Issue 06/2021

Bioplastics - CO 2 

-based Plastics - Advanced Recycling 

bioplastics MAGAZINE Vol. 16 

Highlights 

Coating | 10 

Films, Flexibles, Bags | 40 

Basics 

Cellulose based bioplastics | 50 

Cover Story 

First straw bans 

begin to topple | 7 

06 / 2021 

ISSN 1862-5258 ... is read in 92 countries Nov/Dec

BECOME CIRCULAR WITH 

THE BIOPLASTIC 

SPECIALIST 

Produce, consume, throw away: that’s over now. Starting in September, 

we will again show you in person and onsite how FKuR bioplastics and 

recyclates support you on your way to a circular economy and achieving 

your sustainability goals. Visit our website www.fkur.com and learn more 

about circular economy, bioplastics, recyclability and sustainable 

product design. 

Together we make a shift towards innovation!

dear 

Editorial 

readers 

Alex Thielen, Michael Thielen 

The Cover Story this time may only look like a “small news” segment 

on page 7, but we felt that it was a story worthwhile to highlight. The first 

straw ban toppled in California. The community of Fort Myers Beach 

decided to update its plastic straw ban ordinance to allow for marine 

biodegradable bioplastic straws. The decision is based on the insight that 

new marine biodegradable technologies have emerged including PHA. 

One year ago, we wrote on this page to be optimistic that in 2021 we can 

return to normal, step by step. However, even if it looked promising in late 

summer, our conference business has unfortunately suffered another 

corona-related setback. Due to an again significantly rising number of 

new infections in the so-called fourth wave, we had to postpone our 4 th 

bio!PAC to March 2022. We sincerely hope to be able to hold the event 

then as well as the 7 th PLA World Congress in May or June. The call for 

papers is open. We are looking forward to your proposals. 

The issue you are holding in your hand right now or read online 

features Coatings as one highlight. Other highlights include an opinion 

article about the versatility of natural PHA materials that, in addition 

to traditional plastic applications can also be used in other application 

areas, such as animal feed, medical care (both humans and animals), 

denitrification, or cosmetics. One article is not exactly about a 

renewable carbon plastics topic, but interesting enough to find its way 

in this issue: Scientists are developing a ship to clean the oceans from 

plastic waste converting the collected waste into, what they call “Blue 

Diesel” to fuel to ship. So that it doesn’t even have to go back to a harbour 

for refuelling. 

Finally, in our Basics section, we take a closer look at cellulose as a raw 

material. 

We hope you will enjoy reading this issue of bioplastics MAGAZINE.. We 

also hope to go to Berlin next week to meet some of you at the 16th 

European Bioplastics Conference. Here, we will present our 15th Global 

Bioplastics Award. This year, for the first time, the winner will be chosen by 

the audience of the conference. 

And finally, we hope you all find some rest during the holidays to come. 

Stay safe, stay healthy. 

Yours. 


Bioplastics - CO 2 

-based Plastics - Advanced Recycling 

Highlights 

Coating | 10 


Basics 


Cover Story 



Follow us on twitter! 

www.twitter.com/bioplasticsmag 

Like us on Facebook! 

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ISSN 1862-5258 ... is read in 92 countries Nov/Dec 

bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16 3

Imprint 

Content 

34 Porsche launches cars with biocomposites 

32 Bacteriostatic PLA compound for 3D printingz 

Nov/Dec 06|2021 

3 Editorial 

5 News 

8, 49 Events 

16 Application News 

22 Material News 

40 10 years ago 

46 Suppliers Guide 

50 Companies in this issue 

Coating 

10 Waterborne biobased coatings 

13 Biobased binders for coatings 

14 Biobased or renewable carbon 

based coatings 

From Science and 

Research 

15 Clean-up ships fuelled by garbage 

(Ocean plastics) 

28 Biobased polymers to fertilizers 

Materials 

18 Useful sample kit 

24 Custom-made PHA 

26 Fill the gap, not the landfill 

Applications 

19 Carbon neutral toothbrush 

20 100 % biobased PET bottle 

Recycling 

30 Merging high-quality recycling with 

lowered emissions 

32 Upcycling process for PAN 

from textile waste 

Report 

33 Patent situation 

Opinion 

34 Natural PHA materials 

Basics 

38 Cellulose 

Publisher / Editorial 

Dr. Michael Thielen (MT) 

Alex Thielen (AT) 

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: 3300 copies 

bioplastics magazine 

Volume 16 - 2021 

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, 

scanned, photographed and/or stored 

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 

mt@bioplasticsmagazine.com. 

The fact that product names may not be 

identified in our editorial as trade marks 

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 bioplastic envelopes 

sponsored by BIOTEC Biologische 

Naturverpackungen GmbH & Co. KG, 

Emmerich, Germany 

Cover 

Shutterstock (wavebreakmedia) 

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Emballator launches 

bio-PP product 

Emballator (Ulricehamn, Sweden)) a leading 

producer of packaging solutions, and Borealis 

(Vienna, Austria)) are expanding their portfolio in 

close partnership. 

Borealis is providing Emballator with biobased 

polypropylene for pails and containers. The raw 

material is made from used and recovered residue 

vegetable oil and cooking oils. 

“For PE products it has been possible for many 

years to produce a product in biobased material 

but for PP, until now, it has only been possible to 

produce bio-PP based products from renewable 

resources with the ISCC PLUS certified mass 

balance principle. With this new grade the product 

contains at least 30 % biobased polypropylene,” 

says Richard Johansson, Sales and Marketing 

Manager at Emballator Lagan. 

The packaging produced by Emballator is 100 % 

recyclable as PP create a circular solution, that 

reduces the carbon footprint further. 

“At Borealis, we continue to re-invent our 

circular product portfolio for more sustainable 

living. This partnership with Emballator is another 

step in our commitment to renewable/biobased 

products that significantly reduce the carbon 

footprint of packaging,” says Trevor Davis, Global 

Commercial Director, Consumer Products. 

“With Borealis as a partner we significantly 

lower our carbon footprint, while maintaining the 

existing quality standards of our product.” says 

Richard Johansson. MT 

www.emballator.com | www.borealis.com 

Danimer Scientific and 

Total Corbion PLA 

collaborate 

Danimer Scientific (Bainbridge, GA, USA) and Total Corbion 

PLA (Gorinchem, The Netherlands), both leading bioplastics 

companies focused on the development and production of 

biodegradable materials, recently announced that they have 

entered into a long-term collaborative arrangement for the 

supply of Luminy ® PLA. 

As Danimer continues to scale up the commercial production 

of Nodax ® , its signature polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), this 

agreement enhances Danimer’s ability to fulfil customer needs 

for resins that require a blend of PLA- and PHA-based inputs. 

Stephen E. Croskrey, Chairman and CEOof Danimer, said, 

“While growing commercial production of PHA remains the 

focus of our business, PLA is a part of some compounds that 

we formulate to meet specific customers’ functionality needs for 

different applications. Teaming with Total Corbion PLA provides 

an ideal solution to support our long-term growth strategy while 

ensuring our short-term customer needs remain fulfilled.” 

Danimer works with each of its customers to develop 

customized formulas for biobased resins that meet 

biodegradability and functionality expectations. Blending various 

inputs, such as PHA and PLA, enables Danimer to expand 

the applications of its materials across a number of different 

industries. 

Total Corbion PLA is a 50/50 joint venture between 

TotalEnergies and Corbion focused on the manufacturing and 

marketing of Luminy PLA resins. 

Thomas Philipon, Chief Executive Officer of Total Corbion PLA, 

said, "The biopolymers market is experiencing strong growth, 

and customers are requesting innovative solutions tailor-made 

to their market needs. In today’s dynamic market, strategic 

arrangements throughout the value chain are key to ensuring 

security of supply in both product and technology that will allow 

brand owners and ultimately consumers to be comfortable with 

selecting bioplastics as a sustainable alternative to traditional 

plastics." MT 

www.danimerscientific.com | www.total-corbion.com 

News 

daily updated News at 


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: 

tinyurl.com/news-20211027 

Sabic debuts world’s first biobased, certified 

renewable high-performance amorphous polymer 

(27 October 2021) 

Sabic has launched a new portfolio of biobased ULTEM resins (...) 

These breakthrough polyetherimide (PEI) materials are the first certified 

renewable high-temperature, amorphous resins available in the industry for 

potential use in challenging applications in consumer electronics, aerospace, 

automotive and other industries. 


News 



Chemically recycled 

PLA now available 

Total Corbion PLA (Gorinchem, The Netherlands) 

has launched the world’s first commercially available 

chemically recycled bioplastics product. The Luminy ® 

recycled PLA grades boast the same properties, 

characteristics and regulatory approvals as virgin 

Luminy PLA, but are partially made from post-industrial 

and post-consumer PLA waste. Total Corbion PLA is 

already receiving and depolymerizing reprocessed PLA 

waste, which is then purified and polymerized back into 

commercially available Luminy rPLA. 

The commercial availability of recycled PLA (rPLA) 

offers brand owners the opportunity to make products 

from rPLA, with the luxury of having original food 

contact and other certifications in place. Using rPLA 

can contribute to meeting the recycled content targets 

of brand owners. 

Thomas Philipon, CEO at Total Corbion PLA, sees 

this as a logical step towards an even more sustainable 

offering: “Our company’s vision is to create a better 

world for today and generations to come. This ability to 

now efficiently receive, repurpose and resupply PLA is a 

further demonstration of the sustainability of our product 

and the demonstration of our commitment to enable the 

circular economy through value chain partnership.” 

François de Bie, Senior Marketing Director at Total 

Corbion PLA is proud to launch this new product line of 

Luminy PLA and encourages interested parties to get in 

touch: “The ability to chemically recycle post-industrial 

and post-consumer PLA waste allows us to not only 

reduce waste but also keep valuable resources in use 

and truly ‘close the loop’. For our customers, the new, 

additional end-of-life avenue this provides could be the 

missing piece in their own sustainability puzzle, and we 

look forward to solving these challenges together.” 

As an initial offering, grades will be supplied with 20 % 

recycled content using the widely accepted principles 

of mass balance. “As we are currently ramping up this 

initiative, the initial volumes are limited but we are 

confident that rPLA will grow to be a significant part 

of our overall sales revenues” states de Bie. Currently, 

Looplife in Belgium and Sansu in Korea are among the 

first active partners that support collecting, sorting and 

cleaning of post-industrial and post-consumer PLA 

waste. The resulting PLA feedstock is then used by Total 

Corbion PLA to make new Luminy PLA polymers via the 

chemical recycling process. Total Corbion PLA is actively 

looking for additional partners from around the world 

that will help to close the loop. We invite interested 

parties to contact their local sales representative. 

Total Corbion PLA expects that the growing demand 

for rPLA will also boost the collecting, sorting and 

reprocessing of post-use PLA for both mechanical and 

chemical recycling, as de Bie explains further: “At Total 

Corbion PLA, we are actively seeking to purchase more 

post-industrial and post-consumer PLA waste, creating 

value for the recycle industry as a whole.”MT 

www.total-corbion.com 

Kolon and Origin 

to codevelop and 

commercialise PEF 

Carbon negative materials company Origin Materials 

(West Sacramento, California, USA) and Kolon Industries 

(Seoul, South Korea) recently announced a strategic 

partnership to industrialize novel polymers and drop-in 

solutions for select applications, with an initial focus on 

automotive applications. 

This strategic partnership aims to rapidly develop and 

industrialize new sustainable carbon-negative products 

based on Origin Materials’ patented technology platform, 

leveraging Kolon’s polymerization expertise, application 

development and supply chain strength. As part of 

the partnership, Kolon signed a multi-year capacity 

reservation agreement to purchase sustainable carbonnegative 

materials from Origin Materials. 

The partnership includes co-development aimed 

at commercializing polyethylene furanoate, or PEF, a 

polymer with an attractive combination of performance 

characteristics for packaging and other applications, 

including enhanced barrier properties when compared 

with PET, and other qualities. Origin Materials’ technology 

platform is expected to produce cost-competitive, 

sustainable, carbon-negative furandicarboxylic acid 

(FDCA), the primary precursor to PEF. Kolon Industries’ 

polymer expertise in novel FDCA-based polymers, 

including PEF, is expected to introduce world-class 

carbon-negative polymers and chemistries. 

“Origin is a pioneer and a global leader in carbon 

negative chemical technology, and Kolon Industries is a 

world leader in chemicals and polymers,” said Sung Han, 

Chief Technology Officer of Kolon Group. “Therefore, the 

collaboration between these two companies will ensure 

both carbon-negative and cost-effective Sustainable 

Polymer Economy, which will further enable the 

realization of the Circular Economy.” 

Origin Materials has developed a platform for turning 

the carbon found in inexpensive, plentiful, non-food 

biomass such as sustainable wood residues into useful 

materials while capturing carbon in the process. Origin’s 

patented technology platform can help revolutionize the 

production of a wide range of end products. In addition, 

Origin’s technology platform is expected to provide stable 

pricing largely decoupled from the petroleum supply 

chain, which is exposed to more volatility than supply 

chains based on sustainable wood residues. 

Founded in 1957, Kolon Industries is an innovative 

chemical and material company. The company has over 

60 years of experience in polyester polymerization and its 

application technology including fibre, film, and others. 

Kolon Industries’ experience and proven success in 

cutting-edge polymer commercialization are expected to 

secure novel biobased polymers. MT 

www.kolonindustries.com | www.originmaterials.com 

6 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16

First straw bans begin to topple 

While well-intended, many straw bans inadvertently prohibit the use of emerging 

alternatives to petroleum plastic and require the use of paper straws. Since this 

wave of bans began, new, sustainable solutions have emerged into the marketplace, 

while questions have been raised about paper straws’ impact on human health and 

the environment (e.g., many paper straws contain PFAS, also known as the "forever 

chemical"). 

WinCup (Stone Mountain, Georgia, USA) applauds the community of Fort Myers 

Beach (California, USA) decision to update its plastic straw ban ordinance to allow for 

marine biodegradable bioplastic straws. The new ordinance strengthens the city’s 

previous policy, which banned the use of any type of straw other than paper straws. 

New marine biodegradable technologies that have emerged since the passage of 

the initial policy in 2017, including WinCup’s polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) phade ® 

straw, made with Nodax ® -based resins from Danimer Scientific (Bainbridge, Georgia, USA), are now able to be distributed in 

the community and achieve the city’s goal of protecting the area’s beaches and waterways. 

“We commend Fort Myers Beach for its leadership and demonstrating the community’s commitment to meaningfully address 

plastic pollution by strengthening its straw ban to allow for groundbreaking marine biodegradable solutions like phade PHA 

straws,” said WinCup CEO Brad Laporte. “Straw bans are being enacted across the country that, while well-meaning, ultimately 

limit the positive impacts that emerging technologies designed to replace traditional plastic can bring. Innovative bioplastics 

must be a part of the movement away from petroleum-based plastics. Our hope is that communities across the country will 

follow Fort Myers Beach’s lead by ensuring their straw ban policies are as strong as possible by allowing ecologically superior 

alternatives to petro plastic, like PHA.” 

The update to the Fort Myers Beach straw ban comes as communities and governments worldwide look for sustainable 

solutions to combat plastic pollution. With the Town Council’s vote, Fort Myers Beach provides a model for other policy makers 

to modernize straw bans that prohibit non-paper, sustainable alternatives to traditional plastic. 

The Global Organisation for PHA (GO!PHA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands) also welcomes this move. “This is a great first step 

in the right direction and highlights the solution that PHA can provide in our joint mission to end plastics pollution”, said Rick 

Passenier, Executive Board Member of GO!PHA. “Communities and governments around the globe should consider similar 

corrective moves that should also be expanded to other, if not all SUP bans.” MT 

News 



www.wincup.com | www.phadeproducts.com | www.gopha.org 

Polyamide 6 from 92 % sustainable raw materials 

LANXESS (Cologne, Germany) recently introduced its new 

brand extension, called “Scopeblue”. The first product in this 

new line is Durethan BLUEBKV60H2.0EF. 92 % of the raw 

materials used in this easy-flowing PA 6 compound have 

been replaced with sustainable alternatives – 

that’s more than in any other prime quality 

glass-fibre-reinforced plastic. 

The new brand label identifies products 

that either consist of at least 50 % circular 

(recycled or biobased) raw materials, or 

whose carbon footprint is at least 50 % lower 

than that of conventional products. 

One of the raw materials used in the 

production of this PA 6 based highperformance 

plastic is cyclohexane from 

sustainable sources – meaning cyclohexane 

that is either biobased, recycled biobased or 

produced by means of chemical recycling. 

The material is also strengthened with 60 % 

by weight of glass fibres comprising industrial glass waste 

instead of mineral raw materials. The alternative raw 

materials that Lanxessuses in the precursors for polyamide 

6 are chemically identical to their equivalents of fossil origin 

(drop-in solutions), so Durethan BLUEBKV60H2.0EF exhibits 

the same characteristics as the virgin material and can be 

processed just as easily using exactly the same production 

tools and facilities with no conversion work needed. 

But developers are setting their sights 

on more than 92 % sustainable raw 

materials. “We’re currently working on 

increasing the content of sustainable 

raw materials in this compound to 

100 %,” says Günter Margraf, Head of 

Global Management at Lanxess’ High 

performance Materials division (HPM). 

This requires ammonia synthesized 

with carbon-neutral hydrogen. Over the 

medium term, the specialty chemicals 

company is also planning to replace 

the additives used in its plastics with 

sustainable equivalents. 

In mid-November, Lanxess announced 

they will transfer its HPM business unit to an independent 

legal corporate structure. MT 

www.lanxess.com 


Events 

bioplastics MAGAZINE presents: 

The fourth bio!PAC conference on biobased packaging in Düsseldorf, 

Germany, organised by bioplastics MAGAZINE andGreen Serendipity, needed 

to be postponed again due to the Corona pandemic. bio!PAC is the mustattend 

conference for anyone interested in sustainable packaging made from 

renewably-sourced materials. The hybrid (on-site and online) conference 

offers expert presentations from major players in the packaging value chain, 

from raw material suppliers and packaging manufacturers to brand owners 

experienced in using biobased packaging. bio!PAC offers excellent opportunities 

for attendees to connect and network with other professionals in the field. 

The programme of the conference is provided below. Please visit our 

conference website for full details and information about registration. 

bio PAC 

www.bio-pac.info 

biobased packaging 

conference 

15 - 16 march 2022 

maritim düsseldorf 

Wednesday, March 15, 2022 

08:00 - 08:40 Registration, Welcome-Coffee 

08:45 - 09:00 Michael Thielen Welcome remarks 

09:00 - 09:25 Caroli Buitenhuis, Green Serendipity Future of bioplastics & packaging 

09:25 - 09:50 Constance Ißbrücker, European Bioplastics European bioplastics perspective for bioplastics 

09:50 - 10:15 Christopher vom Berg, nova Institute Renewable Carbon 

10:15 - 10:30 Q&A 

10:30 - 10:55 Coffee- and Networking Break 

10:55 - 11:20 Heidi Koljonen, Sulapac Microplastics & Packaging 

11:20 - 11:45 Thijs Rodenburg, Rodenburg Biopolymers Starch based compounds for packaging applications 

11:45 - 12:10 Patrick Zimmermann, FKuR From linear to circular - how bioplastics provides solutions for packaging 

12:10 - 12:25 Q&A 

12:25 - 13:30 Lunch- and Networking Break 

13:30 - 13:55 Ingrid Goumans, Avantium Plant-based solutions to realize a fossil-free & circular economy 

13:55 - 14:20 Martin Bussmann, Neste Renewable carbon solutions for packaging 

14:20 - 14:45 Allegra Muscatello, Taghleef Industries New developments in biobased and biodegradable packaging solutions 

14:45 - 15:00 Q&A 


15:25 - 15:50 Patrick Gerritsen, Bio4pack Bio4Pack moves the earth 

15:50 - 16:15 Blake Lindsey, RWDC Moving Past Recycling: Can We Stem the Microplastics Crisis? 

16:15 - 16:40 Jane Franch, Numi Organic Tea Practical application of bioplastics in packaging: Brand perspective 

16:40 - 16:55 Q&A 

Thursday, March 16, 2022 

08:45 - 09:00 Michael Thielen Welcome remarks 

09:00 - 09:25 Lise Magnier, TU Delft Insights in consumer behaviour in relation to sustainable packaging 

09:25 - 09:50 Bruno de Wilde, OWS Environmental Benefits of biodegradable packaging? 

09:50 - 10:15 Johann Zimmermann, NaKu PLA packaging: returnable, recyclable, re... 

10:15 - 10:40 Erwin Vink, NatureWorks A review of JRC’s report: LCA of alternative feedstocks for plastics t.b.c. 

10:40 - 10:55 Q&A 


11:20 - 11:45 François de Bie, Total Corbion Expanding end-of-life options for PLA bioplastics 

11:45 - 12:10 Remy Jongboom, Biotec The added value of compostable materials in packaging applications 

12:10 - 12:35 Vincent Kneefel, TIPA Creating a circular bio-economy through compostable packaging 

12:35 - 12:50 Q&A 

12:50 - 14:00 Lunch- and Networking Break 

Tom Bowden, Earthfirst Biopolymer Films by Evolutions of Biopolymer Film Performance and 

14:00 - 14:25 

Sidaplax 

Environmental Degradability 

14:25 - 14:50 Jojanneke Leistra, Superfoodguru PLA bottles from a brand owners perspective 

14:50 - 15:15 Alberto Castellanza, Novamont Mater-Bi ® : Novel Developments in Food Packaging Applications 

15:15 - 15:30 Q&A 

15:30 - 15:45 Caroli Buitenhuis, Michael Thielen Closing remarks 

Subject to changes 


io PAC 

bioplastics MAGAZINE presents: 

New date 

#biopac 


Conference on Biobased Packaging 

15 - 16 March 2022 - Düsseldorf, Germany 

Most packaging is only used for a short period and therefore give rise to large quantities of waste. Accordingly, it is vital to 

make sure that packaging fits into nature‘s eco-systems and therefore use the most suitable renewable carbon materials 

and implement the best ‘end-of-life’ solutions. 

That‘s why bioplastics MAGAZINE (in cooperation with Green Serendipity) is now organizing the 4 th edition of the 

bio!PAC ‐ conference on packaging made from renewable carbon plastics, i.e. from renewable resources. Experts from all 

areas of renewable carbon plastics and circular packaging will present their latest developments. The conference will also 

cover discussions like end-of-life options, consumer behaviour issues, availability of agricultural land for material use 

versus food and feed etc. 

The full 2-day hybrid (on-site and online) conference will be held on 15-16 March 2022 in Düsseldorf, Germany (Maritim Airport 

Hotel). 

Silver Sponsors 

Bronze Sponsors 

Coorganized by 

supported by 

Media Partner

Coating 

Waterborne biobased coatings 

From the point of view of polymer manufacturers to the 

coatings and inks market, there are several ways to 

improve business sustainability. Some examples are 

reducing water usage, greenhouse gas emissions, net 

waste, and non-renewable energy consumption during 

manufacture or transport. 

The long-term effective route to become truly sustainable 

is to approach via new product developments that would 

include all aspect of innovation: the research of new 

sustainable raw materials and polymers, the measurement 

and development of performance applied to final materials, 

partnership with customer, and end-users for innovative 

useful solutions for final market and brand. 

How are the Specialty Chemical Manufacturers 

for the Coatings Industry addressing current 

issues in order to improve sustainability? 

As surfaces are boundaries exposed to external 

agents that, in some cases, can be extremely harsh and 

challenging, they are also the gateways through which we 

perceive the objects we use in our everyday life. Whether 

it is aesthetic appearance, durability, corrosion protection, 

or barrier properties, the right treatment on surfaces can 

boost these characteristics. 

The coating or surface treatment is one of the smallest 

component of the final product. Surfaces are generally 

coated from minimum of 5 g/m 2 to maximum of 100 g/m 2 , 

depending on the type of substrate, however they impart 

essential sustainable attributes. In all materials or 

substrates that we touch everyday these are superficial 

coatings whether it is paper, textile, wood, metal, or plastic. 

At Lamberti from Gallarate, Italy, The Surface Treatment 

Division is fostering their path towards sustainability 

and circular economy by moving in four main directions 

of waterborne polyurethane and acrylic polymers 

development. These are used as coatings, or in adhesive, or 

rheology modifiers and crosslinkers. 

Performance: higher durability of goods. 

Durability is an added value for a coating, especially when 

is necessary to protect everlasting surfaces with specific 

properties like chemical resistance, physical properties, 

abrasion resistance, and adhesions. This is apparently in 

contrast with biodegradability – degradation of the polymer 

during a specific period of time. 

The knowledge of the performance required over the lifetime 

of the final object permits us to design the waterborne 

polymers with more sustainable attributes. Thus designing 

for the right purpose. 

• Biobased content: it is possible to increase the renewable 

raw materials content in waterborne polyurethane and 

acrylic emulsions without decreasing the performance. 

Biobased content of up to 70 % can be realistically achieved 

however the limitations today are related to the relatively 

new biobased supply chain that has limited capacity. The 

majority of suppliers are still at pilot or initial industrial 

scale, and consequently with higher prices. 

The focus for the coating industries is to get biobased raw 

materials without affecting the food chain, and this trend is 

really in progress with new technologies at industrial scale 

today. 

The biobased content at product level could be measured, 

for example using the C 12 /C 14 analysis (biogenic carbon 

content according to ASTM D6866) in order to express the 

content of renewable carbon present in the waterborne 

polymer sold to the markets. 

Waterborne products. 

Lamberti’s aim is to reduce the usage of volatile organic 

compounds in coatings and they continuously focus on the 

reduction of cosolvents and Volatile Organic Compound 

(VOC) to optimize the performance of superficial effects. 

Process optimization: 

Another important factor is the constant improvement of 

industrial processes with the aim to reduce the consumption 

of energy, water and air emissions, improving process 

efficiency, and related sustainable impact. 

All four directions confluence in analysis of product 

sustainability, by emissions (Product Carbon Footprint) and 

by assessment (Life Cycle Analysis) on final products and 

products for end-users. 

Thanks to their consolidated expertise and passion 

for collaboration, Lamberti supplies a complete range of 

ingredients for the coating, inks & finishing industries: 

• A full range of innovative waterborne polyurethane 

Esacote ® and Rolflex ® , UV curable polyurethane, acrylicurethane 

hybrids, and acrylic dispersions for soft and 

hard substrates; 

• Fully reacted waterborne polyurethane microspheres 

(Decosphaera ® ) suitable for solvent, waterborne and 

UV 100 % system used as polymeric matting agents to 

enhance scratch & burnishing resistance and slip control. 

As well as fashion deco paints with pigmented coloured 

Decospharea ® ; 

•Synthetic (Viscolam ® ) and natural (Esacol ® and 

Carbocel ® ) rheology modifiers to control the viscosity of 

formulations during production, storage. and application. 

• Natural and synthetic solvent based and waterborne 

waxes (Adiwax) to control and improve gloss, scratch. and 

slip for multiple surfaces. Special additives & auxiliaries 

(e.g. dispersing & wetting agents, defoamers, plasticizer. 

and crosslinkers). 


By: 

Gabriele Costa 

Global Product Manager 

Lamberti 

Gallarate, Italy 

Coating 

The key challenge is to replace the demand for fossil 

carbon by alternative sources; 

Moreover, with a dedicated team of experts, the Italian 

company is pleased to support customers in the development 

of waterborne ink & digital ink for inkjet printing. 

They offer renewable biobased solutions for several 

coating application on synthetic material, textile for printing 

and finishing, for natural leather, plastic and paper coatings, 

wood and metal coatings. 

https://surfacetreatment.lamberti.com 

• Vegetable 

• Sustainable Biomass 

• Sustainable Oil extracted 

• Carbohydrates 

• CO 2 

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CO 2 

BIOBASED WATERBASED 

POLYMERS 

• Coating, Crosslinkers & Adhesives 

• Additives for surface treatment 

SURFACANTS AND FATTY 

DERIVATIVES 

• Not made by EO and PO 

• Biodegradable 

• Low irritation 

• 100% Biobased 

RHEOLOGY MODIFIERS 

• Carbohydrates feedstock 

• Hydrocolloids 

• Cellulosics 

10-12 May – Cologne, Germany 

The Answer to Your Hunt for Renewable Materials 

The unique concept of presenting all renewable material solutions at 

one event hits the mark: bio-based, CO2-based and recycled are the only 

alternatives to fossil-based chemicals and materials. 

ORGANISED BY 

NOVA-INSTITUTE 

RENEWABLE 

MATERIAL 

OF THE 

YEAR 2022 

First day: 

• Chemical Industry: 

Challenges and Strategies 

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and Building Blocks 

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• Chemical Recycling 

Second day: 

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and Plastics 

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• Innovation Award 

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1 

INNOVATION AWARD 

Call for Innovation 

Submit your Application 

for the “Renewable 

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Coating 

Biopolymer coatings 

market preview 

The global biopolymer coatings market size was valued 

at USD 1.04 billion in 2020, is projected to hit around 

USD 1.79 billion by 2030 and is expected to grow at a 

compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.4 % from 2021 to 

2030. 

The reasons for this predicted growth are twofold, on the 

one hand, it is due to superior properties of coated materials 

and on the other, it is due to more environmental awareness. 

Biopolymer coating screate protective layers that shield the 

packaged product from exterior environmental conditions. 

These coatings prevent the transfer of unwanted moisture in 

food products as well as serve as oxygen and oil barrier. It is 

possible to incorporate antimicrobial agents with biopolymer 

coatings in order to create active paper packaging materials 

that offers an effective option for the protection of food items 

from microorganism infiltration. Hence, biopolymer coatings 

are a better substitute for synthetic paper and paperboard 

coatings. 

In addition, increasing global awareness for environmental 

pollution and the use of biodegradable products also propel 

the demand for the biopolymer coatings market. With the 

rising level of concern regarding environmental degradation, 

the use for biodegradable products and biopolymer coatings 

are estimated to flourish at a significant pace during the 

forecast timeframe. This also triggers the rate of research & 

development in the field of biopolymer coatings and bioplastics. 

This is amplified by increasing government support for the use 

of biodegradable plastics in various fields including packaging 

and coatings. Further, impending government regulations 

against the manufacturing of single-use plastics in key 

markets like China has compelled plastic manufacturers to 

ramp up their biodegradable plastic production. 

Apart from notable developments in the fields of bioplastics 

and biopolymer coatings, the market is still at its emerging 

phase and has a promising future growth opportunity. In 

order to curb the environmental pollution load, governments 

and plastic manufacturing companies are collaborating or 

partnering to move towards a more renewable future and a 

greener environment. Henceforth, the aforementioned factors 

are likely to support the market growth of biopolymer coatings 

remarkably in the upcoming years. 

At the link below interested readers find more information 

and can purchase a comprehensive report. AT 

www.precedenceresearch.com/biopolymer-coatings-market 

23 – 24 March • Hybrid Event 

Leading Event on Carbon Capture & Utilisation 

• Strategy & Policy 

• Green Hydrogen Production 

• Carbon Capture Technologies 

• Carbon Utilisation (Power-to-X): Fuels for Transport and Aviation, Building Blocks, 

Bulk and Fine Chemicals, Advanced Technologies / Artificial Photosynthesis 

• Innovation Award “Best CO2 Utilisation 2022“ 

Call for Innovation 

Submit your application 

Innovation Award Sponsor Innovation Award Co-Organiser Sponsor 

for the “Best CO2 

Utilisation 2022” 

Organiser 

Contact 

Dominik Vogt 

dominik.vogt@nova-institut.de 

Tel.: +49 2233 / 481449 

co2-chemistry.eu 

nova-institute.eu 


Coating 

Biobased Binders for Coatings 

Approach or Reality? 

The world of coatings is a wide open field for the use of 

biobased materials. 

But what exactly are coatings? By definition a coating 

is one of the main manufacturing processes according to 

DIN 8580 [1]. Less formal in everyday language, we speak 

of a coating whenever a type of substrate is covered with 

another layer. This could be for example lacquer on metal, 

paint on the wall, stain on wood or even printing ink on 

paper or foil. 

Nearly all of these coatings have one thing in common: 

one of the main components is a resin used as the so called 

binder. They are known for example as polyesters, acrylic 

resins, polyurethanes, alkyd resins, epoxies and many more. 

In the past most of these binders were based solely on 

petrochemical components. Exemptions were the alkyds 

where the fatty acid content is biobased and resins based 

on gum rosin. Nowadays there are two approaches for the 

use of more renewable raw materials as building blocks for 

these coating binders: 

The mass-balance-approach and the use of real 

renewable, biobased raw materials. For details about the 

mass-balance-approach see [2] or bM issue 02/2021. 

The other approach is the use of real and directly biosourced 

building blocks which are now available in an 

industrial scale. These are not only the old-fashioned raw 

materials which have been in use for a long time, such as 

vegetable oils, glycerol, fatty acids or shellac, but also a 

growing number of new raw materials, especially polyols 

or carbon acids. They are derived for example from sugars, 

starch, natural oils, cellulose or lignin. [3, 4] 

A common, not so well-known building block with a high 

potential is gum rosin, which can be cropped from pine 

trees without the need for clear cutting the forests; thus 

helping to protect the environment from too much human 

disruption. 

By using smart ways of chemical synthesis, these natural 

based raw materials can be used to develop binders with 

the same performance as their fossil counterparts. 

A leading pioneer in the modification of gum rosin is the 

Robert Kraemer GmbH & Co. KG from Rastede, Germany. 

They started with the gum rosin business in the late 1920s. 

In the past 20 years, since the early 2000s, they developed 

from the classical rosin modifier to an innovative developer 

and producer for a wide range of biobased resins with a 

large R&D investment. [5] 

By creative chemical combination of gum rosin with other 

building blocks as described above, binders with up to 100 % 

biobased content can be designed for nearly every kind of 

coating 

Amongst classical binders for the lacquer and paints 

industries like rosin esters, alkyd resins or maleic modified 

rosin, as well as high performance resins like polyesters, 

urethanes or UV-curing binders are available. [6] 

They can also be used as combination partners to 

bring more green chemistry into formulations. As an 

example, biobased polyesters are used as pre-polymers for 

polyurethane dispersions; or special modified rosin resins 

are utilized in branching classical acrylic polymers to give 

them up to 50 % biobased content. 

These formerly 100 % fossil resins are now ready-made 

to bring significant amounts of renewable raw materials 

into coatings by these modifications. 

But the potential for biobased binders is even higher. 

In studies between the University of Technology Chemnitz 

and the company Robert Kraemer, resins derived 

from renewable raw-materials were found to be highperformance 

modifiers for bio-plastics such as poly-lactic 

acid (PLA). [7] 

Conclusion: 

Nowadays binders for a high content of renewable raw 

materials in coatings are already available on an industrial 

scale. 

Their performance is as good as their petrochemical 

counterparts’. Formulators and application technologists 

even have the choice between mass-balanced or directly 

sourced biobased materials. MT 

www.rokra.com 

References: 

[1] https://www.beuth.de/en/standard/din-8580/65031153, access date 14th 

Nov 2021 

[2] H. K.Jeswania, C. Krüger, A. Kicherer, F. Antony, A. Azapagica; Science of 

The Total Environment 2019, 687, 380-391 

[3] Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e. V.; Marktanalyse 

Nachwachsende Rohstoffe, ISBN 978-3-942147-18-7, 2014 

[4] https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/fachbeitrag/dossier/lignin-einrohstoff-mit-viel-potenzial, 

access date 14th Nov 2021 

[5] http://www.rokra.com/en/company/company/history.html, access date 

14th Nov 2021 

[6] http://www.rokra.com/en/products/our-delivery-programme.html, 

access date 14th Nov 2021 

[7] Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e. V.; Entwicklung neuartiger 

Modifikatoren auf Basis nachwachsender Rohstoffe für Compounds und 

Blends aus biobasierten Kunststoffen, final report 2019 


Coating 

Biobased or renewable 

carbon based coatings 

O 

ne way for fashion, footwear, and upholstery 

manufacturers to improve their environmental 

footprint is to replace fossil fuel-based chemistry with 

renewable carbon-based materials. Stahl’s NuVera ® range of 

renewable carbon polyurethanes can help you do exactly that. 

The NuVera product range can help manufacturers increase 

their sustainability without compromising on quality and 

performance. The introduction of this portfolio is in line with 

Stahl’s Responsible Chemistry Initiative, with which they commit 

to speed up the transition from fossil carbon to renewable 

carbon for all organic chemicals and materials. The efforts are 

focused on aligning Stahl’s product portfolio to the future needs 

of their customers and the markets they serve while offering 

solutions that improve their environmental footprint. The 

company from Waalwijk, the Netherlands does this by using 

low-impact manufacturing chemicals, contributing to a more 

circular economy and, in the case of Stahl NuVera, replacing 

petrochemicals with renewable resources. 

The Stahl NuVera Range 

Stahl NuVera modern carbon based products are derived 

from plant-based biomass (typically vegetable oils or sugars), 

alternatively, they can also be made from captured carbon, 

where CO 2 

released from industrial processes is captured and 

used as a feedstock for producing polymeric building blocks. 

The NuVera range of sustainable polyurethanes has been 

tested and certified using the ASTM 6866 radio-carbon (C 12 / 

C 14 ) method for biobased carbon content. The NuVera D range 

of polyurethane dispersions consists of four products: RU- 

94-226, RU-94-227, RU-94-225 and RU-94-414. The company 

is currently developing additional solutions as part of its 

commitment to responsible chemistry. 

The first two solutions – NuVera D RU-94-226 and RU-94- 

227 – are the two harder resins in the portfolio. They are ideal 

for use as a pre-skin component in transfer coating processes 

or as a top-coat component in finishing or lacquering of flexible 

synthetic articles, which may be used in consumer articles 

such as shoes, garment or fashion bags, and accessories. 

NuVera D RU-94-225 is a softer PUD that can be used 

as adhesive or alternatively as a mix component to make a 

chosen pre-skin formulation more flexible. It is a soft PUD 

that can also be used in a transfer-coating process as a skin 

layer or as a soft resin component in finishing or lacquering 

formulations that use a combination of biobased and captured 

carbon-based raw materials. 

NuVera D RU-94-414 is a soft polyester dispersion. It can be 

used in adhesive formulations or alternatively serve as a soft 

component in basecoat finishing or lacquering. 

Introducing new Stahl NuVera Q HS-94-490 high 

solids resin 

An important factor for creating high renewable carbon content 

in any synthetic article will also depend on the availability of a 

flexible high solids resin that offers biobased content. In many 

transfer coated articles, the middle layer (skin) is the thickest 

layer, which typically determines mostly the handle and flexibility. 

In some cases, this can be selected from WB PUD offering, but 

in most synthetic articles it needs the use of a bigger quantity 

or thicker layer to be applied, due to boost performance. The 

use of a high solids resin is often bringing the solution. With 

the introduction of NuVera Q HS-94-490, Stahl can now offer a 

product that can be used for applying thick layers in one pass. 

HS-94-490 is available as an approximately 100 % solids resin 

with very soft film characteristics, ideally suited for creating 

flexible articles like upholstery or shoe upper. This new NuVera 

product addition is currently in the pre-industrialization phase, 

available for small scale prototyping. 

ZDHC MRSL Compliancy 

It goes without saying that all NuVera renewable carbonbased 

products comply with the latest standards and 

regulations, including the Zero Discharge of Hazardous 

Chemicals (ZDHC) Version 2.0 Manufacturing Restricted 

Substances List (MRSL). 

In addition to these four water-based polyurethane 

dispersions, R&D engineers at Stahl are also looking at 

expanding their portfolio of products in other directions. They 

soon hope to announce the introduction of a 100 % solids prepolymer 

resin. MT 

www.stahl.com 

Type of use Product code Type Status Solids 100% (Mpa) 

Pre-skin or Top 

Coat resin 

General PUD 

resin or Mix 

component 

Adhesive or 

Base Coat 

Skin High 

solids resin 

E @ break 

(%) 

VOC %1 

Bio-based 

content 

Total 

renewable 

content 

Sustainable 

source 

NuVeraTM D RU- 

94-226 TM PE/PC Launch 40 12 475 0.5% 46%2 46% Sugar Crop 


94-227 


94-225 


94-414 

NuVeraTM Q HS- 

94-490 

PE Launch 35 4 730 0.8% 66%2 66% Sugarcrop 

PE Launch 35 1.5 > 1,000 0.3% 53%2 54% 

Sugar crop, 

CO 2 

PES Launch 45 1.1 840 0.8% 48%2 48% Oil crop 

PE/PES 

Pre- 

Launch 

1: VOC content is according to the definition of EU directive 2004/42/EC 

2: Measured ASTM6866 Method B 

3: Calculated based on mass balance 

100 1.6 860 < 0.1% 45%3 45% Sugarcrop 


Clean-up ships fuelled 

by garbage 

Millions of tonnes of synthetic plastics are released to 

the environment each year. Of this, a fraction ends 

up in one of several oceanic gyres, natural locations 

where the currents tend to accumulate floating debris – 

including plastics. The largest and best known of these is 

the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP), which is estimated 

to cover an area roughly the size of the state of Texas (or 

France), and which seems to be increasing in size over time. 

Removing this plastic from the oceanic gyres has promise 

to return the ocean to a more pristine state and alleviate the 

associated burden on wildlife and the food chain. Current 

methods to remove this plastic use a boom system to 

concentrate the plastic and a ship to harvest it and return to 

port to unload the plastic cargo and refuel [1]. 

Plastic is a natural energy carrier, which suggests the 

question: is there enough energy embodied in the plastic to 

power the ship and eliminate or reduce the need to return to 

port? If so, then can a process be devised to convert plastic 

into a form of fuel appropriate for modern diesel engines 

that are used to power ships? 

Thermodynamic analysis of the energy available in plastics 

answered the first question – 

yes, there is enough energy in 

the ocean plastics, provided that 

they are first concentrated using A 

booms and that the ship is small 

and efficient enough to minimize 

its fuel consumption. 

The next question was 

answered by designing a 

process to convert plastics into 

a liquid fuel precursor. The most 

important step of the process is a 

high-temperature reaction called 

hydrothermal liquefaction or 

HTL. HTL depolymerizes plastics 

at high temperature (300–550 °C) 

and high pressure (250–300 

bar), thereby converting it into a 

liquid form. Oil yields from HTL 

are typically >90 % even in the 

absence of catalysts and, unlike 

pyrolysis, yields of solid byproducts 

– which would need to 

be stored or burned in a special 

combustor – are less than 5, thus 

conferring certain comparative 

advantages to HTL. 

Current data on the GPGP 

indicates that it contains mainly 

polyethylene and polypropylene, 

a mixture that is especially 

Great Pacific 

Garbage Patch 

C 

~ 1900 km 

San Francisco Port 

Current with Plastic 

Boom 600 m 

appropriate for HTL. By-products include a gas that might 

be used as a cooking fuel; a solid that could be burned on 

board or stored; and process water that is cleaned prior to 

release. Further analysis indicated that the use of plasticderived 

fuels could reduce fuel consumption, and effectively 

eliminate fossil fuel use. The HTL derived fuel could be 

termed blue diesel, to reference its marine origin and in 

contrast with both traditional marine diesel and green 

diesel, derived from land-based renewable resources. The 

full feasibility study is available for free online (link below 

[1]). Future work will construct the process and test it at 

pilot-scale for realistic feeds, to ultimately transition to 

shipboard use. AT 

[1] Belden, E.R.; Kazantzis, N.K.; Reddy,C.M.; Kite-Powell, H; Timko,M.T.; 

Italiani, E.; Herschbach D.R.: Thermodynamic feasibility of shipboard 

conversion of marine plastics to blue diesel for self-powered ocean 

cleanup; https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2107250118 

www.wpi.edu 

California 

0.5 knots 

B 

D 

Current 14 cm s -1 

Boom Array System 

Reactor 

15 knots 

Overview of the process for plastic removal out of the GPGP showing (A) the total system overview, 

(B) part of the system of collection booms, (C) a single collection boom, and (D) the HTL reactor. 

Science and Research 

San Francisco Port 

Current bioplastics 14 cm s MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16 15 

-1

Application News 

Home compostable transparent laminate 

TIPA (Hod Hasharon, Israel), announced in late October 

the launch of its first home compostable, highly transparent 

laminate for food packaging. 

The new laminate has the same functionality as Tipa’s 

worldleading T.LAM 607 but 

is TÜV OK Home Compost 

certified. 

The innovation comes as 

demand for eco-friendly 

packaging continues to 

grow among brands and 

consumers. Tipa has 

developed T.LAM 608 to 

respond to this demand 

with a 2-ply laminate that 

offers the same good barrier, 

excellent sealing, superior mechanical properties, and 

excellent transparency as its other compostable laminate 

solutions, with the added benefit of being home compostable, 

giving end-consumers authority over their own waste 

management. It can be converted into pre-made bags such 

as stand-up pouches, zipper pouches, open pouches, side 

gusseted pouches, pillow bags, and bar wrappers. And is 

available as reels for VFFS and HFFS machinery. 

Developed to support pioneering food and supplement 

brands transitioning away from conventional plastic, it is 

suitable for packing energy 

bars, dried fruit, nuts, 

pulses, grains, cereals, 

granola, spices, dry pasta, 

ready meals and more. 

Eli Lancry, VP Technology 

of Tipa said: “Tipa is 

constantly innovating and 

developing new solutions 

built with the environment 

and our customers in 

mind, and T.LAM 608 is 

one of the most exciting developments I’ve worked on. We’ve 

created a packaging solution that really does work for both 

people and planet. It’s home compostable and it performs 

like conventional plastic, offering consumer convenience 

alongside reassurance for brands that the quality of their 

product will be protected.” MT 

www.tipa-corp.com 

New packaging for Herbal Essences 

Eastman (Kingsport, Tennessee, USA) and Procter & Gamble 

(Cincinnati, Ohio, USA) recently announced that Herbal 

Essences will be the first P&G brand to use Eastman 

Renew molecular-recycled plastic in its packaging. Beginning in 

November, Herbal Essences, one of P&G’s most iconic brands, 

started introducing five shampoo and conditioner collections 

in primary packaging made from Eastman 

Renew resins with 50 % certified recycled 

plastic.* 

In August, P&G and Eastman 

announced a landmark agreement 

to collaborate on initiatives that 

will advance the recycling of more 

materials, encourage recycling 

behaviour and prevent plastic from 

going to waste. The launch of Herbal 

Essences in packaging from Eastman 

Renew materials, timed to coincide with 

America Recycles Day on November 15, is 

the first concrete step the companies are 

taking to leverage Eastman’s molecular 

recycling technologies and advance their 

shared commitment to the circular economy. 

Five Herbal Essences bio:renew sulfate-free collections, 

including the Aloe Vera lineup, started to be upgraded to 

Eastman Renew materials beginning in early November. These 

will be followed by two new collections coming to market in 

January 2022. The new packages will also include standardized 

How2Recycle ® labels to clarify recycling instructions and 

encourage recycling behaviour, even in the bathroom. 

“It’s on all of us to make a difference and create a more 

sustainable future where plastics are truly recycled, reused 

and out of nature,” explains Herbal Essences principal scientist 

Rachel Zipperian. “Making this package change to Eastman 

Renew materials reduces the brand’s dependence on virgin 

plastic and helps us bring the world one step closer to making 

plastic a circular resource. By including the standard 

How2Recycle label, Herbal Essences is 

encouraging people to recycle their empty 

bottles.” 

Eastman Renew materials are made 

via Eastman’s molecular recycling 

technologies using waste plastic that, 

without this technology, would end 

up in landfills or incineration. These 

advanced recycling technologies 

complement traditional recycling, 

expanding the types and amounts of 

plastics that can be recycled. This gives 

materials an extended useful life and 

diverts plastic waste from landfills or the 

environment. 

“We are excited to see our partnership with Procter & Gamble 

reach consumers’ hands with the launch of these Herbal 

Essences packages,” said Chris Layton, Eastman sustainability 

director for plastics and circular solutions. “We are delivering 

solutions to the plastic waste problem right now and look forward 

to the continued collaboration with P&G as a leading partner.” MT 

*The recycled content is achieved by allocating the recycled waste plastic to 

Eastman Renew materials using a mass balance process certified by ISCC. 

www.eastman.com | www.pg.com 


Biobased packaging for Chanel 

CHANEL (London, UK) recently announced that the new 

Les Eaux De Chanel fragrance bottle caps will be made 

using biobased Sulapac ® material. 

It all began with a desire. In 2018, Les Eaux De Chanel 

introduced a new olfactory world to the fragrances of the 

House: a singular collection, inspired by Mademoiselle 

Coco Chanel’s favourite places, fuelled by the imaginary, 

and composed around freshness. 

Consistently, Les Eaux De Chanel was conceived 

with sustainability in mind. Its glass perfume 

bottles are thinner and lighter (compared to other 

Chanel Eaux de Toilette of the same size), which 

means a smaller volume of raw materials and 

optimized transport. Additionally, the corrugated 

cardboard that is normally hidden was 

transformed into clean, simple outer packaging 

whose lack of lamination or glossy coating makes 

it easier to recycle. 

Since 2021, all of the 125 ml bottles in the Les Eaux 

De Chanel collection are topped with a biobased 

cap, which Chanel has developed in partnership 

with Sulapac (Helsinki). For two years, Chanel teams 

worked hand-in-hand with the Finnish start-up to create 

an unprecedented cap composed of three layers, made 

out of 91% biobased materials obtained from renewable 

resources and FSC certified wood chips (by-products of 

industrial side-streams). 

In keeping with the rigorous standards of the House of 

Chanel, every detail was carefully thought out, including 

the sensory nature of the material, its resistance to 

fluctuations in temperature, the unique sound the bottle 

makes when the cap is put on, the grip, and the depth of the 

satiny matte finish on the iconic double C engraving. It 

took no fewer than 48 tries to reach the final product. 

The project is part of a long-term, collaborative 

approach that puts sustainability at the centre of 

Chanel research and development. 

Sulapac was pleased to welcome Chanel, 

a leading brand representing the most 

demanding luxury segment, among its early 

investors in 2018. 

“Chanel is definitely one of the forerunners 

in the luxury industry as they want to invest in 

the latest sustainable material and technology 

innovations. We have set a very high-quality 

standard for our sustainable material, with 

an ambition to replace conventional plastics,” 

stated Suvi Haimi, CEO and Co-founder of 

Sulapac, on the announcement in 2018. 

Now, Haimi says: “This first product launch of our 

collaboration with Chanel, the biobased Les Eaux De 

Chanel cap made with Sulapac material, is a remarkable 

milestone for us. It proves that Sulapac meets the highest 

quality standards.” AT 

wwwsulapac.com 

Application News 

Sustainable packaging for plant-based milk 

JOI (Miami, Florida, USA), the rapidly growing clean label food company, is further shaping the alternative plant-based milk 

category with the announcement of their brand refresh and shift to 100 % sustainable packaging. 

“JOI was founded to reduce the impact of our milk consumption on the environment by finding a more sustainable solution to 

enjoy plant-based milk while significantly improving taste and elevating nutrition,” shared Co-Founder Tony Jimenez. “We are 

excited to transition to fully sustainable materials to further push our company to be the most sustainable plant-based milk 

company in the World.” 

By creating plant milk concentrates, JOI can offer a 

dramatically longer shelf life than their competitors and 

exponentially reduce the need to ship heavy water weight 

across the country, thereby reducing food waste from 

spoilage and cutting down on carbon emissions. The 

transition of all JOI product packaging to 100 % recyclable 

glass jars and fully compostable pouches is a major step 

for the company as it works towards a zero waste carbon 

footprint. 

The compostable pouches for the JOI Oat Milk Powder are made of wood pulp (paper and cellulose), as Tony Jimenez, 

Co-founder & Chief Evangelist of JOI told bioplastics MAGAZINE. The packaging film is FDA approved for use in direct food 

contact and is guaranteed to be free from the 10 priority allergens as described by Health Canada, as well as the FDA’s list of 

8 major food allergens. It is the first-ever dairy alternative packaging that will completely biodegrade in home and community 

composting, where accepted. One glass jar of JOI Plant Milk Concentrate makes up to seven quarts of plant-based milk, while 

the compostable pouch makes a gallon of plant-based milk, significantly reducing the amount of packaging that regular milk 

cartons would require for the same amount. MT 

www.addjoi.com 


Applictions 

Carbon-neutral toothbrush 

GSK Consumer Healthcare (Brentford, UK), the worldleading 

consumer healthcare business, whose brands 

include Sensodyne, parodontax, Voltaren, and Advil, is 

contributing to raising sustainability standards in the oral 

care industry with its first carbon neutral toothbrush. 

GSKCH, which is due to separate into a new company next 

year, has found an innovative way to leverage renewable 

raw materials for high-performance oral care products 

– helping reduce the use of fossil fuels for virgin plastic. 

The company is piloting this with its Dr.BEST GreenClean 

toothbrush, which builds new sustainable handle technology 

onto its previous innovations with sustainable bristles and 

packaging. 

The Dr.Best GreenClean toothbrush handle is made from 

renewable cellulose and ‘tall oil’ – a wood-based bioplastic 

that is derived from pine, spruce, and birch trees in sustainable 

forests, and is being applied in oral care for the first time 

by GSKCH. It is a by-product of paper production and would 

otherwise be disposed of. 

The bristles are made of 100 % 

renewable castor oil (presumably 

a biobased polyamide MT), 

as already used in GSKCH’s 

Aquafresh and Dr.Best bamboo 

brushes. 

The product’s 100 % plasticfree 

packaging includes GSKCH’s 

innovative cellulose window (which 

is also made with renewable 

cellulose. The packaging can be 

completely disposed of through a 

wide range of municipal recycling 

schemes (depending on local 

systems). 

GSKCH has formed a 

partnership with ClimatePartner 

(Munich, Germany), Europe’s 

leading solution provider for 

corporate climate action, to 

analyse and minimise the carbon 

impact of the product and its 

manufacturing – reducing the 

carbon footprint of the brush 

by over 50 % compared to the 

standard Dr.Best toothbrush. 

The remaining footprint is 

offset through a communitybased 

ClimatePartner project 

in Madagascar. With offsetting 

being a secondary measure to the 

avoidance and reduction of carbon 

impact, GSKCH scientists are 

exploring ways to achieve carbon 

neutrality without offsetting in 

future oral care launches. 

GSKCH’s Dr.Best is Germany’s favourite manual 

toothbrush brand. The company – which holds an ambition 

to become the world’s most sustainable toothbrush 

manufacturer – already has global plans to apply the 

technology across other toothbrushes in its portfolio – 

including in its market-leading Sensodyne brand. It is 

working hard to increase the development of sustainable 

options across its oral care portfolio in recognition of 

growing global consumer preference for more sustainable 

products. A recent Nielsen study showed that 73 % of 

consumers say they would “change their consumption 

habits to reduce their impact on the environment.” [1] 

The launch of the carbon neutral toothbrush is another 

step in GSKCH’s ongoing sustainability journey in oral 

care, which began with the rollout of its first sustainably 

grown bamboo toothbrushes in September 2020 in Europe. 

This March it launched its first plastic-free toothbrush 

packaging, which included Sensodyne Pronamel and 

parodontax brushes in the US. Asia Pacific rollout of this 

commenced in Australia. 

The new carbon-neutral 

toothbrush is part of GSKCH’s 

overall mission to reduce the 

carbon it generates. The company 

has a two-pronged approach to 

carbon reduction. Firstly, it is 

reducing energy through more 

efficient manufacturing systems 

(including energy-efficient lights, 

heating systems, and motors; and 

the switching off of power when 

feasible). Secondly, it is investing 

in renewable energy for GSKCH 

sites – with a commitment for all 

to use 100 % renewable electricity 

by 2025. It is also working closely 

with suppliers to reduce the 

amount of carbon content in all 

of its materials and the overall 

amount of plastic used across 

the product portfolio. 

While it remains a part of GSK, 

GSKCH’s sustainability initiatives 

support GSK’s companywide 

commitment to achieve a netzero 

impact on climate and a 

positive impact on nature by 

2030, announced by CEO Emma 

Walmsley in November 2020. AT 

[1] global-sustainable-shoppersreport-2018.pdf 

(nielsen.com) 

www.gsk.com 


Useful sample kit 

PositivePlastics is bridging the gap 

Materials 

Positive Plastics (Karjaa, Finland) recently launched its 

first sample kit, featuring plastic materials with a reduced 

environmental footprint: PCR, PIR, biobased, biocomposite 

and mass balanced plastics of various manufacturers. 

Positive Plastics, aims to convey a more accepting 

outlook on plastics to designers, engineers, and product 

managers. In October, they launched their first Positive 

Plastics Kit, an invaluable tool for materials understanding 

and communication between non-technical and technical 

team members. 

The founders, Efrat Friedland, Erik Moth-Müller, and 

Markus Paloheimo, experts, consultants, and educators 

in the materials and polymers field, created and curated 

a sample collection of various innovative, commercially 

available polymers. The kit holds Arkema, Biowert Industrie, 

Borealis, Lignin Industries, Mocom, Sappi, Sirmax, Stora 

Enso, Trinseo, UBQ, and UPM materials. The kit includes 

post-consumer recyclates (PCR), post-industrial recyclates 

(PIR), mass balanced grades, biobased grades, and biocomposites. 

All grades are suitable for injection molding to 

produce durable products, such as consumer electronics, 

home appliances, sports goods, automotive interiors, 

accessories, etc. 

Positive Plastics will continuously expand the kit as new 

responsible polymers reach the market. 

“Try to imagine your life without plastic” proposed Efrat, 

“not without plastic waste, but without products and services 

we have all grown to rely on in almost every aspect of our 

lives. It seems that we can’t get along without this material, 

but we must eliminate its waste and negative impact.” 

“Thinking positively about plastics,” adds Erik ”there 

are many new grades on the market that are composed 

of natural materials or recycled materials, or both….they 

can replace traditional, fossil-fuel based plastics in every 

industry and product imaginable. Sadly, very few designers 

and engineers are familiar with them. Our goal is to change 

that.” 

Besides presenting new materials, Positive Plastics 

offers a novel design of the plastic sample, no longer a 

flat, square, piece of plastic that reveals little about the 

material’s characteristics. 

“Our unique sample design portrays the material’s 

properties and its possible applications tangibly,” explains 

Markus. “Holding our sample, one can easily discover 

various surface structure options, different wall thicknesses, 

corners, hinges, fluidity indication, draft angle, shrinkage, 

warpage…so many features in one piece!” 

Positive Plastics will present a complimentary kit to 

one hundred brands and design agencies to encourage an 

informed choice of materials and sensible implementation. 

Kits will be available for purchase online. 

Positive Plastics is definitely a useful toolbox for 

discovering plastics with a positive impact. MT 

www.positiveplastics.eu 


Applications 

100 % Plant Based, Labels and caps 

not included, not for commercial 

scale (Picture: The Coca-Cola 

Company) 

100 % biobased PET bottle 

Coca-Cola unveiled first prototypes 

The Coca Cola Company’s sustainable packaging 

journey crossed a major milestone in late October with 

the unveiling of its first-ever beverage bottle made 

from 100 % plant-based plastic, excluding the cap and label, 

that has been made using technologies that are ready for 

commercial scale. The prototype bottle comes more than 

a decade after the company’s PlantBottle debuted as the 

world’s first recyclable PET plastic bottle made with up to 

30 % plant-based material. A limited run of approximately 

900 of the prototype bottles has been produced. 

“We have been working with technology partners for 

many years to develop the right technologies to create a 

bottle with 100 % plant-based content — aiming for the 

lowest possible carbon footprint — and it’s exciting that we 

have reached a point where these technologies exist and 

can be scaled by participants in the value chain,” said Nancy 

Quan, Chief Technical and Innovation Officer, The Coca Cola 

Company. 

PET, the world’s most recycled plastic, comprises two 

molecules: approximately 30 % monoethylene glycol (MEG) 

and 70 % terephthalic acid (PTA). The original PlantBottle, 

introduced in 2009, includes MEG from sugarcane, but the 

PTA has been from oil-based sources until now. PlantBottle 

packaging looks, functions and recycles like traditional PET 

but has a lighter footprint on the planet and its resources. 

Coca-Cola’s new prototype plant-based bottle is made 

from plant-based paraxylene (bPX) – using a new process 

by Virent (Madison, Wisconsin, USA) – which has been 

converted to plant-based terephthalic acid (bPTA). As 

the first beverage packaging material resulting from bPX 

produced at demonstration scale, this new technology 

signals a step-change in the commercial viability of the 

biomaterial. The bPX for this bottle was produced using 

sugar from corn, though the process lends itself to flexibility 

in feedstock. 

The second breakthrough technology, which The Coca- 

Cola Company co-owns with Changchun Meihe Science 

& Technology (Changchun, Jilin, China), streamlines the 

bMEG production process and also allows for flexibility in 

feedstock, meaning more types of renewable materials 

can be used. Typically, bMEG is produced by converting 

sugarcane or corn into bioethanol as an intermediate, 

which is subsequently converted to bioethylene glycol. Now, 

sugar sources can directly produce MEG, resulting in a 

simpler process. UPM (Helsinki, Finland), the technology’s 

first licensee, is currently building a full-scale commercial 

facility in Germany to convert certified, sustainably sourced 

hardwood feedstock taken from sawmill and other wood 

industry side-streams to bMEG. This marks a significant 

milestone toward the commercialization of the technology. 

“The inherent challenge with going through bioethanol 

is that you are competing with fuel,” said Dana Breed, 

Global R&D Director, Packaging and Sustainability, The 

Coca-Cola Company. “We needed a next-generation MEG 

solution that addressed this challenge, but also one that 

could use second-generation feedstock like forestry waste 

or agricultural byproducts. Our goal for plant-based PET 

is to use surplus agricultural products to minimize carbon 

footprint, so the combination of technologies brought by 

the partners for commercialization is an ideal fit for this 

strategy.” 

In 2015, Coca-Cola unveiled its first prototype for a 100 % 

biobased PlantBottle at the Milan Expo using lab-scale 

production methods to produce bPX. This next-generation 

100 % plant-based bottle, however, has been made using 

new technologies to produce both biochemicals that make 

the bottle and are ready for commercial scaling. 


“Our goal is to develop sustainable solutions for the entire 

industry,” Breed said. “We want other companies to join us 

and move forward, collectively. We don’t see renewable or 

recycled content as areas where we want a competitive 

advantage.” 

Since introducing PlantBottle, Coca-Cola has allowed 

non-competitive companies to use the technology and 

brand in their products — from Heinz Ketchup to the fabric 

interior in Ford Fusion hybrid cars. In 2018, the company 

opened up the PlantBottle IP more broadly [1] to competitors 

in the beverage industry to scale up demand and drive down 

pricing. 

As part of its World Without Waste vision, Coca-Cola 

is working to make all its packaging more sustainable, 

including maximizing the use of recycled and renewable 

content while minimizing the use of virgin, fossil material. 

The company has pledged to collect back the equivalent of 

every bottle it sells by 2030, so none of its packaging ends 

up as waste and old bottles are recycled into new ones, to 

make 100 % of its packaging recyclable, and to ensure 50 % 

of its packaging comes from recycled material. 

This innovation supports the World Without Waste vision, 

specifically the recently announced target to use 3 million 

tons less of virgin plastic from oil-based sources by 2025. 

The Coca Cola Company will pursue this 20 % reduction 

by investing in new recycling technologies like enhanced 

recycling, packaging improvements such as light-weighting, 

alternative business models such as refillable, dispensed 

and fountain systems, as well as the development of new 

renewable materials. 

In Europe and Japan, Coca-Cola, with its bottling 

partners, aims to eliminate the use of oil-based virgin PET 

from plastic bottles altogether by 2030, using only recycled 

or renewable materials. While the majority of plastic 

packaging material will come from mechanically recycled 

content, some virgin material will still be needed to maintain 

quality standards. That’s why Coca-Cola is investing in and 

driving innovation to boost the supply of feedstock from 

renewable technologies as well as from enhanced recycling 

technologies. Enhanced recycling upcycles previously used 

PET plastics of any quality to high quality, food-grade PET. 

“We are taking significant steps to reduce the use of 

virgin, oil-based plastic, as we work toward a circular 

economy and in support of a shared ambition of net-zero 

carbon emissions by 2050,” Quan said. “We see plant-based 

plastics as playing a critical role in our overall PET mix in 

the future, supporting our objectives to reduce our carbon 

footprint, reduce our reliance on virgin fossil fuels and boost 

collection of PET in support of a circular economy.” MT/AT 

[1] Coca-Cola Expands Access to PlantBottle IP; https://www.cocacolacompany.com/news/coca-cola-expands-access-to-plantbottle-ip 

www.coca-colacompany.com 

COMPEO 

Leading compounding technology 

for heat- and shear-sensitive plastics 

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 

Applications 

www.busscorp.com 

2015 Coca-Cola presented the first 100 % biobased 

PlantBottle Prototype using lab-scale production methods to 

produce bPX scale (Picture: The Coca-Cola Company) 


Material News 

Flax/PLA biocomposite 

LANXESS (Cologne, Germany) recently introduced a new 

product in the Tepex range of continuous-fibre-reinforced 

thermoplastic composites. “We have combined fabrics 

made from natural flax fibres with biobased PLA as a matrix 

material and thereby developed a composite manufactured 

entirely from natural resources. We are now able to produce 

it to a level of quality suitable for large-scale production,” 

explains Stefan Seidel, head of Tepex research and 

development at Lanxess. 

Low-density flax fibres 

Flax fibres have a significantly lower density than glass 

fibres. Thus, the composites made with these fibres 

are noticeably lighter in weight than their glass-fibrereinforced 

counterparts. The flax fibres are used in the form 

of continuous-fibre reinforced fabrics. This enables the 

biocomposites to demonstrate the outstanding mechanical 

performance typical of Tepex, which is based mainly on the 

continuous flax yarns arranged in particular directions. The 

weight-specific stiffness of the biocomposite is comparable 

to that of the equivalent glass-fibre-reinforced material 

variants. Designing the composite components to suit the 

expected loads enables most of the force to be transferred 

via the continuous fibres. According to Seidel, “This ensures 

that the high strength and stiffness characteristic of fibrereinforced 

plastics are achieved.” 

To be used in cars, industry, electronics, and 

sports 

When coupled with transparent matrix plastics such as PLA, 

the reinforcing flax fabric yields surfaces with a brown natural 

carbon-fibre look. “This appearance highlights the natural 

origin of the fibres and the entire composite and creates added 

visual appeal in sporting goods, for example,” explains Seidel. 

In addition to sports equipment, the new biocomposite could 

be used in cars, such as for manufacturing interior parts, or 

in electronics for the production of such things as housing 

components. 

At Fakuma (12 th — 16 th October, Friedrichshafen, Germany) 

Lanxess showed bioplastics MAGAZINE a sample part made of 

a flax/PLA Tepex organo-sheet with astounding deep-drawratios 

for a woven fabric. 

Easy to recycle 

Like the variants of Tepex based solely on fossil raw materials, 

the new biocomposites can be completely recycled as purely 

thermoplastic systems as part of closed-loop material cycles. 

“Offcuts and production waste can be regranulated and 

easily injection-moulded or extruded, either alone or mixed 

with unreinforced or short-fibre reinforced compound new 

materials,” says Seidel. 

In the medium term, Lanxess is planning to use other 

biobased thermoplastics such as polyamide 11 and other 

natural and recycled fibres in the production of Tepex. MT 

www.tepex.com | https://lightweight-solutions.lanxess.com 

Reclaimed fibre project 

Green Dot Bioplastics (Emporia, Kansas, USA) and 

Mayco International (Sterling Heights, Michigan, USA) have 

partnered to reclaim trim and scrap fibres for Natural Fiber 

Reinforced Plastic (NFRP). 

Mayco International, an award-winning tier 1 automotive 

supplier, wanted a sustainable solution for waste produced 

during the manufacture of automotive components. 

Green Dot Bioplastics launched Terratek ® NFRP in 2020, a 

type of biocomposite using fibres such as hemp, jute, sisal, 

American Bamboo, and flax, instead of glass or carbon fibre. 

Together, the two companies developed an NFRP 

composite material using the trim and scrap fibres, 

removing them from the waste stream and expanding the 

lifespan of the original materials. “We wanted to find a 

better use of the waste stream from our latest natural fibre 

composite technologies,” said Mayco International Advanced 

Development Engineer Chris Heikkila. “We partnered up 

with Green Dot who specializes in bioresins & natural 

filled plastic products, because of their expertise & current 

natural filled product portfolio.” 

“We were excited when Mayco came to us looking for 

a solution to their waste issue,” Green Dot Director of 

Research & Development Mike Parker said. “They are 

committed to creating products that are environmentally 

responsible through sustainable, efficient processes which 

is exactly what we do at Green Dot.” 

Both Green Dot and Mayco International value 

environmental responsibility, sustainability, and innovation. 

The new material using Terratek NFRP technology aligns 

with those values, providing a sustainable alternative to 

carbon-based and traditional plastics. While they have 

similar physical properties, aesthetics, and chemical 

makeup, Terratek NFRP is lighter, quieter, and, in the case of 

this collaboration with Mayco International, reclaims fibres 

that would otherwise be disposed of as waste. 

Green Dot recently featured this new product at CAMX 

2021 in Dallas. AT 

www.greendotbioplastics.com | https://maycointernational.com 


New biobased plasticizer 

Cargill (Wayzata, Minnesota, USA) is adding to its 

bioindustrial solutions portfolio with Biovero TM biobased 

plasticizer, which is used for a wide variety of product 

manufacturing applications such as flooring, clothing, 

wires, cables, and plastic films and sheets for its industrial 

customers throughout North America, with plans to expand 

the product globally. 

“As governments and consumers look to cut the use 

of phthalates due to potential health concerns, and 

overall demand for PVC products used in infrastructure 

expands globally, we’re anticipating a significant increase 

in plant-based product manufacturing across multiple 

categories,” said Kurtis Miller, managing director of 

Cargill’s bioindustrial business. “Biovero plasticizers are 

one of our contributions to a more sustainable supply 

chain in commercial manufacturing, which provides 

new applications for our renewable feedstocks while 

delivering more environmentally-conscious products to the 

marketplace.” 

The first application for Biovero plasticizers will be in 

the production of home and commercial flooring. Flooring 

manufacturers are seeing high performance with the plantbased 

product while meeting regulatory requirements and 

consumer demands for phthalate-free products. 

Biovero plasticizer’s plant-based qualities allow 

manufacturers to produce goods more efficiently than 

conventional plasticizers while reducing energy, scrap, and 

material usage. The plasticizer joins a diverse portfolio of 

Cargill Bioindustrial plant-based solutions, ranging from 

asphalt rejuvenation, adhesives and binders, wax, dielectric 

fluids, lubricants and paints, coatings and inks. AT 

www.cargill.com 

Material News 

New bio-filled polymer grades 

At Fakuma (October 12 th - 16 th , Friedrichshafen, Germany) 

Avient (Luxemburg) announced the launch of new biofilled 

polymer grades. This new offering strengthens its 

sustainable solutions portfolio and responds to customer 

needs. bioplastics MAGAZINE spoke to Deborah Sondag, 

Senior Marketing Manager, Specialty Engineered Materials 

at Avient. 

The new reSound NF bio-filled grades are based on 

polymers such as polypropylene (PP) with 15 to 20 % biobased 

filler. The filler is sourced from plant waste that would 

otherwise be landfilled, which in turn could release the 

greenhouse gas methane into the atmosphere if the landfill 

is not properly covered and managed. 

The new materials have a pleasing aesthetic compared 

to alternative natural fibre-filled polymer grades, are fully 

colourable, and can be formulated to meet various regulatory 

compliance standards, making them suitable for consumer 

applications such as household items and personal care 

products. 

One early adopter of the new materials is Turkish toothbrush 

brand, Difaş (Istanbul, Turkey). Looking to differentiate in the 

market and meet the desires of consumers, Difaş worked 

with Avient to develop a solution for toothbrush handles, 

combs, and hairbrush handles that utilizes natural fillers 

while also offering high-end colorability and durability. 

“The new bio-filled polymer from Avient has enabled us 

to reduce the carbon footprint of a range of our products by 

reducing the consumption of petroleum-based polymers. 

This has enabled us to work toward our sustainability goals, 

while bringing new competitive solutions to the market,” said 

Cevdet Yüceler Owner and Chairman of the Board at Difaş. 

“Demand is rising for consumer products that utilize more 

recycled and renewable materials. Avient material science 

experts are continuously developing innovative solutions that 

enable our customers to achieve their sustainability goals 

and reduce the overall impact on the world’s resources,” said 

Matt Mitchell, director, global marketing at Avient. 

“The bio-filled grades can also be made with ABS. But as 

of now, we are not using recycled PP, recycled ABS nor any 

biobased plastics as a matrix. But costumers are approaching 

us every day with different demands”, said Deborah Sondag. 

On July 1 st , 2020, PolyOne, a leading global provider of 

specialized polymer materials, services and sustainable 

solutions, had acquired the colour masterbatch businesses 

of Clariant and Clariant Chemicals India PolyOne had then 

announced that it has changed its name in Avient. 

www.avient.com 


Materials 

Custom-made PHA 

formulations 

PHAradox makes the next step to custom PHA based development 

Helian Polymers (Belfeld, The Netherlands) positions 

itself as a bridge between raw material suppliers and 

converters. With its nearly fifteen years of experience 

in biopolymers it is uniquely suited to transform its 

industry and material knowledge into effective application 

development and help customers to go from idea to product 

and make the transition from traditional plastics to PHA 

based solutions. 

Through its new brand PHAradox, launched this summer, 

it has formed strategic partnerships with the likes of 

Tianan Biologic (China) and CJ BIO (South Korea) amongst 

others. With access to their products (various PHA family 

members) Helian Polymers is able to utilize these natural 

building blocks and create unique formulations designed 

to mimic properties of, say, PP and ABS. By copying, or at 

least approaching, the properties and thus the functionality 

of these materials the transition is easier to make and to 

communicate with converters and customers alike. 

Almost 2 years of R&D lab-scale compounding, 

combining various PHA grades like P3HB / PHBV / PHBHx 

and P3HB4HB including various fillers has resulted in 

dozens of potentially commercial grades with a wide variety 

of characteristics. By working closely with its customers 

Helian Polymers creates shared value with its unique and 

custom-made PHA based formulations. Both innovative 

startups and existing brands, looking for replacement 

materials, have found their way to Helian Polymers to 

discuss ideas and let them evolve to sustainable business 

Helian Polymers compound pilot line in Belfeld, The Netherlands 

cases. There are currently more than ten projects in 

active testing phases, varying from horticulture to leisure 

sportswear and from food packaging to tool casings. 

Operating from the south of the Netherlands, near the 

German border, Helian Polymers has its own in-house 

compounding pilot line, testing and warehousing facilities 

(entirely powered by solar energy, to keep in line with its 

environmentally conscious philosophy). Keeping everything 

under one roof ensures flexibility and a fast turnaround 

when it comes to the development of new biobased and 

biodegradable materials. MT 

www.helianpolymers.com 

The Maxado tool case injection moulding test at GL Plastics (Son, The Netherlands) 

with custom made PHA based PHAradox formulation by Helian Polymers. (Used with 

permission) 


fossil 

available at www.renewable-carbon.eu/graphics 

Refining 

Polymerisation 

Formulation 

Processing 

Use 

renewable 

Depolymerisation 

Solvolysis 

Thermal depolymerisation 

Enzymolysis 

Purification 

Dissolution 

Recycling 

Conversion 

Pyrolysis 

Gasification 

allocated 

Recovery 

Recovery 

Recovery 

conventional 

© -Institute.eu | 2021 

© -Institute.eu | 2020 

PVC 

EPDM 

PMMA 

PP 

PE 

Vinyl chloride 

Propylene 

Unsaturated polyester resins 

Methyl methacrylate 

PEF 

Polyurethanes 

MEG 

Building blocks 

Natural rubber 

Aniline Ethylene 

for UPR 

Cellulose-based 

2,5-FDCA 

polymers 

Building blocks 

for polyurethanes 

Levulinic 

acid 

Lignin-based polymers 

Naphtha 

Ethanol 

PET 

PFA 

5-HMF/5-CMF FDME 

Furfuryl alcohol 

Waste oils 

Casein polymers 

Furfural 

Natural rubber 

Saccharose 

PTF 

Starch-containing 

Hemicellulose 

Lignocellulose 

1,3 Propanediol 

polymer compounds 

Casein 

Fructose 

PTT 

Terephthalic 

Non-edible milk 

acid 

MPG NOPs 

Starch 

ECH 

Glycerol 

p-Xylene 

SBR 

Plant oils 

Fatty acids 

Castor oil 

11-AA 

Glucose Isobutanol 

THF 

Sebacic 

Lysine 

PBT 

acid 

1,4-Butanediol 

Succinic 

acid 

DDDA 

PBAT 

Caprolactame 

Adipic 

acid 

HMDA DN5 

Sorbitol 

3-HP 

Lactic 

acid 

Itaconic 

Acrylic 

PBS(x) 

acid 

acid 

Isosorbide 

PA 

Lactide 

Superabsorbent polymers 

Epoxy resins 

ABS 

PHA 

APC 

PLA 

available at www.renewable-carbon.eu/graphics 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

O 

OH 

HO 

OH 

HO 

OH 

O 

OH 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

HO 

OH 

O 

OH 

O 

OH 

© -Institute.eu | 2021 

All figures available at www.bio-based.eu/markets 

Adipic acid (AA) 

11-Aminoundecanoic acid (11-AA) 

1,4-Butanediol (1,4-BDO) 

Dodecanedioic acid (DDDA) 

Epichlorohydrin (ECH) 

Ethylene 

Furan derivatives 

D-lactic acid (D-LA) 

L-lactic acid (L-LA) 

Lactide 

Monoethylene glycol (MEG) 

Monopropylene glycol (MPG) 

Naphtha 

1,5-Pentametylenediamine (DN5) 

1,3-Propanediol (1,3-PDO) 

Sebacic acid 

Succinic acid (SA) 

© -Institute.eu | 2020 

nova Market and Trend Reports 

on Renewable Carbon 

The Best Available on Bio- and CO2-based Polymers 

& Building Blocks and Chemical Recycling 

Automotive 

Bio-based Naphtha 

and Mass Balance Approach 

Status & Outlook, Standards & 

Certification Schemes 

Bio-based Building Blocks and 

Polymers – Global Capacities, 

Production and Trends 2020 – 2025 

Polymers 

Carbon Dioxide (CO 2) as Chemical 

Feedstock for Polymers 

Technologies, Polymers, Developers and Producers 

Principle of Mass Balance Approach 

Building Blocks 

Feedstock 

Process 

Products 

Intermediates 

Use of renewable feedstock 

in very first steps of 

chemical production 

(e.g. steam cracker) 

Utilisation of existing 

integrated production for 

all production steps 

Allocation of the 

renewable share to 

selected products 

Feedstocks 

Authors: Michael Carus, Doris de Guzman and Harald Käb 

March 2021 

This and other reports on renewable carbon are available at 

www.renewable-carbon.eu/publications 

Authors: Pia Skoczinski, Michael Carus, Doris de Guzman, 

Harald Käb, Raj Chinthapalli, Jan Ravenstijn, Wolfgang Baltus 

and Achim Raschka 

January 2021 



Authors: Pauline Ruiz, Achim Raschka, Pia Skoczinski, 

Jan Ravenstijn and Michael Carus, nova-Institut GmbH, Germany 




Chemical recycling – Status, Trends 

and Challenges 

Technologies, Sustainability, Policy and Key Players 

Production of Cannabinoids via 

Extraction, Chemical Synthesis 

and Especially Biotechnology 

Current Technologies, Potential & Drawbacks and 

Future Development 

Commercialisation updates on 

bio-based building blocks 

Plastic recycling and recovery routes 

Bio-based building blocks 

Evolution of worldwide production capacities from 2011 to 2024 

Primary recycling 

(mechanical) 

Virgin Feedstock Renewable Feedstock 

Monomer 

Polymer 

Plastic 

Product 

Secondary recycling 

(mechanical) 

Tertiary recycling 

(chemical) 

Secondary 

valuable 

materials 

CO 2 capture 

Chemicals 

Fuels 

Others 

Plant extraction 

Chemical synthesis 

Cannabinoids 

Plant extraction 

Genetic engineering 

Biotechnological production 

Production capacities (million tonnes) 

4 

3 

2 

1 

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2024 

Product (end-of-use) 

Quaternary recycling 

(energy recovery) 

Energy 

Landfill 

Author: Lars Krause, Florian Dietrich, Pia Skoczinski, 

Michael Carus, Pauline Ruiz, Lara Dammer, Achim Raschka, 

nova-Institut GmbH, Germany 

November 2020 

This and other reports on the bio- and CO 2-based economy are 

available at www.renewable-carbon.eu/publications 

Authors: Pia Skoczinski, Franjo Grotenhermen, Bernhard Beitzke, 

Michael Carus and Achim Raschka 




Author: 

Doris de Guzman, Tecnon OrbiChem, United Kingdom 

Updated Executive Summary and Market Review May 2020 – 

Originally published February 2020 

This and other reports on the bio- and CO 2-based economy are 

available at www.bio-based.eu/reports 

Levulinic acid – A versatile platform 

chemical for a variety of market applications 

Global market dynamics, demand/supply, trends and 

market potential 

HO 

O 

O 

OH 

diphenolic acid 

O 

O 

H 2N 

OH 

O 

levulinate ketal 

O 

OH 

O 

OH 

5-aminolevulinic acid 

O 

O 

O 

O 

levulinic acid 

OR 

levulinic ester 

O 

O 

ɣ-valerolactone 

OH 

HO 

H 

N 

O 

O 

O 

succinic acid 

5-methyl-2-pyrrolidone 

OH 

Succinic acid – From a promising 

building block to a slow seller 

What will a realistic future market look like? 

Pharmaceutical/Cosmetic 

Acidic ingredient for denture cleaner/toothpaste 

Antidote 

Calcium-succinate is anticarcinogenic 

Efferescent tablets 

Intermediate for perfumes 

Pharmaceutical intermediates (sedatives, 

antiphlegm/-phogistics, antibacterial, disinfectant) 

Preservative for toiletries 

Removes fish odour 

Used in the preparation of vitamin A 

Food 

Bread-softening agent 

Flavour-enhancer 

Flavouring agent and acidic seasoning 

in beverages/food 

Microencapsulation of flavouring oils 

Preservative (chicken, dog food) 

Protein gelatinisation and in dry gelatine 

desserts/cake flavourings 

Used in synthesis of modified starch 

Succinic 

Acid 

Industrial 

De-icer 

Engineering plastics and epoxy curing 

agents/hardeners 

Herbicides, fungicides, regulators of plantgrowth 

Intermediate for lacquers + photographic chemicals 

Plasticizer (replaces phtalates, adipic acid) 

Polymers 

Solvents, lubricants 

Surface cleaning agent 

(metal-/electronic-/semiconductor-industry) 

Other 

Anodizing Aluminium 

Chemical metal plating, electroplating baths 

Coatings, inks, pigments (powder/radiation-curable 

coating, resins for water-based paint, 

dye intermediate, photocurable ink, toners) 

Fabric finish, dyeing aid for fibres 

Part of antismut-treatment for barley seeds 

Preservative for cut flowers 

Soil-chelating agent 

Standards and labels for 

bio-based products 

Authors: Achim Raschka, Pia Skoczinski, Raj Chinthapalli, 

Ángel Puente and Michael Carus, nova-Institut GmbH, Germany 

October 2019 

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

www.bio-based.eu/reports 

Authors: Raj Chinthapalli, Ángel Puente, Pia Skoczinski, 

Achim Raschka, Michael Carus, nova-Institut GmbH, Germany 

October 2019 



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

nova-Institut GmbH, Germany 

May 2017 



renewable-carbon.eu/publications 


Materials 

Fill the gap, not the landfill 

Governments and institutions have been scrambling 

to rectify the global environmental disaster caused 

by the accumulation of plastic waste. This plastic 

waste comes in macroscopic forms such as bottles, plastic 

bags, and polyester clothing. In the best-case scenario, it is 

regulated and dumped into overcrowded landfills or in the 

worst case, it escapes into the open environment as litter 

directly endangering the health and safety of wildlife and 

local populations [1]. Alarmingly an even more insidious 

type of plastic, ‘microplastic’, or plastic waste so small it 

is invisible to the eye, has been making headlines as it can 

be found in the water, soil, and even inside of our bodies [1]. 

The steps being taken to address this issue focus 

on banning specific single-use plastic items or their 

substitution with more sustainable alternatives (reusable, 

recyclable, or compostable). This is part of an overall shift 

from a linear economy to a circular economy. To accelerate 

this change, governments have passed their own single-use 

plastics bans or have committed themselves to initiatives 

such as the New Plastics Economy, Global Commitment led 

by the Ellen Macarthur Foundation (EMF) [2]. 

The goal is to ‘build a circular economy around plastics’ 

by initially setting strict goals around certain single-use 

plastic items for 2025. With these measures in place there 

is an incentive for building a future where plastics are either 

replaced and or are fully circular. In the meantime, there are 

still large gaps that need to be filled by addressing singleuse-items 

that fall outside of traditional packaging or 

consumer products. Personal protective equipment, sterile 

items, and chemically contaminated consumables are 

items that are not easily substituted with other materials as 

these applications require high-performance and durability 

that only plastics can currently provide. Additionally, these 

items have recyclability challenges due to contamination or 

are used in remote environments (such as for agricultural 

applications) where they cannot be efficiently collected [3]. 

These items are usually landfilled or incinerated, both of 

which do not fall under the Ellen Macarthur Foundation’s 

definition of circular [2]. The current COVID-19 pandemic 

has only exacerbated this type of waste due to the significant 

increase of personal protective equipment (PPE) and sterile 

consumables. Sources have cited that over four million 

tonnes of polypropylene waste from PPE have been disposed 

of over the course of the pandemic and will continue to grow 

[3]. These hard to remediate items are important and will 

not disappear. 

A solution is to develop innovative materials and circular 

product design. Biodegradable and compostable plastics 

are viable options to tackle this problem, as they have 

the potential to match the performance needed for these 

applications [4]. On the other hand, some of these plastics 

display incomplete degradation ultimately leading to 

microplastics. To elevate degradable plastics into truly 

sustainable and viable alternatives major improvements 

and innovations are needed. 

Scientists have been designing materials that allow rapid 

degradation – much more efficient than their traditional 

counterparts. In addition, the onset of degradation can 

be controlled or triggered. In recent years, triggered 

degradation plastics that utilise hydrolytic enzymes 

have created attention in the media due to their speed of 

degradation and broad applicability. The idea of enzymes 

that can degrade plastic, particularly polyesters, is not new 

as the entire concept of microbial biodegradation hinges on 

this process. 

Scientists managed to remove the microbe from the 

picture by directly mixing the enzymatic material with the 

plastic – a sort of trojan horse plastic composite. Under the 

right conditions, degradation happens from the inside out for 

these novel plastics. Scientists around the world are working 

on developing and optimizing these materials. At Scion, a 

Crown Research Institute in New Zealand, researchers 

have been exploring how to design and manufacture these 

materials using solvent-free thermoplastic processing 

techniques. Being able to thermally process them is key to 

ensuring their viability commercially. 

Day 0 Day 3 Day 8 


By: 

Angelique Greene 

Kate Parker 

Scion 

Rotorua, New Zealand 

Materials 

One major issue to overcome when working with enzymes 

is that they denature when exposed to elevated temperatures 

outside of their optimal range of activity. However, certain 

solid-state commercial lipases (a type of enzyme) maintain 

activity in a solvent-free environment even when exposed 

to temperatures upwards of 130 °C [5]. This temperature 

range is ideal for lower melting point biodegradable 

plastics, meaning that the enzyme and the plastic can be 

compounded directly without any additional steps. 

To test this theory, the researchers 3D printed the 

enzymatic bioplastic into single and multi-material objects 

such as a hatching Kiwi bird (see pictures). These objects 

were then degraded resulting in total degradation after a 3 

to 8-day period and avoiding any microplastics formation. 

Being able to directly compound the enzyme with lower 

temperature bioplastics is certainly promising and a cheaper 

option, however, this direct compounding technique will not 

work for higher melting point bioplastics. Scion is currently 

exploring polymeric or inorganic supports to protect the 

enzyme during processing with high melting point plastics. 

A place where high-temperature processing could make 

a significant impact is by giving industrially relevant but 

problematic bioplastics like PLA the ability to degrade faster 

and to completion. 

Complementary to this work at Scion, the French startup, 

Carbios (Saint-Beauzire), has been working on utilising 

polyester degrading enzymes developed by Novozyme 

(Bagsværd, Denmark) to develop novel process-scale 

enzymatic recycling methods that are milder and more 

eco-friendly than conventional chemical recycling [6]. 

Additionally, research groups at the University of California, 

Berkeley, have been looking at ways to improve the efficiency 

of the enzymes during degradation and investigating 

the mechanistic considerations of the process [7], and 

the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Materials 

(Potsdam, Germany) has been working on processing these 

materials into films [8]. At the same time biotechnologists 

and enzymologists are working hard to engineer enzymes 

that are more efficient at degradation than currently 

available alternatives. 

This technology is just emerging and there are still 

scientitic challenges to be addressed. It will require a 

significant effort to get these technologies to a truly 

commercially ready stage. There will be no magic silver 

bullet to solve the issue of hard to remediate single-use 

plastic waste and it will take a multitude of approaches like 

the ones mentioned above and more traditional approaches 

such as consumer education and improvements to existing 

recycling technology. 

www.scionresearch.com 

References: 

[1] The Royal Society Te Apaarangi. (2019, July). Plastics in the Environment 

Te Ao Hurihuri – The Changing World. https://www.royalsociety.org.nz/ 

assets/Uploads/Plastics-in-the-Environment-evidence-summary.pdf 

[2] Ellen Macarthur Foundation. (2020, February). New plastics economy 

global commitment commitments, vision and definitions. https:// 

www.newplasticseconomy.org/assets/doc/Global-Commitment_ 

Definitions_2020-1.pdf 

[3] Nghiem, L. D., Iqbal, H. M. N., & Zdarta, J. (2021). The shadow pandemic 

of single use personal protective equipment plastic waste: A blue 

print for suppression and eradication. Case Studies in Chemical and 

Environmental Engineering, 4, 100125. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j. 

cscee.2021.100125 

[4] European Environmental Agency. (2021, April). Biodegradable and 

compostable plastics challenges and opportunities. https://www.eea. 

europa.eu/publications/biodegradable-and-compostable-plastics/ 

biodegradable-and-compostable-plastics-challenges 

[5] Greene, A. F., Vaidya, A., Collet, C., Wade, K. R., Patel, M., Gaugler, 

M., . . . Parker, K. (2021). 3D-Printed Enzyme-Embedded Plastics. 

Biomacromolecules, 22(5), 1999-2009. doi:10.1021/acs.biomac.1c00105 

[6] Enzymes. (2021, April 9). Carbios. https://www.carbios.com/en/enzymes/ 

[7] New process makes ‘biodegradable’ plastics truly compostable | 

College of Chemistry. (2021, April 21). Berkeley College of Chemistry. 

https://chemistry.berkeley.edu/news/new-process-makes- 

%E2%80%98biodegradable%E2%80%99-plastics-truly-compostable-0 

[8] Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP. (2021, June 1). 

Enzymes successfully embedded in plastics. Press Release. https:// 

www.fraunhofer.de/en/press/research-news/2021/june-2021/enzymessuccessfully-embedded-in-plastics.html 

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From Science & Research 

By: 

Takumi Abe, Rikito Takashima, Hideyuki Otsuka, Daisuke Aoki 

Department of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology 

Takehiro Kamiya 

The Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilizers, Graduate School of Agricultural 

and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo 

Choon Pin Foong, Keiji Numata 

Department of Material Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto 

University 

B 

ioplastics can be chemically recycled into nitrogenrich 

fertilizers in a facile and environmentally 

friendly way, as recently demonstrated by 

scientists from the Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo 

Tech). Their findings pave the way towards sustainable 

circular systems that simultaneously address issues such 

as plastic pollution, petrochemical resource depletion, and 

world hunger. 

To solve the plastic conundrum, circular systems need to 

be developed, in which the source materials used to produce 

the plastics come full circle after disposal and recycling. At 

the Tokyo Institute of Technology, a team of scientists led 

by Daisuke Aoki and Hideyuki Otsuka is pioneering a novel 

concept. In their new environmentally friendly process, 

plastics produced using biomass are chemically recycled 

back into fertilizers. This study was published in Green 

Chemistry [1], a journal of the Royal Society of Chemistry 

focusing on innovative research on sustainable and ecofriendly 

technologies. 

The team focused on poly (isosorbide carbonate), or 

PIC, a type of biobased polycarbonate that has garnered 

much attention as an alternative to petroleum-based 

polycarbonates. PIC is produced using a non-toxic material 

derived from glucose called isosorbide (ISB) as a monomer. 

The interesting part is that the carbonate links that join the 

ISB units can be severed using ammonia (NH 3 

) in a process 

known as ammonolysis. The process produces urea, a 

nitrogen-rich molecule that is widely used as a fertilizer. 

While this chemical reaction was no secret to science, 

few studies on polymer degradation have focused on the 

potential uses of all the degradation products instead of 

only the monomers. 

First, the scientists investigated how well the complete 

ammonolysis of PIC could be conducted 

in water at mild conditions (30 °C and 

atmospheric pressure). The rationale 

behind this decision was to avoid the 

use of organic solvents and excessive 

amounts of energy. The team carefully 

analyzed all the reaction products through 

various means, including nuclear 

magnetic resonance spectroscopy, 

the fourier transform infrared 

spectroscopy, and gel 

permeation chromatography. 

Although they managed to 

produce urea in this way, the 

degradation of PIC was not 

complete even after 24 hours, 

with many ISB derivatives still 

Biobased 

polymers 

to fertilizers 

present. Therefore, the researchers tried increasing the 

temperature and found that complete degradation could be 

achieved in about six hours at 90 °C. Daisuke Aoki highlights 

the benefits of this approach, “The reaction occurs without 

any catalyst, demonstrating that the ammonolysis of PIC 

can be easily performed using aqueous ammonia and 

heating. Thus, this procedure is operationally simple and 

environmentally friendly from the viewpoint of chemical 

recycling.” 

Finally, as a proof-of-concept that all PIC degradation 

products can be directly used as a fertilizer, the team 

conducted plant growth experiments with Arabidopsis 

thaliana, a model organism. They found that plants treated 

with all PIC degradation products grew better than plants 

treated with just urea. 

The overall results of this study showcase the feasibility 

of developing fertilizer-from-plastics systems (see 

picture). The systems can not only help fight off pollution 

and resource depletion but also contribute to meeting the 

world’s increasing food demands. Daisuke Aoki concludes 

on a high note, “We are convinced that our work represents 

a milestone toward developing sustainable and recyclable 

polymer materials in the near future. The era of bread from 

plastics is just around the corner!” 

Reference 

[1] Plastics to Fertilizers: Chemical Recycling of a Biobased Polycarbonate 

as a Fertilizer Source; Green Chemistry; Oct. 2021; DOI: https://doi. 

org/10.1039/d1gc02327f 

www.titech.ac.jp/english | www.jst.go.jp/EN 


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Recycling 

Merging high-quality recycling 

with lowered emissions 

Changing the way we think about plastics is a task facing 

the entire value chain, but the main focus still lies 

where a product’s life meets its smelly end’ – on waste 

management. While keeping an eye on the ongoing need to 

reduce climate impact, we also need to broaden our recycling 

technology horizons. Ultimately, high-quality recycling is what is 

going to be needed to make the plastics economy truly circular. 

The Newcycling ® process 

APK AG was founded in 2008 with the vision of producing pure 

polymers with properties close to virgin plastics from mixed 

plastic waste, including multilayer film waste. Researchers and 

engineers at APK have developed a physical recycling process 

that combines mechanical recycling steps with a targeted 

solvent-based step – their Newcycling technology. 

Where is this process positioned on the spectrum of 

plastics recycling technologies? A comprehensive overview of 

technological innovation is badly needed in order to understand 

which elements each technology branch (mechanical/ 

advanced physical or chemical) can contribute to creating a 

circular economy for plastics – and how these processes can 

complement each other. 

Recycling technology delineation 

APK’s technology is a physical (also referred to as material) 

recycling technology. The molecular structure of the polymer is 

kept intact, as is the case in standard mechanical recycling. This 

is the major difference in comparison to chemical processes. 

Recently, the delineation of innovative recycling processes has 

begun to become more refined and therefore clearer. The use of 

a solvent does not automatically designate the recycling process 

as being chemical. There are innovative approaches on both 

the physical side of the spectrum (dissolution, etc.) and on the 

chemical side (for example, solvolysis). 

Because physical, solvent-based recycling does not break 

down molecular chains, no energy needs to be invested in repolymerisation 

– one reason for the low carbon footprint of 

recyclates produced via such technology. 

Newcycling consists of the following steps: 

Waste from PA/PE multi-layer film production is first 

mechanically pre-treated, undergoing, among other things, 

shredding and classification. Next, the PE layer is dissolved and 

liquefied in a solvent bath, leading to separation of the polymers 

and polymer layers. 

The undissolved PA is then separated from the dissolved 

PE using conventional solid-liquid separation technology and 

the polymers are subsequently further processed in separate 

material streams. 

The PA is introduced into a twin-screw extruder, where it 

passes through various process sections and is processed into 

a high-quality PA melt, using very high dispersion performance 

and intensive devolatilization. Finally, it is pelletized into firstclass 

PA recyclates. 

Any remaining contaminants in the liquefied PE, such 

as degraded additives, inks, etc. are removed (purification). 

Then an additive package is added (re-additivation). Following 

pre-evaporation, the PE is likewise introduced into a twinscrew 

extruder, together with the solvent. There, intensive 

devolatilization of the liquid takes place, which has been 

precisely calibrated for this application so that even when PE/ 

solvent ratios fluctuate, first-class results will be produced. 

The solvent is completely volatilized and added back into the 

Newcycling process in a closed loop. The PE remains in the form 

of a homogeneous, high-quality melt, which is then pelletized. 

The resulting PE recyclate is of a quality similar to that of virgin 

plastics. 

In April 2021, the renowned recyclability certifier ARGE 

cyclos/HTP (Aachen, Germany) audited APK’s recycling facility 

in Merseburg, Germany, for conformance with the EuCertPlast 

certification scheme. The audit focussed on the suitability of 

APK’s plants for the recycling of post-consumer waste from 

plastic films as well as of waste from PE/PA multilayer film 

production. All test requirements were successfully fulfilled 

and in July 2021, ARGE cyclos/HTP awarded APK the official 

EuCertPlast certificate. 

Recycing technology delineation (© APK) 


The recyclate products 

The two fully commercialized recyclate products created in 

Merseburg are marketed as Mersalen ® (LDPE) and Mersamid ® 

(PA). Both recyclate types have been certified with the flustix 

RECYCLED sustainability seal, ensuring that they meet DIN 

standards for recyclate content. 

Mersamid PA recyclates are suitable for a number of 

applications – from simple dowels and cable binders to 

sophisticated sports gear or parts in the automotive segment. A 

recent example of products made with APK’s PA recyclates are 

the fastening hooks on outdoor equipment company VAUDE’s 

ReCycle pannier. For these hooks, VAUDE (Tettnang, Germany) 

required a recycled material that could withstand high loads 

under a wide variety of outdoor conditions as well as provide 

outstanding durability. To account for design-relevant factors, 

it was also necessary to ensure that the material had good 

colouring capability. 

Mersalen LDPE recyclates provide a very high level of purity 

and are transparent in colour. They can be used in a number 

of flexible packaging applications. A recent example is APK’s 

collaboration with Huhtamaki (Ronsberg, Germany), where 

recycled content was introduced into their PBL tubes. A total 

of 19 % of the material was replaced with recyclates from APK. 

The tubes are suitable for such applications as facial and body 

cosmetics. Moreover, the PBL tubes, including recycled content, 

have been certified recyclable by EuCertPlast. 

When it comes to climate impact, the carbon footprint of 

APK’s recyclates is an average of 66 % lower than that of their 

virgin plastics version. 

The future: scaling Newcycling across the EU 

Based on its industrial-scale plant in Merseburg and its 

successfully commercialized products, APK is planning to scale 

its Newcycling technology across the EMEA region. Newcycling 

technology is able to valorize a broad feedstock base, including 

post-industrial and post-consumer sources, whether in the 

form of multilayer film waste or mixed unsorted plastic streams. 

In collaboration with initial partners from the plastics industry, 

planning is underway for the construction of additional plants 

for the processing of post-consumer waste in the very near 

future. With an initial focus on LDPE, APK is already working 

on additional recyclate solutions, such as PP, HDPE, and other 

PCR streams. 

www.apk-ag.de/en 

By: 

Hagen Hanel 

Head of Plastics Recycling Innovation Center 

APK AG. 

Merseburg, Germany 

Product 

examples – 

Mersalen: 

Huhtamaki 

PBL tube, 

2020 (top right) 

Mersamid, 

VAUDE pannier, 

2021 (bottom). 

Mersalen (LDPE) recyclate produced with 

APK’s Newcycling technology 

Recycling 

Newcycling – the closest loop back into packaging (© APK) 


Recycling 

By: 

Fig. 2: small scarf containing 50 % Recycled PAN 

S. Schonauer & T. Gries 

Institute of Textile Technology, 

RWTH Aachen University 

Aachen, Germany 

Upcycling 

process for 

PAN from 

textile waste 

Most synthetic fibres are made from fossil material 

sources. Since these are only available in finite 

quantities and their use is not always compatible 

with today’s environmental goals, it is necessary to develop 

an innovative recycling process and close material cycles. 

Currently, polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-containing waste from 

production and end-of-use waste is sent for thermal 

waste treatment, used as a filler, or processed into lowvalue 

blended yarns. Although energy recovery is possible, 

incineration also releases harmful emissions, and the 

material can no longer be fed into a cycle. [1] At ITA of RWTH 

Aachen University, approaches to the chemical recycling 

of PAN fibres are being pursued under the project name 

industrial RePAN, as a step towards closed-loop economy. 

The technical feasibility along the entire process chain from 

polymer recovery and fibre production up until the finished 

product (blankets) is being mapped. 

Assuming that newly acquired products replace old 

textiles, around 24,500 tonnes of end-of-use waste is 

annually generated in the house and home textiles sector 

in Germany. Even if only half of this waste could be recycled, 

it would offer 12,250 tonnes of new resources. During the 

production of PAN staple fibres, about 1 % by weight, and 

additionally during processing up to 10 % by weight, of fibre 

materials are generated as production waste [2, 3]. This 

type of waste served as a secondary raw material source 

for these research trials. 

The individual stages of the process are presented in 

Figure 1, starting with the collection of textile waste from 

the blanket production. The waste is dissolved in DMSO 

(dimethyl sulphoxide) and chemically precipitated to 

produce RePAN-pellets. 

During the preparation of the spinning solution, RePANpellets 

are mixed with new PAN-powder to equal parts, 

resulting in a 50 %- RePAN solution. These fibres with 50 % 

recycled material could be spun into yarns that could meet 

the same requirements as virgin material. 

These characteristics of the produced RePAN fibres 

therefore, lead to the assumption that an industrial 

feasibility of recycled fibres is possible. The scientists are 

now proofing the processability of the yarns and upscale 

to semi-industrial scale. Figure 2 shows a product using 

RePAN fibres. 

[1] Gries, T.: Fibre-tables based on P.-A. Koch, Polyacrylic fibres, 6. Issue, 

2002 

[2] Herbert, C. (Research and development at Dralon GmbH): Interview, 

25.05.2016 

[3] Rensmann, R. (managing director of Hermann Biederlack GmbH + Co 

KG): Interview, 25.05.2016 

www.ita.rwth-aachen.de 

Fig. 1: Recycling 

process from 

waste to new 

yarn 

Textile waste 

RePAN-pellets 

Spinning solution 

Staple fibres 


Patent situation 

Europe and USA are leading innovation in plastic recycling 

and alternative plastics globally, patent data shows 

Report 

From a global perspective, Europe and the USA are 

leading innovation in plastic recycling and alternative 

plastics technologies, i.e. renewable carbon plastics, 

a new study published in October by the European Patent 

Office (EPO, headquartered in Munich, Germany) shows. 

Europe and the USA each accounted for 30 % of patenting 

activity worldwide in these sectors between 2010 and 2019, 

or 60 % combined. Within Europe, Germany posted the 

highest share of patent activity in both plastic recycling and 

bioplastic technologies (8 % of global total), while France, 

the UK, Italy, the Netherlands and Belgium stand out for 

their higher specialisation in these fields. 

Titled Patents for tomorrow’s plastics: Global innovation 

trends in recycling, circular design and alternative sources 

[1], the study presents a comprehensive analysis of the 

innovation trends for the period 2010 to 2019 that are 

driving the transition to a circular economy for plastics. The 

report looks at the number of international patent families 

(IPFs), each of which represents an invention for which 

patent applications have been filed at two or more patent 

offices worldwide (so-called high-value inventions). It aims 

to provide a guide for business leaders and policymakers 

to direct resources towards promising technologies, to 

assess their comparative advantage at different stages of 

the value chain, and to highlight innovative companies and 

institutions that could contribute to long-term sustainable 

growth. 

Chemical and biological recycling methods with 

the highest number of patents 

The study highlights that of all recycling technologies, 

the fields of chemical and biological recycling methods 

generated the highest level of patenting activity in the period 

under review. These methods accounted for 9,000 IPFs in 

2010–19, double the number filed for mechanical recycling 

(4,500 IPFs). While the patenting of standard chemical 

methods (such as cracking and pyrolysis) reached a peak 

in 2014, emerging technologies such as biological methods 

using living organisms (1,500 IPFs) or plastic-to-monomer 

recycling (2,300 IPFs) now offer new possibilities to degrade 

polymers and produce virgin-like plastics. 

Healthcare and cosmetics & detergent 

industries lead in bioplastic innovation 

In the area of bioplastic inventions, the study finds that the 

healthcare sector has by far the most patenting activity in 

total (more than 19,000 IPFs in 2010–19), despite accounting 

for less than 3 % of the total demand for plastics in Europe. 

However, the cosmetics and detergents sector has the 

largest share of its patenting activity in bioplastics, with the 

ratio of bioplastics IPFs to conventional plastics IPFs being 

1:3, compared to 1:5 in the healthcare sector. Packaging, 

electronics and textiles are also significant contributors to 

innovation in bioplastics. 

CO 2 

based plastics 

Finally, with regard to alternative plastics technologies, 

the report also looks at the role of plastics production 

from CO 2 

, which has been launched by a small number 

of companies, mainly from Europe – such as Covestro in 

Germany – and South Korea and can play an important role 

on the road to the circular economy. MT 

[1] Patents for tomorrow’s plastics: Global innovation trends in recycling, 

circular design and alternative sources; 

Download from www.bioplasticsmagazine.de/202106/PATENTS.pdf 

www.epo.org 

Source: European Patent Office 


Opinion 

Natural PHA materials 

The most versatile materials platform in the world? 

By: 

Jan Ravenstijn 

Board member of GO!PHA 

Advisory board member of AMIBM 

Meerssen, The Netherlands 

Guo-Qiang (George) Chen 

Advisory board member of GO!PHA 

Tsinghua University 

Beijing, China 

We think that natural PHA materials show a much 

larger application versatility than any other existing 

material platforms can mimic. The reason for this 

thought is that natural PHA materials are already used in 

nature for many purposes and for much longer than the 

existence of mankind. 

PHA stands for Polyhydroxyalkanoate of which there can 

be an infinite number of different moieties. So it’s nonsense 

to claim properties for PHA, because different PHAmolecules 

have different properties. Even the well-known 

polylactic acid (PLA) and polycaprolactone (PCL) belong to 

the PHA group of materials. 

However, a number of PHA-materials are naturally 

occurring materials, like PHB and a number of its 

copolymers like PHBV, PHBHx, P3HB4HB, PHBO, and 

PHBD. These materials are not plastics, but are natural 

materials made and found in nature, like cellulose or starch 

[1]. 

These natural macromolecular materials are not 

made by polymerization, but by enzymatically controlled 

biochemical conversion of naturally occurring nutrients 

(sugars, vegetable oils, starches, etc.) and they all have a 

role to play in nature. 

These natural PHAs are part of the metabolism in all 

living organisms (plants, animals, and humans) since 

the beginning of life on earth. They function as nutritious 

and energy storage materials, so they are supposed to be 

used for that purpose. One can call that biodegradation, 

but one could also call that feed for living organisms 

in every environment. In addition, they can fully meet a 

comprehensive combination of end-of-life options, unlike 

most other material platforms [2]. 

Today, these bio-benign materials are made at industrial 

scale, just by mimicking nature. Many manufacturing 

capacity expansions are planned and built, especially in 

Asia/Pacific and North America. The materials appear to be 

excellent candidates for a very large variety of applications 

in thermoplastics, thermosets, elastomers, lubricants, 

glues, adhesives, but also in several non-traditional polymer 

applications like animal feed, cell regeneration in humans 

and animals, denitrification, and cosmetics for instance. 

Without further ado, we present a limited number of 

applications that have been successfully developed and 

already use these PHA materials: 

1.Traditional thermoplastic applications 

During the past ten years manufacturing companies have 

invested billions of dollars to develop and build significant 

capacity to make natural PHA-materials at industrial 

scale. Simultaneously, applications were developed using 

these materials, focussing primarily on applications where 

biodegradability in many environments was seen to be an 

advantage and added value. 

Indeed, the natural PHA-materials are feed for living 

organisms in every environment, so they biodegrade 

(= carbon conversion to CO 2 

) in every environment, albeit 

the rate of biodegradation depends on part geometry and 

external conditions like temperature, humidity, and others 

[3]. 

The result of the BioSinn project [4], on request of the 

German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, describes 

25 product-market combinations where biodegradation is a 

viable end-of-life option. Biodegradability is an advantage 

when it is difficult or even impossible to separate plastics 

from organic materials that are destined for home or 

industrial composting and when it is challenging or 

(Photo: MAIP) 

(Photo: Nuez Lounge Bio ® ) 


prohibitively expensive to avoid fragments ending 

up in the open environment or to remove them 

after use. 

Natural PHA-based end products 

that are currently in the market are 

for instance coffee capsules, waste 

bags, mulch films, clips, non-wovens, 

film for food packaging, microplastics 

in cosmetics, and natural 

PHA coated paper for coffee cups. 

The last application has also been 

accepted as recyclable by the paper 

industry. There are many more 

application opportunities according 

to the BioSinn report. Currently, the 

main challenge is the total global 

manufacturing capacity of these natural PHA-materials, 

but many new plant constructions are underway. 

(Photo: Prodir) 

That biodegradability is not the only Unique Selling Point 

(USP) to talk about has been made clear by a compounding 

company that significantly elevated the science level and 

knowledge base for natural PHA-materials [5]. They develop 

new PHA-compounds that are 100 % bio-based, have high 

temperature resistance, are easy to process, and are tailormade 

for a large variety of durable applications. 

This compounding company has developed more than 

500 different natural PHA-based formulations from stiff to 

extremely flexible, thermal resistance up to 130 °C, weather 

and UV resistance, fast nucleation from the melt, and 

improved barrier properties, demonstrating that natural 

PHA-materials can be turned into a new series of biotechnopolymers 

that can be processed at as fast as or even 

faster than the currently used polymers in the industry for 

all conversion technologies currently in use. 

Today we see compounders using a combination 

of different natural PHA-materials to make them the 

only polymers in compounds for film or 3D printing 

for instance, while they were often used as additives 

in combination with PBAT or PLA a few years ago. The 

availability of high molecular weight amorphous and/or 

very low crystallinity PHA grades (like P3HB4HB with 

50 % 4HB or PHBHx with 30 % Hx) offer the opportunity 

(Photo: Ohmie by Krill Design) 

to blend low and high E-modulus grades to control 

properties. 

Several examples of these so-called bio-technopolymers 

have been demonstrated and are used in applications for 

spectacle cases (replacing ABS or PP Talc), pens (replacing 

ABS), design chairs (replacing GFR-PP), lamps, electrical 

light switches (replacing PC/ABS), etc. The design chair has 

an injection moulded core of a 12 kg shot weight made in a 

2,500 tonnes injection moulding machine. The chair comes 

in several colours. 

Also, some natural PHA-materials with low E-modulus 

have been developed for use in hot melt adhesives, pressure 

sensitive adhesives, and laminating adhesives & sealants. 

So far, the use is still limited due to the low manufacturing 

Opinion 

generic picture 

(Photo: Reef Interest) 


Opinion 

capacities, but this is a matter of time. Several materials 

are used for matting agents in coatings to replace silica and 

resulting in much better transparency and haptic properties 

(soft feel). These haptic properties are one of the USPs of 

these materials. 

Finally, due to the enormous amount of plastic microfibres 

ending up in our oceans every year many parties 

are actively involved in developing fibres from natural 

PHA-materials for both woven (textiles) and non-woven 

applications. Although the first applications are on the 

market, it is still small and application developments are in 

an early stage, especially for textile applications. There are 

fibres for textile applications on the market, but those are 

based on compounds that also contain other polymers in 

addition to natural PHA-material, so far. 

2. Non-traditional plastic applications 

Several non-traditional plastic applications have been 

developed and result in business, given the long-known 

role and appearance of natural PHA-materials in natural 

habitats. One could consider applications in animal feed, 

medical care (both humans and animals), denitrification, 

artificial turf, and cosmetics for instance. 

Denitrification is required when there is too much 

ammonia in a certain environment (wastewater treatment, 

aquaria, shrimp, fish and turtle farms, etc.). Ammonia 

turns into nitrates and nitrites by oxidation. Natural PHAmaterials 

are an excellent carbon source to reduce the 

nitrates and nitrites to nitrogen or N 2 

because through 

biodegradation it provides the carbon for this denitrification 

process. Today, material is being sold for these applications. 

A completely different segment is to use natural PHAmaterials 

for medical applications. Within the human 

body one can use microspheres for the cultivation of stem 

cells. These have a degradation time of about one year, 

while the degradation product helps cell growth. They can 

be used for bone/cartilage regeneration, skin damage 

repair (wound closures), nerve guidance conduits, among 

others. Scaffoldings made from such materials have been 

demonstrated to take care of bone repair, but also repair 

of a damaged oesophagus. The company Tepha (Lexington, 

Massachusetts, USA) makes several products for the 

abovementioned purposes for about 10 years and Medpha 

(Beijing, China) is also active in this field and further extends 

it. One of the newer applications is to use these materials 

for controlled drug delivery. 

Artificial sports fields like those for soccer always use a 

filler. Although often ground old car tires have been used 

for this application for a while, it has become unacceptable 

for health and environmental safety reasons. Today also 

natural PHA materials are used for artificial turf infill (FIFA 

approved). 

PHB and other natural PHA-materials are or can be used 

as feed or feed additives for animals: 

Feeding PHB to aquatic organisms has been well studied 

[6, 7], confirming that PHB had a positive impact on 

growth, survival, intestinal microbial structure, and disease 

resistance of aquatic animals, serving as an energy source 

for European sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax juveniles [7], 

helping to increase the lipid content of the whole body [6]. 

PHB was also used as an alternative to antibiotics for 

protecting shrimps from pathogenic Vibrio campbelli [8], it 

was observed to induce heat shock protein (Hsp) expression 

and contribute partially to the protection of shrimp against V. 

campbelli [9], improving the growth performance, digestive 

enzyme activity, and function of the immune system of 

rainbow trout [9], enhancing the body weights of Chinese 

mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis juveniles [10]. 

PHB also improved the survival of prawn Macrobrachium 

rosenbergii larvae [11], blue mussel Mytilus edulis larvae 

[12] and Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus juveniles [13]. 

PHB can not only affect marine organisms but also large 

livestock. The feed composition shapes the gut bacterial 

communities and affects the health of large livestock [14, 

15]. 

It is concluded that PHB has no negative effect on the 

growth of marine animals like large yellow croakers and 

popular land animals like weaned piglets with sensitivity to 

foods. In the future, plastics made of PHB, perhaps including 

its copolymers PHBV and P3HB4HB, can be used again as 

feed additives for animals. More positively, plastics made 

of natural PHA-materials could replace petrochemical 

plastics to avoid the death of marine or land animals that 

mistakenly consume plastic packaging garbage [16]. 

Based on the origin of this natural PHA-materials 

platform and on the application examples discussed here, 

we are convinced that this new material platform is a 

sleeping giant [5] with a very promising future. 

www.gopha.org 

References: 

[1] Michael Carus, Which polymers are “natural polymers” in the sense of 

single-use plastic ban?, Open letter to DG Environment signed by 18 

scientific experts, 8 October 2019. 

[2] Jan Ravenstijn and Phil Van Trump, What about recycling of PHApolymers?, 

bioplastics MAGAZINE, Volume 15, 03/20, 30-31. 

[3] Bruno De Wilde, Biodegradation: one concept, many nuances, 

Presentation at the 2 nd PHA-platform World Congress, 22 September 

2021. 

[4] Verena Bauchmüller et.al., BioSinn: Products for which biodegradation 

makes sense, Report from nova Institute and IKT-Stuttgart, 25 May 

2021. 

[5] Eligio Martini, The compounding will be the success of the Sleeping 

Giant, Presentation at the 2 nd PHA-platform World Congress, 22 

September 2021. 

[6] Najdegerami, E. H. et.al., Aquacult. Res. 2015, 46, 801-812. 

[7] De Schryver, P. et.al., Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 2010, 86, 1535-1541. 

[8] Defoirdt, T., Halet, D., Vervaeren, H., Boon, N., Van de Wiele, T., 

Sorgeloos, P., Bossier, P., Verstraete, W., Environ. Microbiol. 2007, 9, 

445-452. 

[9] Baruah, K. et.al., Sci. Rep. 2015, 5, 9427. 

[10] Sui, L. et.al., Ma, G., Aquacult. Res. 2016, 47, 3644-3652. 

[11] Thai, T. Q. et.al., Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 2014, 98, 5205-5215. 

[12] Hung, N. V. et.al., Aquaculture 2015, 446, 318-324. 

[13] Situmorang, M. L. et.al., Vet. Microbiol. 2016, 182, 44-49. 

[14] Lalles, J. P. et.al., Proc. Nutr. Soc. 2007, 66, 260-268. 

[51] Ma, N. et.al., Front Immunol. 2018, 9. 

[16] Wang, X. et.al., Biotechnol J. 2019, e1900132. 


7 th PLA World Congress 

EARLY JUNE 2022 MUNICH › GERMANY 

organized by 

Call for papers is now open 

www.pla-world-congress.com 

PLA is a versatile bioplastics raw material from renewable 

resources. It is being used for films and rigid packaging, for 

fibres in woven and non-woven applications. Automotive, 

consumer electronics and other industries are thoroughly 

investigating and even already applying PLA. New methods 

of polymerizing, compounding or blending of PLA have 

broadened the range of properties and thus the range of 

possible applications. That‘s why bioplastics MAGAZINE is 

now organizing the 7 th PLA World Congress on: 

Early June 2022 in Munich / Germany 

Experts from all involved fields will share their knowledge 

and contribute to a comprehensive overview of today‘s 

opportunities and challenges and discuss the possibilities, 

limitations and future prospects of PLA for all kind 

of applications. Like the five previous congresses the 

7 th PLA World Congress will also offer excellent networking 

opportunities for all delegates and speakers as well as 

exhibitors of the table-top exhibition. Based on the good 

experices with the hybrid format (bio!TOY and PHA World 

Congress 2021) we will offer this format also for future 

conferences, hoping the pandemic does no longer force us 

to. So the participation at the 7 th PLA World Congress will 

be possible on-site as well as online. 


Basics 

Cellulose 

A needed shift towards a sustainable biobased circular economy and 

the role of cellulose in it 

Residue 

producer 

Storage & 

Logistics 

Biomass 

digaestion 

Direct 

utilisation 

Sustainability 

assessment 

(e.g. LCA) 

Lignocellulose 

Nutrients / 

valuables 

Food 

sections 

Fibre and 

textile 

production 

Food 

production 

Agricultural 

production 

End products 

Textile 

Food 

Agriculture 

Figure 1: New value 

chains based on 

biogenic residues 

for textile, food 

and agricultural 

industries in 

INGRAIN 

Overview of possibilities presented by utilization 

of cellulose 

Cellulose is one of the most important scaffold formers 

in the biosphere and an abundant raw material with highly 

interesting properties to science and industry. Cellulose is 

formed by linkages of single D-glucose building blocks. It 

is considered 100 % biodegradable [2], semi crystalline [3], 

and can be chemically modified. As cellulose is the primary 

component of plant-based cell walls, it can be found in 

high weight percentages especially in wood and cotton but 

also in crops such as corn and wheat to name a few known 

examples, that are currently in technical use. [4] However, 

from an ecological point of view, the use of potential food 

crops or cotton is not sustainable in the long run, as 

precious space and resources that would otherwise have 

been used for the food or textile industry, now has to be 

converted for technical use. [5] Various pioneers took the 

mission to focus on sustainable biobased solutions and 

shifted from using primary cellulose feedstocks to utilizing 

readily available waste materials such as various straw and 

grass types, wood chips, and chaff which indicates the shift 

from 1 st generation to 2 nd generation feedstocks, enabled by 

physical or chemical biomass transformation technologies 

such as Steam Explosion, Soda-, Kraft-, Organosolv, and 

the holistic Organocat process. [6–9] 

Focusing on the rapidly expanding research and product 

development worldwide over the past decade, the current 

knowledge of cellulose and its chemistry including the use 

of derivatives are found in well-known products such as 

coatings, films, membranes, building materials, textiles, 

composite materials and biobased polymers. [10] 

While direct plant fibres are easily accessible for the textile 

industry the need for refined materials with customizable 

properties are of higher interest. Pure cellulose can be 

industrially found predominantly in form of paper pulp or 

chemical pulp. Depending on whether the pulp is intended 

for regeneration or derivatization, each field requires its 

own set of processes. While paper pulp tolerates higher 

impurities such as lignin and hemicellulose the chemical 

pulp also known as dissolving grade pulp is mainly defined 

through its high cellulose quality. Due to its susceptibility 

to certain chemicals, cellulose can be effectively 

functionalized in processes such as etherification, nitration, 

acetylation, and xanthation. Cellulose ethers can be used 

as food additives, binders, and glues. The well-known 

nitrocellulose for film bases from the early 20 th century 

can be made via nitration. Cellulose acetates are used 

as filaments in cigarette filters or mouldings, and films. 

Xanthation is one step especially well known through the 

viscose process, heavily used in the textile industry. The 

highly versatile viscose process is one way to generate 

filaments, staple fibres, cords and yarns as well as 

cellophane films, sponges, and casings. Other processes 

that are of importance in regard to regeneration are Cupro, 

Lyocell/Tencell, Vulcanized fibre as well as Loncell that are 

of importance in the textile industry. Among others, the 

regenerated cellulose finds application in apparel-, home-, 

and technical textiles. Technical textiles include geo-agro 

textiles, insulation and composite materials. [11, 12] 

Since cellulose consists of single unit glucose molecules, 

the possible use cases once biotechnology comes into play 

are enormous. With enzymes being able to break down 

cellulose and organisms being able to process glucose to 

platform chemicals, the path to future biobased plastics is 

accessible. 

By far the best-known platform chemical known to date is 

ethanol. Bioethanol has been in the spotlight for the last few 

decades with multiple companies, investing in commercial 

facilities to process either lignocellulose, starch or sugar 

in ethanol that can be used in fuel mixing to produce e.g. 

the E20 high-performance biofuel mixture. Other uses for 

biobased ethanol include bio-PE or MEG (monoethylene 

glycol) e.g.to produce bio-PET or PEF. 

Other important platform-chemicals are succinic 

acid, levulinic acid, 3-hydropropionic acid, furfural, 

hydroxymethylfurfural (5 HMF), and lactic acid. 

Through these platform chemicals, polymers such as 

polylactic acid (PLA) and Polybutylene succinate (PBS) can 


Figure 1: Overview of a 

simplified cellulose value chain 

from biomass 

Basics 

be synthesized. PLA originates from lactic acid while PBS 

has its origin from succinic acid as a building block. 

Under certain conditions these biopolymers are 

biodegradable and thus interesting to the food, packaging, 

agro- and textile industry especially. On the other hand, 

drop-in solutions such as polyethylene furanoate (PEF) 

from bio-MEG and 5 HMF based FDCA present a suitable 

option for the industry as PEF is currently known to be a 

perfect replacement of polyethylene terephthalate (PET). 

[13-15] 

Sources: 

[1] https://ingrain.nrw/ 

[2] https://renewable-carbon.eu/publications/product/biodegradablepolymers-in-various-environments-%E2%88%92-graphic-pdf/ 

[3] M. Mariano, N.E. Kissi, A. Dufresne, J. Polym. Sci. Part B: Polym. Phys., 

2014, 52: 791-806. 

[4] C. Ververis, K. Georghiou, N. Christodoulakis, P. Santas, R. Santas, J. 

Ind. Crop. 2004, 3, 245-254 

[5] Eisentraut, A., IEA Energy Papers, 2010, No. 2010/01, OECD Publishing, 

Paris 

[6] H-Z. Chen, Z-H. Liu, Biotechnol. J. 2015, 10, 6, 866-885 

[7] D. Montane, X. Farriol, J. Salvado, P. Jollez, E.Chornet, Biomass and 

Energy, 1998, 14, 3, 241-276 

[8] A. Johansson, O. Aaltonen, P. Ylinen, Biomass, 1987, 13, 1, 45-65 

[9] P.M. Grande, J. Viell, N.Theyssen, W. Marquardt, P. D. Maria, W. Leitner, 

Green Chem., 2015,17, 3533-3539 

[10] Nova-Institute GmbH, Industrial Material Use of Biomass in Europe 

2015, 

[11] Strunk, Peter. “Characterization of cellulose pulps and the influence of 

their properties on the process and production of viscose and cellulose 

ethers.” (2012). 

[12] Seisl S., Hengstmann R., Manmade Cellulosic Fibres (MMCF)—A 

Historical Introduction and Existing Solutions to a More Sustainable 

Production. In: Matthes A., Beyer K., Cebulla H., Arnold M.G., Schumann 

A. (eds) Sustainable Textile and Fashion Value Chains. Springer, Cham. 

(2020) 

[13] Biopolymers- Facts and statistics, Institute for Bioplastics and Bio 

composites, 2018 

[14] McAdam, B., Brennan Fournet, M., McDonald, P., & Mojicevic, M. (2020). 

Polymers, 12(12), 2908 

[15] S. Saravanamurugan, A. Pandey, R. S. Sangwan, Biofuels, 2017, 51-67 

www.ita.rwth-aachen.de 

INGRAIN, short for “Spitze im Westen: Innovationsbündnis 

Agrar-Textil-Lebensmittel” (Innovation Alliance – Agro-Textile-Nutrition) 

has a set goal to upcycle residual streams to 

valuables and nutrition. Since the approval by the German 

Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) in 

late August 2021, the project focuses on and around the 

westernmost administrative district in Germany, the rural 

district of Heinsberg (State: North Rhine-Westphalia), which 

has been characterized by various structural changes for 

decades including the decline of the formerly formative 

textile industry, end of coal mining, including its regional 

neighbourhood. With a possible funding capped at EUR 15 

million for a duration of 6 years, INGRAIN focuses to create 

a biobased circular economy within that project region. 

The program will be self-governed by the key consortium 

creating a new approach to fast-track projects that are of 

high importance to the overall goal. The key consortium 

consists of the Wirtschaftsförderungsgesellschaft für den 

Kreis Heinsberg mbH, Institute of Textile technology and 

Chair for Information Management in Material Engieering 

of the RWTH Aachen University, Niederrhein University of 

Applied Sciences Mönchengladbach as well as Rhine-Waal 

University of Applied Sciences Kleve. In this program, cellulose 

among other important resources is of high interest 

due to the mass flux within and around the project region.[1] 

By: 

Sea-Hyun, Lee 

Scientific Assistant 

Institut für Textiltechnik RWTH Aachen University 

Aachen, Germany 


Automotive 

10 

Years ago 

Published in 

bioplastics MAGAZINE 

Opinion 

By 

Stefano Facco 

New Business Development Director 

Novamont SpA 

Novara, Italy 

The Future of the 

Shopping Bag in Italy 

Are newly developed, biodegradable and 

compostable polymers the ideal solution? 

C 

urrently we are facing a quite chaotic debate about the ideal 

solution for the incredible amount of disposable shopping 

bags used by consumers today. Recycling, environmental 

impact, re-use, littering and especially marine litter are 

some of the main keywords arising when this important topic is 

discussed. 

Some facts related to the use of such bags are quite impressive. 

In Italy, some 300 bags per year per capita are used, which 

corresponds roughly to 25% of the total European consumption, 

and corresponding to 100 billion units. About 2/3 of these products 

are imported from countries such as China, Indonesia or Thailand, 

where many of them are being produced under conditions which 

are not allowed in Europe. This creates an unfair competitive 

advantage. The recycling quota of post-consumer shopping bags 

is below 1% on a world-wide level, albeit in some countries the 

collection rate is much higher, but not all collected bags end up 

in recycling. 

At this point, I feel that beside the environmental discussion 

about raw materials and products, we should strongly bear 

in mind the fact that right now the plastic converting industry, 

especially the European companies producing bags and sacks, 

are not facing easy times. The competing converters, mainly 

located in the Asia/Pacific area, quite often accept commercial 

conditions which may be described as dumping conditions (on 

an EU level, only a few years ago, some anti-dumping measures 

were taken). Especially in the southern European region, where 

most of the European production was located, more and more 

medium and small size companies are struggling to survive. 

Taking these aspects into account, it really may be considered 

a natural reaction to somehow strengthen again our European 

industry by converting new families of polymers (also produced in 

the EU) locally. A fair competition would arise again, and the basis 

for a healthy economic growth. 

Furthermore, the use of renewable resources combined with 

the property of being B&C (biodegradable and compostable) 

would, in addition to the aspects related to the growth of local 

companies, help us to better deal with the scarcity of fossil raw 

materials and to add new end-of-life options such as the organic 

recycling of polymers. 

The new Italian decree, which came in force on January 1 st , 

2011, imposing the use of B&C shopping bags, somehow 

perfectly supported the three major aspects I have described 

above: the strengthening of local or European enterprises, 

the use of renewable resources (as most of the polymers 

available on the market do contain a significant amount of 

renewable raw materials (RRMs)) and their compostability, 

which finally offers an end-of-life option which may help 

the Italian composting industry to get rid of some of the 

100,000 tonnes of plastic film pollutants sieved out during 

the composting process itself. 

The incredible speed with which major Italian B&C polymer 

producers (such as Novamont) and other European groups 

(such as BASF) were able to increase production capacity has 

enabled most of the traditional shopping bag converters to 

switch to these new materials in order to satisfy the growing 

market request. Due to the high technological level of these 

materials, the production switch was immediately carried out 

without loss of time and without additional investment. 

22 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6 


Automotive 

In November 2011, Stefano Facco, 

New Business Development Director, 

Novamont, said: 

Ten years ago, plastic bags were one of the main 

topics of discussion in Europe. In 2011 Italy paved 

the way to implement legislation banning single-use 

plastic bags and allowing only very thick reusable 

ones and compostable singl-use ones. A few years 

later the European Union applied a very similar Plastic 

Bags Directive. 

Films|Flexibles|Bags 

In the last ten years, in Italy, the consumption of 

carrier bags heavily decreased (-58 % between 2010 

and 2020 [1]), the quantity and quality of organic recycling 

improved (Italy collects around 47 % of biowaste 

against the 16 % European average [2] ) and the compostable 

plastics value chain grew (2,775 employees 

and a turnover of 815 million Euros [3]), allowing the 

development of a virtuous model, an example of circular 

bioeconomy, with the production of high-quality 

compost. 

In 2020 Biorepack started its activity, the world’s 

first National Consortium for the biological recycling 

of compostable plastics. It is the first European-wide 

system of extended responsibility to manage the end 

of life of certified compostable packaging. 

This circular bioeconomy model of a European MS 

is now ready to be extended as well to foodserviceware 

and compostable packaging. 

www.novamont.com 

Major groups such as Matrica (ENI/Novamont JV), 

Roquette, Cereplast and other companies started, or 

have announced, huge investments in the production of 

monomers, intermediates and polymers based on RRMs or 

in compounding facilities. Therefore, the coming into force 

of this new decree not only boosted once more the optimism 

of local converters, but it also helped to attract huge 

investments in future-oriented technologies such as fully 

integrated biorefineries. 

References: 

[1] Plastic Consult, 2021, La filiera dei polimeri compostabili. Dati 

2020 e prospettive 

[2] BIC and Zero Waste Europe, Bio-waste generation in the EU: 

Current capture levels and future potential 

[3] Plastic Consult, 2021, La filiera dei polimeri compostabili. Dati 

2020 e prospettive 

Briefly summarizing the positive outcome of the new 

situation that we are experiencing in Italy, we may affirm 

that the composting industry is easily able to handle the 

increase and treatment of the new compostable shopping 

bags. Retailers have reduced consumption of shopping 

bags in general by 30% to 50%, which may be considered 

environmentally beneficial, converters are again increasing 

their production and replacing partially imported products, 

and new industrial investments have proven that investors 

believe firmly in the future of these new technologies. 

tinyurl.com/shoppingbags2011 



Basics 

Glossary 5.0 last update issue 06/2021 

In bioplastics MAGAZINE the same expressions appear again 

and again that some of our readers might not be familiar 

with. The purpose of this glossary is to provide an overview 

of relevant terminology of the bioplastics industry, to avoid 

repeated explanations of terms such as 

PLA (polylactic acid) 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 nonrenewable 

(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. 

Advanced Recycling | Innovative recycling 

methods that go beyond the traditional mechanical 

recycling of grinding and compoundig 

plastic waste. Advanced recycling includes 

chemical recycling or enzyme mediated recycling 

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] 

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] 

Since this glossary will not be printed 

in each issue you can download a pdf version 

from our website (tinyurl.com/bpglossary). 

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

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 (radiocarbon 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 →TÜV Austria who both base their certifications 

on the technical specification as described 

in [4,5]. A certification and the 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 | 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 biobased 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, because it 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 warming potential 

[1,2,15] 

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 by 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 

CCU, Carbon Capture & Utilisation | is a broad 

term that covers all established and innovative 

industrial processes that aim at capturing 

CO2 – either from industrial point sources or 

directly from the air – and at transforming it 

into a variety of value-added products, in our 

case plastics or plastic precursor chemicals. 

[bM 03/21, 05/21] 

CCS, Carbon Capture & Storage | is a technology 

similar to CCU used to stop large amounts of 

CO2 from being released into the atmosphere, 

by separating the carbon dioxide from emissions. 

The CO2 is then injecting it into geological 

formations where it is permanently stored. 

Cellophane | Clear film based on →cellulose. 

[bM 01/10, 06/21] 

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 (multi-sugar) 

[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, 06/21] 

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 they 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. 

Circular economy | The circular economy is a 

model of production and consumption, which 

involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, 

refurbishing and recycling existing materials 

and products as long as possible. In this way, 

the life cycle of products is extended. In practice, 

it implies reducing waste to a minimum. 

Ideally erasing waste altogether, by reintroducing 

a product, or its material, at the end-of-life 

back in the production process – closing the 

loop. These can be productively used again and 

again, thereby creating further value. This is a 

departure from the traditional, linear economic 

model, which is based on a take-make-consume-throw 

away pattern. This model relies 

on large quantities of cheap, easily accessible 

materials, and green energy. 

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. 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 | are 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 glycol made from bio-ethanol. 

Developments to make terephthalic acid from 

renewable resources are underway. 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 

plants (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 | are proteins that catalyze chemical 

reactions. 

Enzyme-mediated plastics | are not →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 enzymemediated 

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, the 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 = 

Glossary 


Basics 

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 | The 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. 

Gelatine | Translucent brittle solid substance, 

colourless or slightly yellow, nearly tasteless 

and odourless, 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 are 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 → greenhouse 

gases. 

Glucose | is a monosaccharide (or simple 

sugar). It is the most important carbohydrate 

(sugar) in biology. Glucose 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 waterresistant 

and weatherproof, 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 weatherproof, 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 0.02 % of the global 

agricultural area of 4.7 billion hectares. It is not 

yet foreseeable to what extent an increased use 

of food residues, non-food crops or cellulosic 

biomass in bioplastics production might lead to 

an even further reduced land use in the future. 

[bM 04/09, 01/14] 

LCA, Life Cycle Assessment | 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, 

eco-balance or cradle-to-grave 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 mainland-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, several standardisation 

projects are in progress at the ISO and ASTM 

(ASTM D6691) 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 

sizes, such as bacteria, fungi or yeast. 

Molecule | A 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 the 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. Oxo-degradable or oxofragmentable 

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. for baby bottles or CDs. Criticized for its 

BPA (→ Bisphenol-A) content. 

PCL | Polycaprolactone, a synthetic (fossilbased), 

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, since recently, from plantbased 

paraxylene (bPX) which has been converted 

to plant-based terephthalic acid (bPTA). 

[bM 04/14. bM 06/2021] 

PGA | Polyglycolic acid or polyglycolide is a 

biodegradable, thermoplastic polymer and the 

simplest linear, aliphatic polyester. Besides its 


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 some bacteria that hold intracellular 

reserves in form of of polyhydroxyalkanoates. 

Here the micro-organisms store a particularly 

high level of 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 PHAs 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 produced similarly to 

PET, 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 Carbon | entails all carbon sources 

that avoid or substitute the use of any additional 

fossil carbon from the geosphere. It can come 

from the biosphere, atmosphere, or technosphere, 

applications are, e.g., bioplastics, CO2- 

based plastics, and recycled plastics respectively. 

Renewable carbon circulates between 

biosphere, atmosphere, or technosphere, creating 

a carbon circular economy. [bM 03/21] 

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 resourceefficient 

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 → TÜV Austria. 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 named 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 finished products 

Sorbitol | Sugar alcohol, obtained by reduction 

of glucose changing the aldehyde group to an 

additional hydroxyl group. It 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 polymer chains in a 

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 known → amylose and → amylopectin. 

[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 butanoic 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. 

Sustainability | 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. It 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. 

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. 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. 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 Bonsucro, are an appropriate tool 

to ensure the sustainable sourcing of biomass 

for all applications around the globe. 

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. 

TÜV Austria Belgium | Independant certifying 

organisation for the assessment on the conformity 

of bioplastics (formerly Vinçotte) 

WPC | Wood Plastic Composite. Composite 

materials made of wood fibre/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 

Glossary 


1. Raw Materials 

Suppliers Guide 

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 22 90 90 9 

Mob: +86 187 99 283 100 

chenjianhui@lanshantunhe.com 

www.lanshantunhe.com 

PBAT & PBS resin supplier 

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 

BASF SE 

Ludwigshafen, Germany 

Tel: +49 621 60-99951 

martin.bussmann@basf.com 

www.ecovio.com 

Mixcycling Srl 

Via dell‘Innovazione, 2 

36042 Breganze (VI), Italy 

Phone: +39 04451911890 

info@mixcycling.it 

www.mixcycling.it 

1.1 bio based monomers 

1.2 compounds 

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 

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 listed among top suppliers in the 

field of bioplastics. 

Gianeco S.r.l. 

Via Magenta 57 10128 Torino - Italy 

Tel.+390119370420 

info@gianeco.com 

www.gianeco.com 

Cardia Bioplastics 

Suite 6, 205-211 Forster Rd 

Mt. Waverley, VIC, 3149 Australia 

Tel. +61 3 85666800 

info@cardiabioplastics.com 

www.cardiabioplastics.com 

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 

For Example: 

39 mm 

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 cancelled 

three month before expiry. 

www.facebook.com 

PTT MCC Biochem Co., Ltd. 

info@pttmcc.com / www.pttmcc.com 

Tel: +66(0) 2 140-3563 

MCPP Germany GmbH 

+49 (0) 211 520 54 662 

Julian.Schmeling@mcpp-europe.com 

MCPP France SAS 

+33 (0)2 51 65 71 43 

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 

Earth Renewable Technologies BR 

Estr. Velha do Barigui 10511, Brazil 

slink@earthrenewable.com 

www.earthrenewable.com 

Trinseo 

1000 Chesterbrook Blvd. Suite 300 

Berwyn, PA 19312 

+1 855 8746736 

www.trinseo.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 

GRAFE-Group 

Waldecker Straße 21, 

99444 Blankenhain, Germany 

Tel. +49 36459 45 0 

www.grafe.com 

Green Dot Bioplastics 

527 Commercial St Suite 310 

Emporia, KS 66801 

Tel.: +1 620-273-8919 

info@greendotbioplastics.com 

www.greendotbioplastics.com 

Plásticos Compuestos S.A. 

C/ Basters 15 

08184 Palau Solità i Plegamans 

Barcelona, Spain 

Tel. +34 93 863 96 70 

info@kompuestos.com 

www.kompuestos.com 

www.issuu.com 

www.twitter.com 

www.youtube.com 


1.3 PLA 

1.5 PHA 

2. Additives/Secondary raw materials 

NUREL Engineering Polymers 

Ctra. Barcelona, km 329 

50016 Zaragoza, Spain 

Tel: +34 976 465 579 

inzea@samca.com 

www.inzea-biopolymers.com 

a brand of 

Helian Polymers BV 

Bremweg 7 

5951 DK Belfeld 

The Netherlands 

Tel. +31 77 398 09 09 

sales@helianpolymers.com 

https://pharadox.com 

Sukano AG 

Chaltenbodenstraße 23 

CH-8834 Schindellegi 

Tel. +41 44 787 57 77 

Fax +41 44 787 57 78 

www.sukano.com 

Total Corbion PLA bv 

Stadhuisplein 70 

4203 NS Gorinchem 


Tel.: +31 183 695 695 

Fax.: +31 183 695 604 

www.total-corbion.com 

pla@total-corbion.com 

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 

ECO-GEHR PLA-HI® 

- Sheets 2 /3 /4 mm – 1 x 2 m - 

GEHR GmbH 

Mannheim / Germany 

Tel: +49-621-8789-127 

laudenklos@gehr.de 

www.gehr.de 

1.4 starch-based bioplastics 

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 

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 

GRAFE-Group 



Tel. +49 36459 45 0 

www.grafe.com 

GRAFE-Group 



Tel. +49 36459 45 0 

www.grafe.com 

3. Semi finished products 

3.1 Sheets 

Customised Sheet Xtrusion 

James Wattstraat 5 

7442 DC Nijverdal 


+31 (548) 626 111 

info@csx-nijverdal.nl 

www.csx-nijverdal.nl 

4. Bioplastics products 

Bio4Pack GmbH 

Marie-Curie-Straße 5 

48529 Nordhorn, Germany 

Tel. +49 (0)5921 818 37 00 

info@bio4pack.com 

www.bio4pack.com 


Biofibre GmbH 

Member of Steinl Group 

Sonnenring 35 

D-84032 Altdorf 

Fon: +49 (0)871 308-0 

Fax: +49 (0)871 308-183 

info@biofibre.de 

www.biofibre.de 

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 

P O L i M E R 

GEMA POLIMER A.S. 

Ege Serbest Bolgesi, Koru Sk., 

No.12, Gaziemir, Izmir 35410, 

Turkey 

+90 (232) 251 5041 

info@gemapolimer.com 

http://www.gemabio.com 

BIOTEC 

Biologische Naturverpackungen 

Werner-Heisenberg-Strasse 32 

46446 Emmerich/Germany 

Tel.: +49 (0) 2822 – 92510 

info@biotec.de 

www.biotec.de 

Plásticos Compuestos S.A. 

C/ Basters 15 

08184 Palau Solità i Plegamans 

Barcelona, Spain 

Tel. +34 93 863 96 70 

info@kompuestos.com 

www.kompuestos.com 

UNITED BIOPOLYMERS S.A. 

Parque Industrial e Empresarial 

da Figueira da Foz 

Praça das Oliveiras, Lote 126 

3090-451 Figueira da Foz – Portugal 

Phone: +351 233 403 420 

info@unitedbiopolymers.com 

www.unitedbiopolymers.com 

Albrecht Dinkelaker 

Polymer- and Product Development 

Talstrasse 83 

60437 Frankfurt am Main, Germany 

Tel.:+49 (0)69 76 89 39 10 

info@polyfea2.de 

www.caprowax-p.eu 

Treffert GmbH & Co. KG 

In der Weide 17 

55411 Bingen am Rhein; Germany 

+49 6721 403 0 

www.treffert.eu 

Treffert S.A.S. 

Rue de la Jontière 

57255 Sainte-Marie-aux-Chênes, 

France 

+33 3 87 31 84 84 

www.treffert.fr 

www.granula.eu 

Plant-based and Compostable PLA Cups and Lids 

Great River Plastic Manufacturer 

Company Limited 

Tel.: +852 95880794 

sam@shprema.com 

https://eco-greatriver.com/ 

Minima Technology Co., Ltd. 

Esmy Huang, Vice president 

Yunlin, Taiwan(R.O.C) 

Mobile: (886) 0-982 829988 

Email: esmy@minima-tech.com 

Website: www.minima.com 

w OEM/ODM (B2B) 

w Direct Supply Branding (B2C) 

w Total Solution/Turnkey Project 

Naturabiomat 

AT: office@naturabiomat.at 

DE: office@naturabiomat.de 

NO: post@naturabiomat.no 

FI: info@naturabiomat.fi 

www.naturabiomat.com 


7. Plant engineering 

10. Institutions 

10.1 Associations 


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 

NOVAMONT S.p.A. 

Via Fauser , 8 

28100 Novara - ITALIA 

Fax +39.0321.699.601 

Tel. +39.0321.699.611 


6. Equipment 

6.1 Machinery & Molds 

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 Degradability Analyzer 

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/ 

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 

9. Services 

Osterfelder Str. 3 

46047 Oberhausen 

Tel.: +49 (0)208 8598 1227 

thomas.wodke@umsicht.fhg.de 

www.umsicht.fraunhofer.de 

Innovation Consulting Harald Kaeb 

narocon 

Dr. Harald Kaeb 

Tel.: +49 30-28096930 

kaeb@narocon.de 

www.narocon.de 

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 

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 

GO!PHA 

Rick Passenier 

Oudebrugsteeg 9 

1012JN Amsterdam 


info@gopha.org 

www.gopha.org 

Green Serendipity 

Caroli Buitenhuis 

IJburglaan 836 

1087 EM Amsterdam 


Tel.: +31 6-24216733 

www.greenseredipity.nl 

Our new 

frame 

colours 

Bioplastics related topics, 

i.e., all topics around 

biobased and biodegradable 

plastics, come in the familiar 

green frame. 

All topics related to 

Advanced Recycling, such 

as chemical recycling 

or enzymatic degradation 

of mixed waste into building 

blocks for new plastics have 

this turquoise coloured 

frame. 

When it comes to plastics 

made of any kind of carbon 

source associated with 

Carbon Capture & Utilisation 

we use this frame colour. 

The familiar blue 

frame stands for rather 

administrative sections, 

such as the table of 

contents or the “Dear 

readers” on page 3. 

If a topic belongs to more 

than one group, we use 

crosshatched frames. 

Ochre/green stands for 

Carbon Capture & 

Bioplastics, e. g., PHA made 

from methane. 

Articles covering Recycling 

and Bioplastics ... 

Recycling & Carbon Capture 

We’re sure, you got it! 

As you may have already noticed, we are expanding our scope of topics. With the main target in focus – getting away from fossil resources – we are strongly 

supporting the idea of Renewable Carbon. So, in addition to our traditional bioplastics topics, about biobased and biodegradable plastics, we also started covering 

topics from the fields of Carbon Capture and Utilisation as well as Advanced Recycling. 

To better differentiate the different overarching topics in the magazine, we modified our layout. 


08/09/20 16:54 


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now at 

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the next six issues for €169.– 1) 

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1,2) € 99.- 

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Send a scan of your 

student card, your ID 

or similar proof. 

Event Calendar 

You can meet us 

16th European Bioplastics Conference 

30.11. - 01.12.2021 - Berlin, Germany 

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

International Conference on Cellulose Fibres 2022 

02.02. - 03.02.2022 - Cologne, Germany 

https://cellulose-fibres.eu/ 

8th European Biopolymer Summit 

03.02. - 04.02.2022 - London, UK 

https://www.wplgroup.com/aci/event/european-biopolymer-summit 

bio!PAC 2021/22 (NEW DATE !) 

by bioplastics MAGAZINE 

15.03. - 16.03.2022 - Düsseldorf, Germany 


Conference on CO2-based Fuels and Chemicals 


http://co2-chemistry.eu/ 

CHINAPLAS 2022 

25.04. - 28.04.2022 - Shanghai, China 

https://www.chinaplasonline.com/CPS22 

Events 

daily updated eventcalendar at 


The Renewable Materials Conference 


https://renewable-materials.eu/ 

Plastics for Cleaner Planet - Conference 

26.06. - 28.06.2022 - New York City Area, USA 

Bioplastics - CO 2 -based Plastics - Advanced Recycling 

hell 

r4_09.2020 


Bioplastics - CO 2 -based Plastics - Advanced Recycling 

Highlights 

Fibres, Textiles, Nonwovens | 16 

Biocomposites | 34 

Basics 

CO 2 based plastics | 50 


Highlights 

... is read in 92 countries 

Cover Story 

Caroline Kjellme, 

entrepreneurial speaker 

at bio!TOY 2021 | 8 

Coating | 10 


Basics 

... is read in 92 countries 

05 / 2021 


ISSN 1862-5258 Sep/Oct 

Cover Story 



ISSN 1862-5258 ... is read in 92 countries Nov/Dec 

https://innoplastsolutions.com/conference 

Bioplastix India 

29.07. - 30.07.2022 - Bangalore, India 

https://bioplastex.com/ 

Subject to changes. 

For up to date event-info visit https://www.bioplasticsmagazine.com/en/event-calendar/ 

+ 

or 

Use the promotion code ‘watch‘ or ‘book‘ 

and you will get our watch or the book 3) 

Bioplastics Basics. Applications. Markets. for free 

(new subscribers only). 

1) Offer valid until 30 Nov 2021. 

3) Gratis-Buch in Deutschland leider nicht möglich (Buchpreisbindung). 

Watch as long as supply lasts. 


Companies in this issue 

Company Editorial Advert Company Editorial Advert Company Editorial Advert 

Agrana Starch Bioplastics 46 Green Dot Bioplastics 22 46 Polyone 23 

APK 30 

Green Serendipity 8 48 Positive Plastics 19 

ARGE cyclos / HTTP 31 

GSK 18 

Precedence Research 12 

Arkema 19 

Helian Polymers 24 47 Procter & Gamble 16 

Avantium 8 

Herbal Essences 16 

Prodir 35 

Avient 23 

HS Niederrhein 39 

PTT/MCC 46 

BASF (Ecovio) 46 HS Rhein-Waal Kleve 39 

Reef Interest 35 

Bio4Pack 8 47 Huhtamaki 31 

Robert Kraemer 13 

Bio-Fed Branch of Akro-Plastic 46 INGRAIN 39 

Rodenburg Biopolymers 8 

Biofibre 47 Inst. F. Bioplastics & Biocomposites 48 RWDC 8 

Biotec 8 47 Institut f. Kunststofftechnik, Stuttgart 48 Sabic 5 

Biowert Industrie 19 

Institute of Textile Technology RWTH 32,28 

Saida 48 

BMEL 34 

JinHui ZhaoLong High Technology 46 Sansu 6 

Borealis 5,19 

JOI 17 

Sappi 19 

BPI 48 Kaneka Belgium 10 47 Scion 26 

Buss 21,48 

Caprowachs, Albrecht Dinkelaker 47 

Cardia Bioplastics 46 

Cargill 23 

Chanel 17 

Changchun Meihe Science & Techn. 20 

CJ Bio 24 

Clariant 23 

Climate Partner 18 

Coca-Cola 20 

Corbion 26 

Covestro 33 

Customized Sheet Extrusion 47 

Danimer Scientific 5,7 

Difas 23 

Dr. Heinz Gupta Verlag 29 

Earth Renewable technologies 46 

Earthfirst Biopolymer Films by Sidaplax 8 

Eastman Chemical Company 16 

Emballator 5 

Erema 48 

European Bioplastics 3,8 48 

European Patent Office 33 

FKuR 8 2, 46 

Fraunhofer IAP 27 

Fraunhofer UMSICHT 48 

Gehr 47 

Gema Polimers 47 

Gianeco 46 

Global Biopolymers 46 

Go!PHA 7,34 48 

Grafe 46,47 

Granula 47 

Kingfa 46 

Kolon 6 

Kompuestos 46,47 

Krill Design 35 

Kyoto Univ. 28 

Lamberti 10 

Lanxess 7,22 

Lignin Industries 19 

Looplife 6 

MAIP 34 

Mayco International 22 

MedPHA 36 

Michigan State University 48 

Microtec 46 

Minima Technology 47 

Mixcycling 46 

Mocom 19 

NaKu 8 

narocon InnovationConsulting 48 

Naturabiomat 47 

Natureplast-Biopolynov 47 

NatureWorks LLC 8 

Natur-Tec 48 

Neste 8 

nova Institute 8 11,12,25,49 

Novamont 40 48,52 

Novamont 8 

Novozymes 26 

Numi Organic Tea 8 

Nurel 47 

Origin Materials 6 

OWS 8 

plasticker 27 

Silbo 8 

Sirmax 19 

Stahl 14 

StoraEnso 19 

Sukano 47 

Sulapac 8 

Sulapac 17 

Superfoodguru 8 

Taghleef Industries 8 

Tecnaro 43 47 

Tepha 36 

TianAn Biopolymer 24 47 

Tipa 8,16 

Tokyo Inst. of Techn. 28 

Total Corbion PLA 5,6,8 47 

Treffert 47 

Trinseo 46 

Tsinghua Univ. 34 

TU Delft 8 

UBQ 19 

United Biopolymers 47 

Univ. California Berkley 26 

Univ. Stuttgart (IKT) 48 

Univ. Tech. Chemitz 13 

Univ. Tokyo 28 

UPM 19, 20 

Vaude 31 

Virent 20 

WinCup 7 

Wirtsch.Förderungsges. Heinsberg 39 

Worcester Polytechnic Institute 15 

Xinjiang Blue Ridge Tunhe Polyester 46 

Zeijiang Hisun Biomaterials 47 

Great River Plastic Manuf. 47 

Next issues 

Issue 

Month 

Publ. 

Date 

edit/ad/ 

Deadline 

polymediaconsult 48 

Edit. Focus 1 Edit. Focus 2 Basics 

01/2022 Jan/Feb 07.02.2022 23.12.2021 Automotive Foams Biodegradadation 

02/2022 Mar/Apr 04.04.2022 04.03.2022 Thermoforming / 

Rigid Packaging 

Additives / 

Masterbatch / Adh. 

03/2022 May/Jun 07.06.2022 06.05.2022 Injection moulding Beauty & 

Healthcare 

04/2022 Jul/Aug 01.08.2022 01. Jul 22 Blow Moulding Polyurethanes/ 

Elastomers/Rubber 

05/2022 Sep/Oct 04.10.2022 02.09.2022 Fiber / Textile / 

Nonwoven 

06/2022 Nov/Dec 05.12.2022 04.11.2022 Films/Flexibles/ 

Bags 

Building & 

Construction 

Consumer 

Electronics 

plastic or "no plastic" - 

that's the question 

Biocompatability of PHA 

FDCA and PEF 

Feedstocks, different 

generations 

Chemical recycling 

Trade-Fair 

Specials 

Chinaplas Preview 

Chinaplas Review 

K'2022 Preview 

K'2022 Review 

Subject to changes 


SMART 

SOLUTIONS 

FOR 

EVERYDAY 

PRODUCTS 

• Food contact grade 

• Odourless 

• Plasticizer free 

• Industrial and home 

compostable 

100% 

compostable 

(according to EN 13432)

WWW.MATERBI.COM 

as chestnut shell 

EcoComunicazione.it 

r4_09.2020

Issue 06/2021

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