducing single-use plastic products where feasible, but hygiene and food safety cannot be compromised. With regard to 

some of the concerned single-use products – such as e.g. plates and cutlery –, biodegradable certified compostable plastics 

provide an organically recyclable alternative“. 

EUBP considers the Parliament’s decision to restrict the use of single-use cutlery and plates as not sufficiently considering 

the reality of food consumption in Europe. In certain closed-loop contexts, such as canteens, air travel, or sport and music 

events, these are an indispensable and efficient solution to guarantee safety and hygiene for food and drinks while ensuring at 

the same time waste collection and recycling. 

Biodegradable certified compostable plastics fulfil Europe’s rigorous requirements and standards for health and safety and 

can be recycled organically together with the food waste. 

EUBP fully supports the Parliament’s suggestion to restrict products made from oxo-degradable plastics, which is in line 

with earlier statements by the Parliament and the European Commission in the context of the EU Plastics Strategy. 

Concerning biodegradability in the marine environment, EUBP stresses that it is an interesting property. However, it needs 

to be clearly defined for which materials, products and under which circumstances this property is of added value. Improving 

waste management on land and building efficient mechanical and organic recycling infrastructures across Europe remain a 

priority when it comes to fighting marine pollution. 

EUBP looks forward to further constructive discussions with the European Commission, the Parliament, and the Council 

during the upcoming trilogues in order to realise a truly sustainable, no-litter, circular economy for Europe. MT 

www.european-bioplastics.org 

HIGH WE DRIVE THROUGHPUT. THE 

DIAMEETS CIRCULAR ECONOMY. QUALITY. 

Whether it is inhouse, postconsumer 

or bottle recycling: 

you can only close loops in a 

precise and profitable way if 

machines are perfectly tuned 

for the respective application. 

Count on the number 1 

technology from EREMA 

when doing so: over 5000 

of our machines and systems 

produce around 14 million 

tonnes of high-quality pellets 

like this every year – 

in a highly efficient and 

energy-saving way. 

That’s Careformance! 

CAREFORMANCE 

We care about your performance. 

1710013ERE_ins_bioplastics magazine.indd 1 bioplastics MAGAZINE 18.10.17 [06/18] Vol. 14:313 7

News 

thyssenkrupp commissions first commercial 

PLA plant for COFCO in China 

To reduce reliance on petroleum-based plastics, 

thyssenkrupp has developed a manufacturing process 

for the bioplastic PLA. The world’s first commercial plant 

based on the patented PLAneo ® technology recently started 

production in Changchun, China. It is operated by the Jilin 

COFCO Biomaterial Corporation, a subsidiary of COFCO, 

China’s largest food and beverage group. The new plant with 

an initial capacity of 10,000 tonnes, produces all standard PLA 

types, among other things for the production of eco-friendly 

packaging, fibers, textiles and engineering plastics. 

the technology, thyssenkrupp’s subsidiary Uhde Inventa- 

Fischer profited from decades of expertise gained from the 

construction of more than 400 polymerization plants and 

extensive experience in the scale-up of new technologies. 

For the new plant in Changchun thyssenkrupp provided 

the engineering, key plant components and supervision of 

construction and commissioning. MT 

www.thyssenkrupp-industrial-solutions.com 

Sami Pelkonen, CEO of the Electrolysis & Polymers 

Technologies business unit of thyssenkrupp Industrial 

Solutions: “The bioplastics market will continue to grow in the 

coming years, not least due to the increasing environmental 

awareness of industry, governments and consumers. With our 

PLAneo technology we want to do our bit to make the plastics 

sector more sustainable and resource-friendly. With it we 

enable our customers to produce high-quality bioplastics with 

a wide range of properties – at a price that is competitive with 

conventional plastics.” 

PLAneo technology converts lactic acid into PLA in a 

particularly efficient and resource friendly way. Another 

advantage is its transferability to large-scale plants with 

capacities of up to 100,000 tons per year. In developing 

Neste and Clariant will collaborate 

Neste, the world’s leading provider of sustainable renewable 

diesel and an expert in delivering drop-in renewable chemical 

solutions, and Clariant, a world leader in specialty chemicals, 

have signed an agreement to collaborate on the development 

of new sustainable material solutions targeted at a range of 

industries. 

In the first phase of the partnership, the companies will 

start replacing fossil-based ethylene and propylene used in 

Clariant’s top-quality hot-melt adhesives, with monomers 

derived from renewable feedstock. This is enabled by turning 

Neste’s renewable hydrocarbons – produced 100 % from 

renewable raw materials, such as waste and residue fats and 

oils as well as vegetable oils – into ethylene and propylene for 

Clariant’s products. 

In a later phase, the companies will also develop other 

sustainable additive solutions derived from renewable raw 

materials for plastics and coatings applications. This will 

enable the two companies to help various sustainabilityfocused 

brand owners – such as those producing furniture, 

sporting goods, hygiene products, electronics, and cars – to 

increase their bio-based offering while also reducing crude oil 

dependency and climate emissions. 

“We are proud to join forces with Clariant, one of the 

most innovative players in the specialty chemicals industry. 

Collaboration marks an essential step forward in Neste’s 

quest to become a preferred partner as a provider of 

sustainable chemicals solutions for forerunner brands”, says 

Peter Vanacker, President & CEO from Neste. 

“Combining Clariant’s in-depth knowhow in the varying 

applications of adhesives, plastics, and coatings, with Neste’s 

extensive knowledge and experience in working with biobased 

materials to produce a variety of drop-in renewable 

solutions, enables both companies to develop their sustainable 

material offering to provide maximum added value not only 

to sustainable brands in varying industries but also to their 

customers,” Vanacker adds. 

“For society, our environment, and future generations, it is 

our responsibility to improve sustainability performance and 

reduce our carbon footprint and dependency on crude oil. As 

a result of Clariant’s partnership with Neste, we can progress 

our goal to become a true sustainable solution provider in 

the additive market, offering our customers products and 

solutions that can make a positive contribution towards their 

targets and enhance end applications,” continues Gloria 

Glang, Vice President, Head of Global Advanced Surface 

Solutions Business at Clariant. MT 

www.neste.com | www.clariant.com 


Picks & clicks 

Most frequently clicked news 

Here’s a look at our most popular online content of the past two months. 

The story that got the most clicks from the visitors to 

bioplasticsmagazine.com was: 

re:thinking 

plastic 

UK judge finds the case for oxo-degradable plastic ‘compelling’ 

(05 November 2018) 

In a further twist of the oxy-degradable plastics saga, Symphony Environmental 

Technologies PLC today (5th November 2018) heard the news that lawyer and 

former deputy Judge of the High Court in England, Peter Susman QC, has declared 

the scientific case for oxo-biodegradable technologies to be “clear and compelling”. 

A commentary by bioplastics MAGAZINE. 

Produced 

exclusively from 

pure plant-based, 

renewable 

resources! 

Biome Bioplastics' 

educational channel 

Biome Bioplastics, Southampton, UK, has launched a digital educational channel, 

#ThinkBioplastic. The platform aims to help government, media and the public 

better understand the complexities of plastics and plastic pollution and learn more 

about available alternatives. 

#ThinkBioplastic will share content about the whole plastic life cycle (production, 

use and disposal) and investigate the science behind recent plastic’s headlines. 

It will highlight the role of bioplastic in reducing the negative impact of polymer 

manufacture and disposal. All content will be in an easily digestible form. 

Biome Bioplastics CEO Paul Mines explains the motivation behind the channel: 

“The recent extensive coverage on plastic, while increasing awareness of the 

problem, has also increased people’s confusion about the existing solutions. We 

decided to take the matter into our own hands and form a necessary back-to-basic 

approach that puts the emphasis on science and fact. We hope to cut through some 

of the noise in this debate and empower people to make their own choices.” 

The channel has already received support from experts in the biobased industry. 

Professor Adrian Higson, Director at NNFCC, said the #ThinkBioplastic platform 

will help inform individuals about the ‘already available solutions’ to the plastic 

problem. He added: “In turn, this can shine a new light on the opportunity that 

biobased and biodegradable plastics represent, to shift towards a sustainable 

bioeconomy - a move that could eliminate dependency on fossil fuels.” 

#ThinkBioplastic will also be working with ambassadors, such as award-winning 

wildlife photographer Sue Flood, who has spent almost 30 years as a wildlife 

filmmaker and photographer, among others as a member of the team that produced 

the acclaimed Blue Planet and Planet Earth documentaries. MT 

www.thinkbioplastic.com 

Our premium range from 

renewable raw materials 

With Joma Nature® we offer a select 

range of our Spice Grinders and our 

Securibox® as an environmentally 

conscious alternative to conventional 

products – sustainable and CO 2-neutral. 

For our environment, we aim to 

protect our natural surroundings 

and secure a livable world for our 

children. 

www.jomapackaging.com 


Award 

And the winner is ... 

The 13 th Global Bioplastics Award 2018 was 

given to Aakar Innovations for their biobased 

sanitary pads for girls and women in rural India 

Aakar Innovations Pvt. Ltd. from Belapur, Mumbai, 

India developed a fully compostable sanitary pad for 

girls and women in rural India. The pads are manufactured 

in local decentralized workshop locations by the local 

women of the region. 

Arunachalam Murugananphan is the social entrepreneur 

that made this all happen and received the innovation 

award from the President of India. Aakar Innovations 

follows in those pioneering footsteps and takes it a step 

further by introducing the element of environmental and 

social responsibility. Using biobased and fully compostable 

materials, Aakar is manufacturing sanitary pads using 

rural, low cost manufacturing and also providing jobs to 

women in rural villages. 

Aakar is a hybrid social enterprise that enables women 

to produce and distribute affordable, high-quality, 100 % 

compostable sanitary napkins within their communities 

while simultaneously raising awareness and sensitization 

of menstrual hygiene management. That’s why Aakar 

launched a 100 % compostable sanitary pad under the 

brand name Anandi. 

Anandi is a 100 % compostable sanitary napkin using 

biobased compostable polymer film. It uses virgin soft 

pine wood pulp containing more than 97 % of cellulose and 

hemi-cellulose. The wood pulp as used has pure cellulose 

materials with complete uniformity of fibers allowing it to 

decompose easily. Activated by an only eco-friendly ozone 

treatment process and using compostable bioplastic. The 

root sources of the material used is from naturally available 

corn starch. 

The judges were impressed with the holistic concept, 

addressing the social, economic and environmental 

elements at the same time. A perfect example of what 

sustainability is all about! It is tangible, helping millions 

of women in rural India, and shows how bioplastics can 

advance the cause of environmental and social justice in a 

responsible manner. All bioplastic components are certified 

compostable as per EN 13432 or ASTM D6400. A certification 

for soil degradability is being awaited and will complete a 

truly remarkable story of empowerment, social justice and 

environmental responsibility 

The prize was awarded to the winning company on 

December 4 th , 2018 during the 13 th European Bioplastics 

Conference in Berlin, Germany. MT 

www.aakarinnovations.com 


Events 

bioplastics MAGAZINE presents a first of its kind: 

call for papers 

Conference on Biobased Materials in Toy Applications 

27 - 28 March 2019 - Nürnberg, Germany 

The biobased polymer supply chain meets the toy maker industry and trade. 

• More than 20 presentations with focus on suitable materials and user experiences 

• Background information on regulation / policy, and funding opportunities in EU 

• Table-top exhibition of business and technology leaders 

• Time and atmosphere supporting business development through dialog 

• Media and PR programme to spread the news 

• Supported by the German Toy Maker Association DVSI 

Driving innovation, sustainability and product safety to the next level. 

Explore new ways with biobased plastics. 

Confirmed speakers include: 

Lego, Bioseries, Bioblo, eKoala, Braskem, FKuR, Tecnaro, Hexpol TPE, 

nova-Institute and DVSI 

Call for Papers is still open. For updated information and opportunities on programme, 

exhibiting, sponsoring, etc. visit the website or contact mt@bioplasticsmagazine.com 

Gold Sponsor 

Silver Sponsor 

Coorganized by 

Innovation Consulting Harald Kaeb 

supported by 

Media Partner 

1 st Media Partner 

#bio-toy 

www.bio-toy.info


What’s new in 

cellulose based films 

When Futamura 

acquired its 

cellulose films 

business in 2016, including 

the trademark brands 

Cellophane and NatureFlex, the 

business was already braced for positive change, 

with early investment from owners Futamura, the cellulose 

films business based in Wigton (Cumbria, UK) and Tecumseh 

(Kansas, USA), strengthened its core production facilities 

and planned for strategic growth. Then who could have 

foreseen that the broadcast of one BBC nature documentary, 

Sir David Attenborough’s Blue Planet II, would put the 

metaphorical cat amongst the pigeons (or catfish amongst 

the shrimp?) turning this plastic world as we know it upside 

down and placing a spotlight on bio-material alternatives to 

single-use conventional plastics. 

Traditionally, renewable and compostable NatureFlex 

films are in popular with ethical companies wanting to do 

the right thing with their packaging, and increasingly from 

new business start-ups who want to get their sustainable 

packaging journey kicked off on the right foot, right through 

to retailers and large brand owners who are more and more 

considering bio-alternatives to conventional plastic films 

for main stream brands. 

NatureFlex is ideal for flexible applications packaging 

fresh produce, as well as dry products such as tea and 

coffee. However, there are great success stories when 

laminated to other bio-materials such as; The Curiosity 

Co. bacon, which has received much attention following 

the launch of the UK’s first so-called PLASTIC FREE ® aisle 

at the Thornton’s Budgens Bellsize park store in early 

November. In addition to bacon packs, NatureFlex was 

used by Budgen’s to replace cling film for wrapping their 

deli cheese, and could be found in numerous flexible packs 

in store ranging from the recently launched Two Farmer’s 

crisp range to Tea Pigs. 

The Plastic Free Trustmark, created by A Plastic Planet, 

states in its criteria that a flexible package must be certified 

to the EN13432 standard and / or TÜV Austria Home 

compost, making NatureFlex the ideal solution either 

on its own or laminated to other certified compostable 

biomaterials. 

Other applications using NatureFlex films include 

pouches, cereal liners, coffee capsules (lidding), and 

sachets for tea, coffee, herbs and spices and flow wraps for 

chocolate bars, overwrap for yeast, tea cartons and many 

more everyday items. MT 

www.futamuragroup.com 


Automotive Events 

bioplastics MAGAZINE presents: 

bio PAC 

call for papers 

Conference on Biobased Packaging 

28 - 29 May 2019 - Düsseldorf, Germany 

Biobased packaging 

» can be recyclable and/or compostable 

» fits into the circular economy of the future 

» is made from renewable resources or waste streams 

» can offer environmental benefits in the end-of-life phase 

» can offer innovative features and beneficial barrier properties 

» can help to reduce the depletion of finite fossil resources and CO 2 

emissions 

That‘s why bioplastics MAGAZINE (in cooperation with Green Serendipity) is now 

organizing the third edition of 

bio PAC 

The 2 day-conference will be held on the 

28 th and 29 th of May 2019 in Düssseldorf, Germany 

Confirmed speakers include: 

BASF (Martin Bussmann), Ecoplaza (Steven Iijzerman), 

FKuR (Patrick Zimmermann), Novamont (Albertro Castellanza), 

Green Serendipity (Caroli Buitenhuis), Bio4pack (Patrick Gerritsen), 

Braskem (Marco Jansen), nova-Institute (Michael Carus), 

European Bioplastics, narocon (Harald Kaeb) 

Call for Papers is still open: Please send your proposal to mt@bioplasticsmagazine.com 

supported by 

Coorganized by 

Gold Sponsor 

1 st Media Partner 

Media Partner 

#bio-pac 

www.bio-pac.info


That’s not my bag – 

or is it? 

Certified compostable film applications with multiple benefits 

and different mechanical and thermal properties. The main 

application areas are films for organic waste bags, fruit 

and vegetable bags and dual-use bags (first for shopping, 

then for organic waste), multilayer packaging materials, 

and agricultural films. The certified compostable, partly 

biobased plastics are in no way inferior to conventional 

materials: they are just as effective and resistant, can be 

processed with conventional machinery, and are ideal for 

developing innovative solutions. 

ecovio F is suitable for producing compostable multilayer films 

with good barrier properties for packaging applications like coffee 

capsule pouches. 

Lightweight, tear-resistant and waterproof – thanks to 

their exceptional properties, plastic bags and films 

make our lives easier. But when it comes to biowaste 

collection, they can contribute to the formation of microplastic 

when disposed of together with organic waste. The 

EU commission estimates that the recycling rates for thin 

plastic bags will not rise above 10 % by 2020. For all applications 

that cannot be recycled mechnically, BASF offers the 

certified compostable plastic ecovio ® . It can be used to produce 

compostable blown films, thermoformable flat films 

or multilayer films, for applications as diverse as shopping 

bags, food packaging and agricultural films. 

Plastic bags and films help to keep food fresh, are a 

convenient way of carrying our shopping, and ensure 

that waste is disposed of hygienically. But when it comes 

to disposal, they cannot always be easily separated into 

their individual components for mechanical recycling. 

In addition, society is increasingly looking for alternative 

product solutions which are environmentally sustainable 

but are still just as convenient. 

With ecovio, which is made from the compostable and 

biodegradable BASF plastic ecoflex ® and polylactic acid 

(PLA), BASF developed in 2006 a biodegradable plastic 

which is certified to EN13432 for industrial composting. 

Since then a broad range of different ecovio grades has been 

introduced into the market, with varying biobased contents 

Kitchen and food waste can be hygienically collected in 

organic waste bags made from ecovio F, then turned into 

compost in industrial composting facilities along with the 

bag. Thanks to its good resistance to moisture, liquid does 

not leak through, so there is no need to wash out the compost 

bin. Because of the material’s excellent tensile strength and 

hence load-carrying capacity ecovio F can also be employed 

to make shopping bags. They are strong enough to be 

reused several times before finally being used as organic 

waste bags. Bags and pouches made from ecovio can be 

both welded and printed, so they can be clearly labeled as 

compostable, for example. 

Fruit and vegetable bags made of ecovio are more than 

simple carrier bags, too. The blown films can be extruded in 

the range from 10 to 12µm. They can be reused as organic 

waste bags and thus improve the collection and recovery of 

organic food waste. The bags possess high tear and wear 

Fruit and vegetable bags made of ecovio possess high tear and 

wear stability, are approved for food contact and reduce food 

losses due to their good breathability. 



By: 

Martin Bussmann, Jörg Auffermann, Dirk Stärke 

BASF SE 

Ludwigshafen, Germany 

Conventional mulch films made of polyethylene (PE) have to 

be collected from the fields and recycled after harvesting. 

Because of earth and plant remnants sticking to the films 

recycling is more difficult or even impossible. Mulch films 

made of ecovio M2351 are completely and biologically 

degraded by microorganisms like bacteria and fungi that 

exist naturally in the soil. Farmers can simply plow the 

ecovio mulch films back into the ground along with the 

plant debris. This saves time and money. 

ecovio M2351 is a ready-to-use compound that can 

be processed into soil-biodegradable mulch films on 

conventional PE film extrusion lines without the need for 

any additional slip or anti-block agents. Because of the 

material’s excellent mechanical properties, down-gauging 

up to 12, 10 and 8 μm thickness is possible. 

Bags made from ecovio can be both welded and printed, so they 

can be clearly labeled as compostable, for example. 

After more than ten years’ product development, versatile 

film applications for different industry sectors can be made 

of certified compostable plastics like ecovio. They benefit 

from the optimum balance of easy processing, tailormade 

material properties and the promotion of a circular 

economy. 

www.ecovio.basf.com 

stability, are approved for food contact and reduce food losses 

due to the good breathability of the material. The ecovio bags 

also comply with the recent standards in France and Italy for 

compostable fruit and vegetable bags made of renewable 

resources. In France, for example, single-use plastic bags 

that are thinner than 50 µm have to consist of at least 40 % 

of renewable resources and be home-compostable. Thus 

bags made of ecovio support a safer, cleaner and easier 

food waste collection, closing the loop of the food value 

chain. 

ecovio F is also suitable for producing compostable 

multilayer films with good barrier properties for packaging 

applications. The bioplastic, which is approved for direct and 

indirect food contact, is used as the sealing layer. The other 

film layers are also made from compostable materials such 

as cellophane. In order to ensure that the entire packaging 

can be disposed of together with the food waste and given 

to industrial composting, a holistic approach is possible: 

so, for example, closures and vent valves can also be 

produced from ecovio. Recycling food waste in this way is 

more resource-friendly than incinerating it or sending it to 

landfill. 

Films are not only employed for bags and packaging, 

they also have applications in agriculture and horticulture. 

Here, mulch films are used to increase the yield, speed 

up harvesting as well as to save water and herbicides. 

Mulch films made of ecovio M2351 are completey and biologically 

degraded by microorganisms like bacteria and fungi that exist 

naturally in the soil. 


IN THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY, 

NOTHING IS WASTED, 

EVERYTHING IS TRANSFORMED. 

We are moved by improving people’s lives through 

sustainable solutions in chemicals and plastics. 

HERE IS WHAT BRASKEM 

IS COMMITTED TO DOING TOGETHER: 

That is why the transition to a Circular Economy— 

where everything can be used and reused in a 

continuous cycle—moves us to action. And it 

starts with education on how we produce and how 

Optimize 

the design of plastic 

products with our 

clients and partners 

for more efficient 

recycling and reuse. 

Continue 

investing in the 

development of 

renewable-based 

plastic products. 

we consume in society. 

We know that plastic is essential for our quality 

of life, from providing agricultural productivity to 

ensuring food safety and hospital hygiene. We also 

Develop and 

support new 

technologies 

and methodologies 

for recycling. 

Promote 

conscious 

consumption 

and recycling 

programs. 

know that plastic should be used sustainably— 

either reused, recycled or reclaimed. 

Braskem believes in the strength of this movement 

and invites everyone to join us. Each one of us has 

a role to play. 

Get to know our positioning in full 

braskem.com/circulareconomy 

Expand 

the studies 

on Life Cycle 

Assessment and 

environmental 

and climate 

impacts 

of plastic. 

Support 

private, 

governmental 

and academic 

partnershipsaimed 

at understanding, 

preventing 

and solving 

the problem 

of marine 

waste. 

Support 

the measurement 

and reporting 

of recycling 

rates on plastic 

packages. 

Encourage 

comprehensive 

science-based 

policies to understand 

the origins of and to 

prevent marine 

waste, and to improve 

the management of 

solid waste overall, 

particularly 

of plastic. 

PASSION FOR TRANSFORMING 


© 

© 

-Institut.eu | 2018 

-Institut.eu | 2017 

Full study available at www.bio-based.eu/reports 

Full study available at www.bio-based.eu/reports 

© 

-Institut.eu | 2017 

Full study available at www.bio-based.eu/markets 

Bio- and CO 2 -based Polymers & Building Blocks 

The best market reports available 

Data for 

2017 

Bio-based Building Blocks 

and Polymers – Global Capacities 

and Trends 2017-2022 

Bio-based polymers: 

Evolution of worldwide production capacities from 2011 to 2022 

Million Tonnes 

6 

5 

4 

3 

Dedicated 

Drop-in 

Smart Drop-in 

without 

bio-based PUR 

2 

1 

2011 

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 

18-05-22 

Authors: Raj Chinthapalli, Michael Carus, Wolfgang Baltus, 

Doris de Guzman, Harald Käb, Achim Raschka, Jan Ravenstijn, 

2018 

This and other reports on the bio-based economy are available at 

www.bio-based.eu/reports 

Commercialisation updates on 

bio-based building blocks 

Standards and labels for 

bio-based products 

Bio-based polymers, a revolutionary change 

Comprehensive trend report on PHA, PLA, PUR/TPU, PA 

and polymers based on FDCA and SA: Latest developments, 

producers, drivers and lessons learnt 

million t/a 

Selected bio-based building blocks: Evolution of worldwide 

production capacities from 2011 to 2021 

3,5 

actual data 

forecast 

3 

2,5 

Bio-based polymers, a 

revolutionary change 

2 

1,5 

Jan Ravenstijn 2017 

1 

0,5 

Picture: Gehr Kunststoffwerk 

2011 

2012 

2013 

2014 

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 

2021 

L-LA 

Succinic 

acid 

Epichlorohydrin 

1,4-BDO 

MEG 

2,5-FDCA 

Ethylene 

D-LA 

Sebacic 

1,3-PDO 

acid 

11-Aminoundecanoic acid 

MPG 

DDDA 

Lactide 

Adipic 

acid 

E-mail: j.ravenstijn@kpnmail.nl 

Mobile: +31.6.2247.8593 

Author: Doris de Guzman, Tecnon OrbiChem, United Kingdom 

July 2017 



Authors: Lara Dammer, Michael Carus and Dr. Asta Partanen 

nova-Institut GmbH, Germany 

May 2017 



Author: Jan Ravenstijn, Jan Ravenstijn Consulting, the Netherlands 

April 2017 



Policies impacting bio-based 

plastics market development 

and plastic bags legislation in Europe 

Asian markets for bio-based chemical 

building blocks and polymers 

Market study on the consumption 

of biodegradable and compostable 

plastic products in Europe 

2015 and 2020 

Share of Asian production capacity on global production by polymer in 2016 

100% 

A comprehensive market research report including 

consumption figures by polymer and application types 

as well as by geography, plus analyses of key players, 

relevant policies and legislation and a special feature on 

biodegradation and composting standards and labels 

80% 

60% 

Bestsellers 

40% 

20% 

0% 

PBS(X) 

APC – 

cyclic 

PA 

PET 

PTT 

PBAT 

Starch 

Blends 

PHA 

PLA 

PE 

Disposable 

tableware 

Biowaste 

bags 

Carrier 

bags 

Rigid 

packaging 

Flexible 

packaging 

Authors: Dirk Carrez, Clever Consult, Belgium 

Jim Philp, OECD, France 

Dr. Harald Kaeb, narocon Innovation Consulting, Germany 

Lara Dammer & Michael Carus, nova-Institute, Germany 

March 2017 



Author: Wolfgang Baltus, Wobalt Expedition Consultancy, Thailand 



Authors: Harald Kaeb (narocon, lead), Florence Aeschelmann, 

Lara Dammer, Michael Carus (nova-Institute) 

April 2016 

The full market study (more than 300 slides, 3,500€) is available at 

bio-based.eu/top-downloads. 




PLA in the post-consumerrecycling 

stream 

The constant increase in global production capacities 

of biobased plastics [1] results in a variety of products 

made of biobased plastics that reach the established 

disposal streams as post-consumer wastes after being 

used. In Germany, one of these disposal streams is the collection 

and disposal of lightweight packaging waste by the 

yellow bin or the yellow bag system. KNOTEN WEIMAR and 

TU Chemnitz have investigated the behaviour of biobased 

plastic products in the sorting of lightweight packaging 

wastes at operating plants and pointed out possible options 

for material recycling. The research project was carried 

out on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Food and 

Agriculture (BMEL) and funded by the project management 

organization Fachagentur für nachwachsende Rohstoffe 

(FNR) [2]. 

The scheme in Fig. 1 gives an overview of the various 

disposal routes and the recycling and disposing processes 

of various packaging waste as well as the recyclable 

material fractions produced. Products made of biobased 

plastics can also be integrated into this system. 

Sensor-based sorting with near-infrared (NIR) devices 

is a key element of modern sorting plants and enables the 

sorting of different types of plastics. 

Drop-in solutions such as biobased PET and PE, are 

sorted out together with conventional equivalents. 

However, biobased novel plastics (e.g. PLA, PLA blends or 

starch based materials) can also be detected and sorted out 

due to their characteristic NIR spectra. 

It can be concluded that the sorting of e.g. PLA blends as 

representatives of biobased novel plastics as single fraction 

is technologically viable. Impurities of the sorted fractions 

can thus be kept to a minimum. 

In preparation for a practical field test in a conventional 

sorting plant, the NIR spectra of several different PLA 

blends (plastic yoghurt cups, sheets but also dishes, cups 

and bottles) were scanned in the existing NIR devices. 

In order to determine the current initial quantity, a sorting 

test was first run for lightweight packaging sorting with 

approx. 25 tonnes of lightweight packaging input material. 

The result showed that the current quantity of products 

made from PLA/PLA blends and starch blends in all of the 

analysed material streams is predominantly below 1.1 ‰. 

A further sorting test (three subtests) investigated the 

detectability and sortability or material output of PLA 

products/wastes at an operating plant in more detail. 

The goal was to determine where PLA materials remain 

under unchanged sorting conditions (without positive 

sorting of PLA or without activating the PLA spectrum on 

the NIR devices) and to test the detectability and sortability 

of PLA materials from the post-consumer stream. Cups, 

forks and dessert cups were used as PLA input material. 

Subsequent to material mixing (Fig. 2) the material was 

fed into the sorting process. 

Three sorting tests were carried out (see above), the 

Fig. 1 

Disposal paths and recycling, reutilization and disposal processes of separate packaging wastes 

Taking back systems for packaging waste 

Deposit systems 

PET -Bottles 

Light weight packaging via dual systems (yellow bin/bag) 

e.g. cups, bowls, bottles, films etc. 

Sorting -/Pre-treatment plants (Disposal company), Sorting dry 

Process steps a.o. crushing, sieving, metal separation, sensor-based sorting (NIR), air separation, manual control 

Products: relevant enriched reusable materials 

(incl. impurities caused by sorting performance, material-compounds / -mixtures, residues and pollutants)* 

PET PS PE / PP Films MP RDF** Residues 

Final recipient plant, Conditioning wet-dry- 

Process steps (per material): a.o metal separation, 

sensor-based sorting (NIR), crushing, washing, 

sink-float separation (separation by density), drying, if any extruding 

Sinking 

fraction 

(ρ > 1) 

e.g. PET 

Swimming 

fraction 

Sinking 

fraction 

e.g. PE / PP 

Swimming 

fraction 

(ρ < 1) 

Final recipient plant, 

Conditioning dry 

Process steps (per material): 

a.o. metal separation, crushing, 

sieving, air separation, sorting, 

if any agglomeration 

e.g. Mixed plastics (MKS) 

Thermal 

treatment 

(MVA ) 

PET 

a.o. residues 

a.o. residues 

PE / PP 

z.B. PO 

Recyclates, 

e.g. PET, PO, PS 

(material recycling) 

Reductant, gases 

and oils 

(raw material recycling 

e.g. steel plant) 

Fuel 

(energetic 

utilisation e.g. 

cement and CHP 

station) 

Energy 

(disposal, 

if possible 

energetic 

utilisation***) 

*Specification for individual recyclable material available; **classification as final recipient plant for RDF-production; ***MVA if possible energetic utilisation 



By: 

Jasmin Bauer,Carola Westphalen 

KNOTEN WEIMAR 

Internationale Transferstelle Umwelttechnologien GmbH 

Weimar, Germany 

Tobias Hartmann, Roman Rinberg,,Lothar Kroll 

Technische Universität Chemnitz 

Chemnitz, Germany 

material first underwent the automated sorting process 

and was then manually separated from the fractions. 

The following results were achieved: 

• Detecting and, in particular, separation of PLA materials 

as individual material fraction in a state-of-the-art plant 

is possible. 

• Sorting under normal conditions for lightweight 

packaging (PLA detection not active) approx. 9 % of the 

PLA input goes into the PVC fraction. Hence, PLA is 

classified as PVC if no PLA spectrum is active. 

• Small scale adaption was made by adjusting the plant 

technology by scanning the PLA spectra. 

• Positive sorting on PLA results in a sorting rate of 55%. 

• Positive sorting on PLA+PE/PP extracted 46% of PLA 

input. 

The generated test material (PLA fraction) was grinded, 

washed and the grist was purified to 90 % PLA with the help 

of Hamos GmbH (Penzberg, Germany) in the company’s 

own pilot plant. The purification took place in three stages: 

air separation, metal separation and plastic-plastic 

separation. The main contamination after the cleaning 

process was adhesive label residues from the yoghurt cup. 

As not enough input material was available for the final 

regranulation on an industrial plant, a test material (~ 0.8 t) 

Fig. 2 Input material (left), automated sorting process (right) 

was mixed analogous to the purified fraction. This grist 

was regranulated at Sysplast GmbH&Co. KG in Nürnberg, 

Germany on a Coperion ZSK 50MC with an Ettlingen rotary 

filter ERF (sieve width 250 µm) with throughputs of up to 400 kg 

per hour. The impurities were separated effectively and a 

green regranulate was obtained (see Fig. 3). 

The mechanical testing revealed the following losses 

with regard to the virgin material (Ingeo 2003D from 

NatureWorks): 

Young’s modulus -1 % 

tensile strength -24 % 

Charpy unnotched -31 % 

Charpy notched -17.4 % 

All the tests and results mentioned, as well as further 

experiments on the recycling of PLA, including a life cycle 

assessment, are detailed in the final report of the research 

alliance “Nachhaltige Verwertungsstrategien für Produkte 

und Abfälle aus biobasierten Kunststoffen” funded by 

BMEL in which eight partners from science and industry 

participated [3]. A quick overview of the most important 

results, as well as further links to the joint project and the 

partners, are summarised in the results paper “PLA in the 

waste stream” (download link see [4]). 

References: 

[1] European Bioplastics, nova-Institut (2017). www.biobased.eu/markets 

[2] https://www.fnr.de/index.php?id=11150&fkz=22019212 

[3] https://www.european-bioplastics.org/pla-in-the-waste-stream/ 

[4] https://www.umsicht.fraunhofer.de/content/dam/umsicht/en/ 

documents/press-releases/2017/pla-in-the-waste-stream.pdf 

www.bionet.net | www.leichtbau.tu-chemnitz.de 

Fig. 3: seperates impurities (left) and green PLA regranulate (right) 



By: 

Vlaďka Matušková 

Project Manager 

NAFIGATE Corporation, a.s. 

Prague, Czech Republic 

Waste Cooking 

Oil as a Source 

for PHA 

Low quality waste cooking oil (WCO) has traditionally 

been regarded as a low-value waste product, unfit for 

further use. Not by Czech company NAFIGATE Corporation, 

however, whose Hydal Biotechnology uses 100 % waste in 

the form of waste cooking oil to produce fully biodegradable 

PHA biopolymer. The company uses oil also as a source of 

energy, making biopolymer significantly more affordable 

than bioplastics manufactured from the so-called firstgeneration 

feedstock, such as corn or sugar cane. Hence, 

the technology is Zero Waste with 50 % less energy 

consumption than conventional polyethylene (PE). 

Nafigate Corporation’s innovative and patented Hydal 

biotechnology has won global acclaim, earning, for example, 

the 2015 Frost and Sullivan Technology Innovation Award, 

Seal of Excellence, as well as being named one of the Top 10 

products in China. It is a technology for upcycling: it takes 

a waste product and transforms this into a completely 

different product – a biopolymer. The company’s strategy 

is based on a production system that is aimed at closing 

the loop, in line with the key principle of the concept of the 

Circular Economy, which is to retain the value of a material 

as long as possible within the cycle. 

Moreover, the environmental aspects of this breakthrough 

technology have been analysed with the help of Life Cycle 

Assessment (LCA), the only tool to objectively assess the 

impacts of Hydal PHA manufacturing on the environment. 

Due to the Zero Waste production system and use of waste 

material, the LCA demonstrated a significant positive effect 

of the production of PHB polymers from Waste Cooking 

Oil using Hydal’s environmental biotechnology. Compared 

to polymers made from first generation feedstock and 

conventional polyethylene, Hydal PHA production does 

not result in the depletion of natural resources, has a 

smaller CO 2 

footprint and is not associated with ecotoxicity, 

freshwater toxicity, acidification, eutrophication and other 

negative environmental impacts. 

The final biopolymer can be used in various fields, 

including for bioplastics production. Another key area is 

the cosmetics industry, for which Hydal PHA provides ideal 

properties. Hydal PHA is offered in the form of a whole 

range of P3HB particles with a nano surface area of up to 

8 m 2 /g. According to the certified analysis, the purity of the 

final biopolymer – P3HB or PHBV – is higher than 99 %, 

with a high molecular weight. Recently, the company in 

cooperation with Nafigate Cosmetics launched a new 

product - Coconut shower peeling milk, in which microbeads 

have been replaced with Hydal P3HB. As a new cosmetics 

eco-design concept, it is being market under the name 

“Dedicated to You and Nature” to reflect its biodegradable 

and biocompatible properties. 

PHA can be also used in the medical sector, since P3HB 

particles of varying sizes are able to act as transport 

systems for active substances. P3HB is additionally 

approved for medical purposes by the FDA. Hydal PHA 

enables the production of microfibres with a nano surface 

area of 30-40 m 2 /g. 

Agriculture is another area, in which Hydal PHA may find 

application. Hydal PHA-based enhanced efficiency fertiliser 

represents controlled-release fertilizers, which gradually 

supply the nutrients to the soil. This controlled-release 

technology results in some 50 % less fertiliser being 

needed compared to conventional methods (fertilizers 

are coated with PHA). Furthermore, waste biomass from 

the production process offers another source for fertiliser 

manufacturing, while last but not least, phosphorus from 

the production process can be recycled. 

www.nafigate.com 



Life Cycle Assessment on PHB production from Used Cooking Oil 

100 

80 

60 

40 

20 

-0 

-20 

-40 

-60 

-80 

-100 

Abiotic 

depletion 

Abiotic 

depletion 

(fossil fuels) 

Global 

warming 

(GWP 100a) 

Global 

warming 

(GWP 100a) 

Human 

toxicity 

Fresh water 

aquatic 

ecotox. 

Marine 

aquatic 

ecotoxicity 

Terrestrial 

ecotoxicity 

Photochemical 

oxidation 

Acidification 

Eutrophication 

PHB LDPE, granulate Polylactide, granulate 

Method: CML-IA baseline V3.05/EU25/Characterization 



Is Algae a sustainable 

feedstock for bioplastics? 

As demand for bioplastics grows, the industry is starting 

to feel the challenge of finding sustainable biofeedstock. 

Algae appears to be a promising source 

[1]. Algae can be both grown commercially, or harvested 

from commercial and industrial processes, such as water 

treatment. 

Growing algae commercially for bioplastics 

applications 

Algae is already commercially grown for nutraceuticals 

(e.g. Omega 3 EPA/DHA), cosmetics, food and animal feed 

supplements, according to Barry Cohen, President of The 

National Algae Association (The Woodlands,Texas, USA). 

Cohen notes that algae is a microorganism that doubles 

in population every couple of days. Cohen estimates that 

an algae producer would need only 60 days to cultivate a 

particular strain for client review, testing, and certification. 

Another 60-90 days may be required to fulfill a large volume 

order suitable for bioplastics. Algae strains suitable for 

bioplastics have already been proven in the lab. 

Cohen notes that the biggest challenge to growing algae 

for bioplastics is finding a client who can fund 30-40% of the 

contract price upfront to fulfill a large volume order quickly. 

The industry is self-funded and even though producers can 

scale easily into commercial production, they have limited 

resources to bear large volume production expenditures 

alone. Partnerships within the greater supply chain will be 

required to get commercially-grown algae into large-scale 

bioplastics production. 

Harvesting algae from existing water treatment 

processes 

Algae thrives in our wastewater and other high-nutrient 

(i.e. polluted) environments. While its presence helps filter 

harmful nutrients out of the water, its overgrowth in nutrientrich 

conditions is also a menace [2] to freshwater supplies. 

There is a rising demand to contain algae overgrowth 

in waterways and reduce the water nutrient levels that 

support algae. This can be done while harvesting algae to 

generate feedstock for bioplastics and other applications. 

Two innovative start-ups are seizing this opportunity: 

Working with a wastewater treatment byproduct 

Kelvin Okamoto is the Founder and CEO of Gen3Bio 

(West Lafayette, Indiana, USA), an innovative company 

that converts algae into biofeedstock for resale using a 

proprietary blend of enzymes. Okamoto noted that Gen3Bio 

harvests the algae from treatment processes that filter 

problematic nutrients from wastewater. 

Gen3Bio has a mobile pilot facility that hooks into the 

nutrient removal systems at wastewater treatment plants, 

utilizing its own blends of algae to do the job. Gen3Bio then 

harvests the spent algae for processing and resale. The 

company plans to share a percentage of net revenue from 

the sale of the resulting algae biofeedstock with wastewater 

facilities. 

The main outputs of Gen3Bio’s operation include sugars, 

fats, and proteins from the spent algae. Gen3Bio ferments 

sugars extracted from the algae to produce succinic acid. 

Succinic acid (cf. bM 03/2013) has multiple uses; among 

them, it is a common ingredient in the production of 

polybutylene succinate (PBS) (cf. bM 05/2016 and [3, 4]). 

PBS is a biodegradable thermoplastic with properties 

similar to polypropylene. It is sometimes blended with PLA. 

It can be used for the production of both durables (e.g. 

fishnets, automotive composites) and non-durables (e.g. 

food packaging, disposable cups). 

Harvesting algae out of our water supply 

While Gen3Bio harvests spent algae from a wastewater 

treatment process, Omega Material Sciences filters 

problematic algae directly out of the water. Omega Material 

Sciences (Lakeland, Florida Area, USA) is an R&D lab that 

is working on a large-scale source of algae feedstock for 

bioplastics. Its founder, Keith Ervin, has developed a water 

treatment media to safely extract algae blooms from both 

freshwater and wastewater at high volumes. 

Ervin notes that traditional approaches to algae 

remediation cannot generate biofeedstock at meaningful 

scales because they kill off algae, leading the organism 

to emit toxins into the water upon their demise. Ervin’s 

method leads to chemical and mechanical separation 

of algae blooms from water, making it safe and effective 

in producing clean water and harvesting the algae at a 

commercial scale. 

Ervin has received significant attention from the water 

treatment community for his technology. Building the 

infrastructure to harvest his algae at scale to feed the 

demand for bioplastics will require collaboration and 

investment across industries, however. Ervin is looking for 

partners and stakeholders to make this happen. 

Algae-based materials may already be in your 

shoes 

Algae is already making an appearance in consumer 

products. Algix, a company located in Meridian, Mississippi, 

USA, has been producing a plastic composite out of algae 

for some years. The algae is combined with traditional 

plastics to create Algix’ Solaplast line of resins, which are 

approximately 45 % algae. Ryan Hunt, Co-Founder and CTO 

at Algix, stated that the algae acts as a biobased filler in 

the Solaplast resins, lowering the environmental footprint 

of the resulting composite. 



By: 

Joanna Malaczynski 

Consultant 

DESi Potential 

Bend, Oregon, USA 

Algix’ daughter company, Bloom, converts the algae 

composite into an EVA foam that can be used in consumer 

goods. Bloom’s algae foam can already be found in some 

flip flops, running shoes, and even surfboard traction pads. 

The company is launching products with companies such as 

Adidas, Altra Running, BOGS, Clark’s, Toms, Vivobarefoot 

(see p. 35, EcoAlf, Billabong, Saola, TenTree, Red Wings, 

Slater Design, Surftech, Biota and Chippewa. 

Hunt noted that most of the algae used by his company 

is a wastewater treatment by-product. Algix likes working 

with wastewater algae because it contains high levels of 

proteins, that can be used as building-blocks for certain 

bioplastics. Hunt noted that algae living in nutrient rich 

conditions, such as wastewater and our overly-fertilized 

waterways [5], is especially productive in producing these 

proteins. 

Is algae suitable for food-grade plastics? 

Algae could be an effective biofeedstock for food-grade 

plastics. Many American commercial algae growers already 

produce a food-grade product for other markets. With 

the right business partner, they could shift to food-grade 

production for bioplastics. Companies who work with 

wastewater algae, on the other hand, have yet to seek FDA 

approval for food-grade use, and it remains to be seen to 

what extent this would be a viable proposition for them. 

An emerging Oregon start-up, AlgoteK, has produced 

an algae-based food-grade film, sourcing its algae from 

China. The AlgoteK film degrades in contact with water, 

which makes it suitable for certain single-use applications. 

David Crinnion, Co-Founder of AlgoteK, noted that he 

is committed to working with the biobased material in 

its purest form because it is easily compostable and biodegradeable. 

AlgoteK recently caught the interest of a local 

chocolate manufacturer, which is interested in utilizing 

AlgoteK’s algae-based material for its packaging. 

Gen3Bio Pilot Plant Equipment 

Billabon flipflops 

References 

[1] https://www.fastcompany.com/90154210/the-creators-of-this-algaeplastic-want-to-start-a-maker-revolution 

[2] https://www.epa.gov/nutrientpollution/harmful-algal-blooms 

[3] https://www.m-chemical.co.jp/en/products/departments/mcc/ 

sustainable/product/1201025_7964.html 

[4] http://www.succinity.com/polybutylene-succinate 

[5] http://news.wfsu.org/post/engineering-bioplastics-firms-debut-cuttingedge-algae-removal-process 

SlaterDesign Algae Traction Pad 

Vivobarefoot Ultra Bloom 

running shoes 

https://desipotential.com | www.gen3bio.com | http://algix.com | 

https://bloomfoam.com 



Valorizing 

Plant pots 

Biodegradable plastic pipe (Heijmans) 

Rodenburg Biopolymers’ activities started in 1945, 

trading plant-derived products for various industries. 

Soon Arie Rodenburg added side stream 

activities, by buying defects from potato sorters. This 

was when the long-term relationship with potato side 

streams started. Who would have known that a forage 

business would turn into Bioplastics half a century later? 

Collaboration 

In the 1960’s, Rodenburg started working together 

with French Fry Factories and pioneered in collecting 

and valorizing industrial side streams. Rodenburg was 

characterized by tight collaborations and innovation 

on every step in the value chain. At the beginning of 

the chain, the processes of the factories needed to 

be adjusted to make the collection of side streams 

possible. Rodenburg introduced new innovative 

processing techniques, like grinding the steam peels. 

At the end of the chain, Rodenburg created a market 

for its products and revolutionized the forage industry. 

This was also the start of its R&D activities. The various 

side streams were split and tested for optimal results 

on different cattle species. Aaik Rodenburg recalled: 

“We partnered up and started a bull farming business 

to raise top quality cattle on our side stream products. 

This way we could optimize the valorization processes 

and show our customers excellent quality meat.” 

During these decades Rodenburg built the bedrock 

and the fundamentals for the business. Collaboration 

and innovation are still King for success at Rodenburg 

Biopolymers. 

Innovation 

In the year 2000, Aaik Rodenburg made a turnaround 

to Biodegradable polymers, in cooperation 

with Wageningen ATO (Food and Biobased Research). 

Building further on the essence of the company; the 

valorization of co-products and waste streams. An 

intensive period of R&D followed, with many obstacles 

to overcome. Resulting in various certified and awardwinning 

biodegradable products. For example, the 

biobased packaging material for Mars’ candy bars, 

awarded with the 11th Global Bioplastics Award by 

bioplastics MAGAZINE. 

These innovations took time, flexibility and continuous 

improvement. “We were so proud to produce our first, 

biodegradable plant pots,” Aaik recounted. “During 

the opening of our new factory, we handed out dozens 

of those with a flower in it. Unfortunately, the product 

appeared to evoke a special reaction from dogs; diggingup 

the pots and ruin the gardens. Other uncalculated 

side-effects were the increasing odor over time and the 

violets changing their color. Apparently, the protein in 

the potato was the culprit.” 

Biodegradable plastic pipe (Heijmans) 

Drawing from this anecdote, it shows the persistence 

and grit needed to achieve the desired products, 


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side streams 

even before entering the market. “We have 50 Years of 

experience in valorizing side streams, strong in-house R&D 

and a track record in co-creation. Still, every innovation 

involves a lean, innovative approach and customization,” 

said Thijs Rodenburg, CEO of the company. The violets are 

still standing in the office as a reminder for that, next to 

Mars’ packaging. 

TRANSITION 

During the last decade, there has been a change in 

business needs, manufacturing demands and ethical 

standards. However, the customer is still not ready to pay 

the premium for innovative processes or biodegradable 

materials. Rodenburg Biopolymers found the gap: value 

adding propositions and unique product performances. 

Thijs Rodenburg: “Two years ago, we produced 

biodegradable plant support sticks. We hoped customers 

would embrace the cradle to cradle or biodegradable 

concept. Unfortunately, we could not compete with the 

cheaper, plastic alternatives. We continued R&D with our 

partners Growfun and Wageningen University and looked 

for the right proposition to reach our target audience. We 

found a way to add fertilizer to the sticks, so not only would 

they provide support, but also feed the plant nutrition over 

time. This product was launched at the Royal FloraHolland 

Trade Fair this year, under the brand Voodstock, with great 

success.” 

According to Rodenburg, the market is in transition. It is 

only a matter of time before the mass will embrace bioplastics 

as a sustainable alternative. And waste streams will play an 

important role as a feedstock. MT 

www.biopolymers.nl 

from left: Thijs, Joost and Aaik Rodenburg, 

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Materials 

Modified Calcium Carbonate 

opens new opportunities for 

the use of PLA 

P 

olylactic Acid (PLA) is one of the fastest growing 

biobased polymers on the market. Processors have 

tried to use Calcium Carbonate to improve properties 

and the cost structure, as is common in conventional 

polymers. Omya gained experience showing that conventional 

Calcium Carbonate can lead to the degradation of 

PLA and PLA / PBAT blends used in products such as cups, 

trays, lids and bags. Omya followed market demand to develop 

a new type of Calcium Carbonate that does not cause 

PLA degradation. 

Introduction 

PLA is a bio-polyester which degrades when processed 

with moisture due to hydrolysis. Calcium Carbonate is by 

nature a somewhat hygroscopic material and carries a 

certain amount of moisture on its surface and in its crystal 

structures. 

In 1952, Omya launched the first surface-treated Calcium 

Carbonate with reduced moisture adsorption. Today it 

is common to use surface-treated calcium carbonate in 

all types of polymer applications to prevent processing 

problems and surface defects on the final products. The 

most common surface treatment materials are based on 

fatty acids, such as stearic acid. With such a treatment, 

a good reduction of the moisture uptake on the Calcium 

Carbonate can be observed, but it ultimately causes 

hydrolysis in PLA. 

With the development of Omya Smartfill ® technology, the 

situation has changed. It is now possible to add 40 % or 

more of Calcium Carbonate in films, sheets or injection 

molded parts without causing significant hydrolysis 

while improving important properties such as elongation, 

stiffness and impact. 

Product Evaluation 

Melt flow rate is considered a good indicator of polymer 

chains degradation: As PLA degradation increases, it is 

expected that the melt flow rate of the polymer or compound 

would increase too. 

Table 2 shows the difference between conventionally 

treated Omyacarb ® 1T and Omya Smartfill after preparing 

a 40 % Calcium Carbonate compound with Natureworks 

Ingeo 2003D. The compounding line is a continuous 

kneader without vacuum degassing and only pre-dried 

PLA was used. The results show that using a conventional 

Calcium Carbonate, such as Omyacarb 1T, MFR increased 

significantly, which means that important polymer 

degradation has taken place during processing. In contrast, 

Omya Smartfill does not show signs of degradation and 

kept the melt flow on the same level as virgin PLA. 

A more common technology for processing PLA is twinscrew 

compounding with the ability to extract water by 

vacuum degassing. Table 3 shows that in these processing 

conditions, the melt flow rate increase with Omyacarb 1T 

was more limited but still not satisfactory. The use of Omya 

Smartfill led again to a significantly lower MFR and matched 

the viscosity of unfilled PLA. 

Omya Smartfill does not require pre-drying or 

venting when compounding 

To test the effect of Calcium Carbonate on PLA properties, 

a 300mm working width laboratory casting line was used to 

make 800 µm PLA sheets with different Calcium Carbonate 

loadings. 

Fig 1 and Fig 2 show the same typical property changes 

Calcium Carbonate provides in PLA as expected with 

Calcium Carbonate addition in conventional thermoplastic 

polymers. Yield strength decreases, and stiffness increases 

with increasing Calcium Carbonate concentration. 

After sheet production, part of it was cut into small pieces 

to check the extent of degradation. This was done after the 

second heat history through MFR measurement (Fig 3). The 

results clearly show that Omya Smartfill does not cause 

additional PLA degradation, whereas Omyacarb 1T causes 

heavy degradation, which can make polymer processing 

difficult. 

In many polymers, the elongation at break is reduced 

due to the addition of mineral additives. Surprisingly Omya 

Smartfill added to PLA boosts the ultimate elongation. Fig 4 

shows a strong increase in elongation at break achieved 

when adding Omya Smartfill with a maximum at around 

20 % addition but even at 40 % addition elongation is far 

higher than for virgin PLA. This proves that Omya Smartfill 

increases stiffness and elasticity simultaneously and 

allows a processor to achieve high filler levels with superior 

mechanical properties. This effect can be seen also when 

adding Omyacarb 1T but to a much less extent, which could 

be related to degradation. 

Similar injection molding tests show comparable 

improvements and an increased impact strength on top, but 

there are additional benefits that contribute to overall cost 

savings when using 40 % Omya Smartfill, including: 

• 12 % lower specific heat capacity 

• 78 % higher thermal conductivity 

• 60 % higher thermal diffusivity 

• 89 % opacity at 30 % filler level without the use of 

titanium dioxide 


By: 

4500 

4000 

3500 

3000 

2500 

2000 

1500 

1000 

500 

0 

1000 

500 

0 

100% PLA 10% Omya Smartfill 

20% Omya Smartfill 40% Omya Smartfill 

20% Omyacarb 1T 

Matthias Welker, Michael Knerr, Karsten 100% Schulz PLA 10% Omya Smartfill 

Omya International AG 


Oftringen, Switzerland 


Physical properties help to increase productivity. When 30 

using Omya Smartfill in thermoforming or injection 

20 

molding, less energy is needed for heating and cooling and 

10 

lower cycle times can be achieved. Elongation at Break in MD [%] 

80 

70 

60 

50 

40 

80 

70 

60 

50 

40 

30 

20 

10 

0 

100 

90 

80 

70 

60 

100 50 

40 90 

30 80 

20 70 

10 60 

50 0 

Tensile Strength at Yield in MD [N/mm 2 ] 

Tensile Strength at Yield in MD [N/mm 2 ] 

10 

0 




0 

100 


Omya Smartfill is always the right choice when conventional 

Tensile Modulus MD [N/mm 2 ] 

90 


Calcium Carbonate causes 80polymer degradation due to 

5000 20% Omyacarb 1T 

hydrolysis. It is EU 10/201170 

and FDA approved for food 

4500 

contact, it meets composting 60requirements and has passed 

4000 

50 

3500 

the ecotoxicity test. The material Elongation is supplied at Break as a powder in MD [%] 

40 

3000 Tensile Modulus MD [N/mm 2 ] 

and needs to be 

100 

pre-dispersed in a compound before being 

30 

2500 5000 

used on conventional 90 single 20 screw extrusion lines. 

2000 4500 

80 

10 

1500 4000 

Omya recently 

70 

received an 

0 

Innovator Award from the 

1000 3500 

Sustainable Packaging 60 Coalition (SPC) 100% as PLA a member 10% Omya 3000 500 Smartfill 

of PepsiCo’s Supply 50 Chain Partnership to 20% deliver Omya Smartfill a new 40% Omya 2500 Smartfill 0 

40 


2000 


biobased film package to market. The outcome of a 

30 

1500 


Partnership Innovator Award was one of a select few entries 

70 20% Omyacarb 1T 

20 

1000 

chosen for advancing 10 the state of sustainable packaging. 

500 

60 

Fig 2 

NatureWorks, Danimer 0 Scientific, Berry Global, Johnson- 

0 

50 

Bryce and PepsiCo also received 100% an PLA award. 10% Omya Smartfill 

100% PLA 10% Omya 80 Smartfill 

www.omya.com 


40 20% Omya Smartfill 40% Omya Smartfill 


70 


30 MFR @ 210C/2.16kg [g/10min] 

60 

70 

20 

50 

Table 1: Moisture adsorption of common calcium carbonate 

grades and Omya Smartfill 55 - OM (mg/g, upon relative humidity 

change from 10% rH to 85 % rH at 23 °C) 

Calcium Carbonate 

Conventional un-treated 

Conventional treated 

Omya Smartfill 55-OM 

Moisture Adsorption 

1580 ppm 

750 ppm 

390 ppm 

Table 2: MFR (210°C/ 2.16kg [g/10min]) (without degassing) 

MFR 

100% PLA Ingeo 2003D 6 

60% PLA + 40% Omyacarb 1T 49 

60% PLA + 40% Omya Smartfill 5 

Table 3: MFR (210°C/ 2.16kg [g/10min]) (with degassing) 

MFR 

100% PLA Ingeo 2003D 6 

60% PLA + 40% Omyacarb 1T 25 

60% PLA + 40% Omya Smartfill 6 

60 

50 

40 

30 

20 

10 

0 

40 

30 

20 

10 

0 

Fig 1 

MFR @ 210C/2.16kg [g/10min] 

40 80 

30 70 

Tensile Strength at Y 

100% PLA 20 60 10% Omya Smartfill 


10 

20% Omyacarb 1T 50 

40 0 

30 

100% PLA 

20% Omya Smartfill 

20 


10 


20% Omya Smartfill 40% Omya 0Smartfill 


Elongation at Break in MD [%] 

Fig 3: MFR after sheet production 

Elongation at Break in MD [%] 







Fig 4: Impact of calcium carbonate 

to elasticity 

Materials 

Tensile Strength at Y 

70 

60 

50 

100% PLA 

20% Omya Smartfill 


MFR @ 

MFR 

40 

70 

30 

60 

20 

50 

10 

40 

0 

bioplastics MAGAZINE 30 [06/18] Vol. 13 27 

100% P


Improved biobased fibres 

for clothing applications 

Polylactic acid (PLA) is a material obtained from renewable 

resources, suitable for obtaining melt-processable fibres. It 

combines ecological advantages with a good performance in 

textiles. PLA successfully bridges the gap between synthetic and 

natural fibres and finds a wide range of uses, but despite their 

benefits, most commercial PLA grades do not yet fulfil all the mechanical 

and thermal requirements for some textile applications. 

In order to solve these limitations, the European project FIBFAB 

has been working on the development of a new bio-compound 

that fulfils the desired properties for textile clothing applications 

as well as the suitability to be used in industrial fibre production. 

The project FIBFAB aims to industrialize and successfully launch 

the production of biobased and sustainable PLA-based fabrics 

(wool/PLA and cotton/PLA) for applications in casual, protective 

and workwear clothing and to overcome the current limitations of 

PLA fibres as a real alternative to current fabrics (wool and cotton 

combined with polyester (PES) fibres). The targets of the project 

are: 

• To obtain a final 100 % biobased clothing product that meets 

the mechanical performance requirements of the textile sector. 

Sample 

Standard / 

Method 

MFI 

(g/10 min) 

210°C; 2,16 kg 

UNE-EN ISO 

1133-2: 2012 

VICAT B50 (°C) Crystallinity (%) 

UNE-EN ISO 

306: 2015 

DSC, 

Platen Press 

PLA 6201 D 25 55-60 25.40 

PLA 6100 D 24 55-60 - 

PLA 6260 D 65 - - 

Target 

properties 

15-30 > 90 - 

FibFab 

compound 

22.8 ± 0.7 92.7 ± 0.4 47.08 

By: 

Nuria López Aznar 

Senior Polymer Researcher 

AIMPLAS (Plastics Technology Centre) 

Paterna, Spain 

With this compound developed, fibres and some 

final products such T-shirts were obtained. 

• To improve the current poor thermal resistance of PLA fibres 

to meet the requirements in several clothing applications. The 

thermal resistance of PLA fibres achieved are higher than 

90°C. 

• To improve the extrusion process for PLA fibres to be able 

to obtain fine fibres (less than 3 dtex) and especially the 

mechanical spinning process (friction control in ring spinning) 

to be able to spin PLA blend fibres at higher speeds. 

• To reduce the market dependence on fibre and textile imports 

(mainly PES products) and improve the competitiveness of the 

textile sector by creating a new concept of clothing that fits the 

expectations of customers with high ecological awareness. 

• To introduce yarns and fabrics produced from PLA fibres 

and cotton or wool into the textile market. Due to the 

chemical nature of PLA, it has been proven that it has better 

breathability, hydrophilic properties, UV resistance, low smoke 

production and flammability and also lower density than PES. 

The compound development, in which AIMPLAS (Paterna, 

Spain) is the main responsible, has included a mix of different 

commercial PLAs with some additives such as nucleants, 

processing aids and hydrolysis stabilizers. 

From the results of the characterization of the compounds 

developed, it was possible to achieve the targets regarding viscosity, 

thermal resistance, crystallinity, hydrolytic behaviour, mechanical 

properties and shrinkage, as well as good processability, obtaining 

fibres with less than 3 dtex. 

The table shows some of the main properties studied and 

compares some commercial PLAs and the compound developed 

within the project FIBFAB. 

FIBFAB is a two-year project funded by the EU’s 

Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme 

under grant agreement No 737882, in which AIMPLAS 

(Plastics Technology Centre) is the coordinator. 

Together with the rest of the consortium (Centexbel, 

D.S. Fibres, Yünsa and Sintex), these members 

cover the textile value chain, from fibre production to 

product manufacturing, thus ensuring the industrial 

implementation of PLA fibres for clothing. 

fibfab-project.eu/ | www.aimplas.es 



New 

method 

for high 

yield FDCS 

production 

enables large-scale 

production of bio-based 

plastic bottles 

S 

cientists have discovered a novel method to synthesize 

furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid (FDCA) in a high yield from a glucose 

derivative of non-food plant cellulose, paving the way for 

replacing petroleum-derived terephthalic acid with biomaterials in 

plastic bottle applications. 

The chemical industry is under pressure to establish energyefficient 

chemical procedures that do not generate by-products, and 

using renewable resources wherever possible. Scientists believe 

that if resources from non-food plants can be used without putting 

a burden on the environment, it will help sustain existing social 

systems. 

It has been reported that various useful polymers can be 

synthesized from 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural (HMF), the biomaterial 

used in this study. A high yield of FDCA can be obtained when HMF 

is oxidized in a diluted solution under 2 wt % with various supported 

metal catalysts. However, a major stumbling block to industrial 

application lies with the use of a concentrated solution of 10-20 wt %, 

which is essential for efficient and scalable production of FDCA in the 

chemical industry. When HMF was simply oxidized in a concentrated 

solution (10 wt %), the FDCA yield was only around 30 %, and a large 

amount of solid by-products was formed simultaneously. This is due 

to complex side reactions induced from HMF itself. 

In the study published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition 

[1], a Japan-Netherland research team led by Associate Professor 

Kiyotaka Nakajima at Hokkaido University and Professor Emiel 

J.M. Hensen at Eindhoven University of Technology succeeded in 

suppressing the side reactions and producing FDCA with high yields 

from concentrated HMF solutions (10~20 wt %) without by-products 

formation. Specifically, they first acetalized HMF with 1,3-propanediol 

to protect by-product-inducing formyl groups and then oxidized 

HMF-acetal with a supported Au catalyst. 

About 80 % of 1,3-propanediol used to protect formyl groups 

can be reused for the subsequent reactions. In addition, drastic 

improvement in the substrate concentration reduces the amount 

of solvents used in the production process. Kiyotaka Nakajima 

says “It is significant that our method can reduce the total energy 

consumption required for complex work-up processes to isolate the 

reaction product.” 

“These results represent a significant advance over the current 

state of the art, overcoming an inherent limitation of the oxidation of 

HMF to an important monomer for biopolymer production. Controlling 

the reactivity of formyl group could open the door for the production 

of commodity chemicals from sugar-based biomaterials,” says 

Kiyotaka Nakajima. This study was conducted jointly with Mitsubishi 

Chemical Corporation. MT 

[1] Kim M., et al., Aerobic oxidation of HMF-cyclic acetal enables selective FDCA 

formation with CEO2-supported Au catalyst, Angewandte Chemie International 

Edition, May 14, 2018. DOI: 10.1002/anie.201805457 

www.global.hokudai.ac.jp 

Conventional methods produce 

by-products making large-scale 

FDCA production difficult, while this 

new method yields FDCA efficiently 

without by-products formation [1]. 

HO O O 

O 

PD-HMF 

cat. Au-CeO 2 

Selectivity: 91 % 

(20 wt% concentration) 

Acetal protection suppresses byproduct 

formation 

HO 

O 

O 

FDCA 

Byproduct 

O 

OH 

cat. Au-CeO 2 

Selectivity: 28 % 


Major pathway 


HO O O 

HMF 

H 



Compostable polymers are increasingly found in applications 

such as packaging, disposable nonwovens and 

hygiene products, consumer goods and agricultural 

products. A wide variety of compostable polymers have been 

developed, derived both from petrochemical and renewable 

sources. But, what do we know about how these materials behave 

in other environments or conditions outside of industrial 

composting facilities? 

In 2018, the European Parliament introduced the new 

‘European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy’, in 

which the opportunities and risks associated with the growing 

use of plastics with biodegradable properties, have also been 

acknowledged. In the absence of clear labelling or marking 

for consumers and without suitable waste collection and 

treatment options, these plastics could aggravate the leakage 

of plastics into the environment and cause mechanical 

recycling problems. On the other hand, the European Strategy 

states that biodegradable plastics can certainly have a role in 

some applications, and that innovation efforts in this field are 

welcome but that the behaviour and consequences of their 

biodegradability must be demonstrated. 

This article will present the main findings of a study on 

the degree of disintegration of a compostable polymer and 

a visual analysis of the material degradation in different 

environmental conditions. It will present different tests 

carried out under industrial composting conditions, home 

compost conditions, composting conditions in a lab-scale test 

(aggressive synthetic solid) and in soil (natural environment) at 

two different temperatures. Furthermore, the ecotoxicological 

effects of the environment after the disintegration process 

was evaluated to obtain a full understanding of the behaviour 

of these polymers. 

The present study revealed that two main aspects determine 

the degree of disintegration of a compostable biopolymer 

(PLA and PBTA blend): on the one hand, the aggressiveness 

of the medium (microbial activity) and on the other hand, the 

temperature. 

The most aggressive medium, an enriched synthetic solid, 

gave rise to average disintegration degrees of 96.09 %, followed 

by natural compost of vegetable origin and a normalized soil, 

thus reaching disintegration degrees of 87.76 % and 72.05 % 

respectively at thermophilic temperature (58 ºC). 

By: 

Elena Domínguez 

Researcher, Sustainability and Industrial Recovery department 

AIMPLAS 

Paterna, Valencia, Spain 

Compostable 

plastics’ 

behaviour in 

different 

environmental 

conditions 

Figure 1. Degree of disintegration of the 

material tested in different environments and 

thermophilic conditions (58 ºC) 

Figure 2. Degree of disintegration of the material 

tested in different environments and mesophilic 

conditions (25 ºC) 

58ºC day 7 day 37 day 69 day 90 

25ºC day 7 day 90 

Synthetic Solid 

Synthetic Solid 

Normalized 

Soil 

Normalized 

Soil 

Compost 

Compost 



At a mesophilic temperature of 25 ºC , the materials did not 

achieve degradation in any of the environments studied. 

In this study, the ecotoxicological effects were evaluated in a 

fast-growing plant species (Ray Grass) from the media where 

disintegration had occurred. None of the media in which the 

polymeric material had disintegrated produced a toxic effect 

on the species in question and the vegetal biomass reached a 

germination and growth rate of over 90 % with respect to the 

reference substrate. 

A limitation in the use of bioplastics is the existing confusion 

about the behaviour of materials in different conditions. An 

industrially compostable material is not necessarily able to 

biodegrade under other temperature conditions or in other 

environmental conditions. Currently, there are international 

schemes for the certification of biodegradable materials in 

different environments that may cause confusion in this sector. 

These schemes guarantee to customers the biodegradability 

of a material in certain conditions according to international 

standards. 

In order to enable the correct communication of 

biodegradable polymers through product ecolabelling, there 

are different standards of biodegradation determination 

in different environments (compost, soil, etc.), which have 

been used to create certification schemes that specify the 

requirements to be met in order to attain the corresponding 

certificate and product labelling. 

Manufacturers and suppliers in Europe have relied on 

the neutral and independent certifications by DIN CERTCO 

and TÜV Austria for many years. Certifications from these 

agencies send a message to consumers about the quality 

of the products and can serve as guidance when making 

purchasing decisions. 

These independent bodies are able to specify the correct 

biodegradation environment for final products thanks to 

verification marks. 

The most common ecolabel assigned is that of compostability 

in industrial facilities (at a temperature of approximately 60 ºC). 

The aforementioned bodies grant their own compostability 

ecolabels together with European Bioplastics association’s 

Seedling compostability mark. Both marks, can be used 

individually, alternatively or simultaneously, and document the 

biodegradability, among other aspects, of a final product or 

material in industrial composting facilities. 

A material that is compostable in industrial composting 

facilities will not necessarily compost in home composting 

conditions, where, among other things, the temperature 

is considerably lower (approximately 25 ºC). Different certificates 

are obtainable for different conditions and 

environments: biodegradable materials and products can 

be certified as degradable in soil, saltwater or fresh water. 

Any supplier who invests in adding this functionality to their 

product or packaging should have the opportunity to have 

this information verified according to international standards, 

obviously without encouraging consumers to litter. 

Biodegradability in the soil offers huge benefits for 

agricultural and horticultural products, as they can be left 

to break down in situ after being used. In 2018, standard 

EN 17033 [1] was developed, which outlines the requirements 

to be met by agricultural mulch films, an application in which 

biodegradability in soil entails the end of life of materials, thus 

reducing soil contamination due to mismanagement on the 

part of humans. 

AIMPLAS, the Plastics Technology Centre, based in Spain, 

is now in the process of becoming a laboratory recognized by 

TÜV Austria, after which it will support the manufacturers in 

the verification process required for the different ecolabels, 

evaluating the requirements necessary to fulfil each point 

of the certification schemes according to international 

regulations. 

Furthermore, as a quality aspect, Aimplas has a testing 

laboratory accredited by ENAC with accreditation no 56/LE156 

in conformity with the EN ISO/IEC 17025 standard. Moreover, 

Aimplas has the highest number of ENAC accreditations for 

plastics according to the ISO 17025 standard at national level. 

ENAC accreditations are recognized in over 50 countries, 

since it is a signatory of the Mutual Recognition Agreements 

arranged at an international level among accreditation bodies 

all over the world. These agreements include practically the 

whole of the EU, USA, Canada, Japan, China and Australia, 

among others. 

[1] EN 17033: 2018. Plastics - Biodegradable mulch films for use in agriculture 

and horticulture - Requirements and test methods. 

www.aimplas.es 

Figure 4. AIMPLAS’ equipment for simulation of 

conditions of biodegradation or disintegration 

tests. 


Report 

GO!PHA 

Introduction of the Global Organization for PHA 

F 

ollowing a successful conclusion of 1 st PHA platform 

world congress, in September 2018, a group of four 

experts conceived the idea of establishing a global initiative 

to accelerate the development of the PHA-platform 

industry by sharing experiences, knowledge and developments, 

and by communicating objectively towards policy 

development organizations, NGOs, OEMs/Brand Owners, 

plastics processors and the general public, and to facilitate 

joint development initiatives. The result is GO!PHA, a Global 

Organization for PHA, an initiative of Jan Ravenstijn, Rick 

Passenier (PACE), Anindya Mukherjee (i2i Consulting) and 

Michael Carus (nova-Institut). 

Polyhydroxyalkanoate polymers (PHAs) provide a unique 

opportunity as a solution for reducing greenhouse gases and 

environmental plastics pollution and offer numerous design 

opportunities in the new global plastics ecosystem. However, 

legislators, brand owners and the common public are largely 

unaware of the potential benefits and as of today commercial 

success has been limited. 

The founding members of Go!PHA believe that significant 

effort is needed to highlight and promote the benefits of PHAs 

to the global consumer community, OEMs/Brand Owners 

and plastics processors on PHA’s durability, sustainability 

and its impact on accelerating The Circular Economy via 

growing demand for a range of sustainable, high-quality 

and competitive products and materials based on renewable 

feedstocks and offering diverse end-of-life options. 

With this article, Go!PHA is presenting the start and 

general outline of the Global Organization for PHA; GO!PHA, 

and would like to invite interested stakeholders to share their 

feedback and support for this initiative. 

The Global Organization for PHA 

The Global Organization for PHA will serve the entire 

PHA-platform industry and its downstream markets in 

demonstrating its benefits and encouraging the development 

and commercialization of PHA polymers as new solutions 

and as a beneficial alternative to existing petroleum polymers 

and plastics, by engaging in three major areas: 

• Communication, policy and legislation 

Educating key public and private stakeholders about the 

benefits of PHA-polymers, by developing objective technical, 

environmental and pre-commercial communication. 

Advocating legislative and market adoption drivers and 

identifying and overcoming barriers for further PHApolymers 

adoption, by actively representing the industry 

interests in key global and local forums. 

• Market proliferation 

Improving market perception about the application 

development options and multiplying on success, by 

showcasing best practices. Creating an informative channel 

to present the realm of product and application development 

options and to develop objective inter-material replacement 

data. Create a forum to allow members to help match market 

demand and supply, and application development. 

• Technical and scientific knowledge development 

Accelerating the implementation of technical and scientific 

developments across the industry, by sharing processes, 

methods and tools to improve the overall PHA-polymer 

competitiveness. Facilitating pre-competitive research and 

create a forum for development partnerships on matters of 

common interest. 

Structure 

The Global PHA Organization will be a non-profit 

organization, backed by its members, with a lean 

management structure. It will have a global scope and the 

organization aims to have representation/ambassadors at all 

geographic locations. For the daily support, management, 

on- and offline representation and ancillary expenses, an 

initial annual budget requirement of approximately 300,000 

EUR is foreseen. 

Engagement 

GO!PHA welcomes all parties that want to support and/or 

to join efforts in developing, producing and commercializing 

PHA polymers, from feedstock to product to end-oflife. 

Membership provides access to the global PHA 

community, workshops and knowledge sharing, technical 

and commercial communication towards public and private 

stakeholders, involvement in product assessments and sideby-side 

comparisons, case studies and position papers and 

concrete project and partnership opportunities. 

Membership options and financial contributions will be 

based on engagement level, in two brackets: 

• General membership fee (discriminating small and 

medium sized enterprises, governmental and nongovernmental 

organizations and multi-national 

companies) 

• Project related fees for involvement in particular 

programs and projects 

Additionally, the organization will propose founding member 

contributions for establishing the organization, sponsorship 

packages and donations from various stakeholders. 

Next steps 

The Global Organization for PHA will be shaped in the 

coming months with a targeted formal establishment date 

in Q1-2019. The team has scheduled the following process: 

• December 2018: gathering feedback on function, 

structure and support 


Report 

Rick Passenier (PACE) 

Anindya Mukherjee 

(i2i Consulting) 

By: 

Rick Passenier 

PACE 

Amsterdam, The Netherlands 

• December 2018-January 2019: formal proposal and request 

for support 

• February 2019: first-members-meeting to shape the 

foundation 

• February 2019: formal foundation of the organization. 

The founding members kindly ask all interested stakeholders 

to provide feedback, ideas, questions and support, before 

December 14 th , 2018 to the contacts published at the website 

www.gopha.org 

Platform activities 

Jan Ravenstijn 

Michael Carus 

(nova-Institut) 

External communication 

and recommendations 

Objective and pre-commercial 

data generation 

Communication, policy 

and legislation 

Lobby and influence Clear 

and collective voice 

Market proliferation 

Education 

Showcasing 

Design tools 

Technical & scientific 

knowledge development 

Exploration 

Joint development 

Project and partnership 

facilitation 

nova-Institute Events in 2018/2019 

1 – 2 October 2018 · Maritim Hotel, Cologne, Germany 

www.REFAB.info 

6 – 8 November 2018 · Messe Stuttgart, Germany 

www.composites-europe.com 

20 – 21 March 2019 · Maternushaus, Cologne, Germany 

www.co2-chemistry.eu 

16 th International Conference 

of the European Industrial 

Hemp Association 

June 5 th – 6 th 2019 

15-16 May 2019 · Maternushaus, Cologne, Germany 

www.bio-based-conference.com 

5-6 June 2019 · Maternushaus, Cologne, Germany 

www.eiha-conference.org 

Contact: Mr. Dominik Vogt, +49 (0) 2233 48 14 49, dominik.vogt@nova-institut.de · All conferences at www.bio-based.eu 


Applications 

PLA in the fridge 

Electrolux builds the world’s first bioplastic concept refrigerator 

By: Michael Thielen 

E 

arlier this year Electrolux, headquartered in Stockholm, 

Sweden, introduced a refrigerator prototype in 

which all the visible plastic parts were made of Ingeo 

PLA compounds. On the sidelines of the Innovation Takes 

Root conference in San Diego, bioplastics MAGAZINE talked 

to Marco Garilli, Innovation Expert-Polymers at Electrolux’ 

Global Connectivity & Technology Center (Porcia, Italy) 

Sustainability is a top priority at Electrolux and the 

company is recognized as sustainability leader within their 

industry of household appliances (Industry Leader in Dow 

Jones Sustainability Index for 12 years in a row). Through 

their brands, including Electrolux, AEG, Anova, Frigidaire, 

Westinghouse and Zanussi, the company sells more than 60 

million household and professional products in more than 150 

markets every year. 

“Sustainability is part of the Electrolux business strategy 

and we are dedicated to innovate for more sustainable 

products and to reduce our carbon footprint. This (refrigerator) 

prototype is unique and helps us deliver on our purpose to 

shape living for the better,” said Henrik Sundström, Vice 

President Sustainability at Electrolux, in a press release 

announcing the product. 

According to Marco Garilli, Electrolux has adopted a 360° 

approach toward making its full range of appliances more 

sustainable. “This includes, for example, the energy and 

water consumption of our products,” he explained. “We have 

professional dishwashers consuming only 0.4 liters of water 

per rack. But it also includes the choice and use of materials, 

which are equally valuable resources.” 

A fundamental part of Electrolux effort to fulfill its 

sustainability ambitions is to offer more sustainable products, 

creating better experiences for the consumers as well as 

contributing to a better society. 

Back in the 1990s, Electrolux had already implemented lifecycle 

analysis as a means to assess the environmental impacts 

associated with all the stages of a product’s life and this has 

become more and more a key step in the development of new 

products. This evaluation is not only about the environmental 

impact, but also includes how a particular development would 

affect the manufacturing processes and the cost structure. 

As part of this approach, the company started to explore 

which materials could be replaced by other, or new materials: 

fossil-based materials, recyclable materials and biobased 

materials. 

“This also meant that we needed to pick the right partners 

and the right moment to enter into specific developments”, 

Marco said, “And NatureWorks was such a partner.” 

As Electrolux manufactures their own parts in house, they 

know the production processes involved. They first needed to 

establish whether their manufacturing systems could cope 

with any new materials. 

For the refrigerators in this case study, Electrolux wanted 

to replace the material used to produce the thermoformed 

liners (hitherto made from either high-impact polystyrene 

HIPS or ABS) and the transparent PS door shelves. 

Together with NatureWorks (Minnetonka, Minneapolis, USA) 

Ingeo PLA compounds were developed for these applications. 

The PLA could be processed without any modifications to 

Electrolux’ manufacturing lines. “We found out that the 

higher melt strength of PLA compared to HIPS offers further 

advantages, such as an improved homogeneity of the wall 

thickness of the thermoformed component.” Marco pointed 

out. “In addition, the inherent stiffness of PLA provides 

additional structural integrity.” 

In addition to its biobased origin, PLA offered several 

performance advantages over polystyrene (transparent PS 

as well as HIPS). The first, said Marco, is the significantly 

higher gloss which leads to a more aesthetical appearance. 

Furthermore, the chemical resistance, for example, against 

food oils and fats, was found to be very good. In terms of 

mechanical properties, the PLA also showed a number of 

advantages, for example in the enhanced impact properties for 

the transparent shelves in the refrigerator doors. Marco: ”We 

were surprised that the PLA, which is said to be rather brittle, 

performed slightly better than the transparent PS.” Another 

advantage of PLA over ABS to be investigated is the resistance 

to yellowing (UV resistance). In addition, NatureWorks’ Ingeo 

PLA systems do not contain any chemicals of concern. 

Electrolux has already committed to materials efficiency 

through the use of post-consumer recycled plastics, such 

as Carborec ® , a plastic compound based on recycled 

polypropylene, extending the lifetime of plastic coming from 

non-renewable resources. The bioplastic refrigerator is still in 

development and there is currently no timeframe set for when 

the product will be officially launched on the market. 

However, in the aforementioned press release, Jan 

Brockmann, Chief Operations Officer at Electrolux , said: “We 

are very excited and proud to have developed the world’s first 

bioplastic concept fridge, which is truly groundbreaking. Our 

ambition is to develop even more innovative, sustainable home 

appliances that we might see on the market in the future”. 

www.electroluxgroup.com 

(©liz linder photography) 


Applications 

Industrial Solutions for Polymer Plants 

Polylactide Technology 

Uhde Inventa Fischer Polycondensation Technologies has expanded its product portfolio to 

include the innovative state-of-the-art PLAneo ® process for a sustainable polymer. The 

feedstock for our PLA process is lactic acid, which can be produced from local agricultural 

products containing starch or sugar. The application range of PLA is similar to that of polymers 

based on fossil resources as its physical properties can be tailored to meet packaging, textile 

and other requirements. www.uhde-inventa-fischer.com 


Application AutomotiveNews 

Peeling milk with P3HB 

In October 2018, the Czech companies NAFIGATE 

Cosmetics and NAFIGATE Corporation launched a 

new product - Coconut shower peeling milk, in which 

microbeads are replaced with Hydal P3HB. The whole 

new cosmetics eco-design concept received the name 

Dedicated to You and Nature in order 

to express its biodegradability and 

biocompatibility. Hence, coconut shower 

peeling milk represents a circular 

revolution in the cosmetics industry. It 

is fully biodegradable, waste-free and 

harmless to nature. 

Microplastics are solid plastic beads of 

less than five millimetres. In cosmetics, 

they are used as peeling particles in the form of polyethylene 

microbeads of less than one millimetre in their largest 

dimension that peel off dead skin cells. Once microbeads 

are washed off from skin, they get into water, where they 

do not biodegrade. Microbeads can cause plastic water 

pollution and be harmful to aquatic life because wastewater 

treatment plants cannot capture such small particles. 

According to various research studies including the results 

of the Institute of Hydrodynamics of the Czech Academy of 

Sciences, drinking water also contains microplastics. 

P3HB biopolymer is processed by the unique Czech 

biotechnology HYDAL, which as the first in the world on 

industrial scale uses 100 % waste in the 

form of waste cooking oil (WCO). Hydal 

P3HB is added in the shower peeling milk 

in the form of white particles, replacing the 

abrasive function of microbeads. Unlike other 

abrasive materials utilized in cosmetics, 

biopolymer’s properties, such as sharpness 

or size, may be modified. In addition, P3HB 

as a pure chemical substance allows meeting 

the highest hygienist cosmetics standards. 

In contrast to other substances, it dissolves in water 

completely. According to the company’s tests, biopolymer 

biodegrades in wastewater treatment plant within several 

days, in the open environment up to several dozen days. It 

does not harm nature and provides a solution to one of the 

most serious challenges in the cosmetics industry. MT 

www.lagranda.it | www.braskem.com 

New bio shoe line 

Leading global barefoot footwear company 

VIVOBAREFOOT, headquartered in London, UK, recently 

announced the launch of its new Bio shoe range featuring 

Primus Lite Bio, plant-based performance sneakers. 

Designed with outdoor performance in mind, the Bio range is 

made from a combination of three innovative bio-based 

materials that reduce reliance on petrochemicals 

and ultimately create more efficient and sustainable 

products. Each shoe in Vivobarefoot’s new line is 

nearly 50 % plant-based, making it Vivobarefoot’s 

latest stride in their quest to use 90 % sustainable 

materials across its entire product range by 2020. 

The materials used in new Primus Lite Bio 

range are produced by DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio 

Products, a joint venture between DuPont, a 

global science innovator, and Tate & Lyle, a worldleading 

renewable food and industrial ingredients 

company. Through the use of these renewable, highperformance 

materials, Vivobarefoot is able to make 

a significant impact on the planet. Every 50,000 pairs of 

shoes produced using these materials, equates to saving 

greenhouse gas emissions from 247,948 miles driven by an 

average passenger vehicle or reducing CO 2 

emissions from 

11,286 gallons of gasoline consumed. 

“We are trying to make a significant impact through 

working with game changing brands like Vivobarefoot who 

are committed to producing products with fantastic technical 

performance and improved sustainability profiles,” stated 

Laurie Kronenberg, global marketing director at DuPont 

Tate & Lyle Bio Products. “In working with Vivobarefoot on 

optimizing their plant-based content throughout the shoe 

using various Sorona PTT fiber and Susterra bio-PDObased 

solutions it allowed us to model the environmental 

reductions in terms of greenhouse gas emissions and 

nonrenewable energy on a raw material basis. Now that is 

impactful.” 

Seventh-generation shoemakers Galahad and Asher Clark 

are firm believers that barefoot shoe-making is sustainable 

shoe making. The company has already pioneered shoes 

made of repurposed algae (Ultra 3 BLOOM) with 

each pair recirculating 215 litres of fresh water 

back into the natural habitats, and an Eco range 

made of 50 % recycled plastic. In 2017, Vivobarefoot 

diverted over 2 million plastic bottles from landfills 

into barefoot shoes. 

“Sustainability is at the core of Vivobarefoot’s 

mission and we believe that the perfect shoe has 

minimal interference with natural movement and 

minimal impact on the environment,” said Asher 

Clark, design director at Vivobarefoot. “The new 

Primus Bio line champions the future of sustainable 

materials and the new opportunities they bring to the 

footwear industry.” 

The Vivobarefoot Bio range will include the hero 

performance shoes Magna Trail Bio, Primus Trail Bio, 

Primus Lite Bio and Ultra Bio shoes. The Primus Lite Bio 

shoes for example will be available at www.vivobarefoot. 

com/us starting June 2019 and priced from $120 to $160. MT 

www.vivobarefoot.com/us 


Application News 

Clipper tea bags 

renewably-sourced 

Public outcry about and subsequent resistance to tea 

bags made with polypropylene has compelled brand 

owners to take action. The latest to do so is Clipper Teas, 

the tea brand owned by natural and organic food company 

Wessanen, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. 

The company announced in April of this year that it had 

committed to use only fully biodegradable tea bags by 

summer 2018. 

It was a little later than that, but on October 20, the 

company said it moved all production to ‘plastic-free, 

unbleached and non GM (genetically modified) tea bags’, 

adding: “And we won’t be going back!” 

There will be a transition period of up to a few months 

while retailers sell through current stock, said the 

company as “we don’t believe in waste”. 

According to Clipper, the polypropylene in the tea bag 

paper originally served to heat seal the two layers of 

the unbleached tea bag paper together. The company 

has now developed an alternative tea bag paper, made 

from natural, plant based materials – a blend of abaca 

(a species of banana), plant cellulose fibres and a PLA 

derived from non-GM plant material that helps hold the 

paper together. In the past, while aware of the availability 

of this plant-based option, Clipper had never used or 

considered using PLA, as the corn used as feedstock in 

the PLA made by one major manufacturer could be from 

GM sources. 

Since the official announcement, other producers have 

also entered the market, offering PLA guaranteed to be 

from a non-GM source and enabling Clipper to make the 

switch to a 100% renewably-sourced tea bag paper. To let 

consumers know about the change, an on-pack flash will 

be rolling out on specific products from January 2019. 

COMPEO 

Leading compounding technology 

for heat- and shear-sensitive plastics 

(Photo: Wessanen) 

Clipper is claimed to be the world’s largest buyer of 

Fairtrade tea. It exports its products to over 50 countries 

worldwide. Its parent company, Wessanen UK, is 

CarbonNeutral certified. and either directly or through 

its subsidiaries, accredited by or a member of a range of 

industry bodies and associations including; the Fairtrade 

Foundation; the Soil Association; the UK Tea & Infusions 

Association, and the Organic Trade Board.MT 

www.wessanen.com 

Uniquely efficient. Incredibly versatile. Amazingly flexible. 

With its new COMPEO Kneader series, BUSS continues 

to offer continuous compounding solutions that set the 

standard for heat- and shear-sensitive applications, in all 

industries, including for biopolymers. 

• Moderate, uniform shear rates 

• Extremely low temperature profile 

• Efficient injection of liquid components 

• Precise temperature control 

• High filler loadings 

www.busscorp.com 


Application News 

Automotive 

Pastille bio-polyamide lamp 

Wästberg is a Swedish lighting company from Helsingborg, 

that aimed at bringing back light to human proximity. 

At Orgatec (October 2018, Cologne Germany) the company 

launched a new lamp series made with bio-polyamide. The 

lamp was created in collaboration with Sam Hecht and Kim 

Colin of London-based studio Industrial Facility and Berlinbased 

designer Dirk Winkel. 

The lamp w182, called Pastille 

is a minimalist light which can 

be described as a pure disc of 

light attached to a thin line, a 

construction that allows a variety 

of surfaces to be illuminated. 

Different to task lamps that 

illuminate in a focused way; or 

table and pendant lamps that 

provide ambient light, the w182 

pastille family of lights sees 

environments as surfaces to 

softly illuminate, be it a wall, a 

floor or a table. 

w182 pastille is made of a highperformance 

material. A glassfibre reinforced bio-polyamide 

that is based on over 60 % renewably biologically sourced 

and recyclable material made from castor oil. Its material 

provides warmth and strength, making w182 pastille lighter 

and easier to adjust from anywhere on the lamp. At the top 

of its vertical pole is a single control button. 

But the bio-polymaide provides other benefits, too. There 

is no metal to be painted to achieve the desired look. The 

plastic is dyed with pigments, no touch-ups are needed over 

time. “The other thing we discovered is that the bioplastic 

is helping us with dissipating heat–like metal,” Hecht says 

at fastcompany.com. “That meant we could reduce the heat 

sink, which is taking away the heat from the LED, which 

reduces weight and cost.” 

The glass-reinforced 

bioplastic is also cheaper 

than metal, without having to 

sacrifice any quality to keep the 

price down–the studio estimates 

it would cost 50 % more in metal. 

“Unfortunately the pressures of 

price are so huge that normally 

the response is to try and 

maintain the typology, whether 

it’s a chair or lamp, and just 

reduce the quality to match the 

price,” Hecht says. “What we’re 

trying to do is challenge that and 

say surely we can use design 

and engineering to create something very beautiful that is 

affordable but has some decency to it in its materiality.”MT 

www.wastberg.com 

source: tinyurl.com/bio-pa-lamp 

Biodegradable crisps bags made from eucalyptus 

Two Farmers, Sean Mason and Mark Green, from 

Herefordshire, UK had the vision of making delicious 

hand-cooked potato crisps that 

celebrate the true flavours of 

Herefordshire, whilst protecting 

their beloved countryside with a 

100% compostable bag. 

The crisp bags are available 

in two sizes, 40g making them 

perfect for snacking and 150g 

which makes them perfect for 

sharing… if you want to share… . 

Available flavours include Hereford Hop Cheese and Onion, 

Salt and Cider Vineger, and Hereford Bullshot which features 

a hint of Hereford beef. 

The packets are made from cellulose and sustainably 

grown eucalyptus trees from managed plantations. This 

means that they are 100 % compostable and will compost 

in a home-composting environment in a little over 26 

weeks! Information whether 

the packages are certified 

compostable were not 

disclosed until bioplastics 

MAGAZINE went to print. 

The founders wrote on 

Facebook: “We are proud to 

be producing our new range of 

crisps in 100 % compostable 

packs, a first we think for the 

UK and a big step forward in dealing with our waste issues. 

Two Farmers co-founder Sean Mason said on the firm’s 

website that “a potato merchant inspired him to protect the 

countryside around him”. MT 

www.twofarmers.co.uk 


Report 

Cruise entrepreneur switches 

to biobased plastics 

Biobased plastics are an essential element for plastic-free holidays 

Plastic-free holidays on a cruise ship – this was the 

vision that led cruise operator TUI Cruises (Kiel, 

Germany) to launch their new plastics reduction 

program WASTELESS. 

Since its founding, the company has worked continuously 

to minimize the amount of plastic waste it generates. For 

example, all cabins on board have already been equipped 

with glass water carafes that can be filled by guests at any 

time using the water dispensers in the corridors. This saves 

on disposable plastic bottles. Refillable dispensers for 

shampoo and shower gel have been installed in the showers 

in the cabins of all the new TUI Cruises ships, representing 

a saving of some 380,000 disposable packs a year across 

the fleet. Further initiatives include eliminating the plastic 

wrapped terrycloth slippers provided to guests for use at 

the pool or sauna: instead, these will now be conveniently 

tucked into the pockets of the bathrobes, saving 250,000 

plastic packages per year. The laundry bag for the collection 

of dirty laundry will soon be made of biobased plastic based 

on sugar cane and starch, yielding an imminent saving of 

about 270,000 petroleum-based plastic bags. The impact in 

the catering department will be even more impressive: the 

first step will be the conversion of the coffee-to-go cups in 

the crew area: the inner coating and lids will in future be 

made of biobased plastic and no longer of petroleum-based 

plastic. 

But how is waste in general - and bioplastics, in particular 

- treated on board cruise ships? bioplastics MAGAZINE spoke 

with Friederike Grönemeyer, Communications Manager 

of TUI-Cruises. “We relieve our passengers of the task 

of separating waste,” said Friederike. “All garbage is 

separated centrally in our garbage room and disposed of 

responsibly.” She explained that glass is crushed, cans 

and paper are pressed and prepared for disposal on land. 

Organic (food) waste is crushed in a so-called pulper, dried 

and also composted on land or, diluted with water, disposed 

of outside the 12-mile zone in the sea. Some packaging 

waste is prepared for recycling or is incinerated clean and 

with energy recovery on board in an appropriate energy 

plant. 

Disposal ashore takes place not only in the home port of 

Kiel, but also in larger port cities around the world. “We 

make sure we have the right responsible partners there,” 

she emphasised. There is always an environmental officer 

on board for all these tasks. 

“All in all, we achieve an overall recycling rate of 31%,” 

says Friederike Grönemeyer. 

By the end of 2020, plastic products and non-essential 

disposable items will have been phased out and replaced 

by renewably-sourced sustainable alternatives, both aboard 

the current six ships of the Mein Schiff fleet and on land. 

www.tuicruises.com 

Info 

See a video-clip 

(German language) at: 

tinyurl.com/tui-wasteless 



Brand Owner 

Brand-Owner’s perspective 

on bioplastics and how to unleash 

its full potential 

“We believe the time is now to step up and accelerate, embrace our 

responsibility and work with others to engage a radical shift that will help free 

the world from packaging waste. We will be acting both at global and local 

level to ensure circularity of packaging becomes the new norm. (Today), we are 

announcing a series of investments and commitments that – I believe – will have 

a concrete impact. These will be amplified as we collaborate with industry-peers, 

governments, NGOs, start-ups and the finance sector; harness new technologies 

and invest in new solutions.” 

And, from a press release: Danone commits to ensure that all its packaging is 

designed to be 100 % recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025. Already 86 % 

of our packaging is recyclable, reusable or compostable. 

In parallel, we will develop the use of renewable, biobased materials. We have 

a joint project with Nestle, PepsiCo and Origin Materials to bring the first 75 % 

biobased bottle to commercial scale by 2021, aiming to launch 100 % biobased 

bottles by 2025. Find the complete press release at: tinyurl.com/danone2018 

www.danone.com 

Emmanuel Faber, Chairman and CEO of Danone 

(Photo: creative commons swaf75) 

Are you looking for a bio-based food 

packaging alternative? 

Bio-based multilayer transparent barrier films are now reality. Our masterbatches can 

help introduce PLA into your portfolio. Make the switch today. 

www.sukano.com 



How to 

calculate land 

use accurately 

A sensitivity approach 

By: 

Christian Schulz, Research associate 

Hans-Josef Endres, Head of the institute 

Hochschule Hannover, 

IfBB – Institute for Bioplastics and Biocomposites 

Hannover, Germany 

Satisfying (growing) human needs requires efficient use of 

limited economic resources. This also applies to the discussion 

about the use of available agricultural land, which in 

particular bioplastics has increasingly had to face in recent years. 

Previous estimates by IfBB - Institute for Bioplastics and Biocomposites, 

Hannover, Germany, have already shown that the impact 

of producing new generation bioplastics (New Economy such as 

PLA, Bio-PE, etc.) based on agricultural raw materials, such as 

starch, sugar and vegetable oil, is currently marginal at around 

0.05 % in 2017 and probably 0.07 % in 2022 in terms of land use 

compared to the global amount of arable land. 

Figure 1 shows the development of the global production 

capacity of the New Economy bioplastics industry, which currently 

stands at around 2.3 million tonnes per year. In comparison, the 

amounts of Old Economy bioplastics, such as natural rubber (e.g. 

for tires), cellulosics (esp. for non-degradable cigarette filters and 

textiles) and linoleum with a total of 17 million tonnes per year 

are much larger. Comparing previous land area estimates for both 

industries, it can be seen that the production capacity of the Old 

Economy is only 7 to 8 times higher than that of the New Economy, 

but the supply of raw materials for the Old Economy with a total 

of 15 million hectares needs more than 20 times the land area 

compared to the New Economy. (Old Economy is not subject of the 

considerations, as these bioplastics have been used for more than 

100 years and in addition go into applications that are very different 

from those of the New Economy). 

Despite these differences in size – both being easily marginalized 

when comparing to the land use of pastures for grazing of 

livestock at 3.5 billion hectares (FAO 2018) –, plastics from the 

New Economy yet had to face up to the question of land use. As 

previous assumptions to calculate land use for biobased plastics 

in the New Economy have always been estimates made with high 

safety factors and using a conservative approach, the following 

considerations should indicate which factors are relevant for land 

use estimation, how these can be made more realistic and how it 

affects the already marginal share of global arable land. 

In order to find sensitivities and to compare variations in 

results for land use of bioplastics, one needs to know how it 

basically was calculated before. This approach has been used as 

standard method for European Bioplastics’ annual statistic update 

until 2017 and is adapted in this year with more specific data of 

bioplastics producers, missing until now in the estimates. 

Based on process data from literature, experts and own 

calculations, Figure 2 shows a sample process route showing 

the manufacturing steps involved from the raw material to 

the finished product, specifying the individual process steps, 

intermediate products, and input-output streams. PLA is used 

here as an example, as it is one of the most important New 

Economy bioplastics. This is only one representative of all other 

New Economy bioplastics, to which this approach is applied – 

each with its own process route. 

Production capacities and land use 

Old and New Economy bioplastics 

Figure 1 

New Economy bioplastics global production capacities 

12 000 000 

Natural rubber 

56 000 

Linoleum 3 

5 000 

4 000 

4 305 

1 740 

672 000 

New Economy bioplastics 1 

2 900 000 

Cellulose 2 

10 978 000 

Natural rubber 

140 000 

Linoleum 3 

in 1 000 t 

3 000 

2 000 

1 000 

0 

2 028 

1 697 

737 

663 

1 034 1 291 

2014 2015 

2 048 

757 

1 291 

2016 

2 274 

881 

1 393 

2017 

Forecast 

2 565 

2022 

2 273 000 

New Economy bioplastics 1 

5 800 000 

Cellulose 2 

1 PLA, PHA, PTT, PBAT, Starch blends, Drop-Ins (Bio-PE, Bio-PET, Bio-PA) and other 

2 Material use excl. paper industry 

3 Calculations include linseed oil only 

Bio-based/non-biodegradable 

Biodegradable 

Total capacity 

Biopolymers, facts and statistics 2018 – 41 



To obtain land use data from production capacities in this 

bottom-up approach (see Table 1), it needs producer-specific 

production capacities of a type of bioplastics to be multiplied by 

the output data of the corresponding process routes. If producerspecific 

feedstock was known, it was taken into consideration. 

In other cases, where these data were missing, only the most 

common used crop per material was taken into consideration (e.g. 

corn starch for PLA). 

For the basic assumptions referring to PLA, previous estimates 

of IfBB resulted in a need of 0.37 hectares land for feedstock 

cultivation per tonne of material. This is a corn-based, PLAspecific 

global average land use factor, for which the following 

calculation impact factors (CIF) are assumed. 

One obvious impact factor on land use of bioplastics might be 

the production capacity itself. According to own research, total 

annual installed capacity for PLA worldwide in 2017 was roughly 

240,000 tonnes, which gives 88,300 hectares according to the 

basic assumptions. However, is relying on the installed capacity 

correct? Very few industrial plants run at full degree of capacity 

continuously, so an optimistic sensitivity would be 85 % degree of 

capacity. 

Another impact factor is the region specific yield of a feedstock 

in different countries. While for the basic estimation for PLA made 

out of corn, a global average yield of 6.5 tonnes of corn per hectare 

over the past decade (weighted by production amount) (FAO 2018), 

corn being grown in the United States in the same period would 

yield in 9.5 tonnes per hectare and the same acreage in China 

delivered 40 % less of corn (5.5 t / ha). This is even more important, 

as corn from USA makes up to 37 % of world’s corn production, 

but China, with its significantly lower yield per hectare still ranks at 

an important one fifth (20 %) of global corn production. Therefore it 

has a decreasing effect on the global average corn yield (6.5 t / ha). 

Further impacts derive from natural harvesting fluctuation. 

Using single year data leads to tremendous deviation in calculating 

PLA land use. Comparing available corn yields between 2002 

and 2013 for e.g. corn in the USA shows, that there is a deviation 

between minimum and maximum of 3.2 tonnes per hectare 

(Average yield: 9.1 t / ha). By using either minimum or maximum 

yield data of a given period for calculation will result in this case in 

a fluctuation of land use of +43 % or -30 %. 

But even when looking at a global average yield for corn, the 

choice of a certain decade leads to different results. Using a global 

average yield over a mid-term period (10 years) helps to minimize 

natural harvesting fluctuation while at the same time provides 

data, which are not influenced by single local yield deviations. 

When comparing two different time periods (2002 – 2011 and 2003 

– 2014), the worldwide general increase in harvesting yields of 

corn raised by 2.5 %. For other (food) crops relevant in bioplastics 

production, the increase is at the same level or even higher, e.g. 

sugar beet (+ 5.9 %), sugar cane (+ 1.9 %) and castor oil (+ 17.1 %). 

Advances in crop growing techniques and better feedstock yields 

result in a lower land use, which decreases to the same extent 

for each bioplastic material. Even without changes in bioplastics 

technology (1st, 2nd, 3rd generation), future land use per tonne of 

bioplastic material will de facto decrease. 

Additional impact factors could arise from the source of 

feedstock (e.g. PLA made from sugar cane versus corn starch) 

and allocation assumptions. Allocation is in detail also a very 

complex topic and would go beyond the scope of this comparison 

as there are different factors itself, which can be used. In general, 

this would be mass-balanced, energy-balanced or economicbalanced 

allocation. In this case, if using residues is being taken 

into account, the bioplastic material will only be burdened with 

parts of the full impact of its land use. To make a proposal, the 

results will cover 30 % use of residues. 

Stepping back from the different impact factors and having a 

look at the resulting effects on land use of PLA Figure 3 shows 

the impact for the recent global capacity of about 240,000 tonnes 

for PLA. 

If all raw material was from one country (USA), depending on 

different yields per year, this amount of PLA land use ranges from 

nearly 80,000 up to almost 115,000 hectares. And even using a 

global average yield can still cause slight variations, depending 

on which time horizon is assumed (± 2,600 hectares). Last 

comparison in Figure 3 shows the influence of locally produced 

feedstock as displayed here for Chinese and US-American corn, 

resulting in a difference of nearly 43,000 hectares. 

Figure 4 compares further impact factors concerning a 

more realistic degree of plant capacity being used or an overall 

Yield [ t PLA/ha] 

6 

4 

2 

0 

Figure 3 Figure 4 

2.7 

Land use for PLA derived from corn 

Comparing effects of different feedstock impact factors 

240,000 t PLA (2017) 

2.1 

3.0 

114,500 ha 

88,300 ha 80,000 ha 

Base calculation Local harvest 

fluctuation (USA) 

2.7 2.8 

88,300 ha 

Time horizon 

Global average 

2.3 

3.9 

104,300 ha 

USA vs. China 

Global / regional 

higher is better 

85,700 ha 61,500 ha 

Base 

Low 

High 

Yield [ t PLA/ha] 

8 

6 

4 

2 

0 

Land use for PLA derived from corn 

Comparing effects of various impact factors 

2.7 2.7 

Base calculation Prod. capacity 

85 % 

240,000 t PLA (2017) 

88,300 ha 75,000 ha 61,500 ha 38,100 ha 

3.9 

Allocation 

overall 30 % 

6.3 

Source of 

feedstock 

higher is better 

Base 

Variations 



allocation of 30 % and shows land use ranges for PLA capacity 

in 2017 from 75,000 hectares down to 38,000 hectares, if another 

source of feedstock (sugar cane) would be used. 

Summarizing, having single changes in fluctuations and raw 

material yield assumptions by each, results in a range between 

38,000 and almost 115,000 hectares of land, which is necessary to 

produce exactly the same amount of PLA. 

Looking at different approaches to feedstock yield and how 

it affects land use calculation of recent PLA capacities, there is 

a tremendous variation in results to be found. By the means of 

feedstock yields, land use ranges from -30 % to +30 % and using 

another feedstock source varies results up to -57 % compared to 

the base calculation. 

Thus, results of land use calculations can range as high as the 

amount and range of possible impact factors. This is to be kept in 

mind, if not only one but two or more impact factors at the same 

time are applied, which will multiply and lead to further increased 

ranges. Accumulating all ‘best case’ factors in this scenario would 

correspond to a theoretical land use of 25,000 hectares of PLA (-76 

% against base calculation). 

Now, how do we calculate accurately? Concerning deviations 

in results due to differing impact factors and also keeping in 

mind, that there is no ‚common sense‘ cut-off-rule for renewable 

feedstocks (not even in life cycle assessments), there is still more 

work needed on this topic. The shown examples could help to 

assess land use of bioplastics in a more realistic approach but as 

all data gathered by IfBB is openly accessible, further adaptations 

to the calculation of land use can be made individually, if needed. 

At this point, it should be mentioned that, despite the negligible 

amount of land use, even without a more realistic approach of 

calculation, there is no reason for the industry to rest on it. The 

pressure on agricultural land in the coming decades due to the 

growing world population, the loss and erosion of cultivated land 

will increase, and thus bioplastics will not be able to escape 

discussion. 

But there is a major advantage here: The development of 

bioprocessing technology increases the possibility of large-scale 

use of alternative renewable raw materials, which can be grown 

on barren soils, as well as arising new building blocks and the 

decomposition of organic waste streams as the starting point for 

the (re-)synthesis of biobased polymers is a foreseeable future. 

However, the primary goal for all biobased plastics, as well as 

for the plastics industry as a whole, should be to create intelligent 

material cycles and to achieve higher recycling rates. If the need 

for virgin material was to be reduced effectively, fewer resources 

would be needed to keep the plastic circle rolling. Saving raw 

materials could also be a way to keep the land use impact of 

bioplastics on a low level, when the emerging trend steadies or 

increases in the near future, to produce larger quantities of usually 

petro-based plastics from now available biobased building blocks 

(drop-ins). 

More information can be found in IfBB’s annualy updated 

publication of Biopolymers. Facts and statistics. It can be 

downloaded for free at: bit.ly/factsandstatistics 

www.ifbb-hannover.de 

Table 1 

Material group Producer To tal annual 

capacity 

[t] 

Calculations 

PLA 

A 

B 

C 

Land use 

factor 

[ha / t] 

Multiplication 

Equals 

To tal annual 

land use 

[ha] 

240,000 0.368 88,300 

Figure 2 

Sample process route 

select desired feedstock/crop, i.e. 

sugar cane or sugar beet 

land use for 1 t of 

resulting polymer 

feedstock/crop 

0.09 ha 

1 387 m³ 

Sugar 

cane 

6.62 t 

or 

0.09 ha 

711 m³ 

Sugar 

beet 

5.37 t 

water usage for 

feedstock/crop amount 

raw material 

Sugar 

0.86 t 

(chemical) process 

process inputs 

H2O 

Microorg. 

Fermentation 

CO2 

Filtration 

H2O 

Microbial 

mass 

intermediate product 

resource has 

petro-based origin 

1,4-BDO 

0.52 t 

Succinic 

acid * 

0.69 t 

Esterification 

Polycondensation 

H2O 

0.10 t 

H2O 

0.10 t 

process outputs 

PBS 

bb SCA 

1.00 t 

resulting polymer 


Automotive 

10 

Published in 

bioplastics MAGAZINE 

Years ago 

In November 2018, 

Marco Jansen, Commercial 

Director Renewable 

Chemicals Europe & North 

America of Braskem says: 

We remain committed to 

develop biobased solutions 

to offer more sustainable 

products for our clients. Earlier 

this year we announced 

investment into a demo 

plant for biobased MEG, 

opening a 2 nd biotech lab in 

Boston as well as launching 

the world’s first biobased 

EVA. Biobased Polypropylene 

is not yet launched but 

remains one of our potential 

future sustainable solutions. 

tinyurl.com/2008-biopp

Basics 

Glossary 4.2 last update issue 02/2016 

In bioplastics MAGAZINE again and again 

the same expressions appear that some of our readers 

might not (yet) be familiar with. This glossary shall help 

with these terms and shall help avoid repeated explanations 

such as PLA (Polylactide) in various articles. 

Bioplastics (as defined by European Bioplastics 

e.V.) is a term used to define two different 

kinds of plastics: 

a. Plastics based on → renewable resources 

(the focus is the origin of the raw material 

used). These can be biodegradable or not. 

b. → Biodegradable and → compostable 

plastics according to EN13432 or similar 

standards (the focus is the compostability of 

the final product; biodegradable and compostable 

plastics can be based on renewable 

(biobased) and/or non-renewable (fossil) resources). 

Bioplastics may be 

- based on renewable resources and biodegradable; 

- based on renewable resources but not be 

biodegradable; and 

- based on fossil resources and biodegradable. 

1 st Generation feedstock | Carbohydrate rich 

plants such as corn or sugar cane that can 

also be used as food or animal feed are called 

food crops or 1 st generation feedstock. Bred 

my mankind over centuries for highest energy 

efficiency, currently, 1 st generation feedstock 

is the most efficient feedstock for the production 

of bioplastics as it requires the least 

amount of land to grow and produce the highest 

yields. [bM 04/09] 

2 nd Generation feedstock | refers to feedstock 

not suitable for food or feed. It can be either 

non-food crops (e.g. cellulose) or waste materials 

from 1 st generation feedstock (e.g. 

waste vegetable oil). [bM 06/11] 

3 rd Generation feedstock | This term currently 

relates to biomass from algae, which – having 

a higher growth yield than 1 st and 2 nd generation 

feedstock – were given their own category. 

It also relates to bioplastics from waste 

streams such as CO 2 

or methane [bM 02/16] 

Aerobic digestion | Aerobic means in the 

presence of oxygen. In →composting, which is 

an aerobic process, →microorganisms access 

the present oxygen from the surrounding atmosphere. 

They metabolize the organic material 

to energy, CO 2 

, water and cell biomass, 

whereby part of the energy of the organic material 

is released as heat. [bM 03/07, bM 02/09] 

Since this Glossary will not be printed 

in each issue you can download a pdf version 

from our website (bit.ly/OunBB0) 

bioplastics MAGAZINE is grateful to European Bioplastics for the permission to use parts of their Glossary. 

Version 4.0 was revised using EuBP’s latest version (Jan 2015). 

[*: bM ... refers to more comprehensive article previously published in bioplastics MAGAZINE) 

Anaerobic digestion | In anaerobic digestion, 

organic matter is degraded by a microbial 

population in the absence of oxygen 

and producing methane and carbon dioxide 

(= →biogas) and a solid residue that can be 

composted in a subsequent step without 

practically releasing any heat. The biogas can 

be treated in a Combined Heat and Power 

Plant (CHP), producing electricity and heat, or 

can be upgraded to bio-methane [14] [bM 06/09] 

Amorphous | non-crystalline, glassy with unordered 

lattice 

Amylopectin | Polymeric branched starch 

molecule with very high molecular weight 

(biopolymer, monomer is →Glucose) [bM 05/09] 

Amylose | Polymeric non-branched starch 

molecule with high molecular weight (biopolymer, 

monomer is →Glucose) [bM 05/09] 

Biobased | The term biobased describes the 

part of a material or product that is stemming 

from →biomass. When making a biobasedclaim, 

the unit (→biobased carbon content, 

→biobased mass content), a percentage and 

the measuring method should be clearly stated [1] 

Biobased carbon | carbon contained in or 

stemming from →biomass. A material or 

product made of fossil and →renewable resources 

contains fossil and →biobased carbon. 

The biobased carbon content is measured via 

the 14 C method (radio carbon dating method) 

that adheres to the technical specifications as 

described in [1,4,5,6]. 

Biobased labels | The fact that (and to 

what percentage) a product or a material is 

→biobased can be indicated by respective 

labels. Ideally, meaningful labels should be 

based on harmonised standards and a corresponding 

certification process by independent 

third party institutions. For the property 

biobased such labels are in place by certifiers 

→DIN CERTCO and →Vinçotte who both base 

their certifications on the technical specification 

as described in [4,5] 

A certification and corresponding label depicting 

the biobased mass content was developed 

by the French Association Chimie du Végétal 

[ACDV]. 

Biobased mass content | describes the 

amount of biobased mass contained in a material 

or product. This method is complementary 

to the 14 C method, and furthermore, takes 

other chemical elements besides the biobased 

carbon into account, such as oxygen, nitrogen 

and hydrogen. A measuring method has 

been developed and tested by the Association 

Chimie du Végétal (ACDV) [1] 

Biobased plastic | A plastic in which constitutional 

units are totally or partly from → 

biomass [3]. If this claim is used, a percentage 

should always be given to which extent 

the product/material is → biobased [1] 

[bM 01/07, bM 03/10] 

Biodegradable Plastics | Biodegradable Plastics 

are plastics that are completely assimilated 

by the → microorganisms present a defined 

environment as food for their energy. The 

carbon of the plastic must completely be converted 

into CO 2 

during the microbial process. 

The process of biodegradation depends on 

the environmental conditions, which influence 

it (e.g. location, temperature, humidity) and 

on the material or application itself. Consequently, 

the process and its outcome can vary 

considerably. Biodegradability is linked to the 

structure of the polymer chain; it does not depend 

on the origin of the raw materials. 

There is currently no single, overarching standard 

to back up claims about biodegradability. 

One standard for example is ISO or in Europe: 

EN 14995 Plastics- Evaluation of compostability 

- Test scheme and specifications 

[bM 02/06, bM 01/07] 

Biogas | → Anaerobic digestion 

Biomass | Material of biological origin excluding 

material embedded in geological formations 

and material transformed to fossilised 

material. This includes organic material, e.g. 

trees, crops, grasses, tree litter, algae and 

waste of biological origin, e.g. manure [1, 2] 

Biorefinery | the co-production of a spectrum 

of bio-based products (food, feed, materials, 

chemicals including monomers or building 

blocks for bioplastics) and energy (fuels, power, 

heat) from biomass.[bM 02/13] 

Blend | Mixture of plastics, polymer alloy of at 

least two microscopically dispersed and molecularly 

distributed base polymers 

Bisphenol-A (BPA) | Monomer used to produce 

different polymers. BPA is said to cause 

health problems, due to the fact that is behaves 

like a hormone. Therefore it is banned 

for use in children’s products in many countries. 

BPI | Biodegradable Products Institute, a notfor-profit 

association. Through their innovative 

compostable label program, BPI educates 

manufacturers, legislators and consumers 

about the importance of scientifically based 

standards for compostable materials which 

biodegrade in large composting facilities. 

Carbon footprint | (CFPs resp. PCFs – Product 

Carbon Footprint): Sum of →greenhouse 

gas emissions and removals in a product system, 

expressed as CO 2 

equivalent, and based 

on a →life cycle assessment. The CO 2 

equivalent 

of a specific amount of a greenhouse gas 

is calculated as the mass of a given greenhouse 

gas multiplied by its →global warmingpotential 

[1,2,15] 


Basics 

Carbon neutral, CO 2 

neutral | describes a 

product or process that has a negligible impact 

on total atmospheric CO 2 

levels. For 

example, carbon neutrality means that any 

CO 2 

released when a plant decomposes or 

is burnt is offset by an equal amount of CO 2 

absorbed by the plant through photosynthesis 

when it is growing. 

Carbon neutrality can also be achieved 

through buying sufficient carbon credits to 

make up the difference. The latter option is 

not allowed when communicating → LCAs 

or carbon footprints regarding a material or 

product [1, 2]. 

Carbon-neutral claims are tricky as products 

will not in most cases reach carbon neutrality 

if their complete life cycle is taken into consideration 

(including the end-of life). 

If an assessment of a material, however, is 

conducted (cradle to gate), carbon neutrality 

might be a valid claim in a B2B context. In this 

case, the unit assessed in the complete life 

cycle has to be clarified [1] 

Cascade use | of →renewable resources means 

to first use the →biomass to produce biobased 

industrial products and afterwards – due to 

their favourable energy balance – use them 

for energy generation (e.g. from a biobased 

plastic product to →biogas production). The 

feedstock is used efficiently and value generation 

increases decisively. 

Catalyst | substance that enables and accelerates 

a chemical reaction 

Cellophane | Clear film on the basis of →cellulose 

[bM 01/10] 

Cellulose | Cellulose is the principal component 

of cell walls in all higher forms of plant 

life, at varying percentages. It is therefore the 

most common organic compound and also 

the most common polysaccharide (multisugar) 

[11]. Cellulose is a polymeric molecule 

with very high molecular weight (monomer is 

→Glucose), industrial production from wood 

or cotton, to manufacture paper, plastics and 

fibres [bM 01/10] 

Cellulose ester | Cellulose esters occur by 

the esterification of cellulose with organic 

acids. The most important cellulose esters 

from a technical point of view are cellulose 

acetate (CA with acetic acid), cellulose propionate 

(CP with propionic acid) and cellulose 

butyrate (CB with butanoic acid). Mixed polymerisates, 

such as cellulose acetate propionate 

(CAP) can also be formed. One of the most 

well-known applications of cellulose aceto 

butyrate (CAB) is the moulded handle on the 

Swiss army knife [11] 

Cellulose acetate CA | → Cellulose ester 

CEN | Comité Européen de Normalisation 

(European organisation for standardization) 

Certification | is a process in which materials/products 

undergo a string of (laboratory) 

tests in order to verify that the fulfil certain 

requirements. Sound certification systems 

should be based on (ideally harmonised) European 

standards or technical specifications 

(e.g. by →CEN, USDA, ASTM, etc.) and be 

performed by independent third party laboratories. 

Successful certification guarantees 

a high product safety - also on this basis interconnected 

labels can be awarded that help 

the consumer to make an informed decision. 

Compost | A soil conditioning material of decomposing 

organic matter which provides nutrients 

and enhances soil structure. 

[bM 06/08, 02/09] 

Compostable Plastics | Plastics that are 

→ biodegradable under →composting conditions: 

specified humidity, temperature, 

→ microorganisms and timeframe. In order 

to make accurate and specific claims about 

compostability, the location (home, → industrial) 

and timeframe need to be specified [1]. 

Several national and international standards 

exist for clearer definitions, for example EN 

14995 Plastics - Evaluation of compostability - 

Test scheme and specifications. [bM 02/06, bM 01/07] 

Composting | is the controlled →aerobic, or 

oxygen-requiring, decomposition of organic 

materials by →microorganisms, under controlled 

conditions. It reduces the volume and 

mass of the raw materials while transforming 

them into CO 2 

, water and a valuable soil conditioner 

– compost. 

When talking about composting of bioplastics, 

foremost →industrial composting in a 

managed composting facility is meant (criteria 

defined in EN 13432). 

The main difference between industrial and 

home composting is, that in industrial composting 

facilities temperatures are much 

higher and kept stable, whereas in the composting 

pile temperatures are usually lower, 

and less constant as depending on factors 

such as weather conditions. Home composting 

is a way slower-paced process than 

industrial composting. Also a comparatively 

smaller volume of waste is involved. [bM 03/07] 

Compound | plastic mixture from different 

raw materials (polymer and additives) [bM 04/10) 

Copolymer | Plastic composed of different 

monomers. 

Cradle-to-Gate | Describes the system 

boundaries of an environmental →Life Cycle 

Assessment (LCA) which covers all activities 

from the cradle (i.e., the extraction of raw materials, 

agricultural activities and forestry) up 

to the factory gate 

Cradle-to-Cradle | (sometimes abbreviated 

as C2C): Is an expression which communicates 

the concept of a closed-cycle economy, 

in which waste is used as raw material 

(‘waste equals food’). Cradle-to-Cradle is not 

a term that is typically used in →LCA studies. 

Cradle-to-Grave | Describes the system 

boundaries of a full →Life Cycle Assessment 

from manufacture (cradle) to use phase and 

disposal phase (grave). 

Crystalline | Plastic with regularly arranged 

molecules in a lattice structure 

Density | Quotient from mass and volume of 

a material, also referred to as specific weight 

DIN | Deutsches Institut für Normung (German 

organisation for standardization) 

DIN-CERTCO | independant certifying organisation 

for the assessment on the conformity 

of bioplastics 

Dispersing | fine distribution of non-miscible 

liquids into a homogeneous, stable mixture 

Drop-In bioplastics | chemically indentical 

to conventional petroleum based plastics, 

but made from renewable resources. Examples 

are bio-PE made from bio-ethanol (from 

e.g. sugar cane) or partly biobased PET; the 

monoethylene glykol made from bio-ethanol 

(from e.g. sugar cane). Developments to 

make terephthalic acid from renewable resources 

are under way. Other examples are 

polyamides (partly biobased e.g. PA 4.10 or PA 

6.10 or fully biobased like PA 5.10 or PA10.10) 

EN 13432 | European standard for the assessment 

of the → compostability of plastic 

packaging products 

Energy recovery | recovery and exploitation 

of the energy potential in (plastic) waste for 

the production of electricity or heat in waste 

incineration pants (waste-to-energy) 

Environmental claim | A statement, symbol 

or graphic that indicates one or more environmental 

aspect(s) of a product, a component, 

packaging or a service. [16] 

Enzymes | proteins that catalyze chemical 

reactions 

Enzyme-mediated plastics | are no →bioplastics. 

Instead, a conventional non-biodegradable 

plastic (e.g. fossil-based PE) is enriched 

with small amounts of an organic additive. 

Microorganisms are supposed to consume 

these additives and the degradation process 

should then expand to the non-biodegradable 

PE and thus make the material degrade. After 

some time the plastic is supposed to visually 

disappear and to be completely converted to 

carbon dioxide and water. This is a theoretical 

concept which has not been backed up by 

any verifiable proof so far. Producers promote 

enzyme-mediated plastics as a solution to littering. 

As no proof for the degradation process 

has been provided, environmental beneficial 

effects are highly questionable. 

Ethylene | colour- and odourless gas, made 

e.g. from, Naphtha (petroleum) by cracking or 

from bio-ethanol by dehydration, monomer of 

the polymer polyethylene (PE) 

European Bioplastics e.V. | The industry association 

representing the interests of Europe’s 

thriving bioplastics’ industry. Founded 

in Germany in 1993 as IBAW, European 

Bioplastics today represents the interests 

of about 50 member companies throughout 

the European Union and worldwide. With 

members from the agricultural feedstock, 

chemical and plastics industries, as well as 

industrial users and recycling companies, European 

Bioplastics serves as both a contact 

platform and catalyst for advancing the aims 

of the growing bioplastics industry. 

Extrusion | process used to create plastic 

profiles (or sheet) of a fixed cross-section 

consisting of mixing, melting, homogenising 

and shaping of the plastic. 

FDCA | 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid, an intermediate 

chemical produced from 5-HMF. 

The dicarboxylic acid can be used to make → 

PEF = polyethylene furanoate, a polyester that 

could be a 100% biobased alternative to PET. 

Fermentation | Biochemical reactions controlled 

by → microorganisms or → enyzmes (e.g. 

the transformation of sugar into lactic acid). 

FSC | Forest Stewardship Council. FSC is an 

independent, non-governmental, not-forprofit 

organization established to promote the 

responsible and sustainable management of 

the world’s forests. 


Basics 

Gelatine | Translucent brittle solid substance, 

colorless or slightly yellow, nearly tasteless 

and odorless, extracted from the collagen inside 

animals‘ connective tissue. 

Genetically modified organism (GMO) | Organisms, 

such as plants and animals, whose 

genetic material (DNA) has been altered 

are called genetically modified organisms 

(GMOs). Food and feed which contain or 

consist of such GMOs, or are produced from 

GMOs, are called genetically modified (GM) 

food or feed [1]. If GM crops are used in bioplastics 

production, the multiple-stage processing 

and the high heat used to create the 

polymer removes all traces of genetic material. 

This means that the final bioplastics product 

contains no genetic traces. The resulting 

bioplastics is therefore well suited to use in 

food packaging as it contains no genetically 

modified material and cannot interact with 

the contents. 

Global Warming | Global warming is the rise 

in the average temperature of Earth’s atmosphere 

and oceans since the late 19th century 

and its projected continuation [8]. Global 

warming is said to be accelerated by → green 

house gases. 

Glucose | Monosaccharide (or simple sugar). 

G. is the most important carbohydrate (sugar) 

in biology. G. is formed by photosynthesis or 

hydrolyse of many carbohydrates e. g. starch. 

Greenhouse gas GHG | Gaseous constituent 

of the atmosphere, both natural and anthropogenic, 

that absorbs and emits radiation at 

specific wavelengths within the spectrum of 

infrared radiation emitted by the earth’s surface, 

the atmosphere, and clouds [1, 9] 

Greenwashing | The act of misleading consumers 

regarding the environmental practices 

of a company, or the environmental benefits 

of a product or service [1, 10] 

Granulate, granules | small plastic particles 

(3-4 millimetres), a form in which plastic is 

sold and fed into machines, easy to handle 

and dose. 

HMF (5-HMF) | 5-hydroxymethylfurfural is an 

organic compound derived from sugar dehydration. 

It is a platform chemical, a building 

block for 20 performance polymers and over 

175 different chemical substances. The molecule 

consists of a furan ring which contains 

both aldehyde and alcohol functional groups. 

5-HMF has applications in many different 

industries such as bioplastics, packaging, 

pharmaceuticals, adhesives and chemicals. 

One of the most promising routes is 2,5 

furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), produced as an 

intermediate when 5-HMF is oxidised. FDCA 

is used to produce PEF, which can substitute 

terephthalic acid in polyester, especially polyethylene 

terephthalate (PET). [bM 03/14, 02/16] 

Home composting | →composting [bM 06/08] 

Humus | In agriculture, humus is often used 

simply to mean mature →compost, or natural 

compost extracted from a forest or other 

spontaneous source for use to amend soil. 

Hydrophilic | Property: water-friendly, soluble 

in water or other polar solvents (e.g. used 

in conjunction with a plastic which is not water 

resistant and weather proof or that absorbs 

water such as Polyamide (PA). 

Hydrophobic | Property: water-resistant, not 

soluble in water (e.g. a plastic which is water 

resistant and weather proof, or that does not 

absorb any water such as Polyethylene (PE) 

or Polypropylene (PP). 

Industrial composting | is an established 

process with commonly agreed upon requirements 

(e.g. temperature, timeframe) for transforming 

biodegradable waste into stable, sanitised 

products to be used in agriculture. The 

criteria for industrial compostability of packaging 

have been defined in the EN 13432. Materials 

and products complying with this standard 

can be certified and subsequently labelled 

accordingly [1,7] [bM 06/08, 02/09] 

ISO | International Organization for Standardization 

JBPA | Japan Bioplastics Association 

Land use | The surface required to grow sufficient 

feedstock (land use) for today’s bioplastic 

production is less than 0.01 percent of the 

global agricultural area of 5 billion hectares. 

It is not yet foreseeable to what extent an increased 

use of food residues, non-food crops 

or cellulosic biomass (see also →1 st /2 nd /3 rd 

generation feedstock) in bioplastics production 

might lead to an even further reduced 

land use in the future [bM 04/09, 01/14] 

LCA | is the compilation and evaluation of the 

input, output and the potential environmental 

impact of a product system throughout its life 

cycle [17]. It is sometimes also referred to as 

life cycle analysis, ecobalance or cradle-tograve 

analysis. [bM 01/09] 

Littering | is the (illegal) act of leaving waste 

such as cigarette butts, paper, tins, bottles, 

cups, plates, cutlery or bags lying in an open 

or public place. 

Marine litter | Following the European Commission’s 

definition, “marine litter consists of 

items that have been deliberately discarded, 

unintentionally lost, or transported by winds 

and rivers, into the sea and on beaches. It 

mainly consists of plastics, wood, metals, 

glass, rubber, clothing and paper”. Marine 

debris originates from a variety of sources. 

Shipping and fishing activities are the predominant 

sea-based, ineffectively managed 

landfills as well as public littering the main 

land-based sources. Marine litter can pose a 

threat to living organisms, especially due to 

ingestion or entanglement. 

Currently, there is no international standard 

available, which appropriately describes the 

biodegradation of plastics in the marine environment. 

However, a number of standardisation 

projects are in progress at ISO and ASTM 

level. Furthermore, the European project 

OPEN BIO addresses the marine biodegradation 

of biobased products.[bM 02/16] 

Mass balance | describes the relationship between 

input and output of a specific substance 

within a system in which the output from the 

system cannot exceed the input into the system. 

First attempts were made by plastic raw material 

producers to claim their products renewable 

(plastics) based on a certain input 

of biomass in a huge and complex chemical 

plant, then mathematically allocating this 

biomass input to the produced plastic. 

These approaches are at least controversially 

disputed [bM 04/14, 05/14, 01/15] 

Microorganism | Living organisms of microscopic 

size, such as bacteria, funghi or yeast. 

Molecule | group of at least two atoms held 

together by covalent chemical bonds. 

Monomer | molecules that are linked by polymerization 

to form chains of molecules and 

then plastics 

Mulch film | Foil to cover bottom of farmland 

Organic recycling | means the treatment of 

separately collected organic waste by anaerobic 

digestion and/or composting. 

Oxo-degradable / Oxo-fragmentable | materials 

and products that do not biodegrade! 

The underlying technology of oxo-degradability 

or oxo-fragmentation is based on special additives, 

which, if incorporated into standard 

resins, are purported to accelerate the fragmentation 

of products made thereof. Oxodegradable 

or oxo-fragmentable materials do 

not meet accepted industry standards on compostability 

such as EN 13432. [bM 01/09, 05/09] 

PBAT | Polybutylene adipate terephthalate, is 

an aliphatic-aromatic copolyester that has the 

properties of conventional polyethylene but is 

fully biodegradable under industrial composting. 

PBAT is made from fossil petroleum with 

first attempts being made to produce it partly 

from renewable resources [bM 06/09] 

PBS | Polybutylene succinate, a 100% biodegradable 

polymer, made from (e.g. bio-BDO) 

and succinic acid, which can also be produced 

biobased [bM 03/12]. 

PC | Polycarbonate, thermoplastic polyester, 

petroleum based and not degradable, used 

for e.g. baby bottles or CDs. Criticized for its 

BPA (→ Bisphenol-A) content. 

PCL | Polycaprolactone, a synthetic (fossil 

based), biodegradable bioplastic, e.g. used as 

a blend component. 

PE | Polyethylene, thermoplastic polymerised 

from ethylene. Can be made from renewable 

resources (sugar cane via bio-ethanol) [bM 05/10] 

PEF | polyethylene furanoate, a polyester 

made from monoethylene glycol (MEG) and 

→FDCA (2,5-furandicarboxylic acid , an intermediate 

chemical produced from 5-HMF). It 

can be a 100% biobased alternative for PET. 

PEF also has improved product characteristics, 

such as better structural strength and 

improved barrier behaviour, which will allow 

for the use of PEF bottles in additional applications. 

[bM 03/11, 04/12] 

PET | Polyethylenterephthalate, transparent 

polyester used for bottles and film. The 

polyester is made from monoethylene glycol 

(MEG), that can be renewably sourced from 

bio-ethanol (sugar cane) and (until now fossil) 

terephthalic acid [bM 04/14] 

PGA | Polyglycolic acid or Polyglycolide is a biodegradable, 

thermoplastic polymer and the 

simplest linear, aliphatic polyester. Besides 

ist use in the biomedical field, PGA has been 

introduced as a barrier resin [bM 03/09] 

PHA | Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) or the 

polyhydroxy fatty acids, are a family of biodegradable 

polyesters. As in many mammals, 

including humans, that hold energy reserves 

in the form of body fat there are also bacteria 

that hold intracellular reserves in for of 

of polyhydroxy alkanoates. Here the microorganisms 

store a particularly high level of 


Basics 

energy reserves (up to 80% of their own body 

weight) for when their sources of nutrition become 

scarce. By farming this type of bacteria, 

and feeding them on sugar or starch (mostly 

from maize), or at times on plant oils or other 

nutrients rich in carbonates, it is possible to 

obtain PHA‘s on an industrial scale [11]. The 

most common types of PHA are PHB (Polyhydroxybutyrate, 

PHBV and PHBH. Depending 

on the bacteria and their food, PHAs with 

different mechanical properties, from rubbery 

soft trough stiff and hard as ABS, can be produced. 

Some PHSs are even biodegradable in 

soil or in a marine environment 

PLA | Polylactide or Polylactic Acid (PLA), a 

biodegradable, thermoplastic, linear aliphatic 

polyester based on lactic acid, a natural acid, 

is mainly produced by fermentation of sugar 

or starch with the help of micro-organisms. 

Lactic acid comes in two isomer forms, i.e. as 

laevorotatory D(-)lactic acid and as dextrorotary 

L(+)lactic acid. 

Modified PLA types can be produced by the 

use of the right additives or by certain combinations 

of L- and D- lactides (stereocomplexing), 

which then have the required rigidity for 

use at higher temperatures [13] [bM 01/09, 01/12] 

Plastics | Materials with large molecular 

chains of natural or fossil raw materials, produced 

by chemical or biochemical reactions. 

PPC | Polypropylene Carbonate, a bioplastic 

made by copolymerizing CO 2 

with propylene 

oxide (PO) [bM 04/12] 

PTT | Polytrimethylterephthalate (PTT), partially 

biobased polyester, is similarly to PET 

produced using terephthalic acid or dimethyl 

terephthalate and a diol. In this case it is a 

biobased 1,3 propanediol, also known as bio- 

PDO [bM 01/13] 

Renewable Resources | agricultural raw materials, 

which are not used as food or feed, 

but as raw material for industrial products 

or to generate energy. The use of renewable 

resources by industry saves fossil resources 

and reduces the amount of → greenhouse gas 

emissions. Biobased plastics are predominantly 

made of annual crops such as corn, 

cereals and sugar beets or perennial cultures 

such as cassava and sugar cane. 

Resource efficiency | Use of limited natural 

resources in a sustainable way while minimising 

impacts on the environment. A resource 

efficient economy creates more output 

or value with lesser input. 

Seedling Logo | The compostability label or 

logo Seedling is connected to the standard 

EN 13432/EN 14995 and a certification process 

managed by the independent institutions 

→DIN CERTCO and → Vinçotte. Bioplastics 

products carrying the Seedling fulfil the 

criteria laid down in the EN 13432 regarding 

industrial compostability. [bM 01/06, 02/10] 

Saccharins or carbohydrates | Saccharins or 

carbohydrates are name for the sugar-family. 

Saccharins are monomer or polymer sugar 

units. For example, there are known mono-, 

di- and polysaccharose. → glucose is a monosaccarin. 

They are important for the diet and 

produced biology in plants. 

Semi-finished products | plastic in form of 

sheet, film, rods or the like to be further processed 

into finshed products 

Sorbitol | Sugar alcohol, obtained by reduction 

of glucose changing the aldehyde group 

to an additional hydroxyl group. S. is used as 

a plasticiser for bioplastics based on starch. 

Starch | Natural polymer (carbohydrate) 

consisting of → amylose and → amylopectin, 

gained from maize, potatoes, wheat, tapioca 

etc. When glucose is connected to polymerchains 

in definite way the result (product) is 

called starch. Each molecule is based on 300 

-12000-glucose units. Depending on the connection, 

there are two types → amylose and → 

amylopectin known. [bM 05/09] 

Starch derivatives | Starch derivatives are 

based on the chemical structure of → starch. 

The chemical structure can be changed by 

introducing new functional groups without 

changing the → starch polymer. The product 

has different chemical qualities. Mostly the 

hydrophilic character is not the same. 

Starch-ester | One characteristic of every 

starch-chain is a free hydroxyl group. When 

every hydroxyl group is connected with an 

acid one product is starch-ester with different 

chemical properties. 

Starch propionate and starch butyrate | 

Starch propionate and starch butyrate can be 

synthesised by treating the → starch with propane 

or butanic acid. The product structure 

is still based on → starch. Every based → glucose 

fragment is connected with a propionate 

or butyrate ester group. The product is more 

hydrophobic than → starch. 

Sustainable | An attempt to provide the best 

outcomes for the human and natural environments 

both now and into the indefinite future. 

One famous definition of sustainability is the 

one created by the Brundtland Commission, 

led by the former Norwegian Prime Minister 

G. H. Brundtland. The Brundtland Commission 

defined sustainable development as 

development that ‘meets the needs of the 

present without compromising the ability of 

future generations to meet their own needs.’ 

Sustainability relates to the continuity of economic, 

social, institutional and environmental 

aspects of human society, as well as the nonhuman 

environment). 

Sustainable sourcing | of renewable feedstock 

for biobased plastics is a prerequisite 

for more sustainable products. Impacts such 

as the deforestation of protected habitats 

or social and environmental damage arising 

from poor agricultural practices must 

be avoided. Corresponding certification 

schemes, such as ISCC PLUS, WLC or Bon- 

Sucro, are an appropriate tool to ensure the 

sustainable sourcing of biomass for all applications 

around the globe. 

Sustainability | as defined by European Bioplastics, 

has three dimensions: economic, social 

and environmental. This has been known 

as “the triple bottom line of sustainability”. 

This means that sustainable development involves 

the simultaneous pursuit of economic 

prosperity, environmental protection and social 

equity. In other words, businesses have 

to expand their responsibility to include these 

environmental and social dimensions. Sustainability 

is about making products useful to 

markets and, at the same time, having societal 

benefits and lower environmental impact 

than the alternatives currently available. It also 

implies a commitment to continuous improvement 

that should result in a further reduction 

of the environmental footprint of today’s products, 

processes and raw materials used. 

Thermoplastics | Plastics which soften or 

melt when heated and solidify when cooled 

(solid at room temperature). 

Thermoplastic Starch | (TPS) → starch that 

was modified (cooked, complexed) to make it 

a plastic resin 

Thermoset | Plastics (resins) which do not 

soften or melt when heated. Examples are 

epoxy resins or unsaturated polyester resins. 

Vinçotte | independant certifying organisation 

for the assessment on the conformity of bioplastics 

WPC | Wood Plastic Composite. Composite 

materials made of wood fiber/flour and plastics 

(mostly polypropylene). 

Yard Waste | Grass clippings, leaves, trimmings, 

garden residue. 

References: 

[1] Environmental Communication Guide, 

European Bioplastics, Berlin, Germany, 

2012 

[2] ISO 14067. Carbon footprint of products - 

Requirements and guidelines for quantification 

and communication 

[3] CEN TR 15932, Plastics - Recommendation 

for terminology and characterisation 

of biopolymers and bioplastics, 2010 

[4] CEN/TS 16137, Plastics - Determination 

of bio-based carbon content, 2011 

[5] ASTM D6866, Standard Test Methods for 

Determining the Biobased Content of 

Solid, Liquid, and Gaseous Samples Using 

Radiocarbon Analysis 

[6] SPI: Understanding Biobased Carbon 

Content, 2012 

[7] EN 13432, Requirements for packaging 

recoverable through composting and biodegradation. 

Test scheme and evaluation 

criteria for the final acceptance of packaging, 

2000 

[8] Wikipedia 

[9] ISO 14064 Greenhouse gases -- Part 1: 

Specification with guidance..., 2006 

[10] Terrachoice, 2010, www.terrachoice.com 

[11] Thielen, M.: Bioplastics: Basics. Applications. 

Markets, Polymedia Publisher, 

2012 

[12] Lörcks, J.: Biokunststoffe, Broschüre der 

FNR, 2005 

[13] de Vos, S.: Improving heat-resistance of 

PLA using poly(D-lactide), 

bioplastics MAGAZINE, Vol. 3, Issue 02/2008 

[14] de Wilde, B.: Anaerobic Digestion, bioplastics 

MAGAZINE, Vol 4., Issue 06/2009 

[15] ISO 14067 onb Corbon Footprint of 

Products 

[16] ISO 14021 on Self-declared Environmental 

claims 

[17] ISO 14044 on Life Cycle Assessment 


Suppliers Guide 

1. Raw Materials 

AGRANA Starch 

Bioplastics 

Conrathstraße 7 

A-3950 Gmuend, Austria 

bioplastics.starch@agrana.com 

www.agrana.com 

Xinjiang Blue Ridge Tunhe 

Polyester Co., Ltd. 

No. 316, South Beijing Rd. Changji, 

Xinjiang, 831100, P.R.China 

Tel.: +86 994 2716865 

Mob: +86 18699400676 

maxirong@lanshantunhe.com 

http://www.lanshantunhe.com 

PBAT & PBS resin supplier 

Kingfa Sci. & Tech. Co., Ltd. 

No.33 Kefeng Rd, Sc. City, Guangzhou 

Hi-Tech Ind. Development Zone, 

Guangdong, P.R. China. 510663 

Tel: +86 (0)20 6622 1696 

info@ecopond.com.cn 

www.kingfa.com 

39 mm 

Simply contact: 

Tel.: +49 2161 6884467 

suppguide@bioplasticsmagazine.com 

Stay permanently listed in the 

Suppliers Guide with your company 

logo and contact information. 

For only 6,– EUR per mm, per issue you 

can be present among top suppliers in 

the field of bioplastics. 

For Example: 

Polymedia Publisher GmbH 

Dammer Str. 112 

41066 Mönchengladbach 

Germany 

Tel. +49 2161 664864 

Fax +49 2161 631045 

info@bioplasticsmagazine.com 


Sample Charge: 

39mm x 6,00 € 

= 234,00 € per entry/per issue 

Sample Charge for one year: 

6 issues x 234,00 EUR = 1,404.00 € 

The entry in our Suppliers Guide is 

bookable for one year (6 issues) and 

extends automatically if it’s not canceled 

three month before expiry. 

www.facebook.com 

www.issuu.com 

www.twitter.com 

www.youtube.com 

BASF SE 

Ludwigshafen, Germany 

Tel: +49 621 60-9995 

martin.bussmann@basf.com 

www.ecovio.com 

Gianeco S.r.l. 

Via Magenta 57 10128 Torino - Italy 

Tel.+390119370420 

info@gianeco.com 

www.gianeco.com 

PTT MCC Biochem Co., Ltd. 

info@pttmcc.com / www.pttmcc.com 

Tel: +66(0) 2 140-3563 

MCPP Germany GmbH 

+49 (0) 152-018 920 51 

frank.steinbrecher@mcpp-europe.com 

MCPP France SAS 

+33 (0) 6 07 22 25 32 

fabien.resweber@mcpp-europe.com 

Microtec Srl 

Via Po’, 53/55 

30030, Mellaredo di Pianiga (VE), 

Italy 

Tel.: +39 041 5190621 

Fax.: +39 041 5194765 

info@microtecsrl.com 

www.biocomp.it 

Tel: +86 351-8689356 

Fax: +86 351-8689718 

www.jinhuizhaolong.com 

ecoworldsales@jinhuigroup.com 

Jincheng, Lin‘an, Hangzhou, 

Zhejiang 311300, P.R. China 

China contact: Grace Jin 

mobile: 0086 135 7578 9843 

Grace@xinfupharm.comEurope 

contact(Belgium): Susan Zhang 

mobile: 0032 478 991619 

zxh0612@hotmail.com 

www.xinfupharm.com 

1.1 bio based monomers 

1.2 compounds 

Cardia Bioplastics 

Suite 6, 205-211 Forster Rd 

Mt. Waverley, VIC, 3149 Australia 

Tel. +61 3 85666800 

info@cardiabioplastics.com 

www.cardiabioplastics.com 

API S.p.A. 

Via Dante Alighieri, 27 

36065 Mussolente (VI), Italy 

Telephone +39 0424 579711 

www.apiplastic.com 

www.apinatbio.com 

BIO-FED 

Branch of AKRO-PLASTIC GmbH 

BioCampus Cologne 

Nattermannallee 1 

50829 Cologne, Germany 

Tel.: +49 221 88 88 94-00 

info@bio-fed.com 

www.bio-fed.com 

Global Biopolymers Co.,Ltd. 

Bioplastics compounds 

(PLA+starch;PLA+rubber) 

194 Lardproa80 yak 14 

Wangthonglang, Bangkok 

Thailand 10310 

info@globalbiopolymers.com 

www.globalbiopolymers.com 

Tel +66 81 9150446 

FKuR Kunststoff GmbH 

Siemensring 79 

D - 47 877 Willich 

Tel. +49 2154 9251-0 

Tel.: +49 2154 9251-51 

sales@fkur.com 

www.fkur.com 

GRAFE-Group 

Waldecker Straße 21, 

99444 Blankenhain, Germany 

Tel. +49 36459 45 0 

www.grafe.com 

Green Dot Bioplastics 

226 Broadway | PO Box #142 

Cottonwood Falls, KS 66845, USA 

Tel.: +1 620-273-8919 

info@greendotholdings.com 

www.greendotpure.com 

NUREL Engineering Polymers 

Ctra. Barcelona, km 329 

50016 Zaragoza, Spain 

Tel: +34 976 465 579 

inzea@samca.com 

www.inzea-biopolymers.com 

Sukano AG 

Chaltenbodenstraße 23 

CH-8834 Schindellegi 

Tel. +41 44 787 57 77 

Fax +41 44 787 57 78 

www.sukano.com 

Natureplast – Biopolynov 

11 rue François Arago 

14123 IFS 

Tel: +33 (0)2 31 83 50 87 

www.natureplast.eu 



TECNARO GmbH 

Bustadt 40 

D-74360 Ilsfeld. Germany 

Tel: +49 (0)7062/97687-0 

www.tecnaro.de 

1.3 PLA 

Kaneka Belgium N.V. 

Nijverheidsstraat 16 

2260 Westerlo-Oevel, Belgium 

Tel: +32 (0)14 25 78 36 

Fax: +32 (0)14 25 78 81 

info.biopolymer@kaneka.be 

TIPA-Corp. Ltd 

Hanagar 3 Hod 

Hasharon 4501306, ISRAEL 

P.O BOX 7132 

Tel: +972-9-779-6000 

Fax: +972 -9-7715828 

www.tipa-corp.com 

Natur-Tec ® - Northern Technologies 

4201 Woodland Road 

Circle Pines, MN 55014 USA 

Tel. +1 763.404.8700 

Fax +1 763.225.6645 

info@natur-tec.com 

www.natur-tec.com 

Total Corbion PLA bv 

Arkelsedijk 46, P.O. Box 21 

4200 AA Gorinchem 

The Netherlands 

Tel.: +31 183 695 695 

Fax.: +31 183 695 604 

www.total-corbion.com 

pla@total-corbion.com 

TianAn Biopolymer 

No. 68 Dagang 6th Rd, 

Beilun, Ningbo, China, 315800 

Tel. +86-57 48 68 62 50 2 

Fax +86-57 48 68 77 98 0 

enquiry@tianan-enmat.com 

www.tianan-enmat.com 

1.6 masterbatches 

4. Bioplastics products 

Bio-on S.p.A. 

Via Santa Margherita al Colle 10/3 

40136 Bologna - ITALY 

Tel.: +39 051 392336 

info@bio-on.it 

www.bio-on.it 

NOVAMONT S.p.A. 

Via Fauser , 8 

28100 Novara - ITALIA 

Fax +39.0321.699.601 

Tel. +39.0321.699.611 

www.novamont.com 

6. Equipment 

6.1 Machinery & Molds 

Zhejiang Hisun Biomaterials Co.,Ltd. 

No.97 Waisha Rd, Jiaojiang District, 

Taizhou City, Zhejiang Province, China 

Tel: +86-576-88827723 

pla@hisunpharm.com 

www.hisunplas.com 

1.4 starch-based bioplastics 

GRAFE-Group 



Tel. +49 36459 45 0 

www.grafe.com 

Bio4Pack GmbH 

D-48419 Rheine, Germany 

Tel.: +49 (0) 5975 955 94 57 

info@bio4pack.com 

www.bio4pack.com 

Buss AG 

Hohenrainstrasse 10 

4133 Pratteln / Switzerland 

Tel.: +41 61 825 66 00 

Fax: +41 61 825 68 58 

info@busscorp.com 

www.busscorp.com 

6.2 Laboratory Equipment 

BIOTEC 

Biologische Naturverpackungen 

Werner-Heisenberg-Strasse 32 

46446 Emmerich/Germany 

Tel.: +49 (0) 2822 – 92510 

info@biotec.de 

www.biotec.de 

Albrecht Dinkelaker 

Polymer and Product Development 

Blumenweg 2 

79669 Zell im Wiesental, Germany 

Tel.:+49 (0) 7625 91 84 58 

info@polyfea2.de 

www.caprowax-p.eu 

2. Additives/Secondary raw materials 

BeoPlast Besgen GmbH 

Bioplastics injection moulding 

Industriestraße 64 

D-40764 Langenfeld, Germany 

Tel. +49 2173 84840-0 

info@beoplast.de 

www.beoplast.de 

MODA: Biodegradability Analyzer 

SAIDA FDS INC. 

143-10 Isshiki, Yaizu, 

Shizuoka,Japan 

Tel:+81-54-624-6155 

Fax: +81-54-623-8623 

info_fds@saidagroup.jp 

www.saidagroup.jp/fds_en/ 

7. Plant engineering 

Grabio Greentech Corporation 

Tel: +886-3-598-6496 

No. 91, Guangfu N. Rd., Hsinchu 

Industrial Park,Hukou Township, 

Hsinchu County 30351, Taiwan 

sales@grabio.com.tw 

www.grabio.com.tw 

1.5 PHA 

GRAFE-Group 



Tel. +49 36459 45 0 

www.grafe.com 

3. Semi finished products 

3.1 films 

INDOCHINE C, M, Y , K BIO C , M, Y, K PLASTIQUES 

45, 0,90, 0 

10, 0, 80,0 

(ICBP) C, M, Y, KSDN BHD 

C, M, Y, K 

50, 0 ,0, 0 

0, 0, 0, 0 

12, Jalan i-Park SAC 3 

Senai Airport City 

81400 Senai, Johor, Malaysia 

Tel. +60 7 5959 159 

marketing@icbp.com.my 

www.icbp.com.my 

EREMA Engineering Recycling 

Maschinen und Anlagen GmbH 

Unterfeldstrasse 3 

4052 Ansfelden, AUSTRIA 

Phone: +43 (0) 732 / 3190-0 

Fax: +43 (0) 732 / 3190-23 

erema@erema.at 

www.erema.at 

Bio-on S.p.A. 

Via Santa Margherita al Colle 10/3 

40136 Bologna - ITALY 

Tel.: +39 051 392336 

info@bio-on.it 

www.bio-on.it 

Infiana Germany GmbH & Co. KG 

Zweibrückenstraße 15-25 

91301 Forchheim 

Tel. +49-9191 81-0 

Fax +49-9191 81-212 

www.infiana.com 

Minima Technology Co., Ltd. 

Esmy Huang, COO 

No.33. Yichang E. Rd., Taipin City, 

Taichung County 

411, Taiwan (R.O.C.) 

Tel. +886(4)2277 6888 

Fax +883(4)2277 6989 

Mobil +886(0)982-829988 

esmy@minima-tech.com 

Skype esmy325 

www.minima.com 

Uhde Inventa-Fischer GmbH 

Holzhauser Strasse 157–159 

D-13509 Berlin 

Tel. +49 30 43 567 5 

Fax +49 30 43 567 699 

sales.de@uhde-inventa-fischer.com 

Uhde Inventa-Fischer AG 

Via Innovativa 31, CH-7013 Domat/Ems 

Tel. +41 81 632 63 11 

Fax +41 81 632 74 03 

sales.ch@uhde-inventa-fischer.com 

www.uhde-inventa-fischer.com 



9. Services 

‘Basics‘ book 

on bioplastics 

110 pages full 

color, paperback 

ISBN 978-3- 

9814981-1-0: 

Bioplastics 

ISBN 978-3- 

9814981-2-7: 

Biokunststoffe 

2. überarbeitete 

Auflage 

This book, created and published by Polymedia 

Publisher, maker of bioplastics MAGAZINE 

is available in English and German language 

(German now in the second, revised edition). 

The book is intended to offer a rapid and uncomplicated 

introduction into the subject of bioplastics, and is aimed at all 

interested readers, in particular those who have not yet had 

the opportunity to dig deeply into the subject, such as students 

or those just joining this industry, and lay readers. It gives 

an introduction to plastics and bioplastics, explains which 

renewable resources can be used to produce bioplastics, 

what types of bioplastic exist, and which ones are already on 

the market. Further aspects, such as market development, 

the agricultural land required, and waste disposal, are also 

examined. 

An extensive index allows the reader to find specific aspects 

quickly, and is complemented by a comprehensive literature 

list and a guide to sources of additional information on the 

Internet. 

The author Michael Thielen is editor and publisher 

bioplastics MAGAZINE. He is a qualified machinery design 

engineer with a degree in plastics technology from the RWTH 

University in Aachen. He has written several books on the 

subject of blow-moulding technology and disseminated his 

knowledge of plastics in numerous presentations, seminars, 

guest lectures and teaching assignments. 

Order now for € 18.65 or US-$ 25.00 

(+ VAT where applicable, plus shipping and handling, 

ask for details) order at www.bioplasticsmagazine.de/ 

books, by phone +49 2161 6884463 or by e-mail 

books@bioplasticsmagazine.com 

Or subscribe and get it as a free gift 

(see page 53 for details, outside Germany only) 

Osterfelder Str. 3 

46047 Oberhausen 

Tel.: +49 (0)208 8598 1227 

thomas.wodke@umsicht.fhg.de 

www.umsicht.fraunhofer.de 

narocon 

Dr. Harald Kaeb 

Tel.: +49 30-28096930 

kaeb@narocon.de 

www.narocon.de 

9. Services (continued) 

nova-Institut GmbH 

Chemiepark Knapsack 

Industriestrasse 300 

50354 Huerth, Germany 

Tel.: +49(0)2233-48-14 40 

E-Mail: contact@nova-institut.de 

www.biobased.eu 

Bioplastics Consulting 

Tel. +49 2161 664864 

info@polymediaconsult.com 

10. Institutions 

10.1 Associations 

BPI - The Biodegradable 

Products Institute 

331 West 57th Street, Suite 415 

New York, NY 10019, USA 

Tel. +1-888-274-5646 

info@bpiworld.org 

European Bioplastics e.V. 

Marienstr. 19/20 

10117 Berlin, Germany 

Tel. +49 30 284 82 350 

Fax +49 30 284 84 359 

info@european-bioplastics.org 

www.european-bioplastics.org 

10.2 Universities 

Institut für Kunststofftechnik 

Universität Stuttgart 

Böblinger Straße 70 

70199 Stuttgart 

Tel +49 711/685-62831 

silvia.kliem@ikt.uni-stuttgart.de 

www.ikt.uni-stuttgart.de 

Michigan State University 

Dept. of Chem. Eng & Mat. Sc. 

Professor Ramani Narayan 

East Lansing MI 48824, USA 

Tel. +1 517 719 7163 

narayan@msu.edu 

IfBB – Institute for Bioplastics 

and Biocomposites 

University of Applied Sciences 

and Arts Hanover 

Faculty II – Mechanical and 

Bioprocess Engineering 

Heisterbergallee 12 

30453 Hannover, Germany 

Tel.: +49 5 11 / 92 96 - 22 69 

Fax: +49 5 11 / 92 96 - 99 - 22 69 

lisa.mundzeck@hs-hannover.de 

www.ifbb-hannover.de/ 

10.3 Other Institutions 

Green Serendipity 

Caroli Buitenhuis 

IJburglaan 836 

1087 EM Amsterdam 

The Netherlands 

Tel.: +31 6-24216733 

www.greenseredipity.nl 



Events 

Subscribe 

now at 

bioplasticsmagazine.com 

the next six issues for €169.– 1) 

Sep / Oct 

Special offer 

for students and 

young professionals 

1,2) € 99.- 

2) aged 35 and below. 

end a scan of your 

student card, your ID 

or similar proof ... 

05 | 2018 

Cover Story 

ICBP Bio Resin: Making a Difference | 23 

ISSN 1862-5258 

Nov / Dec 


Event 

Calendar 

You can meet us 

Spritzgießkurs Bioplastics (German language only) 

12.09.2018 - 27.11.2018 - *** versch. Orte in Deutschland 

http://www.bioplasticsmagazine.de/download/Spritzgiesskurs.pdf 

13th European Bioplastics Conference 

04.12.2018 - 05.12.2018 - Berlin, Germany 

www.european-bioplastics.org/events/eubp-conference/ 

22.04.2018 - Geleen, Niederlande 

European Biopolymer Summit 2019 

13.02.2019 - 14.02.2019 - Ghent, Belgium 

http://www.wplgroup.com/aci/event/biopolymer-conference-europe/ 

13th Bioplastics Market 

12.03.2019 - 13.03.2019 - Bangkok, Thailand 

www.cmtevents.com/main.aspx?ev=190310&pu=276943 

7th Conference on Carbon Dioxide as Feedstock for 

Fuels, Chemistry and Polymers 

20.03.2019 - 21.03.2019 - Cologne, Germany 

http://co2-chemistry.eu 

bio!TOY: biobased materials for toy applications 

27.-28.05.2019 - Nürnberg, Germany 

www.bio-toy.info 

ISSN 1862-5258 

Amir bin Abul Hasan Ashari 

Managing Director, ICBP 

Compostable 


project wins 

13th Global 


| 10 

Chinaplas 2019 

21.05.2019 - 24.05.2019 - Guangzhou, China 

http://adsale.hk/1935-CPS19_Bioplastics_EN_500x150 

bio!PAC: Conference on biobased packaging 

28.-29.05.2019 - Düsseldorf, Germany 

www.bio-pac.info 


Highlights 

Fibres, Textiles | 24 

Elastomers | 38 

Basics 

Industrial Composting | 43 


Highlights 



Plastics beyond Petroleum - BioMass & Recycling 

25.06.2019 - 27.06.2019 - New York City Area, USA 

http://innoplastsolutions.com/conference.html 


r1_05.2017 

05/05/17 11:39 

+ 

or 

Mention the promotion code ‘watch‘ or ‘book‘ 

and you will get our watch or the book 3) 

Bioplastics Basics. Applications. Markets. for free 

1) Offer valid until 30 Jan 2019 

3) Gratis-Buch in Deutschland nicht möglich, no free book in Germany 


Companies in this issue 

Company Editorial Advert Company Editorial Advert Company Editorial Advert 

Aakar Innovations 10 

Adidas 23 

Adsale 40 

Agrana Starch Bioplastics 50 

Algix 22 

AlgoteK 23 

Altra Running 23 

API 50 

BASF 13, 14 50 

BeoPlast Besgen 51 

Berry Global 27 

Billabong 23 

Bio4Pack 8 51 

BioBlo 11 

Bio-Fed Branch of Akro-Plastic 5, 50 

Biome Bioplastic 9 

Bio-On 6 51 

Bioseries 11 

Biota 23 

Biotec 51 

Bloom 23 

BOGS 23 

BPI 52 

Braskem 5, 11, 13, 45 17 

Buss 37, 51 

Caprowachs, Albrecht Dinkelaker 51 

Cardia Bioplastics 50 

Centexbel 28 

Chinaplas 40 

Chippewah 23 

Clariant 8 

Clark's 23 

D.S. Fibres 28 

Danimer Scientific 27 

Danone 41 

DVSI 11 

DIN Certco 31 

Dr. Heinz Gupta Verlag 25 

DuPont 6 

EcoAlf 23 

Eindhoven Univ. of Tech. 29 

eKoala 11 

Electrolux 34 

Erema 7, 51 

European Bioplastics 8, 9, 22, 40 48 

European Bioplastics 7, 10, 13 52 

Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe 18 

FKuR 11, 13 2, 50 

Fraunhofer UMSICHT 52 

Futamura 12 

Gen3Bio 22 

Gianeco 50 

Global Biopolymers 50 

GRABIO Greentech Corporation 51 

Grafe 50, 51 

Green Dot Bioplastics 50 

Green Serendipity 13 52 

Heijmans 24 

Hokkaido Univ. 29 

Indochine Bio Plastiques 51 

Industrial Facility 38 

Infiana Germany 51 

Inst. f. Bioplastics & Biocomposites 42 52 

Institut f. Kunststofftechnik, Stuttgart 52 

Johnson-Bryce 27 

Joma 9 

Kaneka 51 

Kingfa 50 

Knoten Weimar 18 

Lego 11 

Mars 25 

Michigan State University 52 

Microtec 50 

Minima Technology 51 

Nafigate 20, 36 

narocon InnovationConsulting 11, 13 52 

Natureplast-Biopolynov 50 

NatureWorks 26, 34 

Natur-Tec 51 

Neste 8 

NNFCC 9 

nova-Institute 11, 32 16, 32, 51 

Novamont 5, 13 51, 56 

Nurel 50 

Omega Material Science 22 

Omya 26 

Pace 32 

PepsiCo 27 

plasticker 6 

polymediaconsult 52 

PTT MCC Biochem 50 

Red Wings 23 

Rodenburg 24 

Saida 51 

Sintex 28 

Slater Design 23 

Soala 23 

Sukano 41, 50 

Surftec 23 

Sustainable Packaging Coalition 27 

Symphony Environmental 9 

Tecnaro 11 51 

TenTree 23 

The National Algae Association 22 

thyssenkrupp 8 

TianAn Biopolymer 51 

TIPA 51 

Tom's 23 

Total Corbion PLA 51 

TU Chemnitz 18 

TUI Cruises 39 

TÜV Austria 31 

Two Farmers 38 

Uhde-Inventa Fischer 8 35, 51 

Unilever 6 

Univ. Stuttgart (IKT) 52 

Vovobarefoot 23, 36 

Wageningen ATO 24 

Wästberg 38 

Wessanen 37 

Xinjiang Blue Ridge Tunhe Polyester 50 

Yünsa 28 

Zeijiang Hisun Biomaterials 21, 51 

Zhejiang Hangzhou Xinfu 50 

Issue 

Editorial Planner 

Month 

Publ. 

Date 

edit/ad/ 

Deadline 

2019 

Edit. Focus 1 Edit. Focus 2 Basics 

01/2019 Jan/Feb 04 Feb 19 23 Dez 18 Automotive Foams Green public procurement 

(update) 

Trade-Fair 

Specials 

Subject to changes 

02/2019 Mar/Apr 08 Apr 19 08 Mrz 19 Thermoforming / 

Rigid Packaging 

Building & 

construction 

Bioplastics in packaging 

(update) 

Chinaplas Preview 

03/2019 May/Jun 03 Jun 19 03 May 19 Injection moulding Toys Microplastics Chinaplas Review 

04/2019 Jul/Aug 05 Aug 19 05 Jul 19 Blow Moulding Biocomposites incl. 

thermoset 

Home composting 

05/2019 Sep/Oct 07 Oct 19 06 Sep 19 Fiber / Textile / 

Nonwoven 

Barrier materials 

Land use for bioplastics 

(update) 

K‘2019 Preview 

06/2019 Nov/Dec 02 Dez 19 01 Nov 19 Films/Flexibles/ 

Bags 

Consumer & office 

electronics 

Multilayer films 

K‘2019 Review 

54 bioplastics MAGAZINE [05/18] Vol. 13

YOU WILL ALWAYS FIND 

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YOUR NEEDS. 

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COME TO VISIT US AT 

4 • 5 december 2018 

TITANIC CHAUSSEE HOTEL BERLIN 

EcoComunicazione.it 

r4_11.2018

Issue 06/2018

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