Issue 03/2016

ISSN 1862-5258
May/June
03 | 2016
Basics
PHA (update) | 38
Highlights
Injection Moulding | 16
Joining of Bioplastics | 34
bioplastics MAGAZINE Vol. 11
Jen Owen:
3D printed hands change
the world | 14
... is read in 92 countries

FOR AN ECO-SENSITIVE PACKAGING
Since today’s society requires environmentally friendly packaging, Semco, a Packaging
Company based in Monaco, has developed its business towards an eco-responsible
approach. Beyond basic standards, Semco’s goal is also to support, guide and advise
its clients on how to minimize the environmental impact of the products and to
protect our natural resources. In collaboration with the Green PE producer
Braskem and the supplier FKuR, Semco has successfully realized an
alternative to conventional plastic raw materials.
Most of Semco’s range of standard bottles and jars are now available
in Green PE: up to 100 % renewable and completely recyclable.

Editorial
dear
readers
Wow, it’s been a busy spring. It started with an outing to Orlando, Florida, where
NatureWorks was organizing its successful Innovation Takes Root conference for
the fifth time (pp 12). Among the many amazing people we met there was Jen Owen,
whose keynote speech left an indelible stamp on everyone fortunate enough
to be sitting in the audience. Impressive and heart-warming, the story of how
Jen and her husband Ivan are making a difference to the lives of disabled
children around the world is not to be missed. Read all about it in our cover
story on page 14.
Later that month, I was travelling again, this time to Shanghai for Chinaplas,
where again exhibiting bioplastics companies were displaying their latest
developments in a specially dedicated Bioplastics Zone (p 24). The good
news? While a number of oxo-products were still on offer, my impression
was that the number of companies active in this area is decreasing.
A third trip took me to Nijmegen in the Netherlands. Here I learned about
starch from side streams of the potato industry and its potential uses –
including bioplastics (p 36).
The two dedicated highlight topics in this issue are Injection Moulding
and Joining Bioplastics.
In the Basics section, we provide an update on PHA. A great deal has
happened since our last basics article on these fascinating and versatile
polyesters. Companies have disappeared and new ones have entered the
stage. And whereas in the past, we focused our attention on feedstocks
(besides starch, sugar or plant oils) such as tobacco, switchgrass or sewage, these
days it’s Methane and CO 2
that are being touted as the most promising raw materials
for PHA. Read Jan Ravenstijn’s article on page 38.
Just days before this issue went to print, we hosted the fourth edition of our PLA
World Congress in Munich (p 9), which was a very successful event from all perspectives.
And we are already focussing on the next big event this year: The K-Show in
October in Düsseldorf, Germany with our 3 rd Bioplastics Business Breakfast. The call
for papers is open. We are looking forward to your contributions.
We hope to see you at the K-Show this autumn, or perhaps elsewhere even earlier,
and until then, enjoy the summer – and of course, have a great time reading
bioplastics MAGAZINE.
bioplastics MAGAZINE Vol. 11
ISSN 1862-5258
Jen Owen:
3D printed hands change
the world | 14
... is read in 92 countries
May/June
03 | 2016
Basics
PHA (update) | 38
Highlights
Injection Moulding | 16
Joining of Bioplastics | 34
Follow us on twitter!
www.twitter.com/bioplasticsmag
Sincerely yours
Michael Thielen
Like us on Facebook!
www.facebook.com/bioplasticsmagazine
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11 3

Content
Imprint
03|2016
May / June
Injection Moulding
16 Injection molding of PLA cutlery
20 Injection molding of wood-plastic
composites
22 Wall thickness dependent flow
characteristics of bioplastics
Report
36 Co-products from potato processing
Events
12 Biopolymers world gathers at
Innovation Takes Root
24 Chinaplas Review
Materials
31 Sugars in wastewater become
bio-based packaging
32 Using biomass side-streams for
bioplastics in New Zealand
Joining Bioplastics
34 Adhesive capacity of bioplastics
Basics
38 PHA – a polymer family with challenges
and opportunities
42 Avoiding confusion between biodegradable
and compostable
10 Years Ago
10 First PLA bottle in Germany
Cover Story
45 An idea that is changing the world
3 Editorial
5 News
28 Application News
41 Brand Owner’s View
46 Glossary
50 Suppliers Guide
53 Event Calendar
54 Companies in this issue
Publisher / Editorial
Dr. Michael Thielen (MT)
Karen Laird (KL)
Samuel Brangenberg (SB)
Henry Xiao (HX)
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
Florian Junker
phone: +49(0)2161-6884467
fax: +49(0)2161 6884468
f.junker@zuendgeber.com
Chris Shaw
Chris Shaw Media Ltd
Media Sales Representative
phone: +44 (0) 1270 522130
mobile: +44 (0) 7983 967471
Layout/Production
Ulrich Gewehr (Dr. Gupta Verlag)
Max Godenrath (Dr. Gupta Verlag)
Print
Poligrāfijas grupa Mūkusala Ltd.
1004 Riga, Latvia
bioplastics MAGAZINE is printed on
chlorine-free FSC certified paper.
Print run: 3,300 copies
bioplastics magazine
ISSN 1862-5258
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bioplastics MAGAZINE is read in
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Every effort is made to verify all
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daily upated news at
www.bioplasticsmagazine.com
News
ABA requests compostable bags into
bag ban discussions
The Australasian Bioplastics Association (ABA) has called for support of certified compostable bags as an alternative to single
use lightweight plastic bags.
The ABA welcomes discussions and the recent Australian Ministerial Roundtable regarding more states banning single use
conventional polyethylene plastic bags. With South Australia, the ACT, Northern Territory and Tasmania having already banned
lightweight plastic bags, New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland are currently discussing their options. South Australia, the
Northern Territory, the ACT and Tasmania did not ban certified compostable shopping bags.
The ABA supports bans on conventional plastic bags. Conventional polyethylene plastic bags may seem useful for shopping
and the like, but they are not compostable, not biodegradable, are rarely recycled at end of life, instead ending up in landfill
or as unsightly litter. In a similar call to the one made by the Australian Organics Recycling Association (AORA), the ABA is
requesting to have certified compostable bags exempted from a ban on conventional polyethylene plastic bags.
In Australia approximately 14 million tonnes of organic waste is generated annually of which significant amount is food
waste. Organic waste is the second largest volume of waste generated by industry and households. Diverting organic waste
from landfills in Australia represents an immense opportunity. Used as a convenient way to capture food waste, certified
compostable bags can be disposed into green waste bins and sent to composting. Certified compostable bags are digested by
microorganisms in the compost, in exactly the same way as food waste. The compost can be used to improve agricultural soil
quality by returning carbon and other nutrients back into the soil.
Australian soils are generally carbon deficient and adding compost to these soils, solves several problems at the same
time-diverting food waste from landfill, emission reduction associated with reducing organic content in landfills and improved
agricultural soils with increased organic content.
Rowan Williams, President of the ABA explains, “Certified compostable means compostable and biodegradable. Collecting
food waste in the home in conventional plastic bags condemns the contents and the bag to landfill. Source separation of the
food waste into certified compostable bags will allow the local council, processor or organics recycler to know that the bag can
safely pass through their operation without having to be diverted to landfill. The bag and its contents will completely disappear
in a composting environment, within the composting process cycle. Conventional polyethylene bags, no matter what additives
are used which are claimed to cause biodegradation, will never achieve the required performance of these standards. Be safe,
be sure, be certified.”
It is important to understand that oxo-degradable, biodegradable and certified compostable are not the same thing. Unless
bags are Australian Standard AS 4736-2006 certified compostable or Australian Standard AS 5810-2010 certified compostable
they are not considered suitable for use in organics recycling. The ABA performs verification of claims made by individuals and
companies that wish to have their claims of compostable and biodegradable products, verified. MT
http://bit.ly/1Nwm7u0
Innovia Group sale of Cellophane
Innovia Group, the global leader in high-tech film products for industrial applications and banknotes, announced in mid April
an agreement to sell its Cellophane business and assets to Futamura Chemicals Co., Ltd. The deal is expected to complete on
or before 30 June, 2016. Based in Nagoya, Japan, Futamura is a leading manufacturer of plastic and cellulose films, principally
servicing the food packaging industry.
Following the sale, Innovia will continue to deepen its focus on its fast-growing and world-leading polymer bank note business
and on building on its market leading and differentiated double bubble biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) films business.
Mark Robertshaw, Chief Executive of Innovia Group, said: “The sale of our Cellophane business is an important strategic
step for Innovia. Futamura is an excellent long term owner for Cellophane, with its core business focussed on cellulose and
plastic films.”
Yasuo Nagae, President of Futamura Chemical Co., Ltd, said: “The acquisition of the Innovia’s Cellophane business will
enhance our product range and presence across the globe. It supports our ambition to serve our key customers through local
manufacturing facilities offering the highest standards of delivery by experienced personnel. We look forward to welcoming
Innovia’s Cello employees into our family.” MT
www.futamura.co.jp/english
www.innoviafilms.com
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11 5

News
daily upated news at
www.bioplasticsmagazine.com
DIN CERTCO first certification body to include
newest French compostability standard
DIN CERTCO is once again leading the way with NF T 51-800 - certification of home compostable products.
‘We open the door for your market acceptance in France’.
For the past several years, DIN CERTCO has engaged in the conformity assessment of plastic products
made of compostable materials suitable for home composting. These products may then be granted DIN-
Geprüft [DIN-tested] home compostable accreditation and licensed to bear the DIN-Geprüft conformity
mark.
In June 2015, DIN CERTCO became the first certification organization in the world to extend the range
of biobased certification standards to include the International Standard series ISO 16620, which was
released in April 2015:
Now, the organization has done it again: in addition to the well-known Australian Standard AS 5810, it
recently became the first certification body in the world to add the new French standard NF T 51-800 to its
certification scheme.
DIN CERTCO has now extended the range of home compostable standards with the French Standard NF T
51-800 released in November 2015: the NF T 51-800:2015-11: Plastics – Specifications for plastics suitable
for home composting. According to this standard, materials, intermediates and end-consumer products
can now be certified. In France, even single-use carrier bags with wall thicknesses of less than 50 µm
are required to comply with this standard from July 1 st 2016.
All certification schemes and other relevant documents can be found at the website. KL
www.dincertco.de
Silk coating keeps fruit fresh without refrigeration
Half of the world’s fruit and vegetable crops are lost during the food supply chain, due mostly to premature deterioration of
these perishable foods, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.
Tufts University (USA) biomedical engineers have demonstrated that fruits can stay fresh for more than a week without
refrigeration if they are coated in an odorless, biocompatible silk solution so thin as to be virtually invisible. The approach is a
promising alternative for preservation of delicate foods using a naturally derived material and a water-based manufacturing
process. (The work is reported in the May 6 issue of Scientific Reports.)
Silk’s unique crystalline structure makes it one of nature’s toughest materials. Fibroin, an insoluble protein found in silk, has
a remarkable ability to stabilize and protect other materials while being fully biocompatible and biodegradable.
For the study, researchers dipped freshly picked strawberries in a solution of 1 % silk fibroin protein; the coating process was
repeated up to four times. The silk fibroin-coated fruits were then treated for varying amounts of time with water vapor under
vacuum (water annealed) to create varying percentages of crystalline beta-sheets in the coating. The longer the exposure, the
higher the percentage of beta-sheets and the more robust the fibroin coating. The coating was 27 to 35 µm thick.
The strawberries were then stored at room temperature. Uncoated berries were compared over time with berries dipped in
varying numbers of coats of silk that had been annealed for different periods of time. At seven days, the berries coated with the
higher beta-sheet silk were still juicy and firm while the uncoated berries were dehydrated and discolored.
Tests showed that the silk coating prolonged the freshness of the fruits by
slowing fruit respiration, extending fruit firmness and preventing decay.
Similar experiments were performed on bananas, which, unlike strawberries,
are able to ripen after they are harvested. The silk coating decreased the
bananas’ ripening rate compared with uncoated controls and added firmness to
the fruit by preventing softening of the peel. The thin, odorless silk coating did
not affect fruit texture. Taste was not studied.
“Various therapeutic agents could be easily added to the water-based silk
solution used for the coatings, so we could potentially both preserve and
add therapeutic function to consumable goods without the need for complex
chemistries,” said the study’s first author, Benedetto Marelli, Ph.D. (MIT). KL/MT
source: http://bit.ly/1symr2h
6 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11

Market study on
Bio-based Building Blocks and Polymers in the World
Capacities, Production and Applications: Status Quo and Trends towards 2020
NEW: Buy the most comprehensive trend reports on bio-based polymers – and if you are not satisfied, give it back!
Bio-based polymers: Worldwide production
capacity will triple from 5.7 million tonnes in
2014 to nearly 17 million tonnes in 2020. The
data show a 10% growth rate from 2012 to 2013
and even 11% from 2013 to 2014. However,
growth rate is expected to decrease in 2015.
Consequence of the low oil price?
million t/a
Bio-based polymers: Evolution of worldwide production capacities
from 2011 to 2020
20
actual data
forecast
The new third edition of the well-known 500
page-market study and trend reports on
“Bio-based Building Blocks and Polymers
in the World – Capacities, Production and
Applications: Status Quo and Trends Towards
2020” is available by now. It includes consistent
data from the year 2012 to the latest data of 2014
and the recently published data from European
Bioplastics, the association representing the
interests of Europe’s bioplastics industry.
Bio-based drop-in PET and the new polymer
PHA show the fastest rates of market growth.
Europe looses considerable shares in total
production to Asia. The bio-based polymer
turnover was about € 11 billion worldwide
in 2014 compared to € 10 billion in 2013.
http://bio-based.eu/markets
©
15
10
5
2011
-Institut.eu | 2015
2% of total
polymer capacity,
€11 billion turnover
2012
Epoxies
PE
2013
PUR
PBS
2014
CA
PBAT
2015
PET
PA
2016
PTT
PHA
2017
PEF
2018
Starch
Blends
EPDM
PLA
2019
2020
Full study available at www.bio-based.eu/markets
The nova-Institute carried out this study in
collaboration with renowned international
experts from the field of bio-based building
blocks and polymers. The study investigates
every kind of bio-based polymer and, for the
second time, several major building blocks
produced around the world.
What makes this report unique?
■ The 500 page-market study contains
over 200 tables and figures, 96 company
profiles and 11 exclusive trend reports
written by international experts.
■ These market data on bio-based building
blocks and polymers are the main source
of the European Bioplastics market data.
■ In addition to market data, the report offers a
complete and in-depth overview of the biobased
economy, from policy to standards
& norms, from brand strategies to
environmental assessment and many more.
■ A comprehensive short version
(24 pages) is available for free at
http://bio-based.eu/markets
To whom is the report addressed?
■ The whole polymer value chain:
agro-industry, feedstock suppliers,
chemical industry (petro-based and
bio-based), global consumer
industries and brands owners
■ Investors
■ Associations and decision makers
Content of the full report
This 500 page-report presents the findings of
nova-Institute’s market study, which is made up
of three parts: “market data”, “trend reports”
and “company profiles” and contains over 200
tables and figures.
The “market data” section presents market
data about total production capacities and the
main application fields for selected bio-based
polymers worldwide (status quo in 2011, 2013
and 2014, trends and investments towards
2020). This part not only covers bio-based
polymers, but also investigates the current biobased
building block platforms.
The “trend reports” section contains a total of
eleven independent articles by leading experts
Order the full report
The full report can be ordered for 3,000 €
plus VAT and the short version of the report
can be downloaded for free at:
www.bio-based.eu/markets
NEW: Buy the trends reports separately!
Contact
Dipl.-Ing. Florence Aeschelmann
+49 (0) 22 33 / 48 14-48
florence.aeschelmann@nova-institut.de
in the field of bio-based polymers. These trend
reports cover in detail every important trend
in the worldwide bio-based building block and
polymer market.
The final “company profiles” section includes
96 company profiles with specific data
including locations, bio-based building blocks
and polymers, feedstocks and production
capacities (actual data for 2011, 2013 and
2014 and forecasts for 2020). The profiles also
encompass basic information on the companies
(joint ventures, partnerships, technology and
bio-based products). A company index by biobased
building blocks and polymers, with list of
acronyms, follows.

News
Bioplastics made
simple in new report
from SPI
As bioplastics become more popular and an emerging
material of choice, The Society of the Plastics Industry - SPI’s
Bioplastics Division recently released a new report “Bioplastics
Simplified: Attributes of Biobased and Biodegradable Products”,
which explains bioplastics in simple terms so that people can
understand their benefits. The SPI Bioplastics Division defines
bioplastics as “partially or fully biobased and/or biodegradable.”
“We wanted to simply explain bioplastics and showcase how
bioplastics support the plastic industry’s focus and commitment
to reduce waste and create products that are sustainable,” said
Patrick Krieger, assistant director of regulatory & technical
affairs at SPI. “With our members and consumers in mind, we
wanted to clarify how these innovative materials are composed,
and highlight their benefits to the environment.”
This report also helps educate consumers on the meaning
behind company-specific claims that their products include
biobased content, or are biodegradable. Under U.S. Federal
Trade Commission’s Guides for the Use of Environmental
Marketing Claims, companies that make these claims must
ensure they have competent and reliable scientific evidence for
the origin or degradability claims for their products.
Biobased bioplastics can have numerous environmental
benefits, including the reduction of fossil fuel usage, potential
reduction of carbon footprint and/or reduction of global
warming potential. Through composting, anaerobic digestion,
and marine and soil environments, biodegradable bioplastics
completely degrade, through biological action, into biomass,
carbon dioxide or methane, and water. The benefits of biobased
and biodegradable plastics reinforce the plastics industry’s
commitment to creating sustainable materials. MT
http://plasticsindustry.org/files/Bioplastics%20Simplified.pdf
Will Metabolix sell off its
PHA Business?
Metabolix, Inc. has announced that the Company is exploring
strategic alternatives for its specialty biopolymers business
and for its Yield10 crop science program.
The Company cited outside strategic interest in its biopolymers
business as well as a challenging financing environment as key
considerations leading to this development.
Strategic alternatives may include selling the Company’s
specialty biopolymers business to a third party with strategic
interest in acquiring the business.
Metabolix is currently engaged in discussions with interested
parties regarding the potential sale of the specialty biopolymers
business as an operating business and may engage in
discussions with additional parties as it progresses through its
strategic review. MT
www.metabolix.com
Winners of the
“Bio-based Material
of the Year 2016”
On April 5 th the Innovation Award Bio-based Material of
the Year 2016 was awarded to three innovative materials
in suitable applications. The competition focused on
new developments in the bio-based economy, which
have had (or will have) a market launch in 2015 or 2016.
The winners were elected by the participants of the 9 th
International Conference on Bio-based Materials in
Cologne, Germany.
The International Conference on Bio-based Materials
is a well established meeting point for companies
working in the field of bio-based chemicals and
materials. 200 participants, mainly from the industry
and representing 25 countries, met in Cologne to discuss
the latest developments in the sector. 24 companies
presented their products and services at the exhibition.
The discussions showed unexpected impacts of the
low oil prices and a less favourable political framework
on the bio-based economy: Bio-based drop-in chemical
commodities fade more and more from the spotlight.
On the other hand, special bio-based fine chemicals
and materials for end products are more attractive
than ever. Because of their new functionalities and
properties, they are not in direct competition with
conventional petrochemical products. This will enable
them to conquer the market without the need for strong
support simply because they have a lot to offer – to the
industry and to the consumer. Worldwide substantial
investments are being made in this sector with high
added value and strong market growth. The winners of
the award are nice examples of this new generation of
bio-based products with improved features.
Six companies were nominated by the conference’s
advisory board and experts from nova-Institute. Each
nominee introduced its innovation in a short 10-minute
presentation to the audience. The three winners were
elected by the participants of the conference and
announced at the Innovation Award Ceremony.
And the winners are:
1) Orineo BVBA (BE): Touch
of Nature – Filled biobased
resin for stimulating
biomaterials
2) Evonik (DE): REWOFERM ® SL
446 – Novel sophorolipid-type
biosurfactant
3) Covestro (DE): Impranil ® eco –
Bio-based waterborne polyurethane
dispersions for textile
coatings
Details about the three winners and their products can
be found on the website. MT
www.biowerkstoff-kongress.de/award
Covestro application example
8 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11

4 th PLA World Congress
24 – 25 MAY 2016 MUNICH › GERMANY
says
THANK YOU...
...to all of the attendees, sponsors, and speakers
who participated in the 4 th PLA World Congress
organized by
Gold sponsor
supported by
Media-Partner
1st Media-Partner
Silver sponsor
Institut
für Ökologie und Innovation
Coffeebreak sponsor
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11 9

posters at the point-of-sale, followed by special leaflets, will support the
10 years ago
Published in bioplastics MAGAZINE
10 YEARS AGO
new
series
Applications
Applications
First PLA bottle
in Germany
T
hree new wellness beverages were introduced under the brand
name “Vitamore” on 1 September by the German drugstore chain
“Ihr Platz” (which means “your place” in English) in its more than
700 stores. And this launch represents three premieres at a time, as all
new products, Vitamore Beauty Drink, Vitamore Energy Drink and Vitamore
Memory Drink are presented in 0.5 litre bottles made of Nature-
Works PLA. These are the first PLA bottles in the German market. And if
that is not enough, the caps of these bottles are also made of bioplastic.
With a label made of paper and a starch-based glue, the entire bottle is
fully compostable.
One year ago, Ihr Platz introduced organic food and body care products
into its portfolio, including dairy and convenience products - not usual for
drugstore chains such as Ihr Platz. “So it was another consequent step
in the same direction to introduce PLA as material for our new wellness
beverages”, says project manager Bernd Merzenich, a consultant with 25
years of experience in bioproducts, who supports Ihr Platz in this field.
“People, who consider health, wellness, beauty and “bio…” as important
for them, also wish to take care for a healthy environment” he adds. “We
sense a huge amount of appreciation for the commitment of Ihr Platz,
because we know about all the hidden obstacles in this business”, adds
Joeran Reske from Interseroh, who supported Ihr Platz with contacts and
information during the development of the bottle.
Cost versus advantages
Drugstore chain “Ihr Platz” introduces new
wellness drinks in PLA bottles
Even if PLA is still more expensive than PET, “for the order of magnitude
that we need for the introduction phase, it is significant”, as Bernd
Merzenich comments, Ihr Platz decided however not to put the additional
cost on top of the sales price. The lower margin that the drugstore accepts
brings benefits in the marketing aspect when introducing and promoting
the new product. “We assume that the customers appreciate the
advantages of PLA, to have a material that can be 100% composted or
incinerated with greenhouse gas neutrality”, says Bernd, “and, in addition,
in our calculation we are undertaking steps to achieve exemption
from the mandatory deposit in Germany for environmentally preferable
beverage packaging”.
As this is the first bottle of its kind in Germany, education of the customers
is an important subject. Ihr Platz puts most emphasis on a specially
created website (www.vitamore.info), as the target group of customers
is considered as having strong affinity with Internet. In addition, large
The compostable cap - another “world first”
The cap is also a worldwide premiere: The cap of the Vitamore bottles, supplied
by the Swiss company Wiedmer AG, is made of biodegradable and compostable
Mater-Bi from Novamont, Italy. In combination with the rigid PLA bottle, the geometry
of the cap and the elastic Mater-Bi material allow a perfectly leakproof bottle.
The sealing function is inherently integrated into the geometry of the cap, without
any need for additional inserted sealing from a third material, so that it can withstand
even the higher internal pressures of normal carbonated beverages (CSD:
carbonated soft drinks).
What does a brand owner expect from the industry?
First of all, Ihr Platz expects larger production capacities for PLA to improve
availability to a larger number of users in the packaging and beverage industries.
“And of course, more different suppliers means competition and that is good for
business”, Bernd Merzenich adds, with a smile. But there is more that should be
improved than just availability and price. Especially for bottles, Bernd Merzenich
seeks further improvements of both blowability and stretchability. This is particularly
relevant for a further reduction of the preform and bottle weight, in order
to further increase the environmental advantages of PLA bottles. The shelf life of
the slightly carbonised Vitamore drinks (

It’s K Time
After 3 years, we’re ready to go again. K 2016 presents you the best that engineers, chemists and researchers
currently have on offer: machinery, technology, materials, tools, applications, and forward-looking products,
processes and solutions. The best basis for global business, the perfect decision-making platform for
investment. With some 3,200 exhibitors in 19 exhibition halls on more than 171,000 sqm of exhibition space,
the world’s premier trade fair for the plastics and rubber industry will once again be presenting the entire
range of products and services that the industry has to offer. Everything that will move the world in the
future. Plan your visit now.
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Events
From resin to retail
Biopolymers world gathers at Innovation Takes Root
For three days at the end of March, Orlando, Florida
was the stomping ground for anyone and everyone
in any way involved in biopolymers, and especially
in NatureWorks’ Ingeo PLA. The three-day Innovation
Takes Root event was hosted this year for the fifth time
by NatureWorks and consisted of one day of workshops
followed by two days of actual conference during which
the latest developments in the biopolymers market
were examined against the backdrop of the broader
policy, legislative, and societal perspective.
One of the issues that came up, not once but several
times, was that of the challenges bioplastics were facing
in the current era of low oil (prices). Yet the general
feeling was – and nobody expressed this more forcefully
or coherently than NatureWorks CEO Marc Verbruggen
in his closing speech – that despite the abundance of
bleak headlines, the outlook is not all that somber.
“Oil’s been at this level before,” Verbruggen pointed
out. “It was at this level when we started out. And
the economics of NatureWorks function in this
environment.”
As long as the corn price stays low, that is. “The
sugar to polymer yield – currently 1.25 kg of sugar to
produce 1 kg of PLA – determines how cost competitive
you can be,” added Verbruggen. Because corn is cheap,
NatureWorks can compete at an oil price of USD35 a
barrel, although he also conceded that achieving a
sufficient economy of scale has been a critical factor.
“When we started, we built a huge plant. Looking back,
if our shareholders had known what they were going
to encounter, I question whether they would have
pressed ahead. There’s been a steep learning curve,”
Verbruggen said.
However, as became evident over the course of these
three days that, far from fading into oblivion, bioplastics
are coming increasingly into their own. Obviously, at this
conference PLA in all its facets was the main focus: as
a raw material used for compostable serviceware or
packaging, blended with PHA, in fibers for nonwovens
and as 3D printing filaments, all of which were topics
discussed in the presentations held by the 43 speakers
at the conference.
At the plenary sessions, speakers from WWF, IKEA,
Nestlé, the Green Sports Alliance and many others
addressed the use of bioplastics within the wider context
of sustainability, public engagement and responsible
stewardship. As Per Stolz, sustainability director at
IKEA, said: “IKEA is big – we have impact. And with size,
comes responsibility.” Or Justin Zellner, of the Green
Sports Alliance, a movement that leverages sports as a
means for environmental advocacy, who talked about the
huge impact on supply chain economics which sports
have – in addition to an “unbelievable visibility” – and
the opportunities this offers, not only for greening the
supply chain, but also for greening operations and for fan
engagement in program initiatives. “Using compostable
serviceware, composting food waste,” he said. “We can
inspire them to do this at home, as well.” Erin Simon, of
WWF summarized it well: “Together we can!”
The plenary sessions were followed by a program of
parallel market-focused sessions centered on topics
including single serve beverage delivery systems;
new developments in NatureWorks’ Ingeo flexible
packaging; advancements in dairy, dessert and chilled
snack packaging; food serviceware; new horizons for
Ingeo in 3D printing; and Ingeo fibers and nonwovens
advancements. One of the keynote speakers was Jen
Owen, whose presentation on the use of 3D printing
technology to provide hands to children unable to afford
prostheses, offered a visceral demonstration of the
opportunities this new technology presents. (See cover
story on pp 14).
Marc Verbruggen also zeroed in on the developments
in 3D printing technology in his closing presentation,
pointing put that additive manufacturing or 3D printing
with Ingeo PLA is one of the fastest growing markets for
this biopolymer. “It’s an exciting area. Two conferences
ago, it was just emerging,” he said. “One conference
ago, we recognized that it was a theme. And now, at
ITR 2016, we’ve not only got a full-fledged 3D printing
platform on the market – a range of purpose-developed
filament, with full suite technical support and an inhouse
development lab - we’re now also announcing
the launch of a new grade that can compete directly
with ABS.”
He also discussed the company’s aim is to have a
methane to lactic acid pilot plant in place within another
three to six years, projecting that the monetization
of carbon will be achieved over the next five years.
“Methane is a true game changer,” he explained.
“Cellulosic feedstock – if that’s what you’ve got, use it.
But sugar from cellulosics is a long, hard and expensive
process. Is it helpful to use plants?” he asked. “Why not
forget the intermediates? Not using plants solves a lot.”
He continued, pointing out that “you could never be
too cost competitive”.
“As a company we have to make money. Sugar from
methane costs 0.02 cents a pound. From corn, it’s
14 cents and sugar, 15 cents a pound,” he stressed.
Another key development at NatureWorks has been
the ongoing process of further diversifying, not just
12 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11

Events
By
Karen Laird
markets, but also the product mix. “We
looking beyond just PLA for packaging,”
he said. “We’re rethinking the business
we’re in. We’re getting into compounding
and again, are specifically targeting ABS
with new Ingeo formulations that can not
only replace, but outperform ABS,” said
Verbruggen. Another project in the pipeline
concerns the development of wipes and
diapers.
Marc Verbruggen
NatureWorks has also moved into
performance chemicals, using lactidebased
building blocks to develop functional
initiators and phase III copolymers, to name
but a few. “We’re developing a portfolio
of tunable performance products,” he
explained. “We realized: why not look at the
monomer? We can formulate – so why let
others do it?”
Looking ahead, he pointed out that it
took NatureWorks 15 years to get to where
the company is now – “a positive EBIDTA
for the past 23 consecutive months “ – and
that in another 20 years, looking back at
the high growth today, it will be clear that
this was just the introductory stage. “What
is important is that bioplastics are now in
the game,” said Verbruggen. “It takes time
to get to scale. The growth is ahead of us.”
He continued: “The next decade,
we’ll see how technological investment
translates into next generation capacity
(…) and if it works, no one will ever build
a plant based on sugar ever again. Until
we’re there, we’ll be expanding the Blair
corn-based facilities, as a bridge. We need
to have capacity.”
Karen Laird (left), Jen Owen
Concluding on an optimistic note, he
declared that the mindset is changing.
“And that’s how we can get on that growth
curve. Brand owners are willing to make
that investment in people and capital. And,
as early adapters who’ve done the heavy
lifting, we’re finally moving towards more
competitors - which is what we want. We
need competitors! Customers don’t want
to be fully dependent on us as a single
supplier. We welcome competitors, so we
can get up that growth curve together.”
www.innovationtakesroot.com
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11 13

Cover story
By
Michael Thielen
An idea that is
changing the
world
(Photo courtesy Jen Owen)
Info
Videoclip: http://bit.ly/1TJ9tV1
Michael Thielen with Jen Owen at ITR 2016
(Photo courtesy NatureWorks)
Have you ever experienced a standing ovation at a technical
conference? I certainly never had – at least, not until
recently. And that’s a story I now feel a need to share
with you.
At this year’s ITR event, organized by NatureWorks at the
end of March in Orlando (see a comprehensive conference
report on p 12), the second day of the conference was opened
by keynote speaker Jen Owen, with a presentation on a
very special project she and her husband had more or less
accidentally stumbled into. So special, in fact, that she was
willing to get up on stage and talk about it, even though, as
she put it: “Public speaking is like my worst fear, so, I just
want to put that out there, and I’m being brave today.”
And with that, she launched into a story that was riveting,
inspiring, heart-warming and funny, all at the same time.
“I come from a home where quite often something is set on
fire, launched through the air or turned into a fruit-murdering
device,” she deadpanned. “If you don’t believe me, I’m going to
show you what I mean.” And for readers who need convincing,
right now would be a good time to check out this YouTube clip
(see link on this page).
Jen and Ivan Owen’s adventure started in 2011, when
Ivan made himself a giant functional mechanical hand, that
worked using rings and strings, to go with his costume for a
Steam Punk convention. Just for fun, Ivan posted the video on
YouTube – where it was seen by a carpenter in South Africa,
who reached out to him with an unusual question. “Richard
had lost all the fingers of his dominant hand in a woodworking
accident,” Jen explained. And since a conventional prosthesis
– even just for one finger – was way too expensive, he wanted
to ask Ivan if he could help. And Ivan agreed. “Of course he
agreed!” Jen added.
The two, Ivan and Richard, spent the next year collaborating
via e-mail and Skype over 10,000 miles and through different
time zones. Ivan did some research and found a prosthetic
hand that had been carved from whalebones in 1845 by an
Australian dentist for a man who had lost his hand in a cannon
accident. Using cables and pulleys, this hand worked in the
same way as the one Ivan had created for himself. Inspired
by the design, the first prototype of a one finger prosthesis
for Richard was cobbled together from paper towel tubes,
PVC-pipe, leather, rivets and the like. Almost a year after the
start, Ivan was able to fly over to South Africa (somebody had
donated frequent flyer miles), so that, together with Richard,
the prosthesis, could be finetuned.
Meanwhile, as Jen had been broadcasting the progress of
the project all over the internet, it wasn’t long before a mother
– also from South Africa – contacted the Owens, asking
whether it would be possible to make a full set of fingers
for her young son, Liam. Liam had been born with one hand
14 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11

Cover story
on which all the fingers were missing. “Of course” Ivan
agreed and, together with Richard the carpenter, created
a prototype hand for Liam. It worked, but it was “metal,
clunky and ugly”, as Jen described it. They nicknamed it
the “Frankenhand”. Yet soon, a far more serious realization
dawned: children grow, and therefore Liam would quickly
outgrow the hand. How to solve this problem?
To make a much longer story short, they decided to try
3D-printing. With the help of two 3D-printers donated by
MakerBot, Ivan taught himself how to code and design.
They created the first PLA plastic hand, which Richard the
carpenter then 3D-printed for Liam. And soon they
realized, that if there was one child like Liam –
there must be thousands in the world… .
Now, instead of patenting the
design – he felt it was too big
to keep for himself – Ivan put
the files online, open source,
in the public domain, so
that anyone, anywhere could
print a hand for somebody
who needed one. And from
there, the project just took off.
A Google+ group and an online
map was created on which people
willing to volunteer the use of their printer
could show their location, so that people who
needed hands would know who they could turn
to. Thus the enable-the-future community was
born.
The group of volunteers quickly grew to
more than 8,000 worldwide today and more
than 2,000 hands have since been printed and
distributed to children around the globe. The
hands, made from PLA, can be scaled to fit any
child’s size. The parts snap together easily. If a
finger breaks, a new one can be printed to fit
the hand.
Then, in the course of the project, “they started
getting creative”, said Jen. “There are LED light
fingertips, there are laser pointers to terrify the cat,
superhero hands, Star Wars hands – you name it,
it’s out there,” said Jen. “The superhero hands are
probably the most popular.”
“These designs are basic hands. They have just a basic
grasping motion. They’re nowhere near as robust as
a traditional prosthetic, but for children who were born
with no fingers and a palm, there was nothing available
for them in the general prosthetic world. And these can
be made for USD 30 to 50, versus USD 3,000 to 5,000
traditional prosthetics would cost their families.” Plus,
they would need a new size every 6 to 12 months.
As time has gone by, families have learned to make (and
repair) hands for their own kids. Children have started to
make hands for other children. Schools, boy scout and girl
scout troops have launched projects to make hands and
ship them to clinics along the Syrian border and to Africa.
Corporal Coles’ whalebone
hand (Photo courtesy Royal
Adelaide Hospital)
“The most beautiful thing about this project is ….
that people are coming together from all over the
world, putting their political, religious, personal,
cultural differences aside, to create a positive
change in the world.”
“Imagine a world where instead
of using new technology destroying
each other people took up the idea of
the enable-community and started
using this technology to give each
other a helping hand. That’s who
we are, and we are enabling the
future.”
After the well-earned standing
ovation from the audience,
NatureWorks’ CEO Marc
Verbruggen announced that
the company would donate
10,000 lbs. of Ingeo filament
to the cause. “It’s a global
initiative, so we have to figure
out how we’re going to get the
filament to the right people,”
he said.
“I can only applaud what you
have done,” he added.
And, speaking from the heart, I can
only say: as can we all. Well done, Jen!
http://enablingthefuture.org
Magnetic
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bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11 15

Injection moulding
Injection molding
of PLA cutlery
By:
Shilpa Manjure and Michael Annan
Natur-Tec - A Division of Northern Technologies
International Corp. (NTIC)
Circle Pines, Minnesota, USA
Background
Disposable plastic items are typically made out of two
types of plastics: polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene (PS).
Plastic utensils, in particular, are highly regarded for the
affordability and convenience. However, once these utensils
are contaminated with food, recycling them becomes
challenging. On the other hand, food service-ware and
packaging made from compostable plastics, such as
Ingeo Poly(lactic) acid (PLA), allow for easy disposal in
composting, and thereby provide a viable alternative to
recycling of conventional plastic-based materials. There
is no need to clean the item as you would for high-quality
conventional recycling. All compostable plastic products
go into one bin together with the food waste, thereby
making it simpler to facilitate diversion of food waste from
landfill to composting. However, for manufacturers, PLA is
a thermoplastic material that comes with its own unique
challenges. This article examines from a manufacturer’s
perspective, how the injection molding of PLA-based
compounds compares with molding of PS and PP, and
in particular, how the performance of cutlery made from
Natur-Tec’s modified Ingeo PLA compares with cutlery
made from PS or PP.
Comparison of thermal properties
In order to understand molding behavior and
performance of a material, it is important to first
understand its thermal properties. Table 1, summarizes
the thermal properties of PLA, PS and PP.
Commercial grade, atactic PS is an amorphous
material, i.e. has 0 % crystallinity, and as such it does not
have a melting point. The glass transition temperature
(T g
) of this PS is 100 °C (89 to 102 °C depending on the
molecular weight). The glass transition temperature
is an important thermal property of any polymer, and is
the temperature region where the (amorphous region of)
polymer transitions from a hard, glassy material to a soft,
rubbery material as temperature increases. Hard plastics,
such as PS, are used well below their T g
or in their glassy
state. The T g
of PS is well above room temperature, and
as such PS can be used with hot foods up to 90 °C without
softening.
PP, on the other hand, has a T g
of 0 °C and is a more
flexible polymer as compared to PS at room temperature.
This is a common way to distinguish PP cutlery from PS
cutlery in the market. PP cutlery tends to be bendable
or pliable, whereas PS cutlery tends to be stiff and hard.
PP and PLA are both semi-crystalline polymers with a
melting point in the range of 160 °C. Despite having a
similar melting point, PLA is different from PP. PLA has
a high melting point similar to that of PP, and a T g
above
room temperature similar to that of PS. This makes PLA
cutlery, rigid or glassy at room temperature. However,
above its T g
of 55 °C, PLA cutlery starts to soften and is
difficult to use in high temperature applications. Although
it is a semi-crystalline polymer, PLA has a much slower
crystallization rate as compared to PP. Therefore, PLA
parts made with a cold mold are essentially amorphous.
PP food service ware is usable in hot food applications
inspite of its much lower T g
because of its “crystallinity”
and faster rate of crystallization – achieve a crystallinity of
30 – 70 % in 5 – 10 seconds [1]. When a PP part is above its
T g
, the amorphous regions soften, but the crystals which
contribute to the morphological structure help the part in
maintaining form until its melting point is reached. This
same principle can be applied to PLA.
Figure 1, clearly demonstrates these differences among
the three materials by measuring storage modulus
(stiffness) as a function of temperature. PS (orange
curve) maintains its stiffness until 100 °C, above which
it deforms. Amorphous Ingeo 2003D PLA (green curve)
follows the same trend until it reaches its T g
around 55 °C,
after which it deforms. As discussed earlier, PP is a semicrystalline
material and slowly decreases in stiffness
(brown curve) until it reaches its melting temperature of
140 °C. Crystallized PLA (Ingeo 3100HP – blue curve) is
rigid at room temperature, similar to PS, and decreases in
stiffness at approximately 60 °C. However, the crystalline
domains of PLA hold the structure together and prevent
the product from deformation till its melting point of
155 °C is reached. This is very similar to PP behavior as
can be seen from the brown (PP) and blue (Ingeo 3100HP
PLA) curves. Thus, developing crystallinity in PLA helps
increase resistance to heat in compostable foodservice
ware applications. There are, of course, other ways to
improve heat resistance in durable, non-compostable PLA
applications.
Molding and crystallization of PLA
From the above discussions, it is clear that crystallization
is an efficacious way to improve high-heat performance
in compostable food service ware products. There are
two methods in which one can develop crystallinity in a
compostable part as summarized below:
a) One-Step Process or In-mold annealing:
Crystallization of a part by changing the mold temperature
to improve performance of the molded part has been
practiced and studied for traditional plastics [3]. The same
can be applied to PLA, where crystallization is carried out
in the mold itself by heating the mold to the crystallization
temperature of the specific PLA grade, typically in the
range of 100 – 130 °C. Crystallization rate is affected by the
D-content present in the PLA. Lower the D-content, faster
16 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11

Injection moulding molding
is the crystallization rate [4]. This is particularly important
for a molding process as it directly affects the cycle times
in the mold. Cycle times for an Ingeo 3100HP PLA based
cutlery is on the order 30 – 45 seconds depending on
the mold design, runner system and heating channels.
Therefore, this method is, currently a more expensive
way of crystallizing a PLA part, as the cycle times to
crystallize in the mold are much higher than those for PP
or PS that are only 5 – 10 seconds. The main advantage of
an in-mold annealing process is that one can utilize the
full capacity of the molding equipment, and the process
set-up is straightforward. Additionally, the warpage of the
part is minimal as compared to a post-annealing process
described in the next section.
b) Two-Step Process or Post-annealing:
This is currently the most popular way of crystallizing
PLA, especially for cutlery. The cutlery is molded in step
one in a cold mold, followed by step two in which the
cutlery is annealed in a convection oven set at the PLA
crystallization temperature [5]. The advantage is one can
get benefit from the faster cycle times of the cold mold
to make almost amorphous parts in step one and keep
the molding cost much lower. The disadvantages of the
post-annealing method are (i) molding capacity can only
be fully utilized with an upfront investment in suitable
ovens or automation (ii) it can be labor intensive if not
automated, and (iii) part warpage is an issue depending
upon the geometry of the cutlery, as the material relaxes
when reheated above its T g
.
Performance of cutlery made with Natur-Tec’s
modified Ingeo PLA compound
Natur-Tec has launched a 2-part resin solution,
BF3002HT, consisting of a highly-filled, impact-modified
Ingeo PLA based masterbatch, that can be blended
with virgin Ingeo PLA at the time of injection molding.
Competitive filled-PLA compounds that are currently
available in the market do not use the masterbatch
approach and typically use 100 % of the compounded
resin for molding cutlery. A key advantage of the Natur-
Tec 2-part solution is that only 50 % of the resin used for
molding goes through two heat histories, which in turn,
helps in maintaining the molecular weight, and therefore
provide improved mechanical strength for the final part,
as compared to a part manufactured with the 100 % fullycompounded
resin.
Performance Test Methods: There is no standardized
quantitative test method to compare various cutleries,
other than a military specification describing a method
that is at best semi-quantitative [6]. As a result, to quantify
the stiffness/flexibility of a cutlery and performance in
hot water, Natur-Tec developed two in-house tests with
standard Instron equipment used for tensile/compressive
testing
1. Rigidity Test: In the rigidity test, the handle of a cutlery
piece was clamped to the upper jaw of the Instron and
pushed down vertically until it was bent or broken.
2. Hot Water Test: In the hot water test, which simulates
performance in hot fluids, the cutlery was immersed in
hot water at controlled temperature between 80 and 90 °C
for 20 seconds before it was compressed in the vertical
direction.
Glass transition
temperature,
T g
, °C
Melting
temperature,
T m
, °C
% Crystallinity Crystallization
rate
PS 100 NA 0 NA
PP 0 140 – 170 30 – 70 Fast
PLA 55 160 30 – 50 Slow
Table 1: Typical thermal properties of PLA, PS and PP
Figure 1: Change in storage modulus (stiffness) as a function
of temperature for Ingeo 2003D PLA, polystyrene,
polypropylene and crystallized Ingeo 3100HP PLA [2]
Storage modulus, MPa
10,000
1,000
100
10
20
Amorphous 2003D
Crystalline 3100HP
PS
PP
Good range
60 100 140 180
Temperature, °C
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11 17

Injection moulding
Both tests measured the force (compressive load)
to break/bend a cutlery, and how much distance is
compressed before the cutlery failed. The area under the
curve of force vs. distance provided the toughness (energy
absorbed at break) of each cutlery based on design and
material performance.
Cutlery made using Natur-Tec BF3002HT resin, was
benchmarked against standard PS and PP cutlery sold in
the market, for performance metrics such as mechanical
strength, hot water resistance and warpage. The PS
cutlery benchmarked was similar in weight and length as
the Natur-Tec cutlery, whereas the PP cutlery was slightly
smaller and lower in weight.
Rigidity Performance Data: Figures 2(a) and (b) show
results obtained from the Rigidity test. Figure 2(a) shows
that both PS and PLA are rigid and stronger materials
at room temperature and need a higher force to break/
deform as compared to the PP cutlery. Figure 2(a) also
shows that PS is more brittle and breaks sooner, as
compared to the PP or Natur-Tec cutlery. It is noteworthy
that Natur-Tec’s modified Ingeo PLA cutlery did not break
and withstood more of the applied force before deforming
(about 2 kg force). PP cutlery also did not break but it
deformed when the applied force was only) 0.5 kg. This
is evident in figure 2(b), where toughness or total energy
absorbed to break was compared. Natur-Tec cutlery
exhibits higher toughness as compared to both PS and PP
cutlery.
Performance in Hot Water: Figure 3(a) and (b) show
results obtained from a Hot Water test where force to
deform a cutlery was measured at two temperatures:
80 °C and 90 °C. Any changes in shape after the force
was applied were also noted. The PS cutlery was the most
rigid cutlery at the lower temperature as shown in figure
3(a). At higher temperatures of 90°C, closer to the T g
of
PS, the PS cutlery begins to soften and consequently the
force to deform it dropped significantly – figure 3(b). Also
PS cutlery deformed after being compressed in hot water
as shown in picture, while Natur-Tec’s (and the PP) cutlery
retained its shape as they were still flexible.
Warpage in Post-Annealing: Warpage of the cutlery
during the post-annealing step tends to be a major issue
that affects overall yield and therefore the per-piece cost.
As a result, warpage of the molded cutlery was studied
as a function of masterbatch amount used in Natur-
Tec’s 2-part resin system. Warpage for the spoon was
measured as changes in the length of the handle, and the
width of the spoon bowl. The annealing conditions used
were maintained the same for all parts in a convection
oven. Figure 4 shows change in width of spoon-bowl.
It was found that as the percentage of highly filled
masterbatch was increased, the warpage of the cutlery
decreased. Warpage plateaued out at approximately 2 %
at a masterbatch loading level of 50 %. The crystallinity of
all the cutlery samples tested was 40 – 50 %.
Summary
PLA is a semi-crystalline polymer with T g
of 55 °C
and therefore behaves as a glassy polymer at room
temperature like PS, At However at use temperatures
above 55 °C, PLA cutlery will deform and will not be
usable. Developing crystallinity in PLA allows use of PLA
upto 90 °C because the crystalline domains hold the
structure together and prevent deformation. Crystallized
PLA cutlery tends to be flexible like PP cutlery at higher
Figure 2: (a) Stiffness comparison of spoon made with PS, PP and Natur-Tec’s modified Ingeo PLA;
(b) Toughness comparison of spoon made with PS, PP and Natur-Tec’s modified Ingeo PLA
Maximum compressive load, kg
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0
0.0
(a)
PS
Natur-Tec
modified
Ingeo
PP
0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2
Normalized distance at break
Energy at break, N-mm
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
(b)
PS PP Natur-Tec modified
Ingeo
Figure 3: Hot water performance of spoon made with PS, PP and Natur-Tec’s modified Ingeo PLA (a) at 80 °C and (b) at 90 °C
Maximum compressive load, kg
16,000
14,000
12,000
1,000
800
600
400
200
0
(a)
PS
PP
Natur-Tec modified
Ingeo
Maximum compressive load, kg
16,000
14,000
12,000
1,000
800
600
400
200
0
(b)
PS PP Natur-Tec modified
Ingeo
PS
PLA
18 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11

temperatures. Crystallization can be carried out in two ways:
(1) as in-mold annealing where part is crystallized in a heated
mold at 100 – 130°C and (2) as post-annealing where part is
molded with a cold mold and then crystallized in a second
step in an oven.
Cutlery made with Natur-Tec’s modified Ingeo PLA
compound has better toughness than PS cutlery of the same
weight. Warpage, in post-annealed cutlery, is significantly
reduced as the masterbatch is increased from 15 % to 50 %.
The 2-part Natur-Tec resin solution helps retain molecular
weight, and provides better mechanical performance as
compared to a traditional filled-PLA compound.
Acknowledgements
We would like to acknowledge the strong support of
NatureWorks Llc, in particular, Nicole Whiteman for her
technical expertise and guidance on Ingeo PLA PLA materials.
References
[1] “Processing And Properties Optimization Of Dynamic Injection-Molded
PP”, Wu Hongwu Zhong Lei Qu Jinping National Engineering Research
Center of Novel Equipment for Polymer Processing South China University
of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China, ANTEC 2005, pp 884 – 888.
[2] “High Heat Performance Ingeo for Foodservice Ware”, Nicole Whiteman,
NatureWorks Llc., Innovation Takes Root Conference 2014.
[3] “The Importance of Melt & Mold Temperature”, Michael Sepe from Michael
P. Sepe LLC, Plastics Technology, December 2011.
[4] “Impact Of Crystallization On Performance Properties And Biodegradability
Of Poly(Lactic Acid)”, Shawn Shi & Ramani Narayan, Michigan State
University, East Lansing MI, ANTEC 2013 Ohio.
[5] “Effects Of Annealing Time And Temperature On The Crystallinity And
Dynamic Mechanical Behavior Of Injection Molded Polylactic Acid (PLA)”,
Yottha Srithep, Paul Nealey and Lih-Sheng Turng, University of Wisconsin–
Madison, Madison, WI, Polymer Engineering & Science, Volume 53, Issue
3, pages 580–588, March 2013.
[6] Military Spec: http://everyspec.com/COMML_ITEM_DESC/A-A-03000_A-A-
03999/A-A-3109_41836/
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Figure 4: Warpage of spoon as measured by decrease in width
of spoon-cup for cutlery made with different levels of
masterbatch blended with virgin Ingeo PLA
12.0
% Shrink in width of spoon
10.0
8.0
6.0
4.0
2.0
0.0
0
10 20 30 40 50 60
% Highly-filled masterbatch in Natur-Tec‘s modified compound
BIO-FED
Branch of AKRO-PLASTIC GmbH
BioCampus Cologne · Nattermannallee 1
50829 Cologne · Germany
Phone: +49 221 88 8894-00
Fax: +49 221 88 8894-99
info@bio-fed.com
www.bio-fed.com
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11 19

Injection moulding
Injection molding of
wood-plastic composites
While everyone knows wood-plastic composites
(WPC) e. g. for decking and fencing, now a wider
range of material options for WPC formulations
are opening new opportunities for molders. Recycled,
biodegradable and biobased plastic feedstock can further
enhance the sustainability of these materials. There are
an increasing number of aesthetic options, which can be
manipulated by varying the wood species and wood particle
size in the composite. In short, optimization for injection
molding and the growing list of options available to
compounders mean wood-plastic composites are a much
more versatile material than what was once thought.
What injection molders should expect from
suppliers
A growing number of compounders are now offering
wood-plastic composite pellets. Injection molders should
be discerning when it comes to what to expect from
compounders in two areas especially: pellet size and
moisture content.
Unlike when extruding wood-plastic composites for
decking and fencing, uniform pellet size for even melting
is crucial. Since extruders do not have to worry about
fitting their wood-plastic composite into a mold, the
need for uniform pellet size is not as great. Hence, it’s
important to verify that a compounder has the needs of
injection molders in mind specifically, and is not overly
focused on the earliest and initially most prevalent uses
for wood-plastic composites.
When pellets are too large they have a tendency to
melt unevenly, create additional friction and settle into a
structurally inferior final product. The ideal pellet should
be 4 – 5mm in diameter and rounded to achieve an ideal
surface to volume ratio. These dimensions facilitate
drying and help to ensure a smooth flow throughout
the production process. Injection molders working with
wood-plastic composites should expect the same shape
and uniformity they associate with traditional plastic
pellets.
Dryness, too, is an important quality to expect from a
compounder’s wood-plastic composite pellets. Moisture
levels in wood-plastic composites will increase with
the amount of wood filler in the composite. While both
extruding and injection molding require low-moisture
content for best results, recommended moisture levels
are slightly less for injection molding than for extrusion.
So again, it’s important to verify that a compounder has
considered injection molders during manufacturing. For
injection molding, moisture levels should be below 1 %
for optimal results.
When suppliers take it upon themselves to deliver a
product already containing acceptable levels of moisture,
injection molders spend less time drying the pellets
themselves, which can lead to substantial saving of time
and money. Injection molders should consider shopping
around for wood-plastic composite pellets shipped by the
manufacturer with moisture levels already below 1 %.
Formula and tooling considerations for woodplastic
composites
The ratio of wood to plastic in the chosen formula of
a wood-plastic composite will have some effect on its
behavior as it goes through the production process. The
percentage of wood present in the composite will have
an effect on the melt flow index (MFI), for example. As a
rule, the more wood that is added to the composite, the
lower the MFI.
The percentage of wood will also have a bearing on the
strength and stiffness of the product. Generally speaking,
the more wood that’s added, the stiffer the product
becomes. Wood can make up as much as 70 % of the
total wood-plastic composite, but the resulting stiffness
comes at the expense of the ductility of the final product,
to the point where it may even risk becoming brittle.
Higher concentrations of wood also shorten machine
cycle times by adding an element of dimensional stability
to the wood-plastic composite as it cools in the mold.
This structural reinforcement allows the plastic part
to be removed at a higher temperature than it would if
using an unfilled polymer. At temperatures where unfilled
resins are still too soft to be removed from their molds,
composites made with wood can successfully be ejected.
If the product will be manufactured using existing tools,
the gate size and general shape of the molding should
factor into the discussion of optimal wood particle size.
A smaller particle will likely better serve tooling with
small gates and narrow extensions. If other factors have
already led designers to settle on a larger wood particle
size, then it may be beneficial to redesign the existing
tooling accordingly.
Processing wood-plastic composites
Processing parameters also have a tendency to
fluctuate significantly based on the final formulation
of the wood-plastic composite pellets. While many of
the parameters remains similar to that of conventional
plastics such as PE or PP, specific wood-to-plastic
ratios and other additives meant to achieve some desired
look, feel or performance characteristic may need to be
accounted for in processing.
20 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11

Injection moulding molding
By:
Mike Parker
Product Development Manager
GreenDot
Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, USA
Wood-plastic composites are also compatible with
foaming agents, for example. The addition of these
foaming agents can create a balsa-like material.
This is a useful property when the finished product
needs to be especially lightweight or buoyant. For the
purpose of the injection molder though, this is yet
another example of how the diversifying composition
of wood-plastic composites may lead to there being
more to consider than when these materials first
came to market.
Processing temperatures are one area where woodplastic
composites differ significantly from conventional
plastics. Wood-plastic composites generally process
in temperatures around 10 K lower than the same,
unfilled material. Most wood additives will begin to
burn at around 200 °C.
Shearing is one of the most common issues to
arise when processing wood-plastic composites.
When pushing a material that’s too hot through too
small a gate, the increased friction has a tendency to
burn the wood and leads to telltale streaking and can
ultimately degrade the plastic. This problem can be
avoided by running wood-plastic composites at a lower
temperature, ensuring the gate size is adequate and
removing any unnecessary turns or right angles along
the processing pathway.
An injection molding standard
Wood-plastic composites aren’t just for decking
anymore. They are being optimized for injection
molding, which is opening them up to a vast array of
new product applications, from furniture to car parts.
The wide range of formulations now available can
enhance the benefits of these materials in terms of
sustainability, aesthetic diversity and features such
as buoyancy or rigidity. Demand for these materials
will only increase as these perks become better
known.
For injection molders, this means a number of
variables specific to each formulation that must be
accounted for. But it also means molders should
expect a product that’s better suited to injection
molding than feedstock that was designated primarily
to be extruded into boards. As these materials
continue to develop, injection molders should raise
their standards for the characteristics they expect
to see in the composite materials delivered by their
suppliers.
www.greendotpure.com
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11 21

Injection moulding
Wall thickness dependent flow
characteristics of bioplastics
For the plastics industry, the component weight is of
critical importance for the material costs. A good
way to keep it light-weight is to produce components
with low wall thickness. Reducing the component weight
means to save on material and costs. In addition, it helps
to improve the carbon footprint, especially for products
with long transportation ways. Besides, a reduced carbon
footprint fits in well with the green image of bioplastics.
As of now, thin-wall components present a technological
challenge especially for injection moulding. The lower
the wall thickness of a moulded part, the greater the requirements
regarding rheological properties of the material.
This applies to bioplastics as well as to conventional
plastics. For bioplastics, however, the specific parameters
have not yet been available, which makes it very difficult
for interested manufacturers to identify bioplastics that
are suitable for thin-wall technology or may serve as
points of comparison.
Bioplastics vs. conventional plastics
For these reasons, the absence of specific information
relevant to the manufacturing process is a major
impediment to a wider range of applications for bioplastics.
This is the background for a project entitled “Processing
of Biobased Plastics and Establishment of a Competence
Network within the FNR Biopolymer Network”, initiated by
a research alliance as part of a larger programme funded
by the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture
(BMEL) and managed by the German Agency for
Renewable Resources (FNR). This collaborative endeavour
deals with the processing technologies currently in use
for plastic materials (injection moulding, extrusion, fibre
production, thermoforming, extrusion blow moulding,
welding etc. and examines a wide range of marketable
bioplastics with respect to their process-specific data,
most of which have not become available yet from the
material suppliers. The entire test results generated by
the research alliance can be accessed free of charge
and unrestricted at www.biokunststoffe-verarbeiten.de
(German language). The test outcome described here
represents partial findings only. To obtain comparable
data for biobased and conventional plastics, various
materials from both categories were tested using identical
methods. The results were evaluated according to the
wall thickness of each tested material, whereby high flow
length at simultaneously low wall thickness indicates high
flowability. The tests were conducted in cooperation with
UL TTC (Krefeld, Germany); they are based on standard
values for thermal properties of polymer melts (thermal
capacity, conductivity, and density), the Carreau-WLF
model for viscosity, the cooling-off and shear heating at
a given melt and mould temperature. An equation system
is used under the parameters of isothermal mould filling
and a filling pressure limited to 800 bar for a test plate
(without gating system). The limitation is necessary due to
the process design for high-quality moulded parts, which
requires a limitation of the filling pressure because of the
inherent residual stress.
Flow behaviour of conventional plastics
as a point of reference
The first step is to establish a basis for comparison
by charting the flow behaviour of conventional plastics.
The examined materials represent a cross-section of
commonly used plastic materials (fig. 1).
Flow behaviour of bioplastics
Biobased plastics meanwhile comprise a portfolio of
characteristics that is nearly as broad as that of their
conventional counterparts. In the case of Polylactide
(PLA), which currently seems to be most suitable for mass
markets, a number of optimized material variants are
already available. The table 1 lists those bioplastics that
have been tested in this project, along with their material
class.
The parameters chosen for the tests were identified
by means of extensive pre-tests and can be considered a
processing recommendation.
PLA-based bioplastics
The graph in figure 2 shows the test results for PLAbased
bioplastics and illustrates these in comparison
with the flow behaviour of conventional plastics. Evidently,
polyester-based PLA has a flow behaviour which settles
in the lower range compared with the tested conventional
plastics and thus corresponds to the flow behaviour
of conventional polyamide. Especially PLA filled with
60 wt% natural fibres (NF) shows surprisingly good flow
Table 1: List of examined bioplastics
Material
Nature Works Ingeo 3251D
Nature Works Ingeo 6202D
Material class
PLA Injection moulding grade
PLA Fibre spinning grade
Nature Works Ingeo 3052D PLA Injection moulding grade 2
Hisun Revode 190
Jelu WPC Bio PLA H60-500-14
Metabolix Mirel P1004
FKuR Terralene HD 3505
Evonik Vestamid Terra HS16
Showa Denko Bionolle 1020MD
Jelu WPC Bio PE H50-500-20
PLLA
PLA + 60 wt% NF
PHB
Bio PE
Bio PA
PBS
Bio PE + 50 wt% NF
22 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11

Injection moulding
By:
Marco Neudecker
Hans-Josef Endres
Institute for Bioplastics & Biocomposites (IfBB)
Hanover, Germany
characteristics. Due to its filler content,
however, it has the highest viscosity
among all PLA materials in the tests.
The highest flowability is indicated, as
expected, for the PLA optimised for
injection moulding applications.
Variety of bioplastics
Considering the variety of bioplastic
materials, it is evident that they cover
a range comparable to conventional
plastics.
PBS, Bio-PA, and Bio-PE are bioplastic
materials with a flow behaviour similar
to that of HDPE. Low viscosity and,
thus, high flowability is shown for PHB,
which is a good condition for molding
even large components with a low wall
thickness. Bio-PE, which is combined
with 50 wt% natural fibres, shows low
flowability and, just like the PLA filled
with natural fibres, settles at the lower
end of the parameters of comparison.
The fibre-filled bioplastics are therefore
not recommended for use in cases
where low wall thickness is desired.
Another point against it is that natural
fibres tend to react to high shear forces
by darkening or even by denaturation.
Overall, the tests have revealed
that bioplastics, with respect to their
flow properties, already cover quite a
broad range and possess attributes
comparable to those of conventional
plastics. Apart from the exceptions
mentioned, they are suited for use in
thin-wall components. Based on the
findings from these tests, it will also
be possible in the future to use specific
bioplastics available as a substitute
for conventional plastics, selected by
their wall thickness dependent flow
characteristics.
Acknowledgement
The authors express their gratitude
to the German Federal Ministry of Food
and Agriculture (BMEL) for funding this
project.
http://ifbb.wp.hs-hannover.de/
verarbeitungsprojekt/
Flow length [mm]
900
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5
Wall thickness [mm]
Fig. 1 Wall thickness dependent flow behaviour of conventional plastics
Fig.2 Wall thickness dependent flow behaviour of PLA-based bioplastics
Flow length [mm]
Flow behaviour of conventional plastics
Fig. 3 Wall thickness dependent flow behaviour of various bioplastics
Flow length [mm]
900
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
Area of flow behaviour
of conventional plastics
0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5
Wall thickness [mm]
900
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
Flow behaviour of PLA-based bioplastics
Area of flow behaviour
of conventional plastics
Area of flow behaviour
of conventional PA
Flow behaviour of various bioplastics
Area of flow behaviour
of conventional plastics
Area of flow behaviour
of conventional HDPE
Area of flow behaviour
of conventional PP nv
0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5
Wall thickness [mm]
Injection pressure = 645 bar
PP nv
T m
= 200 °C
T W
= 30 °C
PS
T m
= 260 °C
T W
= 30 °C
HDPE
T m
= 180 °C
T W
= 30 °C
PP hv
T m
= 200 °C
T W
= 30 °C
PA
T m
= 260 °C
T W
= 80 °C
Theoretical
computing values
In cooperation with UL TTC
Injection pressure = 645 bar
PLA injection moulding grade
T m
= 200 °C
T W
= 30 °C
PLA fibre spinning grade
T m
= 200 °C
T W
= 30 °C
PLA injection moulding grade 2
T m
= 200 °C
T W
= 30 °C
PLLA
T m
= 200 °C
T W
= 30 °C
PLA + 60 wt% NF
T m
= 200 °C
T W
= 30 °C
Theoretical
computing values
In cooperation with UL TTC
Injection pressure = 645 bar
PHB
T m
= 210 °C
T W
= 30 °C
Bio PE
T m
= 180 °C
T W
= 30 °C
Bio PA
T m
= 250 °C
T W
= 90 °C
PBS
T m
= 190 °C
T W
= 30 °C
Bio PE + 50 wt% NF
T m
= 200 °C
T W
= 30 °C
Theoretical
computing values
In cooperation with UL TTC
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11 23

Show Review
CHINAPLAS 2016 – Review
By: Henry Xiao
Celebrating its 30 th edition, CHINAPLAS 2016, the 4-day-long extravaganza was held end of April at Shanghai New International
Expo Centre. A myriad of eye-catchers were comprised of exhibits and concurrent events that covered every
application industry and every stage in the life cycle of products along the lines of innovation, automation and green
technology, including bioplastics in a special Bioplastics Zone.
Having been serving the plastics and rubber industries for more than thirty years, CHINAPLAS is now the No.1 plastics
and rubber trade fair in Asia. According to Ms Ada Leung, General Manager of Adsale Exhibition Services Ltd, organizer of
CHINAPLAS, the number of exhibitors this year reached a record-breaking high of 3,300 in spite of the less favourable global
economies. The exhibition area also boasted an 80 % increase to 240,000 m 2 compared to 2008, the last time when the economy
was sluggish. Both achievements showed that CHINAPLAS and the plastics and rubber industries are capable of swimming
upstream and thrive well. Among raw material and plastics and rubber machinery suppliers, those that took part in CHINAPLAS
are preeminent figures in the world. So is the trade fair itself. As for visitors, in early years they were mostly manufacturers
of plastic products. Now, the visitor profile has been extended to a multitude of industries, including automotive, packaging,
electronics & IT communications, building & construction, medical, toys, etc..
The Chinaplas Preview in the last issue of bioplastics MAGAZINE is now complemented with some impressions gathered by
our staff during the event.
Emery Oleochemicals
Emery Oleochemicals, a global leader of naturalbased,
high-performance polymer additives,
headquartered in Selangor, Malaysia, showcased its
solutions for the plastics and rubber industries.
With an emphasis on sustainability and environmental
responsibility, the Green Polymer Additives (GPA)
business unit featured the following products at the
exhibition:
• biodegradable additive solution LOXIOL ® G 10V, a
lubricant specifically developed for bioplastics
• paraffin wax replacement LOXIOL ® G 24, which is
100 % based on renewable resources
• LOXIOL ® A4, a high-performance, food contact
approved antifogging agent.
Emery Oleochemicals offers a wide range of bestin-class
products, including their leading EMEROX ® ,
EDENOL ® and LOXIOL ® additives, that enhance
processing efficiencies and improve end product
quality.
www.emeryoleo.com/Green_Polymer_Additives.php
WooSung Chemical
Headquartered in Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea,
WooSung Chemical Co., Ltd. presented themselves as a
supplier of masterbatches, adhesive resins and compounds.
Their specialties in the field of bioplastics are PLA based
compounds for film-blowing, injection moulding and
extrusion. One of the highlights is Eco Foamer, a special grade
for the production of EPLA, namely expanded PLA particle
foam, comparable to EPS. Another bioplastics product
line comprises cellulose acetate compounds, e. g. for the
production of textiles, eyeglass frames and a lot more.
www.wschemical.co.kr
24 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11

Show Review
Anhui Tianyi
Anhui Tianyi Environmental Protection Tech. Co., Ltd is a
science and technology innovation enterprise focusing on
eco-friendly plasticizers and biodiesel. The offices are located
in Hangzhou, China. The eco-friendly plasticizers for different
PVC products (film, cable compounds, artificial leather, gloves
and foams) are based on epoxidized soybean oil. Epoxidized
soybean oil is a PVC plasticizer and
stabilizer with good heat resistance
and flexibility. As the substitution of
phthalates plasticizers it has a great
significance for the aging resistance
and stabilization of PVC products.
Another big field of business of this
company is biodiesel (fatty acid
methyl ester), made from
vegetable oils, animal fats
and greases.
www.tianyieptech.com
Hairma Chemicals
PLA is one of the specialties of Hairma Group, based in
Suzhou, China. HM-F100 is a PLA grade which is colorless
and transparent. It is suitable for film blowing blow molding
cast film production and injection molding. This grade
is recommended for food packaging, packaging of daily
necessities, shopping bags electronic products packaging etc.
HM-F200 is white and translucent, cost effective mineral
filled PLA grade, whereas HM-F300 is the cost effective grade
based on modified starch. All grades are USDA certified
biobased products.
www.hairma.com.cn
Jinan Shengquan Group (SQ)
Jinan Shengquan Group Share-Holding Co.,Ltd (SQ) is a
high-tech enterprise which focuses on the comprehensive
utilization of biomass and new composite materials. Through
30 years of innovation, SQ has commercially used all three
major components of biomass (hemicellulose, cellulose, and
lignin). The company is the world’s largest foundry–material
supplier and the largest phenolic resin supplier in Asia.
The company is proud to offer high–performance
biodegradable plastics. According to the company lignin is an
essential ingredient for compost. When it breaks down it turns
into humus or topsoil. While other compostable bags such as
those containing starch are designed to only turn into carbon
dioxide and water, biodegradable bags of lignin are the only
compostable bags that contribute to the quality of compost. In
addition, since the raw material, lignin, is from plant straw it
is also renewable and thus a co-friendly.
Modified lignin thermoplastic (SQLM-01A) is a brown
powder that has been tested and certified to be over 96%
biobased. SQLM-01A blended with PBAT can provide a film
resin that is both strong and compostable. It can be used for
compostable flexible films, such as trash bags, pet waste
bags, agricultural films, packaging bags and shopping bags.
Blended with conventional plastics such as polypropylene
SQLM-01A can increase the flexural modules or stiffness
of the resulting resin. The field of applications for example
automotive parts, shopping baskets or turnover boxes. Of
course such blends are not biodegradable.
www.shengquan.com
NHH Biodegradable Plastics Company
Even if NHH Biodegradable Plastics Company (a subsidiary
of Ngai Hing Hong Company) from Hong Kong is still offering
oxo-fragmentable additives one of the other main products is
Hisun
Zhejiang Hisun Biomaterials Co., Ltd is located in Zhejiang,
China. It is a high-tech enterprise which is active, among
other things in the field of Polylactide (PLA) production, R&D
and marketing. The brand of Hisun’s PLA resin is REVODE ® .
At Chinaplas 2016, Hisun presented different grades of
conventional PLA grades (such as Revode 101, 110, 190, 201,
210, 290) and modified PLA resins (such as Revode 213, 219C,
711, etc.) as well as some PLA applications. Compared with
traditional plastics, Revode offers a higher food contact safety, it
is non-toxic and features unique high-temperature resistance
properties. Thus it is an ideal material for food packaging,
tableware,etc.. The products presented at Chinaplas include
fiber products, disposable products, household articles and
3D printing filaments.
www.hisunpharm.com
a biodegradable plastic material which the company claims
to be certified according to EN 13432 or ASTM D6400. The
company is offering three main grades: for injection molding
heat resistant and non-heat resistant grades for products
such as cutlery, pregnancy test kits, electrical plugs, cuplids,
telephone cases etc.. A special grade for film blowing
and bottle blow molding can be used to produce various types
of packaging, garbage bags, or cosmetic bottles. The third
grade is for sheet extrusion and thermoforming. Potential
applications are file folders, blister packaging, plates etc..
www.nhh.com.hk
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11 25

Show Review
Dongguan Xinhai
Dongguan Xinhai Environment-Friendly Materials Co.,Ltd
have been engaged in production of raw materials and finished
products for flexible packaging, especially biodegradable/
compostable ones according to EN 13432 or ASTM D6400.
Their raw materials can be distinguished into the the following
two categories:
1. Cornstarch based resins to be blended with PE (in order to
enhance the biobased content, but NOT biodegradable)
2. Bioplastics, biodegradable/compostable according to
EN 13432/ASTM D6400 (certified by Vinçotte with the Ok
compost certificate No. S361).
Dongguan Xinhai’s raw materials offer good physical
properties and processability. For companies that consider
to start production of biodegradable and compostable films
and bags, according to Martin Ran of Dongguan Xinhai,
the company can offer the most economical and satisfying
solutions.
www.bioplasticxh.com
Hanfeng:
Suzhou Hanfeng New Material Co. Ltd. from Kunshan
devote themselves to research, manufacturing and supplying
of various biodegradable resins, mainly based on starch.
According to the ASTMD 6866 standard, their products
show a biobased content of more than 60 %. The materials
derived from natural resources are 100 % compostable
(EN 13432 certified). By using corn as their main raw
material, they guarantee the raw material is 100 % organic
with no contaminants. The materials can be used for food
applications. With a temperature range of -20 °C to 120 °C
they are even microwavable.
www.biohanfeng.com
Xinyuan packaging
Xinyuan packaging Co., Ltd, from Qufu, Shandong Province,
China, a company with more than 200 employees, produces
100% biodegradable raw materials and finished products. It
can be distinguished into four categories: film products, nonwoven
products, foaming products and moulding products.
Samyang
Samyang, headquartered in Soeul, Korea, is a chemical
company that among other things makes essential materials
for a broad range of industrial sectors, including electric and
electronic material, automobiles, textiles, environmental
engineering, foods and agriculture. Samyang’s chemical
operations are developing special purpose products and
alternative materials to ensure that life in the future to
be convenient and plentiful. Areas of endeavor include
engineering plastics, industrial fibers, PET bottles, PET bottle
recycling, ion exchange resins, TPA, and electronic materials.
At Chinaplas Samyang presented for example their biobased
isosorbide, which can be used to make Bio-Polycarbonate (by
combining isosorbide, diphenyl carbonate and comonomers)
or PEIT (Polyethylene isosorbide terephthalate, see picture)
and other products such as plasticizers or bio-polyester as
bio-powder-coatings.
www.samyang.com
The products can be degraded into water and CO 2
within
90 days in a compostable environment without any pollution.
The biodegradable products, which are certified to the various
worldwide standards including the American Standard ASTM
D6400, the European Standard EN13432, and the Australian
Standard AS4736, currently are all exported to Australia,
England, Italy, and America, etc. At present the company is one
of the leading enterprises in the field, as of a spokesperson.
One of the new products is – as they claim it - the world’s
first and only 100 % compostable non-woven bags, certified
as to ASTM D6400 (BPI), EN13432 (Vinçotte OK compost), and
the Australian Standard AS4736. The bags are made from PLA
non-woven fabric.
kevin@xinyuanpak.com
26 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11

Polylactic Acid
Uhde Inventa-Fischer has expanded its product portfolio to include the innovative stateof-the-art
PLAneo ® process. The feedstock for our PLA process is lactic acid, which can
be produced from local agricultural products containing starch or sugar.
The application range of PLA is similar to that of polymers based on fossil resources as
its physical properties can be tailored to meet packaging, textile and other requirements.
Think. Invest. Earn.
Uhde Inventa-Fischer GmbH
Holzhauser Strasse 157–159
13509 Berlin
Germany
Tel. +49 30 43 567 5
Fax +49 30 43 567 699
Uhde Inventa-Fischer AG
Via Innovativa 31
7013 Domat/Ems
Switzerland
Tel. +41 81 632 63 11
Fax +41 81 632 74 03
marketing@uhde-inventa-fi scher.com
www.uhde-inventa-fi scher.com
Uhde Inventa-Fischer

Application News
Snickers wrapped in
bioplastics
At the recent ITR conference (see more at pp 12) Thijs
Rodenburg, CEO of the Dutch company Rodenburg Biopolymers
announced it: The family owned company has partnered with
global confectionary company Mars to develop new biobased
wrappers for their candy bars. And as a result the first Snickers
bars with biobased wrappers were introduced to the European
market last fall.
Rodenburg Biopolymers from Oosterhout started about 70
years ago as one of the first pioneers in bioplastics. Being part
of the potato industry they started to utilize the industrial waste
derived from the French fry production. By turning this waste
into cattle feed they still had a potato starch waste product,
which they could not use. A few decades later Rodenburg found
a way of using this waste as feedstock for a new bioplastic.
Early in the 2000’s Rodenburg presented their first generation
Solanyl product. Today they are offering the third generation of
Solanyl. The material
is available in a
thermoforming, an
injection molding and
a film grade.
A few years ago Rodenburg was approached by
Dennis van Eeten, packaging innovation manager at Mars in
Veghel, the Netherlands. Van Eeten was looking for a biobased
packaging material for Mars’ candy bars that was just as
good as the current one. The new material would have to be
biobased, not necessarily biodegradable, non-polluting when
disposed of, not harm the environment in any way, be based on
second generation feedstock as not to compete with the food
supply, be scalable and have a smaller carbon footprint than
the currently used material.
“We told him we could do all that,” said Thijs Rodenburg.
“But then we had to do it.”
An EU-funded project was performed by Rodenburg to
develop the material, film specialist Taghleef Industries to
produce the film and Mondi (based in Poland) to manufacture
the actual packaging.
“The first version, a film compound based on starch with
additives, did not have a good enough performance,” said Thijs.
“So we kept trying and at a certain point, by calculated trial and
error came up with an acceptable film. However, when Taghleef
produced the film and Mondi used it for printing, it was found to
wrinkle. Modifications were able to solve that problem.”
As a result the project team presented a food grade polymer
film compound based on TPS Solanyl and PLA that meets the
specified requirements. It is compostable, biodegradable and
takes only a third of energy to produce compared to oil-based
alternatives such as polypropylene. The starch is derived from
an industrial waste stream, thus the raw material it is a secondgeneration
biomass that in no way competes with food crops.
The feedback from the market has been excellent. And even
though the initiative started in Europe, Thijs said: “Of course,
we’re hoping that Mars will take it to the US,” and to the World,
we might want to add. KL/MT
www.biopolymers.nl
Biopolymer ‘mix’ bottle
is a European first
RPC Promens Consumer Nordics has developed a oneliter
milk bottle made entirely from a non-oil based bio
polymer (bio-PE) produced from sugar cane.
Uniquely, an additional feature that is now being developed
and which is believed to be a first in the European market,
will see the polymer mixed with a special mineral filler. This
reduces the amount of polymer required for each bottle
without impacting on its strength and performance, which
will further enhance its positive environmental profile.
In its first commercial application, the new Modul bottle
has been selected by leading Swedish dairy company
Skånemejerier for its range of non-homogenized milk.
“Sustainability is a vital consideration throughout all
our operations including our packaging, where we always
seek to choose a solution with minimal impact on the
environment,” said Armina Nilsson, sustainability manager
at Skånemejerier.
”The new bottle from RPC Promens is ideal for our milk,”
confirmed Thore Bengtsson, the company’s strategic
purchaser. “We have an excellent working relationship with
the company and their ability to handle the tight deadlines
for this project was particularly beneficial.”
RPC Promens says that as consumers have taken a
greater interest in the types of foods they are buying, their
focus has started to switch to the packaging as well.
“According to Euromonitor one of the top ten global trends
in 2016 is greener food,” explained senior sales manager
Jan Weier. “Certainly there has been strong growth in
organic food products in recent years and this has now
led to more attention being paid to how they are packed.
By using this new material, we can offer our customers a
renewable and sustainable solution.”
The 1-liter white blow-molded Modul bottle is available
with a choice of closures and features a four-sided label
applied by RPC Promens. MT
www.rpc-group.com
28 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11

Application News
Sustainable Office
Products
Just in time for Earth Day 2016, Solegear Bioplastic
Technologies (Vancouver, Canada) announced the official
launch of its newly branded, plant-based office accessory
line, Good Natured, and its first B2B partnership with also
Vancouver-based Mills Office Productivity to distribute
the products to business customers in British Columbia.
“We’re proud to team with another Vancouver-based
success story, Mills Office Productivity, to be able to more
effectively reach customers with an innovative plantbased
product that is bound to be a conversation starter
and source of pride.”
Solegear’s Good Natured office product line, colours
and packaging are designed to bring a lighthearted,
modern spirit to a sometimes overlooked and traditional
category of consumer products. Made from the
company’s 85 % plant-based Polysole ® LV1250 PLAbioplastic
– which contains no BPAs, phthalates or other
hazardous additives, and has been certified by the USDA
BioPreferred program – the office accessory line includes
a paper clip dispenser, pencil/pen holder, self-stacker
desk tray, stacking legal desk tray and vertical file holder
available in four designer colours: raspberry, frosting,
licorice and mojito. The products are injection molded
by Columbia Plastics, a local Solegear manufacturing
partner since 2015.
“Being a B Corp, our environmental performance is
very important to Mills’ overall valuesGood-Natured
and mission,” said Brad Mills, CEO of Mills Office
Productivity. B Corps are for-profit companies certified
by the nonprofit B Lab to meet rigorous standards of
social and environmental performance, accountability,
and transparency. The B Corp movement places the
focus on using business as a force for good, and is
striving to redefine the meaning of success in business.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg for Solegear and
the innovations it plans to deliver to consumers in the
coming years, all designed to lower carbon emissions,
reduce reliance on fossil fuels and remove toxicity
typically associated with traditional petroleum-based
plastics,” said Paul Antoniadis, CEO of Solegear. “We
are excited to continue to disrupt and push the market
to think differently about what’s possible with bioplastics
by reformulating, rebranding and re-launching everyday
products for major brands and retailers. KL/MT
www.mills.ca | www.solegear.ca
Compostable bread bags
In line with its stated commitment
to environmental
sustainability, U2, a large
Italian supermarket chain,
has fitted out its bakery
points of sale with 100 %
bio degradable and compostable
bags made of paper
and a transparent bioplastic
window made from NATIVIA
film.
These biodegradable bags
are the latest development
in the U2 supermarkets’
ongoing campaign against
waste. The aim is to
encourage consumers to
reduce waste, reuse and
recycle the bag. The new bags are available in over 100
supermarkets, which are alerting customers to the use
of the new bag with the help of leaflets and posters with
information on how it works: customers put the fresh
bread in the bag and then re-use it as a biodegradable bag
for the organic waste disposal (after removing the noncompostable
price tag).
NATIVIA is a biobased range of films made of PLA,
produced by Dubai-based Taghleef Industries (Ti). A
truly sustainable biobased film, it offers various end of
life options: products made from PLA are suitable for
incineration, recycling and composting. The new bread
bags supplied at the U2 supermarkets can be used as
a container for the organic waste that ends up in the
industrial composting facilities. In addition, NATIVIA can
be recycled within the paper recycling stream.
Environmental protection has become an integral part
of the U2 supermarket chain’s policy. The chain launched
its campaign in 2014 promoting sustainable solutions
and initiatives that influenced consumer’s behaviours,
attitudes and lifestyles. The introduction of the paper/PLA
100 % biodegradable and compostable bread bags, U2
accomplishes, is a further step towards waste reduction.
As the slogan of the campaign says: “It’s stupid to waste,
It’s good to discover it”.
Taghleef Industries (TI) is proud to provide the
marketplace with a sustainable material that is
comparable to the traditional ones by its quality and
feature. The company has committed to the supermarket
chain’s “against waste” campaign for the period of a
year. NATIVIA represents a remarkable contribution
to improving sustainability of modern packaging. Ti
position itself as one of the value-chain partners and
the use of such packaging material supports the work of
companies that take an integrated approach: economical,
environmental and social.
The new bread bags are made by Italian Turconi SpA
and they are certified (EN 13432) for industrial composting
by Vinçotte (certificate code S565). MT
www.nativia.com
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11 29

Application News
New clear Mater-Bi packaging film for
cosmetics overwrap
Aethic, the London-based skincare company that launched Sôvée, world’s only scientifically proven ecocompatible sunscreen,
is to be the first cosmetics company to use a clear packaging film specially developed by Italian MATER-BI manufacturer
Novamont. The material is to debut with Aethic’s next production run of its sunscreens and face creams.
The transparent thin film material used to protect packaged products from tampering and surface damage and to make
them look shiny is now also available in an eco-sustainable version. The material was originally derived from cellulose and was
biodegradable, yet the polluting effects of carbon disulfide and other by-products of the process used to make viscose made it
less popular and other lower-cost petrochemical materials supplanted cellulose.
Being based on an efficient use of renewable resources and presenting sustainable end-of-life options, MATER-BI packaging
now represents an environmentally-friendly alternative to the existing products.
The new MATER-BI grade developed for Aethic is in fact made from sustainably-sourced base ingredients, promoting the
setting up of innovative agro-industrial value chains and the use of local raw materials cultivated on marginal land. Moreover,
its production process adopts a “cascading” approach to biomass and has low carbon emissions and the end material is
biodegradable and compostable according to the European standard EN 13432.
Aethic initiated the collaboration after it had already adopted a sugar cane-derived material for its bottles.
Says Allard Marx, CEO of Aethic: “I vividly remember holding a bio-plastic Mickey Mouse watch made from this material in
my hand when consulting for Novamont in 1989. I never forgot the company and had recently heard that their material was now
used for magazine wraps and disposable carrier bags. I asked them to develop a MATER-BI grade that would hold its fold, heatseal
easily, be sustainable, biodegradable and look great. They promptly and successfully rose to the challenge. I am absolutely
delighted that we can now protect our products responsibly.”
MATER-BI is used successfully in a variety of other applications and
Novamont’s revenues are in excess of EUR 145 million worldwide.
Aethic’s skincare range is stocked at leading retailers and its Sôvée
sunscreen was recently announced as the official sunscreen of UK’s
America’s Cup challenger Land Rover BAR.
Adds Alessandro Ferlito, Novamont Sales Manager: “Consumer
brands like Aethic are the future. We have no choice but to take care of
the only planet we have and Aethic leads the way in preventing damage
to skin and the ocean. It is a pleasure to have developed this version
of MATER-BI with them and we hope other cosmetics companies will
soon follow their lead and adopt this material”. MT
www.aethic.com | www.novamont.com
Casing of the Fair Mouse based on
PLA material developed by IfBB
The IfBB, Institute for Bioplastics and Biocomposites at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Hannover, Germany,
developed a bio-based material for the Fair Computer Mouse project initiated by Nager IT, an association focussed on encouraging
humane working conditions in the factories of the electronic industries by developing socially and environmentally sustainable
electronics. The casing of the computer mouse is based on a PLA material that
has been developed by a research team at IfBB in collaboration with Nager IT
since autumn 2014. The main criteria for the new material was its sustainability
as well as suitable technical properties. Currently 80 % of the material developed
by IfBB is based on renewable resources derived from sugarcane. The research
team said it will continue to optimise the material by increasing the bio-based
content and exploring the use of residual materials. Products like the fair mouse
hopefully raise public awareness and acceptance of bioplastics and sustainable
and fair produced goods further. MT
www.ifbb-hannover.de | www.nager-it.de
30 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11

Materials
Sugars in wastewater
become bio-based packaging
After more than four years of research, the international
consortium of the PHBOTTLE project has
achieved the first worldwide prototype packaging
made from a waste water derived bioplastic material –
PHB – obtained from the organic matter, primarily sugars,
present in the wastewater of the juice industry.
Specifically, it is a bottle made from polyhydroxybutyrate
(PHB), a polymer produced by bioproduction (microbial
fermentation) in which certain bacteria use the sugars in
the wastewater and synthesize this type of bioplastic.
During the fermentative processes performed with the
juice industry wastewater, it was possible to convert up to
30 % of the sugars contained in this effluent into PHB.
Bioplastic PHB is already available in the market, but
this is the first time PHB is obtained from the sugars in the
wastewater of the fruit juice industry.
The results of the R&D project PHBOTTLE, funded
by the European Union, were presented in mid-April in
Brussels/Belgium at an international workshop organized
by AINIA Technology Centre and the European Fruit Juice
Association (AIJN).
The application of the latest advances in biotechnology,
packaging technology, microencapsulation and
compounding made possible the development of this
innovative package. Moreover, this project demonstrated
the value of organic waste from the juice industry as raw
material to produce packaging for its products.
Antioxidant-containing package as a result of
microencapsulation
The bioplastic material obtained has improved
properties, such as antioxidants, which extend the shelflife
of the juice. Concretely, microencapsulation technology
was used to produce capsules with antioxidants such as
limonene, which is an active compound present in orange
peel.
These capsules were incorporated into the PHB
compound used to manufacture the final bottle, thus
obtaining an active packaging whereby the antioxidant
agent is slowly released, delaying the oxidation of the juice.
Rice hulls to improve packaging strength
In addition, other types of food industry waste were used
to improve the strength and other mechanical properties
of the material. Cellulose microfibers were produced from
rice hulls and used to improve the rigidity of the packaging.
From waste generator to beneficiary of a new
bio-based package
The PHB bottle prototype obtained was used to package
the juice produced by the wastewater generating industry
itself, thus providing an innovative and comprehensive
solution to the problems of waste management and
environmental impact of this sector. A solution for the
future based on the circular economy.
Furthermore, this bioplastic can be used in other
industrial sectors such as cosmetics, ophthalmology,
footwear, computer parts, pharmaceutical or automotive.
Biodegradability and composting
The various biodegradability and compostability tests
carried out throughout this R&D project have shown
that, under the study conditions, 60 % of the PHB bottle
obtained is degraded over a period of 9 weeks. A complete
biodegradation has yet to be shown. If this can be proven,
the PHB bottles can be decomposed in composting plants,
producing compost and CO 2
.
The EU’s commitment for more sustainable
packaging
The PHBOTTLE project, coordinated by AINIA, is a
pioneer in its field in the development of the Circular
Economy concept promoted by the EU in its commitment
for innovation and sustainable technological development,
under the 7 th Framework Programme. It is composed of
an international consortium that includes: the European
Fruit Juice Association (AIJN), the Spanish company
Citresa (part of the multinational Suntory), Logoplaste
Innovation Lab (Portugal), Logoplaste (Brazil), Omniform
(Belgium), Sivel Ltd (Bulgaria) and the company Mega
Empack (Mexico) as well as the technology centres TNO
(The Netherlands), Aimplas (Spain) and INTI (Argentina).
The results of the PHBOTTLE project represent an
innovative and sustainable response to the needs of the
juice industry, thanks to the opportunities offered by new
technologies and the development of new packaging
materials obtained from organic sources as an alternative
to oil. With these new applications the waste generator, in
this case the juice industry, becomes the recipient of a new
bio-based product. MT
www.phbottle.eu/
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11 31

Materials
Using biomass side-streams
for bioplastics in New Zealand
Biomass side streams are finding their way into
novel bioplastic composites in New Zealand
thanks to local industries and innovative and imaginative
scientists at Scion.
Biomass side-streams and bioplastic applications are
often mentioned in the context of circular economies
and bioeconomy, two concepts that enable and complete
each other. With circular economies promoting the
maintenance of resources at their highest possible level
of value at all times, waste becomes a resource fuelling
economic growth. The bioeconomy becomes a perfect
illustration of circularity when it builds on sustainably
sourced and produced biomass for fuel, chemicals and
other materials by using waste streams to underpin
development of new sustainable products.
A key element to both systems is considering the
full potential of waste. Scion, a New Zealand research
institute that concentrates on biomass production
and utilisation, is continuously seeking new ways to
convert primary industry side-streams into value-added
products, contributing to the circular economy and
the bioeconomy. The following case studies from New
Zealand demonstrate how biomass side-streams can be
successfully incorporated into bioplastic materials and
products.
Pomace has promise
The fibrous mass that remains after the first step
in winemaking, pressing the grapes, is called grape
pomace or marc. Five tonnes of grapes produce one
tonne of pomace. In 2015, the New Zealand grape
harvest was 326,000 tonnes leaving the wine industry
with around 60,000 tonnes of pomace to dispose of.
Pomace is generally composted, but Scion has found
one more use for this resource before it regenerates
carbon back into the environment.
Many wine makers have a strong desire to use
sustainable practices to ensure the longevity of their
industry. Scion discussed possible applications for
using biodegradable products with a local winemaker.
The polystyrene clips used to secure the netting that
protects the ripening grapes from birds were identified
as an ideal candidate for replacement. Millions of the
clips are used every year. When the nets are removed,
the clips break easily and litter the ground, where they
persist for years.
In response to this, scientists at Scion have produced
bio-clips from rigid films containing red grape pomace
and biodegradable polymers. The fibre from the skins
both stiffens the clips and makes them easier to break.
Four different bio-formulations were trialled at Villa
Maria vineyards in Hawkes Bay during the run up to the
2016 harvest. None of the clips holding the nets gave way
prematurely and the clips were all brittle enough to break
when the nets were removed. The next step is to monitor
the biodegradation of the clips in the vineyard.
Scion is also working on other applications for grape
pomace in biocomposites such as spray guards to protect
newly planted vines.
A future for dairy farm effluent
Between 10 and 20 % of a dairy cow’s poo production
is deposited in the area of the milking shed. A farmer
milking an average herd of 420 cows deals with more
than 200 kg of solids and 20,000 litres of effluent a day.
Storing and managing dairy farm effluent (DFE) is a
significant cost. DFE is usually contained in ponds and
treated. A proportion can be used as fertiliser, although
the amount has to be carefully managed to prevent
contaminating waterways and ground water and preserve
soil structure. The problem of managing and disposing
of DFE is likely to worsen as New Zealand’s dairy herd
increases and farming becomes more intensive and
closer to international practice.
In 2015, the national herd of just over five million
milking cows produced around 2,800 tonnes of DFE solids
daily. The solids contain a high proportion of cellulosic
fibres. Applying circular economy thinking, this waste
by-product of milk production – biomass processed
(digested) via cow – is a fibre resource with potential for
use in bioplastics.
A grape pomace biocomposite clip holding netting to protect
ripening grapes in place.
32 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11

Materials
By:
Florian H. M. Graichen, Science Leader, Biopolymers and Chemicals
Stefan J. Hill, Research Leader, Advanced Chemical Characterisation
Dawn Smith, Research Leader, Polymers and Composites
Scion, Rotorua,New Zealand
The premier
trade show
for all
biobased
industries
Objects made from 3D filament printing stock containing New Zealand paua
(abalone) shell.
Work at Scion has found that unique combinations of DFE biomass and
additives results in bioplastics with an attractive balance of processability
and mechanical properties. Polylactic acid (PLA)/DFE biocomposites have
been shown to weather and disintegrate faster than PLA alone.
Bioplastics with DFE are a win-win solution. Raw material processing
via cow is free, the supply is large and continuous, value is added to a side
stream that is costly to make safe and dispose of, the overall cost of the
bioplastics is lowered and carbon is returned to the soil. Applications for
the use of DFE bioplastics on dairy farms are being explored.
Paua Power
Paua is the New Zealand Maori name for abalone (Haliotis iris). Maori
and later settlers value black-fleshed paua as a seafood and its beautiful
iridescent, blue, green and pink shell, which is widely used in arts and
crafts.
Abalone is considered a delicacy in many countries, and it commands
high prices. New Zealand exports paua harvested both from the wild and
from aquaculture farms. The shells remain after paua processing. While
one shell is a beachcomber’s delight, the tens of thousands of tonnes
produced by the paua export industry becomes a management problem.
Paua is a New Zealand treasure. Paua processors would like options to
add value to the shells in New Zealand rather than selling them cheaply to
off shore processors, as is currently the case.
Materials scientists at Scion have been experimenting with adding
ground shell (which is mostly calcium carbonate) to bioplastics to produce
3D printing filament stock.
The next step in the development process is to develop bioplastics that
capture the iridescence and colour of the original paua shells. Scion is
also working with local designers and manufacturers to develop products
that exploit both paua shell and the possibilities of 3D printing.
www.scionresearch.com
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bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11 33

Joining Bioplastics
Adhesive capacity
of bioplastics
By:
Diana Syperek
University of Applied Sciences and Art Hannover
Dept. of Mechanical and Bio-Process Engineering
Hannover Germany
The aim of bioplastics is using them as an alternative
solution for conventional plastics. Therefore, to a
large extent, they should be compatible with the existing
technologies. Moreover, biobased products gain value in
terms of reducing the carbon footprint. Now, when it comes
to bonding technologies for bioplastics, the same conditions
apply bioplastics as for conventional plastics. In both, joining
of the same materials as well as in hybrid constructions the
demands on the connection shall prevail.
Classification of bioplastics
Bioplastic does not necessarily mean that it must
be biodegradable. European Bioplastics suggests the
classification of bioplastics as shown in figure 1 [1]. There are
also bio-based plastics that do not degrade biologically but are
resistant, as polyethylene produced of bioethanol or polyamide
made of castor oil. Biodegradability, in turn, is not only confined
to bio-based plastics. The biodegradability is resulting from
the chemical structure of the plastic. Also, crude-oil based
plastics can degrade such as polycaprolactone. This must be
taken into account when bioplastics are bonded together. If
the connection has a biodegrading character, the adhesive
should meet this as well. In this case, protein or plant oilbased
adhesives are suitable [2, 3]. They are non-toxic and
can be either biodegradable or non-degradable. Often, they
are obtained as by-products from other processes.
Bonding of bioplastics and surface treatment
On surface treatment and adhesive technology of bioplastics,
there is only a little literature available. The reason for this
might be that for bioplastics the same conditions apply
as for conventional plastics. It is not possible to tell
whether bioplastics or crude-oil based plastics
are more suitable for adhesive bonding since
the chemistry and the surface structure,
as well as the surface composition of
the adherends, is crucial. For highstrength
bonds, a pre-treatment
of plastics is often necessary.
For printing, there are
different requirements.
Crudeoil-based and
PLA, for example, can biodegradable
be printed quite well
plastics
without any pre-treatment. e. g.: PCL, PVA
Although adhesive bonding
of plastics is not as significant
as that of metals, in the industry
it plays a significant role, because not all parts are completely
manufactured by primary shaping. While only thermoplastics
can be bonded by welding, adhesive bonding has much larger
applications. This especially is true with regard to connecting
different plastics with different melting temperatures. Since
in the packaging industry mainly thermoplastics are used, it
is common to weld them. Through the influence of heat or
ultrasound and slight pressure, the parts or plastic films
Biobased and
biodegradable
plastics
e. g.: PLA, PHA
Bioplastics
Figure 1
are joined together. For plastics having a short life cycle and
similar melting temperatures, it is appropriate to weld them
unless it is a high-strength bond. Provided the weld is not
interrupted, high load capacities can be obtained and usually,
no welding consumables are required.
The advantage of adhesive bonding, however, is that
different types of materials can be firmly bonded. Adhesive
bonding technology is used in all industrial sectors (figure 2
[1] shows those sectors where bioplastics are already in
use). In dentistry, ceramics are bond with metal or plastic
by means of UV curing adhesives. In the automobile or
aircraft construction adhesive technology plays a more
important role concerning weight reduction and fuel saving.
Wherever high forces are acting adhesive bonding has a
decisive advantage comparing to other bonding techniques.
Besides the adherends, the adhesive itself also affects the
force transfer in the adhesive bond. Ductile adhesives like
polyurethanes are more flexible and thus, forces impacts are
distributed better over the adhesive area. Thus, higher bond
strengths are achieved comparing to those adhesives, which
have a higher inherent strength but are less flexible [4]. Biobased
polyurethanes are also already available. In addition,
curing and application temperatures must be considered. The
adhesive curing extends the process time. If the operating
temperature is low, this must be considered for the selected
adhesive as well as for the adherends. The purpose is to
consider whether the bond is dynamically loaded because
here it can come to embrittlement and thus the bond fails.
Stress peaks on brittle parts lead to failure or a lower loadbearing
capacity. In addition, a difference in stiffness of
the adherents causes a notch effect whereby the force
transfer on the adhesive area is compromised [4].
A good adhesion of the bonding parts precludes
separation of the adhesive bonds which in
turn makes it difficult to recycle. However,
this is necessary for the mechanical
recycling of different materials. At the
end of their life cycle, biodegradable
bonds can be composted. For
non-degradable bioplastics,
Biobased and
non-degradable
plastics
e. g.: PE, PA
this is not that easy. However,
they can be used to produce
energy through incineration
because the adhesive bond
cannot be separated into their
individual components.
Other issues are the creep behaviour and ageing which also
occur in bioplastics and bio-based adhesives. They do not
withstand to long-lasting stress. Ageing is caused by diffusion
of substances into and out of the plastic or the adhesive
respectively. Ambient conditions such as temperature also
have an adverse effect on the bond. The adhesion in the bond
decreases due to ageing which can cause the bond to fail,
particularly under dynamic stress. Furthermore, adhesive
34 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11

Joining Bioplastics
Figure 2
Global production capacities of bioplastics 2014 (by market segment)
in 1,000 tonnes
800
600
400
359
790
Biodegradable
PLA & PLA-blends
Starch blends
Other 1 (biodegradable)
Biobased/non-biodegradable
Bio-PET30 2
Bio-PE
Other 3 (biobased/non-biodegradable)
1
Contains regenerated cellulose and biodegradable cellulose
ester; 2 Biobased content amounts to 30 %;
3
Contains durable starch blends, Bio-PC, Bio-TPE, Bio-PUR
200
0
6.7 7.6
Electrics &
electronics
Others
20
Building &
construction
94
Automotive &
transport
107
Agriculture &
horticulture
126
Consumer
goods
186
Textiles
Flexible
packaging
Rigid
packaging
(except thermosets), Bio-PA, PTT
Source: European Bioplastics, Institute for Bioplastics and
Biocomposites, nova-Institute (2015)
More information: www.bio-based.eu/markets and
www.downloads.ifbb-hannover.de
bonds generally do not resist to peeling stresses.
In principle, it should be kept in mind that bond
strengths are depending on the technique with
which they are tested [4]. Therefore, a transfer to
real conditions is difficult and should be tested
separately.
Despite that, in an automobile non-degradable
bioplastics are already used. From polyamide
exterior parts such as engine hood or trunk lid can
be manufactured. For the interior and trunk trim
polyurethane foams and polyolefin are applied.
Since polyolefins poorly adhere to other surfaces
they must be pre-treated first. For this corona
treatment has been proven successful. This
process has a high degree of automation and all
plastics can be pre-treated that way. Through the
corona treatment, the upper atomic layers of the
plastic surface are functionalised, so that wetting
of the adhesive is improved. This technique is
also suitable for reinforced plastics such as wood
fibre plastics since the fibres are embedded in
the polymeric matrix and do not stick out of the
surface.
Summary
Bioplastics are equally well suited for adhesive
bonding as conventional plastics. However, when
it comes to high-strength bonds, most plastics
as well as bioplastics adhere poorly to other
substances. The surface, however, can be pretreated
with existing methods. Whether and to
what extent this is necessary, also depends on
the respective type of bioplastics, the scope of
application and type of loading.
Since the demand for sustainable materials
is constantly rising, bioplastics come to the fore.
Many manufacturers already use plastics on a
large scale for their products. For more complex
implementations and in terms of lightweight
applications adhesive bonding becomes more
and more important in the field of bioplastics. It is
expected that this further increases in the future.
References
[1] european bioplastics. European Bioplastics e.V. Available at:
http://www.european-bioplastics.org/. (Accessed: 12 th May 2016)
[2] Kim, S. in Biopolymers (ed. Elnashar, M.) (Sciyo, 2010).
[3] Clark, J. H. Green Materials from Plant Oils. (The Royal Society of Chemistry).
[4] Rasche, M. Handbuch Klebtechnik. (Carl Hanser Verlag, 2012).
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bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11 35
Bio4pak-adv-BioPlastick-Magazine105x148_5.indd 1 18-05-16 11:04

Report
Co-products from
potato processing
Dutch company converts a co-product into high value technical grade
potato starch
Most of our readers certainly know that certain bioplastics
can be made from plant starches of different
sources, for example PLA from corn starch or
TPS from potato starch etc..
And you probably also know that besides food and feed
starch has been used for multiple technical applications
for decades. Now, besides using starch directly derived
from plants, those mentioned above and others, there is
also a lot of waste starch available that can be used for
such purposes.
However, “we don’t call it waste, we call it side streams
or co-products,” as Roel van Haeren, Sales Director of the
Dutch company Novidon explains. In order to get as much
as possible first-hand information on this topic bioplastics
MAGAZINE visited Novidon in Nijmegen in mid May. Here is
our report:
During the industrial processing of potatoes, for
example into French fries, potato crisps or other products
a lot of so-called side stream potato starch is coming free.
In most cases the starch is in the process water. “We take
Figure 1
Figure 2
this starch out of the process water and bring it to our factory,”
says Christiaan Oei, Area Sales Manager of Novidon.
Novidon is part of the Duynie Group, specialized on the
utilization of co-products of different agricultural product
industries. Their slogan is “Care for co-products”, well
explained in a YouTube-clip on their website. Duynie Group
itself is owned by Royal Cosun, a cooperative of 9,500
sugar beet farmers and the only one sugar company in
the Netherlands. Novidon runs plants in Nijmegen (The
Netherlands), Wrexham (UK), Veurne (Belgium) and Hodiskov
(Czech Republic).
In the past the starch containing process water of the potato
industry went to wastewater treatment plants, landfill or was
converted into animal feed. But Novidon thought that there
was too much value in the starch and decided to upgrade
the co-product into high value technical grade potato starch.
Today Novidon is utilizing this raw material all year round. The
company collects the side stream starch from more than 75
different suppliers spread all over Europe. And while Novidon
is specialized on potato starch, the Duynie Group also collects
other co-products such as potato peels, sugar beet pulp,
wheat distillery syrup, potato flakes or peas that are out of
specs for human consumption etc. “A total of ± 4.5 million
tonnes a year, which represents one truckload per 4 minutes”,
Roel says. These co-products are converted by different
Duynie Group companies into feed, pet-food and other uses
including the energy recovery through anaerobic digestion in
biogas plants as a last step.
The products of Novidon are native and modified potato
starch. Basically these products can be distinguished into
three major groups.
The first group is native starch. This starch goes into
applications such as the paper industry (paper mills), textiles
and also into the bioplastics industry.
The second product group is drilling starches. These
products are used for oil and gas drilling in many countries
in the Middle East, North and West Africa, for example. In
oil and gas drilling a so-called drilling mud is being used
e. g. for cooling, cleaning and lubricating the drill bit and for
maintaining the walls of the borehole. Water based drilling
muds can consist of starch and 30 to 35 other ingredients
such as bentonite (clay). Starch in combination with bentonite
provides very good properties in terms of preventing process
water (fluid loss reducing) from entering the surrounding soil.
And the last group are adhesives for various applications.
This includes wall paper paste, glue for paper sacks or
labelling glues.
36 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11

Report
Potato starch in – high value starch out
About 100,000 tonnes per year of side stream starch
could be generated in Europe as co-products of the potato
converting industries. More than 50 % of that amount is
being collected by Novidon and converted into technical
grades for the different applications.
The starch is partly collected by an own fleet of ± 8 trucks
and delivered to the different locations of Novidon. In order
not to transport too much water, the company tries to get
the starches as dry as possible. So starch can be delivered
in a rather dry, powdery format (fig. 1) or in form of a slurry
that is dumped into a bunker by a tanker truck (fig. 2).
This slurry is then processed in several steps. In
different cyclones heavier contaminations such as sand,
protein and fibres, e. g. from potato peels are centrifuged
off. This is followed by a drying process. Figure 3 shows
the filling of the final dried and cleaned product into big
bags. But the starches can also be filled in paper sacks.
Only at this stage the starch is being evaluated in
Novidon’s modern laboratory. Depending on certain
properties a decision for the final field of applications is
made.
Native potato starch to bioplastics
One of Novidon’s customers is BIOTEC in Emmerich,
Germany, about 45 kilometers away. Biotec converts
the native potato starch of Novidon to high quality
bioplastics called BIOPLAST, which are biodegradable and
compostable, and can be used for different applications
such as film blowing (for the production of different
kinds of bags – figure 4) or injection moulding. “This was
something very interesting for us to learn”, says Roel van
Haeren. “Together with Biotec, Novidon achieved to use
their potato starch as a raw material for Bioplastics.” And
Johannes Mathar, Project Manager R&D at Biotec amends
that “potato starch showed to be the best starch for our
bioplastics.” A few years ago Biotec made an evaluation
and compared starches from corn, cassava, wheat, peas
and other sources.
While about 6,000 – 13,000 tonnes (depending on
annually changing availability) of starch are converted into
adhesives, 3,000 – 15,000 tonnes go to oil- and gas drilling
approx. 20,000 – 35,000 tonnes are sold as high value native
starch. 5 – 7 % of this amount goes into the bioplastics
industry, for example to Biotec. With these figures in mind
– in addition to the fact that Novidon’s potato starch is
derived from co-products – it can be clearly stated, that
such bioplastics from starch are in no competition to
food and feed, an extremely durable solution ready for
expansion.
www.novidon-starch.com
www.duyniegroup.com
www.biotec.de
By: Michael Thielen
Figure 3 Figure 4
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11 37

Basics
PHA – a polymer family with
challenges and opportunities
At the beginning of the 21 st century the chemical industry
undergoes an accelerated and revolutionary change in
the conversion from hydrocarbons to carbohydrates as
feedstock.
In 2016 it is still small (about 12 % of the chemical industry
is based on carbohydrates feedstock), but growing very fast.
New chemical platforms are being brought to the market, but
still have to prove themselves (like succinic acid, levulinic acid
and CO 2
as examples). Both industrial biotechnology (biocatalytic
conversion, fermentation, downstream processing)
and traditional chemo-catalytic conversion are applied
to convert renewable feedstock to useful chemicals and
polymers.
In this process one sees significant changes in the traditional
value chains for chemicals and polymers. Companies in the
wood, paper, potato, other-agricultural and sugar industries
with strong positions in carbohydrate feedstock and expertise
in industrial biotechnology started to diversify into these
traditional chemical value chains. Also companies active in
waste management (both solid waste, waste water and gas
effluents) work to upgrade the value of their waste streams
(CH 4
biogas, fatty acids, CO 2
and also waste cooking oil),
thus starting to set up after-use value chains for a circular
economy. A challenge at the start of it all is that:
Value chains combine competencies that have
never been associated before
Switching to carbohydrates as feedstock implies a
tremendous innovation promise for the chemical industry.
On the other hand it takes 15 – 20 years for new chemicals
or polymers to become very significant in size, since new
applications come one at the time, while drop-ins penetrate
much faster if they are cost competitive.
An industrial PHA polymer family platform is being
developed since about 25 years now. The platform consists
of a large variety of polymers, each with completely different
properties and based on all raw material sources mentioned
above. Figure 1 shows several PHA polymer examples.
The simplest member, PHB, and its building block 3HB have
apperared in nature for more than 3 billion years already and
are part of the metabolism of many organisms for energy
storage and nutritional value.
PHA products range from amorphous to highly crystalline
and go from high-strength, hard and brittle to low-strength,
soft and elastic, so there is a large property design space
for PHAs. In figure 2 a few differences between some PHA
products are illustrated. However, there are more than
hundred different known building block compositions for
PHAs.
The 3HA building blocks in PHA create sensitivity for
molecular chain scission starting at 160 °C and accelerating at
higher temperatures causing a loss of mechanical properties.
This limits the polymer melt temperatures for processing like
compounding, extrusion and injection moulding. There are
also 4HA building blocks, like 4HB and 4HV, which might have
a positive effect on this temperature sensitivity and so on the
polymer processing window, but that still is hypothetical at
this stage.
During the last decade large scale PHA manufacturing
plants have been built, varying in size between 5,000 and
50,000 tonnes/annum, but it has been troublesome to build
demand for them and to get them base loaded. In 2009
PHA capacity expansion plans for 2015 totaled 920,000
tonnes/annum for all players together, but global sales
volume was still about 1,000 tonnes/annum in 2013.
scl-PHAs P3HB, P4HB, PHBV, P3HB4HB, PHB3HV4HV.
CH 3
O
CH 3
O
CH 3 O C 2 H 5 O
O O
O
x
x
O
O
O y
x
P3HB P3HB4HB PHBV
y
mcl-PHAs PHBH, PHBO, PHBD.
CH 3 O C 3 H 7 O
PHBH:
O
O
x
y
lcl-PHAs Many varieties possible.
scl: short chain length
mcl: medium chain length
lcl: long chain length
In addition PHAs have been
designed with aromatic or C=C
groups in the side chain.
Figure 1:
The PHA products
platform is very diverse.
O
C 7 H 15
O
65
O
C 5 H 11
O
15
O
C 15 H 31
O
O
10
C 9 H 19
O
10
38 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11

Basics
By:
Jan Ravenstijn
Senior consultant Biopolymers and
Industrial R&D management
Meerssen, The Netherlands
In 2015, however, the PHA scene began to turn around:
more players became active at an industrial level, lower PHA
prices were being offered, sales volume began to develop
and a large number of value chain alliances across the whole
value chain came about. All these accelerated the global
market acceptance and penetration of PHA products.
Today there are more than 30 companies active in
development, manufacturing and scale-up of PHA products.
Several of those decided to make and market their own PHAcompounds
since they do not always have good experiences
working with compounding companies. A CEO of one of the
companies mentioned: “Most compounders do not properly
process my PHA polymers, despite instructions on how to do
it, so I decided to develop and to produce compounds myself
and bring those to the market”.
The PHA polymer platform development has been
dominated by Technology Push for a long time based on a
“Look what we can do” attitude and backed by local and by
country governments appreciating the environmental benefits
and often the start of an after-use value chain, but without
sufficient understanding of the requirements for Market Pull.
Often the golden rule for a new polymer was ignored:
Build demand before you build capacity
The last five years also several players came to the market
demonstrating the understanding for the need of a broad
range of applications at a competitive market price. Although
they admit that their cost position will not be optimal in the first
years, they show faith in where they can be when the technology
is at large industrial scale, like 100,000 tonnes/annum plants.
Manufacturing cost quotes of EUR 1.20/kg have already been
given based on which PHA polymer pricing could be between
EUR 1.60 and EUR 2.00/kg in such case.
Prices of the fossil-based polymers PHA competes with
currently run between EUR 1.10 and EUR 2.00/kg. So the
PHA prices are still high in the range, but close enough to get
significant market penetration from a polymer cost perspective.
However, there are also PHA suppliers who are more careful to
indicate where they think the ultimate market price can go.
Although the PHA product family cannot fully substitute
any of the traditional fossil-based polymer families, it can
partly substitute many of them, so the accessible market for
PHA is very large and could become hundreds of kilotonnes
per annum, provided the cost/performance balance is OK.
Depending on the PHA type and grade it can be used for
injection moulding (see figure 3), sheet and film extrusion,
thermoforming, foam, non-wovens, fibers, 3D-printing,
paper coating, glues, binders, adhesives, as additive for
reinforcement or plasticization or as building block in UPRs
for paint or in PUR for foam. Most of these application
developments (see figure 4) are embryonic or early-growth.
PHAs can be used in most thermoplastic and
thermoset market segments
A new value chain is created for PHA polymers. Often, but
not always it’s based on an after-use value chain utilizing
components of a variety of waste streams. Also in other
cases we see that the first few positions in the value chain
(raw material, fermentative polymer production) are taken by
parties who are unfamiliar with the plastics business. During
the last two years about 5 companies have made significant
progress in forming alliances across the entire value
chain in order to accelerate their product and application
developments.
Companies developing PHA manufacturing technology
formed alliances with OEMs, both for thermoplastics
70
Figure 2:
Differences between
several PHA
products.
Melt Temperature (°C)
200
190
180
170
160
150
140
130
120
110
100
0
PHB
PHBD
PHBV
PHBHx
PHBO
PHBHx
PHBO
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
3HA Content (mol%)
Crystallinity (%)
60
PHB
PHBV
50
PHBO
40
PHBHx
30
PHBOd
20
10
0
0 5 10 15 20 25
3HA Content (mol%)
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11 39

Basics
and thermoset applications, plastic formulators and
compounders, plastic part converters, distributors and
raw material suppliers, but also with universities, research
institutes, PHA competitors and engineering companies. It
is understood that the market potential for PHA products is
large enough and that some competitive intensity is required
for significant penetration.
Such alliances take many forms: technology licenses, toll
manufacturing, product distribution agreements, broadening
the product offering and joint development agreements often
combined with supply contracts.
Figure 3: Injection moulded PHA beach toys
(photo: Zoë B / Metabolix)
Customers always ask questions about supply security and
price development over time when new polymeric materials
are offered to them. This becomes even more relevant when
these new offerings are important for their brand image.
Paying a premium price compared to their fossil-based
alternatives is usually no problem, but within limits and
based on the understanding that the price will become costcompetitive
in the end. It is important to have a solid supply
security plan for the market if a PHA supplier would be the
single source for his specific product, which today often is the
case.
In summary PHA can be described as follows:
Figure 4: Examples of PHBH applications.
top: PHBH bed-pan (cf. bM 06/2013, 01/2014)
bottom: PHBH particle foam, (photo: Kaneka, bM 01/2010)
Strengths:
• Versatile biodegradability, unlike most other bio-based
polymers.
• Fully based on renewable feedstock, including waste
streams.
• Can be bioresorbable.
• The platform has a very large design space for property
tuning.
• Good in-use heat resistance, hydrolysis resistance and
oxygen permeability.
Weaknesses:
• Crystalline products show very slow crystallization from
the melt.
• Molecular chain scission above 160 °C.
• The cost/performance balance is still a challenge for some
suppliers.
Opportunities:
• Very suitable for use in marine or sweet-water
environments, because of degradability.
• PHA containing debris less of a problem in a marine
environment.
• High potential for food contact and biomedical
applications.
• Strong value chain alliances for accelerated market
penetration.
Threats:
• Inability to bring the manufacturing cost down to a
competitive level.
• Lack of competitive intensity.
• Underestimation of requirements for certifications,
registrations and regulatory approval processes.
40 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11

new
series
Brand Owners
Brand-Owner’s perspective on bioplastics
and how to unleash its full potential
In this issue we continue our new series with statements
of representatives of well known brand owners.
We are grateful that Tim Guy Brooks of LEGO System A/S,
Billund, Denmark is sharing his thoughts with us:
For the LEGO Group, sustainable materials contribute to our vision of
positive impact and reduces our environmental footprint.
We are looking for a sustainable material that meets our high quality
and safety standards; have no non-desirable chemicals; has key
environmental and social sustainability attributes and maximize the
play value of our products.
With the guidance of World Wildlife Fund, we have established
comprehensive criteria for a sustainable material, which considers
the entire lifecycle; everything from sourcing feedstock, minimizing
waste in the value chain, and ensuring durability to last generations.
We will continue our work to further improve our approach to
bioplastics and our environmental sustainability.
Tim Guy Brooks,
Vice President Environmental Sustainability at LEGO
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bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11 41

Basics
Avoiding confusion between
biodegradable and
compostable
By:
Pau Balaguer
Project manager
ITENE Research Center
Paterna, Spain
The terms biodegradable and compostable can be quite
confusing words. Both words define biological processes
but these concepts have often been misused in the
field of marketing, leading to confusion. Any new products
claimed to be compostable should be certified according to
standardized testing methods and need to be identified with
well-recognized logos promoted by several well-positioned
entities.
In recent years and mainly in the packaging sector, there
has been a rising trend in replacing traditional plastics such
as polyethylene and polypropylene by biodegradable materials
in order to reduce the generation of packaging waste. With
this regard certain bioplastics and cellulosic materials can be
used.
Bioplastics encompasses a whole family of materials which
differ from conventional plastics insofar as that they are
biobased, biodegradable, or both (fig. 1).
Biobased means that the material or product is (partly)
derived from renewable resources. According to their origin,
biobased polymers can be grouped into three classes [2, 3]:
(i) Polymers extracted directly from biomass, (ii) polymers
synthesized from monomers obtained from biomass, and (iii)
polymers produced by microorganisms.
The first type of biobased polymers includes those based
on polysaccharides (starch, cellulose…), and proteins (wheat
gluten, soy protein, gelatin…). The second group of biopolymers
covers a wide range of materials, such as poly (lactic acid)
(PLA), produced from lactic acid obtained by fermentation of,
for example, sugar cane; biopolyethylene (BioPE), from the
polymerization of ethylene produced from bioethanol; and
bio-polyurethanes, incorporating polyols of vegetable origin.
The third type refers to biopolymers that are produced directly
by microorganisms, such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) [4].
However, not all of them are biodegradable.
The term biodegradable refers to a chemical process during
which microorganisms that are available in the environment
convert materials into natural substances such as water,
carbon dioxide and biomass. There are diverse environments
for biodegradation of materials, such as soil, water, marine
environment, digester plants, household composting units,
and industrial composting facilities.
Regarding packaging waste, composting appears to be
a feasible solution for its recovery reducing the need for
final disposal (e. g. in landfill) of used packaging of those
materials that meet specific requirements. To be considered
as compostable a material or product have to undergo
degradation by biological processes during composting
to yield carbon dioxide, water, inorganic compounds, and
biomass at a rate consistent with other known compostable
materials, and must not leave any (visible or invisible) or even
toxic residues.
Following the definition of the terms biodegradable
and compostable, any product can be biodegradable, but
what really matters is the time frame in which a material
is biodegraded and in which environment. Compostable
thus restricts the term fixing both aspects, and deals with
other important aspects such as material characteristics,
disintegration degree, and quality of the resulting compost.
Then it is important to remark that all compostable
materials are biodegradable, but not all biodegradable
materials are compostable.
Many unsubstantiated claims to biodegradability and
compostability were made in the past as a consequence of
Figure 1. Biobased and biodegradable plastics [1]
FROM RENEWABLE RESOURCES
Figure 2. Compostability logos given by
Vinçotte and DIN-Certco: OK COMPOST and Seedling and by
DIN-Certco: Industrial Compostable.
The Seedling is a trademark owned by European Bioplastics
NOT DEGRADABLE
bio-PE, bio-PA
cellulose-acetate
bio-polyisoprene
PLA
PHA (PHB...)
TPS
Celluloseregenerates
BIODEGRADABLE /
COMPOSTABLE
no bioplastics
PE-LD, PE-HD
PP, PA, PS
PVC, EVOH,
oxo-fragmentable
blends
certain Co-
Polyesters
(e.g. PBAT),
Polycaprolacton,
PVA,...
FROM FOSSIL RAW MATERIALS
42 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11

Basics
the lack of well-identified environmental requirements, and
inexistence of well-established testing methods. However,
since year 2000 there are standard methodologies to
evaluate the suitability of a material for its organic recovery
by composting. EN 13432 [5] is one of the most recognized
standard norms that defines the procedure and the criteria to
determine the compostability of a material. Logos (fig. 2) and
certificates issued by several certification bodies such as DIN
CERTCO and VINÇOTTE in Europe, BPI in USA, and JBPA in
Japan, allow demonstrating the conformity of final products,
materials, intermediates, and additives with the specified
criteria in the standard compostability norms. Moreover, false
and misleading environmental claims are being pursue by
diverse organizations, such as Federal Trade Commission in
the USA, which imposed recently a USD 450,000 civil penalty
[6].
In order to obtain the different compostability logos
the testing must be conducted in laboratories which are
recognized by the certification bodies [7, 8].
Compostability testing
The different tests to be performed in order to determine
if a material, intermediate, additive or product can be
recovered through composting according to EN 13432 [5] (and
if applicable, in connection with ASTM D 6400 [9], ISO 18606
[10], ISO 17088 [11], EN 14995 [12]) are compiled in table 1 and
described in the next subsections.
Material characterization:
Each product shall be identified and characterized including
at least:
1. Information and identification of the constituents,
2. presence of regulated metals (Zn, Cu, Ni, Cd, Pb, Hg, Cr,
Mo, Se, As, Co [13]) and other hazardous substances to the
environment (F), and
3. content in total dry and volatile solids.
Biodegradation
Biodegradability is determined by measuring the carbon
dioxide produced by the sample under controlled composting
conditions following ISO 14855-1:2012 [16]. For this the
sample is mixed with compost and placed in bioreactors at
58 °C under continuous flow of humidified air. At the exit the
CO 2
concentration is measured and related to the theoretical
amount that could be produced regarding the carbon content
of the sample.
The biodegradability should be determined for the whole
material and individually for the constituents present at levels
between 1 and 10 % [17].
The minimum duration of the test is 45 days, in which a
positive control (cellulose) has to be biodegraded at least in
a 70 %, and the maximum duration set out in the standard
is 6 months, in which the sample has to be biodegraded in a
90 % to be considered as biodegradable in compost [18].
Figure 3 shows the different phases observed during
biodegradation tests. Phase A corresponds to the lag time
sometimes observed for initiate the biodegradation; Phase
B corresponds to the active biodegradation of molecules
into CO 2
and H 2
O; Phase C is the plateau zone reached
after biodegradation has taken place, and D determines
the ultimate level of biodegradation. After the first 45 days,
continuation of the biodegradation test could be necessary or
not depending on the biodegradation rate of the material and
the phase achieved.
Figure 3. Typical biodegradation curve.
Biodegradation, %
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0
A
A Lag phase
B Degradation phase
C Stationary phase
D Degree of biodegradation
B
4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40 44
Time, days
C
D
Table 1. Summary description of tests to be performed under EN 13432:2000.
Test Standard Test duration Sample weight
Chemical characterization of material:
- Dry and volatile solids
- Regulated metals (Zn, Cu, Ni, Cd, Pb, Hg, Cr, Mo,
Se, As, Co [13])
- Hazardous substances (F)
- Infrared transmission spectrum
Biodegradation under industrial
composting conditions
Disintegration under ind. composting
conditions and physico-chemical Pilot-scale
properties of compost (total dry
solids, volatile solids, pH, N-NH 4
,
N-NO 2
, N-NO 3
, N, P, K, Mg, salt
content, density, and maturity level)
Ecotoxicity in 2 plant species:
- Garden cress (Lepidium sativum)
- Summer barley (Hordeum vulgare)
EN 13432:2000
PT-04-63
EN 13432:2000
ISO 14855-1:2012
EN 13432:2000
ISO 16929:2013
2 weeks 20 g in powder
6 weeks – 6 months 100 g in powder
12 weeks 2 kg in final form, 14 kg in powder
Lab-scale ISO 20200:2004 [15] 90 days (+ 90 days) 500 g in final form
EN 13432:2000
OECD 208 (2006)
3 weeks,
after disintegration test
(compost samples from pilot-scale
disintegration)
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11 43

Basics
Disintegration
Disintegration is evaluated at pilot-scale by simulating a
real composting environment following ISO 16929:2013 [19].
In this case, samples in their final form [20, 21] are mixed with
fresh artificial bioresidue. Oxygen concentration, temperature
and humidity are regularly controlled. After 12 weeks, the
resulting composts are sieved and the remaining amount of
material in pieces > 2 mm, if any, is determined. Photographs
are taken in order to follow the physical disappearance of
materials (fig. 4).
Pass level to be considered disintegrable under composting
conditions is > 90 % in ≤ 2 mm. If this pass level is achieved
a physico-chemical characterization of resulting composts
(blank and with sample) is conducted in order to determine
that the quality of the compost is not affected. Parameters
such as: total dry solids, volatile solids, pH, ammonium
nitrogen (N-NH 4
), nitrite nitrogen (N-NO 2
), nitrate nitrogen
(N-NO 3
), total nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K),
magnesium (Mg), salt content, density, and maturity level
(Rottegrad) are determined.
Ecotoxicity:
Ecotoxicity of the resulting compost is evaluated in plants
following OECD 208 (2006) [22]. For this purpose, material
in powder is added to the bioreactor with fresh bioresidue
following the same procedure than in the disintegration test
[23]. A comparison is made with the compost resulting from
blank bioreactors and bioreactors containing the material
tested with regards to plant seedling emergence and growth.
Both parameters should be higher than 90 % with respect
to the blank compost to pass the test. Two different species
are evaluated such as garden cress (Lepidium sativum) and
summer barley (Hordeum vulgare).
Finally, in order to fulfill the requirements stated in the
European Parliament and Council Directive 94/62/EC on
packaging and packaging waste, an end-of-life option has to
be selected before placing a packaging product in the market.
Composting is one of the diverse recovery options available
to reduce and recycle packaging waste. However, because
of the increasing number of new compostable materials in
the market and in development, it is necessary to certify that
these new products are compostable following standardized
testing methods and identifying them with well-recognized
logos promoted by several well-positioned entities. This will
also help final consumers to properly manage packaging
when it achieves its end-of-life and becomes waste.
www.itene.com
References and Remarks
[1] Thielen, M.: Bioplastics: Basics. Applications. Markets, Polymedia
Publisher GmbH, 2012
[2] Mensitieri, G., Di Maio, E., Buonocore, G. G., Nedi, I., Oliviero, M.,
Sansone, L., and Iannace, S. 2011. Processing and shelf life issues
of selected food packaging materials and structures from renewable
resources. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 22(2–3), 72-80.
[3] Queiroz, A. U. B., and Collares-Queiroz, F. P. 2009. Innovation and
industrial trends in bioplastics. Polymer Reviews, 49(2), 65-78.
[4] Balaguer, M. P. 2015. Doctoral Thesis. Development of active
bioplastics based on wheat proteins and natural antimicrobials for food
packaging applications.
[5] EN 13432. Packaging. Requirements for packaging recoverable
through composting and biodegradation. Test scheme and evaluation
criteria for the final acceptance of packaging.
[6] http://www.packworld.com/sustainability/green-marketing-ampclaims/ftc-cracks-down-biodegradable-marketing-claims
[7] VINÇOTTE: http://www.okcompost.be/data/pdf-document/okc-labe.pdf
[8] DIN-CERTCO: http://www.dincertco.de/media/dincertco/dokumente_1/
verzeichnisse/FirstSpirit_14406522318292015-08-26_Liste_
Prueflaboratorien_List_of_testing_laboratories_BAW.pdf
[9] ASTM D 6400. Standard Specification for Labeling of Plastics Designed
to be Aerobically Composted in Municipal or Industrial Facilities
[10] ISO 18606. Packaging and the environment - Organic recycling.
[11] ISO 17088. Specifications for compostable plastics.
[12] EN 14995. Plastics. Evaluation of the compostability. Program of
testing and specification
[13] Co is only needed for Canadian certification.
[14] Taking into account a material similar to PLA, 3 months could be
enough.
[15] Does not follow EN 13432, but it is accepted for certification in some
specific cases.
[16] ISO 14855-1:2012. Determination of the ultimate aerobic
biodegradability of plastic materials under controlled composting
conditions - Method by analysis of evolved carbon dioxide - Part 1:
General method.
[17] Constituents which are present at the concentrations of less than 1%
do not need to demonstrate biodegradability. However, the sum of such
constituents shall not exceed 5%.
[18] Also 90% with respect to a reference (cellulose) is considered as valid.
However, the sum of such constituents shall not exceed 5%.
[19] ISO 16929:2013. Plastics - Determination of the degree of
disintegration of plastic materials under defined composting conditions
in a pilot-scale test.
[29] Large materials are reduced in pieces of 5 cm x 5 cm or 10 cm x 10 cm
for films.
[21] For products and materials that are made in several thicknesses only
the thickest need to be tested.
[22] OECD 208 (2006). Terrestrial Plant Test: Seedling Emergence and
Seedling Growth Test.
[23] The compost that has to be used for this test is produced at the same
time that disintegration tests are performed.
Figure 5. Climatic chamber with photoperiod used for the evaluation
of ecotoxic effects in plants.
Figure 4. Disintegration of a sample under simulated composting
conditions in a pilot-scale test.
44 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11

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Basics
Glossary 4.2 last update issue 02/2016
In bioplastics MAGAZINE again and again
the same expressions appear that some of our readers
might not (yet) be familiar with. This glossary shall help
with these terms and shall help avoid repeated explanations
such as PLA (Polylactide) in various articles.
Bioplastics (as defined by European Bioplastics
e.V.) is a term used to define two different
kinds of plastics:
a. Plastics based on → renewable resources
(the focus is the origin of the raw material
used). These can be biodegradable or not.
b. → Biodegradable and → compostable
plastics according to EN13432 or similar
standards (the focus is the compostability of
the final product; biodegradable and compostable
plastics can be based on renewable
(biobased) and/or non-renewable (fossil) resources).
Bioplastics may be
- based on renewable resources and biodegradable;
- based on renewable resources but not be
biodegradable; and
- based on fossil resources and biodegradable.
1 st Generation feedstock | Carbohydrate rich
plants such as corn or sugar cane that can
also be used as food or animal feed are called
food crops or 1 st generation feedstock. Bred
my mankind over centuries for highest energy
efficiency, currently, 1 st generation feedstock
is the most efficient feedstock for the production
of bioplastics as it requires the least
amount of land to grow and produce the highest
yields. [bM 04/09]
2 nd Generation feedstock | refers to feedstock
not suitable for food or feed. It can be either
non-food crops (e.g. cellulose) or waste materials
from 1 st generation feedstock (e.g.
waste vegetable oil). [bM 06/11]
3 rd Generation feedstock | This term currently
relates to biomass from algae, which – having
a higher growth yield than 1 st and 2 nd generation
feedstock – were given their own category.
It also relates to bioplastics from waste
streams such as CO 2
or methane [bM 02/16]
Aerobic digestion | Aerobic means in the
presence of oxygen. In →composting, which is
an aerobic process, →microorganisms access
the present oxygen from the surrounding atmosphere.
They metabolize the organic material
to energy, CO 2
, water and cell biomass,
whereby part of the energy of the organic material
is released as heat. [bM 03/07, bM 02/09]
Since this Glossary will not be printed
in each issue you can download a pdf version
from our website (bit.ly/OunBB0)
bioplastics MAGAZINE is grateful to European Bioplastics for the permission to use parts of their Glossary.
Version 4.0 was revised using EuBP’s latest version (Jan 2015).
[*: bM ... refers to more comprehensive article previously published in bioplastics MAGAZINE)
Anaerobic digestion | In anaerobic digestion,
organic matter is degraded by a microbial
population in the absence of oxygen
and producing methane and carbon dioxide
(= →biogas) and a solid residue that can be
composted in a subsequent step without
practically releasing any heat. The biogas can
be treated in a Combined Heat and Power
Plant (CHP), producing electricity and heat, or
can be upgraded to bio-methane [14] [bM 06/09]
Amorphous | non-crystalline, glassy with unordered
lattice
Amylopectin | Polymeric branched starch
molecule with very high molecular weight
(biopolymer, monomer is →Glucose) [bM 05/09]
Amylose | Polymeric non-branched starch
molecule with high molecular weight (biopolymer,
monomer is →Glucose) [bM 05/09]
Biobased | The term biobased describes the
part of a material or product that is stemming
from →biomass. When making a biobasedclaim,
the unit (→biobased carbon content,
→biobased mass content), a percentage and
the measuring method should be clearly stated [1]
Biobased carbon | carbon contained in or
stemming from →biomass. A material or
product made of fossil and →renewable resources
contains fossil and →biobased carbon.
The biobased carbon content is measured via
the 14 C method (radio carbon dating method)
that adheres to the technical specifications as
described in [1,4,5,6].
Biobased labels | The fact that (and to
what percentage) a product or a material is
→biobased can be indicated by respective
labels. Ideally, meaningful labels should be
based on harmonised standards and a corresponding
certification process by independent
third party institutions. For the property
biobased such labels are in place by certifiers
→DIN CERTCO and →Vinçotte who both base
their certifications on the technical specification
as described in [4,5]
A certification and corresponding label depicting
the biobased mass content was developed
by the French Association Chimie du Végétal
[ACDV].
Biobased mass content | describes the
amount of biobased mass contained in a material
or product. This method is complementary
to the 14 C method, and furthermore, takes
other chemical elements besides the biobased
carbon into account, such as oxygen, nitrogen
and hydrogen. A measuring method has
been developed and tested by the Association
Chimie du Végétal (ACDV) [1]
Biobased plastic | A plastic in which constitutional
units are totally or partly from →
biomass [3]. If this claim is used, a percentage
should always be given to which extent
the product/material is → biobased [1]
[bM 01/07, bM 03/10]
Biodegradable Plastics | Biodegradable Plastics
are plastics that are completely assimilated
by the → microorganisms present a defined
environment as food for their energy. The
carbon of the plastic must completely be converted
into CO 2
during the microbial process.
The process of biodegradation depends on
the environmental conditions, which influence
it (e.g. location, temperature, humidity) and
on the material or application itself. Consequently,
the process and its outcome can vary
considerably. Biodegradability is linked to the
structure of the polymer chain; it does not depend
on the origin of the raw materials.
There is currently no single, overarching standard
to back up claims about biodegradability.
One standard for example is ISO or in Europe:
EN 14995 Plastics- Evaluation of compostability
- Test scheme and specifications
[bM 02/06, bM 01/07]
Biogas | → Anaerobic digestion
Biomass | Material of biological origin excluding
material embedded in geological formations
and material transformed to fossilised
material. This includes organic material, e.g.
trees, crops, grasses, tree litter, algae and
waste of biological origin, e.g. manure [1, 2]
Biorefinery | the co-production of a spectrum
of bio-based products (food, feed, materials,
chemicals including monomers or building
blocks for bioplastics) and energy (fuels, power,
heat) from biomass.[bM 02/13]
Blend | Mixture of plastics, polymer alloy of at
least two microscopically dispersed and molecularly
distributed base polymers
Bisphenol-A (BPA) | Monomer used to produce
different polymers. BPA is said to cause
health problems, due to the fact that is behaves
like a hormone. Therefore it is banned
for use in children’s products in many countries.
BPI | Biodegradable Products Institute, a notfor-profit
association. Through their innovative
compostable label program, BPI educates
manufacturers, legislators and consumers
about the importance of scientifically based
standards for compostable materials which
biodegrade in large composting facilities.
Carbon footprint | (CFPs resp. PCFs – Product
Carbon Footprint): Sum of →greenhouse
gas emissions and removals in a product system,
expressed as CO 2
equivalent, and based
on a →life cycle assessment. The CO 2
equivalent
of a specific amount of a greenhouse gas
is calculated as the mass of a given greenhouse
gas multiplied by its →global warmingpotential
[1,2,15]
46 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11

Basics
Carbon neutral, CO 2
neutral | describes a
product or process that has a negligible impact
on total atmospheric CO 2
levels. For
example, carbon neutrality means that any
CO 2
released when a plant decomposes or
is burnt is offset by an equal amount of CO 2
absorbed by the plant through photosynthesis
when it is growing.
Carbon neutrality can also be achieved
through buying sufficient carbon credits to
make up the difference. The latter option is
not allowed when communicating → LCAs
or carbon footprints regarding a material or
product [1, 2].
Carbon-neutral claims are tricky as products
will not in most cases reach carbon neutrality
if their complete life cycle is taken into consideration
(including the end-of life).
If an assessment of a material, however, is
conducted (cradle to gate), carbon neutrality
might be a valid claim in a B2B context. In this
case, the unit assessed in the complete life
cycle has to be clarified [1]
Cascade use | of →renewable resources means
to first use the →biomass to produce biobased
industrial products and afterwards – due to
their favourable energy balance – use them
for energy generation (e.g. from a biobased
plastic product to →biogas production). The
feedstock is used efficiently and value generation
increases decisively.
Catalyst | substance that enables and accelerates
a chemical reaction
Cellophane | Clear film on the basis of →cellulose
[bM 01/10]
Cellulose | Cellulose is the principal component
of cell walls in all higher forms of plant
life, at varying percentages. It is therefore the
most common organic compound and also
the most common polysaccharide (multisugar)
[11]. Cellulose is a polymeric molecule
with very high molecular weight (monomer is
→Glucose), industrial production from wood
or cotton, to manufacture paper, plastics and
fibres [bM 01/10]
Cellulose ester | Cellulose esters occur by
the esterification of cellulose with organic
acids. The most important cellulose esters
from a technical point of view are cellulose
acetate (CA with acetic acid), cellulose propionate
(CP with propionic acid) and cellulose
butyrate (CB with butanoic acid). Mixed polymerisates,
such as cellulose acetate propionate
(CAP) can also be formed. One of the most
well-known applications of cellulose aceto
butyrate (CAB) is the moulded handle on the
Swiss army knife [11]
Cellulose acetate CA | → Cellulose ester
CEN | Comité Européen de Normalisation
(European organisation for standardization)
Certification | is a process in which materials/products
undergo a string of (laboratory)
tests in order to verify that the fulfil certain
requirements. Sound certification systems
should be based on (ideally harmonised) European
standards or technical specifications
(e.g. by →CEN, USDA, ASTM, etc.) and be
performed by independent third party laboratories.
Successful certification guarantees
a high product safety - also on this basis interconnected
labels can be awarded that help
the consumer to make an informed decision.
Compost | A soil conditioning material of decomposing
organic matter which provides nutrients
and enhances soil structure.
[bM 06/08, 02/09]
Compostable Plastics | Plastics that are
→ biodegradable under →composting conditions:
specified humidity, temperature,
→ microorganisms and timeframe. In order
to make accurate and specific claims about
compostability, the location (home, → industrial)
and timeframe need to be specified [1].
Several national and international standards
exist for clearer definitions, for example EN
14995 Plastics - Evaluation of compostability -
Test scheme and specifications. [bM 02/06, bM 01/07]
Composting | is the controlled →aerobic, or
oxygen-requiring, decomposition of organic
materials by →microorganisms, under controlled
conditions. It reduces the volume and
mass of the raw materials while transforming
them into CO 2
, water and a valuable soil conditioner
– compost.
When talking about composting of bioplastics,
foremost →industrial composting in a
managed composting facility is meant (criteria
defined in EN 13432).
The main difference between industrial and
home composting is, that in industrial composting
facilities temperatures are much
higher and kept stable, whereas in the composting
pile temperatures are usually lower,
and less constant as depending on factors
such as weather conditions. Home composting
is a way slower-paced process than
industrial composting. Also a comparatively
smaller volume of waste is involved. [bM 03/07]
Compound | plastic mixture from different
raw materials (polymer and additives) [bM 04/10)
Copolymer | Plastic composed of different
monomers.
Cradle-to-Gate | Describes the system
boundaries of an environmental →Life Cycle
Assessment (LCA) which covers all activities
from the cradle (i.e., the extraction of raw materials,
agricultural activities and forestry) up
to the factory gate
Cradle-to-Cradle | (sometimes abbreviated
as C2C): Is an expression which communicates
the concept of a closed-cycle economy,
in which waste is used as raw material
(‘waste equals food’). Cradle-to-Cradle is not
a term that is typically used in →LCA studies.
Cradle-to-Grave | Describes the system
boundaries of a full →Life Cycle Assessment
from manufacture (cradle) to use phase and
disposal phase (grave).
Crystalline | Plastic with regularly arranged
molecules in a lattice structure
Density | Quotient from mass and volume of
a material, also referred to as specific weight
DIN | Deutsches Institut für Normung (German
organisation for standardization)
DIN-CERTCO | independant certifying organisation
for the assessment on the conformity
of bioplastics
Dispersing | fine distribution of non-miscible
liquids into a homogeneous, stable mixture
Drop-In bioplastics | chemically indentical
to conventional petroleum based plastics,
but made from renewable resources. Examples
are bio-PE made from bio-ethanol (from
e.g. sugar cane) or partly biobased PET; the
monoethylene glykol made from bio-ethanol
(from e.g. sugar cane). Developments to
make terephthalic acid from renewable resources
are under way. Other examples are
polyamides (partly biobased e.g. PA 4.10 or PA
6.10 or fully biobased like PA 5.10 or PA10.10)
EN 13432 | European standard for the assessment
of the → compostability of plastic
packaging products
Energy recovery | recovery and exploitation
of the energy potential in (plastic) waste for
the production of electricity or heat in waste
incineration pants (waste-to-energy)
Environmental claim | A statement, symbol
or graphic that indicates one or more environmental
aspect(s) of a product, a component,
packaging or a service. [16]
Enzymes | proteins that catalyze chemical
reactions
Enzyme-mediated plastics | are no →bioplastics.
Instead, a conventional non-biodegradable
plastic (e.g. fossil-based PE) is enriched
with small amounts of an organic additive.
Microorganisms are supposed to consume
these additives and the degradation process
should then expand to the non-biodegradable
PE and thus make the material degrade. After
some time the plastic is supposed to visually
disappear and to be completely converted to
carbon dioxide and water. This is a theoretical
concept which has not been backed up by
any verifiable proof so far. Producers promote
enzyme-mediated plastics as a solution to littering.
As no proof for the degradation process
has been provided, environmental beneficial
effects are highly questionable.
Ethylene | colour- and odourless gas, made
e.g. from, Naphtha (petroleum) by cracking or
from bio-ethanol by dehydration, monomer of
the polymer polyethylene (PE)
European Bioplastics e.V. | The industry association
representing the interests of Europe’s
thriving bioplastics’ industry. Founded
in Germany in 1993 as IBAW, European
Bioplastics today represents the interests
of about 50 member companies throughout
the European Union and worldwide. With
members from the agricultural feedstock,
chemical and plastics industries, as well as
industrial users and recycling companies, European
Bioplastics serves as both a contact
platform and catalyst for advancing the aims
of the growing bioplastics industry.
Extrusion | process used to create plastic
profiles (or sheet) of a fixed cross-section
consisting of mixing, melting, homogenising
and shaping of the plastic.
FDCA | 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid, an intermediate
chemical produced from 5-HMF.
The dicarboxylic acid can be used to make →
PEF = polyethylene furanoate, a polyester that
could be a 100% biobased alternative to PET.
Fermentation | Biochemical reactions controlled
by → microorganisms or → enyzmes (e.g.
the transformation of sugar into lactic acid).
FSC | Forest Stewardship Council. FSC is an
independent, non-governmental, not-forprofit
organization established to promote the
responsible and sustainable management of
the world’s forests.
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11 47

Basics
Gelatine | Translucent brittle solid substance,
colorless or slightly yellow, nearly tasteless
and odorless, extracted from the collagen inside
animals‘ connective tissue.
Genetically modified organism (GMO) | Organisms,
such as plants and animals, whose
genetic material (DNA) has been altered
are called genetically modified organisms
(GMOs). Food and feed which contain or
consist of such GMOs, or are produced from
GMOs, are called genetically modified (GM)
food or feed [1]. If GM crops are used in bioplastics
production, the multiple-stage processing
and the high heat used to create the
polymer removes all traces of genetic material.
This means that the final bioplastics product
contains no genetic traces. The resulting
bioplastics is therefore well suited to use in
food packaging as it contains no genetically
modified material and cannot interact with
the contents.
Global Warming | Global warming is the rise
in the average temperature of Earth’s atmosphere
and oceans since the late 19th century
and its projected continuation [8]. Global
warming is said to be accelerated by → green
house gases.
Glucose | Monosaccharide (or simple sugar).
G. is the most important carbohydrate (sugar)
in biology. G. is formed by photosynthesis or
hydrolyse of many carbohydrates e. g. starch.
Greenhouse gas GHG | Gaseous constituent
of the atmosphere, both natural and anthropogenic,
that absorbs and emits radiation at
specific wavelengths within the spectrum of
infrared radiation emitted by the earth’s surface,
the atmosphere, and clouds [1, 9]
Greenwashing | The act of misleading consumers
regarding the environmental practices
of a company, or the environmental benefits
of a product or service [1, 10]
Granulate, granules | small plastic particles
(3-4 millimetres), a form in which plastic is
sold and fed into machines, easy to handle
and dose.
HMF (5-HMF) | 5-hydroxymethylfurfural is an
organic compound derived from sugar dehydration.
It is a platform chemical, a building
block for 20 performance polymers and over
175 different chemical substances. The molecule
consists of a furan ring which contains
both aldehyde and alcohol functional groups.
5-HMF has applications in many different
industries such as bioplastics, packaging,
pharmaceuticals, adhesives and chemicals.
One of the most promising routes is 2,5
furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), produced as an
intermediate when 5-HMF is oxidised. FDCA
is used to produce PEF, which can substitute
terephthalic acid in polyester, especially polyethylene
terephthalate (PET). [bM 03/14, 02/16]
Home composting | →composting [bM 06/08]
Humus | In agriculture, humus is often used
simply to mean mature →compost, or natural
compost extracted from a forest or other
spontaneous source for use to amend soil.
Hydrophilic | Property: water-friendly, soluble
in water or other polar solvents (e.g. used
in conjunction with a plastic which is not water
resistant and weather proof or that absorbs
water such as Polyamide (PA).
Hydrophobic | Property: water-resistant, not
soluble in water (e.g. a plastic which is water
resistant and weather proof, or that does not
absorb any water such as Polyethylene (PE)
or Polypropylene (PP).
Industrial composting | is an established
process with commonly agreed upon requirements
(e.g. temperature, timeframe) for transforming
biodegradable waste into stable, sanitised
products to be used in agriculture. The
criteria for industrial compostability of packaging
have been defined in the EN 13432. Materials
and products complying with this standard
can be certified and subsequently labelled
accordingly [1,7] [bM 06/08, 02/09]
ISO | International Organization for Standardization
JBPA | Japan Bioplastics Association
Land use | The surface required to grow sufficient
feedstock (land use) for today’s bioplastic
production is less than 0.01 percent of the
global agricultural area of 5 billion hectares.
It is not yet foreseeable to what extent an increased
use of food residues, non-food crops
or cellulosic biomass (see also →1 st /2 nd /3 rd
generation feedstock) in bioplastics production
might lead to an even further reduced
land use in the future [bM 04/09, 01/14]
LCA | is the compilation and evaluation of the
input, output and the potential environmental
impact of a product system throughout its life
cycle [17]. It is sometimes also referred to as
life cycle analysis, ecobalance or cradle-tograve
analysis. [bM 01/09]
Littering | is the (illegal) act of leaving waste
such as cigarette butts, paper, tins, bottles,
cups, plates, cutlery or bags lying in an open
or public place.
Marine litter | Following the European Commission’s
definition, “marine litter consists of
items that have been deliberately discarded,
unintentionally lost, or transported by winds
and rivers, into the sea and on beaches. It
mainly consists of plastics, wood, metals,
glass, rubber, clothing and paper”. Marine
debris originates from a variety of sources.
Shipping and fishing activities are the predominant
sea-based, ineffectively managed
landfills as well as public littering the main
land-based sources. Marine litter can pose a
threat to living organisms, especially due to
ingestion or entanglement.
Currently, there is no international standard
available, which appropriately describes the
biodegradation of plastics in the marine environment.
However, a number of standardisation
projects are in progress at ISO and ASTM
level. Furthermore, the European project
OPEN BIO addresses the marine biodegradation
of biobased products.[bM 02/16]
Mass balance | describes the relationship between
input and output of a specific substance
within a system in which the output from the
system cannot exceed the input into the system.
First attempts were made by plastic raw material
producers to claim their products renewable
(plastics) based on a certain input
of biomass in a huge and complex chemical
plant, then mathematically allocating this
biomass input to the produced plastic.
These approaches are at least controversially
disputed [bM 04/14, 05/14, 01/15]
Microorganism | Living organisms of microscopic
size, such as bacteria, funghi or yeast.
Molecule | group of at least two atoms held
together by covalent chemical bonds.
Monomer | molecules that are linked by polymerization
to form chains of molecules and
then plastics
Mulch film | Foil to cover bottom of farmland
Organic recycling | means the treatment of
separately collected organic waste by anaerobic
digestion and/or composting.
Oxo-degradable / Oxo-fragmentable | materials
and products that do not biodegrade!
The underlying technology of oxo-degradability
or oxo-fragmentation is based on special additives,
which, if incorporated into standard
resins, are purported to accelerate the fragmentation
of products made thereof. Oxodegradable
or oxo-fragmentable materials do
not meet accepted industry standards on compostability
such as EN 13432. [bM 01/09, 05/09]
PBAT | Polybutylene adipate terephthalate, is
an aliphatic-aromatic copolyester that has the
properties of conventional polyethylene but is
fully biodegradable under industrial composting.
PBAT is made from fossil petroleum with
first attempts being made to produce it partly
from renewable resources [bM 06/09]
PBS | Polybutylene succinate, a 100% biodegradable
polymer, made from (e.g. bio-BDO)
and succinic acid, which can also be produced
biobased [bM 03/12].
PC | Polycarbonate, thermoplastic polyester,
petroleum based and not degradable, used
for e.g. baby bottles or CDs. Criticized for its
BPA (→ Bisphenol-A) content.
PCL | Polycaprolactone, a synthetic (fossil
based), biodegradable bioplastic, e.g. used as
a blend component.
PE | Polyethylene, thermoplastic polymerised
from ethylene. Can be made from renewable
resources (sugar cane via bio-ethanol) [bM 05/10]
PEF | polyethylene furanoate, a polyester
made from monoethylene glycol (MEG) and
→FDCA (2,5-furandicarboxylic acid , an intermediate
chemical produced from 5-HMF). It
can be a 100% biobased alternative for PET.
PEF also has improved product characteristics,
such as better structural strength and
improved barrier behaviour, which will allow
for the use of PEF bottles in additional applications.
[bM 03/11, 04/12]
PET | Polyethylenterephthalate, transparent
polyester used for bottles and film. The
polyester is made from monoethylene glycol
(MEG), that can be renewably sourced from
bio-ethanol (sugar cane) and (until now fossil)
terephthalic acid [bM 04/14]
PGA | Polyglycolic acid or Polyglycolide is a biodegradable,
thermoplastic polymer and the
simplest linear, aliphatic polyester. Besides
ist use in the biomedical field, PGA has been
introduced as a barrier resin [bM 03/09]
PHA | Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) or the
polyhydroxy fatty acids, are a family of biodegradable
polyesters. As in many mammals,
including humans, that hold energy reserves
in the form of body fat there are also bacteria
that hold intracellular reserves in for of
of polyhydroxy alkanoates. Here the microorganisms
store a particularly high level of
48 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11

Basics
energy reserves (up to 80% of their own body
weight) for when their sources of nutrition become
scarce. By farming this type of bacteria,
and feeding them on sugar or starch (mostly
from maize), or at times on plant oils or other
nutrients rich in carbonates, it is possible to
obtain PHA‘s on an industrial scale [11]. The
most common types of PHA are PHB (Polyhydroxybutyrate,
PHBV and PHBH. Depending
on the bacteria and their food, PHAs with
different mechanical properties, from rubbery
soft trough stiff and hard as ABS, can be produced.
Some PHSs are even biodegradable in
soil or in a marine environment
PLA | Polylactide or Polylactic Acid (PLA), a
biodegradable, thermoplastic, linear aliphatic
polyester based on lactic acid, a natural acid,
is mainly produced by fermentation of sugar
or starch with the help of micro-organisms.
Lactic acid comes in two isomer forms, i.e. as
laevorotatory D(-)lactic acid and as dextrorotary
L(+)lactic acid.
Modified PLA types can be produced by the
use of the right additives or by certain combinations
of L- and D- lactides (stereocomplexing),
which then have the required rigidity for
use at higher temperatures [13] [bM 01/09, 01/12]
Plastics | Materials with large molecular
chains of natural or fossil raw materials, produced
by chemical or biochemical reactions.
PPC | Polypropylene Carbonate, a bioplastic
made by copolymerizing CO 2
with propylene
oxide (PO) [bM 04/12]
PTT | Polytrimethylterephthalate (PTT), partially
biobased polyester, is similarly to PET
produced using terephthalic acid or dimethyl
terephthalate and a diol. In this case it is a
biobased 1,3 propanediol, also known as bio-
PDO [bM 01/13]
Renewable Resources | agricultural raw materials,
which are not used as food or feed,
but as raw material for industrial products
or to generate energy. The use of renewable
resources by industry saves fossil resources
and reduces the amount of → greenhouse gas
emissions. Biobased plastics are predominantly
made of annual crops such as corn,
cereals and sugar beets or perennial cultures
such as cassava and sugar cane.
Resource efficiency | Use of limited natural
resources in a sustainable way while minimising
impacts on the environment. A resource
efficient economy creates more output
or value with lesser input.
Seedling Logo | The compostability label or
logo Seedling is connected to the standard
EN 13432/EN 14995 and a certification process
managed by the independent institutions
→DIN CERTCO and → Vinçotte. Bioplastics
products carrying the Seedling fulfil the
criteria laid down in the EN 13432 regarding
industrial compostability. [bM 01/06, 02/10]
Saccharins or carbohydrates | Saccharins or
carbohydrates are name for the sugar-family.
Saccharins are monomer or polymer sugar
units. For example, there are known mono-,
di- and polysaccharose. → glucose is a monosaccarin.
They are important for the diet and
produced biology in plants.
Semi-finished products | plastic in form of
sheet, film, rods or the like to be further processed
into finshed products
Sorbitol | Sugar alcohol, obtained by reduction
of glucose changing the aldehyde group
to an additional hydroxyl group. S. is used as
a plasticiser for bioplastics based on starch.
Starch | Natural polymer (carbohydrate)
consisting of → amylose and → amylopectin,
gained from maize, potatoes, wheat, tapioca
etc. When glucose is connected to polymerchains
in definite way the result (product) is
called starch. Each molecule is based on 300
-12000-glucose units. Depending on the connection,
there are two types → amylose and →
amylopectin known. [bM 05/09]
Starch derivatives | Starch derivatives are
based on the chemical structure of → starch.
The chemical structure can be changed by
introducing new functional groups without
changing the → starch polymer. The product
has different chemical qualities. Mostly the
hydrophilic character is not the same.
Starch-ester | One characteristic of every
starch-chain is a free hydroxyl group. When
every hydroxyl group is connected with an
acid one product is starch-ester with different
chemical properties.
Starch propionate and starch butyrate |
Starch propionate and starch butyrate can be
synthesised by treating the → starch with propane
or butanic acid. The product structure
is still based on → starch. Every based → glucose
fragment is connected with a propionate
or butyrate ester group. The product is more
hydrophobic than → starch.
Sustainable | An attempt to provide the best
outcomes for the human and natural environments
both now and into the indefinite future.
One famous definition of sustainability is the
one created by the Brundtland Commission,
led by the former Norwegian Prime Minister
G. H. Brundtland. The Brundtland Commission
defined sustainable development as
development that ‘meets the needs of the
present without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs.’
Sustainability relates to the continuity of economic,
social, institutional and environmental
aspects of human society, as well as the nonhuman
environment).
Sustainable sourcing | of renewable feedstock
for biobased plastics is a prerequisite
for more sustainable products. Impacts such
as the deforestation of protected habitats
or social and environmental damage arising
from poor agricultural practices must
be avoided. Corresponding certification
schemes, such as ISCC PLUS, WLC or Bon-
Sucro, are an appropriate tool to ensure the
sustainable sourcing of biomass for all applications
around the globe.
Sustainability | as defined by European Bioplastics,
has three dimensions: economic, social
and environmental. This has been known
as “the triple bottom line of sustainability”.
This means that sustainable development involves
the simultaneous pursuit of economic
prosperity, environmental protection and social
equity. In other words, businesses have
to expand their responsibility to include these
environmental and social dimensions. Sustainability
is about making products useful to
markets and, at the same time, having societal
benefits and lower environmental impact
than the alternatives currently available. It also
implies a commitment to continuous improvement
that should result in a further reduction
of the environmental footprint of today’s products,
processes and raw materials used.
Thermoplastics | Plastics which soften or
melt when heated and solidify when cooled
(solid at room temperature).
Thermoplastic Starch | (TPS) → starch that
was modified (cooked, complexed) to make it
a plastic resin
Thermoset | Plastics (resins) which do not
soften or melt when heated. Examples are
epoxy resins or unsaturated polyester resins.
Vinçotte | independant certifying organisation
for the assessment on the conformity of bioplastics
WPC | Wood Plastic Composite. Composite
materials made of wood fiber/flour and plastics
(mostly polypropylene).
Yard Waste | Grass clippings, leaves, trimmings,
garden residue.
References:
[1] Environmental Communication Guide,
European Bioplastics, Berlin, Germany,
2012
[2] ISO 14067. Carbon footprint of products -
Requirements and guidelines for quantification
and communication
[3] CEN TR 15932, Plastics - Recommendation
for terminology and characterisation
of biopolymers and bioplastics, 2010
[4] CEN/TS 16137, Plastics - Determination
of bio-based carbon content, 2011
[5] ASTM D6866, Standard Test Methods for
Determining the Biobased Content of
Solid, Liquid, and Gaseous Samples Using
Radiocarbon Analysis
[6] SPI: Understanding Biobased Carbon
Content, 2012
[7] EN 13432, Requirements for packaging
recoverable through composting and biodegradation.
Test scheme and evaluation
criteria for the final acceptance of packaging,
2000
[8] Wikipedia
[9] ISO 14064 Greenhouse gases -- Part 1:
Specification with guidance..., 2006
[10] Terrachoice, 2010, www.terrachoice.com
[11] Thielen, M.: Bioplastics: Basics. Applications.
Markets, Polymedia Publisher,
2012
[12] Lörcks, J.: Biokunststoffe, Broschüre der
FNR, 2005
[13] de Vos, S.: Improving heat-resistance of
PLA using poly(D-lactide),
bioplastics MAGAZINE, Vol. 3, Issue 02/2008
[14] de Wilde, B.: Anaerobic Digestion, bioplastics
MAGAZINE, Vol 4., Issue 06/2009
[15] ISO 14067 onb Corbon Footprint of
Products
[16] ISO 14021 on Self-declared Environmental
claims
[17] ISO 14044 on Life Cycle Assessment
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11 49

Suppliers Guide
1. Raw Materials
AGRANA Starch
Bioplastics
Conrathstraße 7
A-3950 Gmuend, Austria
technical.starch@agrana.com
www.agrana.com
Jincheng, Lin‘an, Hangzhou,
Zhejiang 311300, P.R. China
China contact: Grace Jin
mobile: 0086 135 7578 9843
Grace@xinfupharm.com
Europe contact(Belgium): Susan Zhang
mobile: 0032 478 991619
zxh0612@hotmail.com
www.xinfupharm.com
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.ecopond.com.cn
FLEX-162 Biodeg. Blown Film Resin!
Bio-873 4-Star Inj. Bio-Based Resin!
Simply contact:
Tel.: +49 2161 6884467
suppguide@bioplasticsmagazine.com
Stay permanently listed in the
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can be present among top suppliers in
the field of bioplastics.
For Example:
Showa Denko Europe GmbH
Konrad-Zuse-Platz 4
81829 Munich, Germany
Tel.: +49 89 93996226
www.showa-denko.com
support@sde.de
PTT MCC Biochem Co., Ltd.
info@pttmcc.com / www.pttmcc.com
Tel: +66(0) 2 140-3563
MCPP Germany GmbH
+49 (0) 152-018 920 51
frank.steinbrecher@mcpp-europe.com
MCPP France SAS
+33 (0) 6 07 22 25 32
fabien.resweber@mcpp-europe.com
1.1 bio based monomers
Corbion Purac
Arkelsedijk 46, P.O. Box 21
4200 AA Gorinchem -
The Netherlands
Tel.: +31 (0)183 695 695
Fax: +31 (0)183 695 604
www.corbion.com/bioplastics
bioplastics@corbion.com
62 136 Lestrem, France
Tel.: + 33 (0) 3 21 63 36 00
www.roquette-performance-plastics.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
GRAFE-Group
Waldecker Straße 21,
99444 Blankenhain, Germany
Tel. +49 36459 45 0
www.grafe.com
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:
39mm x 6,00 €
= 234,00 € per entry/per issue
Sample Charge for one year:
6 issues x 234,00 EUR = 1,404.00 €
The entry in our Suppliers Guide is
bookable for one year (6 issues) and
extends automatically if it’s not canceled
three month before expiry.
www.facebook.com
www.issuu.com
www.twitter.com
www.youtube.com
DuPont de Nemours International S.A.
2 chemin du Pavillon
1218 - Le Grand Saconnex
Switzerland
Tel.: +41 22 171 51 11
Fax: +41 22 580 22 45
www.renewable.dupont.com
www.plastics.dupont.com
Tel: +86 351-8689356
Fax: +86 351-8689718
www.ecoworld.jinhuigroup.com
ecoworldsales@jinhuigroup.com
Evonik Industries AG
Paul Baumann Straße 1
45772 Marl, Germany
Tel +49 2365 49-4717
evonik-hp@evonik.com
www.vestamid-terra.com
www.evonik.com
1.2 compounds
API S.p.A.
Via Dante Alighieri, 27
36065 Mussolente (VI), Italy
Telephone +39 0424 579711
www.apiplastic.com
www.apinatbio.com
BIO-FED
Branch of AKRO-PLASTIC GmbH
BioCampus Cologne
Nattermannallee 1
50829 Cologne, Germany
Tel.: +49 221 88 88 94-00
info@bio-fed.com
www.bio-fed.com
NUREL Engineering Polymers
Ctra. Barcelona, km 329
50016 Zaragoza, Spain
Tel: +34 976 465 579
inzea@samca.com
www.inzea-biopolymers.com
PolyOne
Avenue Melville Wilson, 2
Zoning de la Fagne
5330 Assesse
Belgium
Tel.: + 32 83 660 211
www.polyone.com
1.3 PLA
Shenzhen Esun Ind. Co;Ltd
www.brightcn.net
www.esun.en.alibaba.com
bright@brightcn.net
Tel: +86-755-2603 1978
50 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11

Suppliers Guide
7. Plant engineering
JIANGSU SUPLA BIOPLASTICS CO., LTD.
Tel: +86 527 88278888
WeChat: supla-168
supla@supla-bioplastics.cn
www.supla-bioplastics.cn
1.4 starch-based bioplastics
BIOTEC
Biologische Naturverpackungen
Werner-Heisenberg-Strasse 32
46446 Emmerich/Germany
Tel.: +49 (0) 2822 – 92510
info@biotec.de
www.biotec.de
Grabio Greentech Corporation
Tel: +886-3-598-6496
No. 91, Guangfu N. Rd., Hsinchu
Industrial Park,Hukou Township,
Hsinchu County 30351, Taiwan
sales@grabio.com.tw
www.grabio.com.tw
1.5 PHA
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
Metabolix, Inc.
Bio-based and biodegradable resins
and performance additives
21 Erie Street
Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
US +1-617-583-1700
DE +49 (0) 221 / 88 88 94 00
www.metabolix.com
info@metabolix.com
1.6 masterbatches
GRAFE-Group
Waldecker Straße 21,
99444 Blankenhain, Germany
Tel. +49 36459 45 0
www.grafe.com
PolyOne
Avenue Melville Wilson, 2
Zoning de la Fagne
5330 Assesse
Belgium
Tel.: + 32 83 660 211
www.polyone.com
2. Additives/Secondary raw materials
GRAFE-Group
Waldecker Straße 21,
99444 Blankenhain, Germany
Tel. +49 36459 45 0
www.grafe.com
3. Semi finished products
3.1 films
Infiana Germany GmbH & Co. KG
Zweibrückenstraße 15-25
91301 Forchheim
Tel. +49-9191 81-0
Fax +49-9191 81-212
www.infiana.com
Taghleef Industries SpA, Italy
Via E. Fermi, 46
33058 San Giorgio di Nogaro (UD)
Contact Emanuela Bardi
Tel. +39 0431 627264
Mobile +39 342 6565309
emanuela.bardi@ti-films.com
www.ti-films.com
4. Bioplastics products
Bio4Pack GmbH
D-48419 Rheine, Germany
Tel.: +49 (0) 5975 955 94 57
info@bio4pack.com
www.bio4pack.com
Minima Technology Co., Ltd.
Esmy Huang, Marketing Manager
No.33. Yichang E. Rd., Taipin City,
Taichung County
411, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
Tel. +886(4)2277 6888
Fax +883(4)2277 6989
Mobil +886(0)982-829988
esmy@minima-tech.com
Skype esmy325
www.minima-tech.com
Natur-Tec ® - Northern Technologies
4201 Woodland Road
Circle Pines, MN 55014 USA
Tel. +1 763.404.8700
Fax +1 763.225.6645
info@natur-tec.com
www.natur-tec.com
NOVAMONT S.p.A.
Via Fauser , 8
28100 Novara - ITALIA
Fax +39.0321.699.601
Tel. +39.0321.699.611
www.novamont.com
President Packaging Ind., Corp.
PLA Paper Hot Cup manufacture
In Taiwan, www.ppi.com.tw
Tel.: +886-6-570-4066 ext.5531
Fax: +886-6-570-4077
sales@ppi.com.tw
6. Equipment
6.1 Machinery & Molds
Molds, Change Parts and Turnkey
Solutions for the PET/Bioplastic
Container Industry
284 Pinebush Road
Cambridge Ontario
Canada N1T 1Z6
Tel. +1 519 624 9720
Fax +1 519 624 9721
info@hallink.com
www.hallink.com
6.2 Laboratory Equipment
MODA: Biodegradability Analyzer
SAIDA FDS INC.
143-10 Isshiki, Yaizu,
Shizuoka,Japan
Tel:+81-54-624-6260
Info2@moda.vg
www.saidagroup.jp
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
Uhde Inventa-Fischer GmbH
Holzhauser Strasse 157–159
D-13509 Berlin
Tel. +49 30 43 567 5
Fax +49 30 43 567 699
sales.de@uhde-inventa-fischer.com
Uhde Inventa-Fischer AG
Via Innovativa 31, CH-7013 Domat/Ems
Tel. +41 81 632 63 11
Fax +41 81 632 74 03
sales.ch@uhde-inventa-fischer.com
www.uhde-inventa-fischer.com
9. Services
Osterfelder Str. 3
46047 Oberhausen
Tel.: +49 (0)208 8598 1227
Fax: +49 (0)208 8598 1424
thomas.wodke@umsicht.fhg.de
www.umsicht.fraunhofer.de
Institut für Kunststofftechnik
Universität Stuttgart
Böblinger Straße 70
70199 Stuttgart
Tel +49 711/685-62814
Linda.Goebel@ikt.uni-stuttgart.de
www.ikt.uni-stuttgart.de
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 MAGAZINE [03/16] Vol. 11 51

Suppliers Guide
www.pu-magazine.com
02/2016 APRIL/MAY
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02/2016 März
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Side wall/Carcass
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Volume 8, March 2016
9. Services (continued)
Bioplastics Consulting
Tel. +49 2161 664864
info@polymediaconsult.com
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
Michigan State University
Department of Chemical
Engineering & Materials Science
Professor Ramani Narayan
East Lansing MI 48824, USA
Tel. +1 517 719 7163
narayan@msu.edu
Simply contact:
Tel.: +49 2161 6884467
suppguide@bioplasticsmagazine.com
Stay permanently listed in the
Suppliers Guide with your company
logo and contact information.
For only 6,– EUR per mm, per issue you
can be present among top suppliers in
the field of bioplastics.
UL International TTC GmbH
Rheinuferstrasse 7-9, Geb. R33
47829 Krefeld-Uerdingen, Germany
Tel.: +49 (0) 2151 5370-333
Fax: +49 (0) 2151 5370-334
ttc@ul.com
www.ulttc.com
10. Institutions
10.1 Associations
BPI - The Biodegradable
Products Institute
331 West 57th Street, Suite 415
New York, NY 10019, USA
Tel. +1-888-274-5646
info@bpiworld.org
10.2 Universities
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@fh-hannover.de
http://www.ifbb-hannover.de/
10.3 Other Institutions
Biobased Packaging Innovations
Caroli Buitenhuis
IJburglaan 836
1087 EM Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Tel.: +31 6-24216733
http://www.biobasedpackaging.nl
For Example:
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:
39mm x 6,00 €
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Sample Charge for one year:
6 issues x 234,00 EUR = 1,404.00 €
The entry in our Suppliers Guide is
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extends automatically if it’s not canceled
three month before expiry.
39 mm
SEEING POLYMERS
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Service life of NBR in hydraulic fluids
POLYURETHANES MAGAZINE INTERNATIONAL
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Coagenzien für die Peroxidvernetzung
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Elastomers and oil
Rheology of silicone elastomers
Dispersion agents
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Kuraray Liquid Rubber in tires
for long lasting product solutions
Chinaplas 2016
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Companies in this issue
Company Editorial Advert Company Editorial Advert Company Editorial Advert
ABA 5
Aethic 30
Agrana Starch Thermoplastics 50
AINIA Technology Centre 31
Anhui-Tianyi 25
API 50
Bio4Pack 35, 52
Biobased Packaging Innovations 52
BIO-FED 19, 50
bioplastics.online 41
BIOTEC 36 51
BMEL 22
BPI 52
Corbion 50
Covestro 8
DECHEMA 34
DIN Certco 6
Dongguan Xinhai 26
DuPont 50
Duynie Group 36
Emery Oleochemicals HK 24
EREMA 43,51
European Bioplastics 34 52
European Fruit Juice Ass. (AIJN) 31
Evonik 8 50
FNR 22 2, 50
Fraunhofer UMSICHT 51
Futamura Chemical 5
GRABIO Greentech Corporation 51
Grafe 50,51
Green Sports Alliance 12
GreenDot 20
Hairma Chemicals (GZ) 25
Hallink 51
Ikea 12
Infiana Germany 51
Innovia 5
Institut für Bioplastics & Biocomposites 22, 30 52
ITENE 42
JinHui ZhaoLong 50
K'2016 (Messe Düsseldorf) 11
Kaneka 40
Kingfa 50
Lego 41
Mars 28
Metabolix 8, 40 51
Michigan State University 52
Mills Office Productivity 29
Minima Technology 51
Nager IT 30
narocon 51
NatureWorks 3,12,15,16
Natur-Tec 16 51
Nestlé 12
NHH 25
Nordics 28
nova-Institute 8 7, 51
Novamont 30 51,56
Novidon 36
NTIC 16
NUREL Engineering Polymers 50
Orineo 8
PolyOne 50,51
President Packaging 51
PTT MCC Biochem 45,51
Roayal Cosun 36
Rodenburg Biopolymers 28
Roquette 28 50
RPS Promens 28
Saida 51
Samyang Corporation 26
Scion 32
Shenzhen Esun Industrial 50
Showa Denko 50
Solegear 29
SPI 8
Suzhou Hanfeng 26
Taghleef Industries 29 51
TianAn Biopolymer 51
Tufts University 6
U2 Supermarkets 29
Uhde Inventa-Fischer 27,51
UL International TTC 22 52
Univ. App. Sc. Hannover 34
Univ. Stuttgart (IKT) 51
WooSung Chemicals 24
WWF 12
Xinyan Packaging 26
Zeijang Hisun Biomaterials 25
Zhejiang Hangzhou Xinfu Pharmaceutical 50
Zoë B 40
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PRESENTS
2016
THE ELEVENTH ANNUAL GLOBAL AWARD FOR
DEVELOPERS, MANUFACTURERS AND USERS OF
BIOBASED AND/OR BIODEGRADABLE PLASTICS.
Call for proposals
Enter your own product, service or development, or nominate
your favourite example from another organisation
Please let us know until August 31 st
1. What the product, service or development is and does
2. Why you think this product, service or development should win an award
3. What your (or the proposed) company or organisation does
Your entry should not exceed 500 words (approx. 1 page) and may also
be supported with photographs, samples, marketing brochures and/or
technical documentation (cannot be sent back). The 5 nominees must be
prepared to provide a 30 second videoclip
More details and an entry form can be downloaded from
www.bioplasticsmagazine.de/award
The Bioplastics Award will be presented during the
11 th European Bioplastics Conference
November 29-30, 2016, Berlin, Germany
supported by
Sponsors welcome, please contact mt@bioplasticsmagazine.com

www.novamont.com
BIODEGRADABLE AND COMPOSTABLE BIOPLASTIC
CONTROLLED, innovative, GUARANTEED
EcoComunicazione.it
QUALITY OUR TOP PRIORITY
Using the MATER-BI trademark licence
means that NOVAMONT’s partners agree
to comply with strict quality parameters and
testing of random samples from the market.
These are designed to ensure that films
are converted under ideal conditions
and that articles produced in MATER-BI
meet all essential requirements. To date
over 1000 products have been tested.
THE GUARANTEE
OF AN ITALIAN BRAND
MATER-BI is part of a virtuous
production system, undertaken
entirely on Italian territory.
It enters into a production chain
that involves everyone,
from the farmer to the composter,
from the converter via the retailer
to the consumer.
USED FOR ALL TYPES
OF WASTE DISPOSAL
MATER-BI has unique,
environmentally-friendly properties.
It is biodegradable and compostable
and contains renewable raw materials.
It is the ideal solution for organic
waste collection bags and is
organically recycled into fertile
compost.
r8_03.2016