bioplasticsMAGAZINE_1406
bioplasticsMAGAZINE_1406
bioplasticsMAGAZINE_1406
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Films | Flexibles | Bags<br />
Dutch Railways and Rwanda<br />
choose biodegradable<br />
packaging<br />
The Bioplastic Factory sees a growing demand<br />
for bioplastics at large companies.<br />
The 500.000 bags of train-shaped liquorice candy which<br />
the Dutch Railways (NS) is handing out these days to<br />
celebrate the 175-years of existence of the railway are<br />
made of a biodegradable laminate of corn based PLA and cellulose<br />
based film (Natureflex from Innovia).<br />
So are the bags of crisps, which the residents of Rwanda<br />
will snack on soon. Many more large companies and<br />
organizations in the Netherlands choose for biodegradable<br />
packaging, notes The Bioplastic Factory (Oud-Beijerland, The<br />
Netherlands).<br />
The company is a specialist in packaging, durables and<br />
disposables all made of bioplastics. These are made out of<br />
natural material such as corn, potato, sugarcane, bagasse,<br />
wood pulp and bamboo. All renewable raw materials are<br />
preferably from waste streams so the production is not<br />
affecting the food chain. The bioplastics are mostly certified<br />
compostable.<br />
Using renewable raw materials or argicultural waste<br />
streams, packaging and other plastics do not have to<br />
be made of crude oil anymore. Compostable plastics<br />
offer the additional benefit to the environment<br />
that there will be no pollution anymore with nondegradable<br />
plastics.<br />
The Bioplastic Factory has contact with foodproducing<br />
multinationals, large supermarket<br />
chains, garden centers, a producer of frozen<br />
chips and a large developing aid organization.<br />
”We are talking with reputable companies<br />
and organizations. All are having interest<br />
in biodegradable plastics. We really see<br />
a growing demand and believe that this<br />
will provide huge opportunities.” says<br />
Bas van den Bogerd of The Bioplastic<br />
Factory.<br />
He and his colleagues Wouter Geldhof and Alfred<br />
Sandee started this company two years ago and<br />
with former CTO from DSM innovation centrum<br />
Dirk Sjoerdsma they have an experienced doctor<br />
in polymer chemistry at their side.<br />
The company will make packaging to order in<br />
consultation with the customer. From food-grade<br />
injection packaging made out of cornstarch to a thermoformed<br />
bagasse dish to a packaging foil made of wood pulp.<br />
Since the 20 th of September a half million bags of train<br />
liquorice are being handed out to celebrate the 175 years of<br />
existence of the railway. The company made these special<br />
biodegradable packaging together with their partner<br />
Bio4Pack. This way the NS will allow their travelers to<br />
enjoy their fun marketing campaign in an environmentally<br />
responsible way.<br />
For Rwanda, The Bioplastic Factory is in the progress of<br />
making biodegradable packaging for bags of crisps. “To<br />
my knowledge we are one of the first in Europe to develop<br />
a biodegradable crisp package, certainly the first in the<br />
Netherlands”, says Van den Bogerd. MT<br />
www.thebioplasticfactory.nl<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/14] Vol. 9 11
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