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 MAGAZINE Vol. 16
Bioplastics - CO 2
-based Plastics - Advanced Recycling
Highlights
Coating | 10
Films, Flexibles, Bags | 40
Basics
Cellulose based bioplastics | 50
Cover Story
First straw bans
begin to topple | 7
Follow us on twitter!
www.twitter.com/bioplasticsmag
Like us on Facebook!
www.facebook.com/bioplasticsmagazine
06 / 2021
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|2022
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
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in any form, including electronic format,
without the prior consent of the publisher.
Opinions expressed in articles do not necessarily
reflect those of Polymedia Publisher.
bioplastics MAGAZINE welcomes contributions
for publication. Submissions are
accepted on the basis of full assignment
of copyright to Polymedia Publisher GmbH
unless otherwise agreed in advance and in
writing. We reserve the right to edit items
for reasons of space, clarity or legality.
Please contact the editorial office via
mt@bioplasticsmagazine.com.
The fact that product names may not be
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is not an indication that such names are
not registered trade marks.
bioplastics MAGAZINE tries to use British
spelling. However, in articles based on
information from the USA, American
spelling may also be used.
Envelopes
A part of this print run is mailed to the
readers wrapped bioplastic envelopes
sponsored by BIOTEC Biologische
Naturverpackungen GmbH & Co. KG,
Emmerich, Germany
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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
www.bioplasticsmagazine.com
Picks & clicks
Most frequently clicked news
Here’s a look at our most popular online content of the past two months.
The story that got the most clicks from the visitors to bioplasticsmagazine.com was:
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.
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16 5
News
daily updated News at
www.bioplasticsmagazine.com
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
daily updated News at
www.bioplasticsmagazine.com
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
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16 7
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
15:00 - 15:25 Coffee- and Networking Break
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
10:55 - 11:20 Coffee- and Networking Break
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
8 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16
io PAC
bioplastics MAGAZINE presents:
New date
#biopac
www.bio-pac.info
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).
10 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16
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
• Recycling
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
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RENEWABLE
MATERIAL
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First day:
• Chemical Industry:
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• Renewable Chemicals
and Building Blocks
• Biorefineries
• Chemical Recycling
Second day:
• Renewable Polymers
and Plastics
• Fine Chemicals
• Policy and Markets
• Innovation Award
Third day:
• Renewable Plastics
and Composites
• Biodegradation
• The Brands View on
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bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16 11
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,
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• Innovation Award “Best CO2 Utilisation 2022“
Call for Innovation
Submit your application
Innovation Award Sponsor Innovation Award Co-Organiser Sponsor
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dominik.vogt@nova-institut.de
Tel.: +49 2233 / 481449
co2-chemistry.eu
nova-institute.eu
12 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16
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
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16 13
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
NuVeraTM D RU-
94-227
NuVeraTM D RU-
94-225
NuVeraTM D RU-
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
14 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16
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
world- leading 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
16 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16
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
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16 17
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
18 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16
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
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16 19
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.
20 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16
“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)
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16 21
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
22 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16
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
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16 23
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)
24 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16
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
■
■
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■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
O
OH
HO
OH
HO
OH
O
OH
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
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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
This and other reports on renewable carbon are available at
www.renewable-carbon.eu/publications
Authors: Pauline Ruiz, Achim Raschka, Pia Skoczinski,
Jan Ravenstijn and Michael Carus, nova-Institut GmbH, Germany
January 2021
This and other reports on renewable carbon are available at
www.renewable-carbon.eu/publications
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
January 2021
This and other reports on renewable carbon are available at
www.renewable-carbon.eu/publications
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
This and other reports on the bio-based economy are available at
www.bio-based.eu/reports
Authors: Lara Dammer, Michael Carus and Dr. Asta Partanen
nova-Institut GmbH, Germany
May 2017
This and other reports on the bio-based economy are available at
www.bio-based.eu/reports
renewable-carbon.eu/publications
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16 25
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
26 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16
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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bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16 27
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
28 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16
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bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16 29
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)
30 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16
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)
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16 31
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
32 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16
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
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16 33
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 ® )
34 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16
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)
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16 35
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.
36 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16
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.
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16 37
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
38 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16
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
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16 39
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
40 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16
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
www.novamont.com
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6 23
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).
42 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16
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
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16 43
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
44 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16
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
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16 45
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
www.bioplasticsmagazine.com
Sample Charge:
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= 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
46 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16
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
The Netherlands
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
Waldecker Straße 21,
99444 Blankenhain, Germany
Tel. +49 36459 45 0
www.grafe.com
GRAFE-Group
Waldecker Straße 21,
99444 Blankenhain, Germany
Tel. +49 36459 45 0
www.grafe.com
3. Semi finished products
3.1 Sheets
Customised Sheet Xtrusion
James Wattstraat 5
7442 DC Nijverdal
The Netherlands
+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
Suppliers Guide
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
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16 47
7. Plant engineering
10. Institutions
10.1 Associations
Suppliers Guide
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
www.novamont.com
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
The Netherlands
info@gopha.org
www.gopha.org
Green Serendipity
Caroli Buitenhuis
IJburglaan 836
1087 EM Amsterdam
The Netherlands
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.
48 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16
08/09/20 16:54
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16th European Bioplastics Conference
30.11. - 01.12.2021 - Berlin, Germany
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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
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bio!PAC 2021/22 (NEW DATE !)
by bioplastics MAGAZINE
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23.03. - 24.03.2022 - Cologne, Germany
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10.05. - 12.05.2022 - Cologne, Germany
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Basics
CO 2 based plastics | 50
bioplastics MAGAZINE Vol. 16
Highlights
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Caroline Kjellme,
entrepreneurial speaker
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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
50 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/21] Vol. 16
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