bioplasticsMAGAZINE_1204

ioplastics magazine Vol. 7 ISSN 1862-5258
July / August
04 | 2012
Highlights
Bottle Applications | 32
Bioplastics from Waste Streams | 16
Basics
Bioplastics from Protein | 37
Cover-Story
PEF a new 100% biobased polyester | 12
... is read in 91 countries

FKuR plastics - made by nature! ®
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Bottles made from Green PE.
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Editorial
dear
readers
We are now more than half way through the year, and fast approaching
yet another (the seventh!) Bioplastics Award. We strongly encourage
all our readers to put forward what they feel are potential winners
for this ‘Bioplastics Oskar’, which will be presented on November
6 th in Berlin. You can put forward your own developments or suggest
outstanding developments made by others. For details see page 9,
or visit our website.
One of the focal topics in this issue is ‘bottle applications’,
represented by, among others, the cover story about PEF as one of
the promising new 100% biobased materials for bottles (and more).
The other highlight is ‘bioplastics from waste streams’. We were
really overwhelmed to find out that there are so many different
approaches into this direction representing a serious alternative
to bioplastics made from crops that can also be used for food
and animal feed. We publish here articles about bioplastics made
from, for instance, waste streams in the bakery business, chicken
feathers, fish scales, blood meal from slaughterhouses, mango
kernels, kiwi fruit residues, proteinous materials that become
available as residues from biodiesel production or even bioplastics
made with carbon from municipal waste water.
Follow us on twitter:
twitter.com/bioplasticsmag
Overlapping this ‘waste’ topic to a certain extent are a number
of articles in the basics section covering ‘bioplastics made from
proteins’.
As you read this issue of bioplastics MAGAZINE the Olympic Games
in London will still be in full progress. Should you get the chance
to visit London and the Games, please watch out for bioplastics
products and let us know what you find. In our next issue we are
planning a report on this topic.
Until then, we hope you enjoy reading bioplastics MAGAZINE.
Like us on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/bioplasticsmagazine
Sincerely yours
Michael Thielen
bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7 3

Content
Editorial ...................................3
News .................................05 - 09
Application News .......................34 - 36
Event Calendar .............................49
Suppliers Guide ........................50 - 52
Companies in this issue .....................54
04|2012
July/August
Bioplastics from Waste Streams
16 Bioplastics from agro waste
18 Bread 4 PLA
20 Bioplastic products from kiwi waste
22 Microbial Community Engineering
26 PHA from waste water
30 Fish scales to goggles
31 Bioplastics from chicken feathers
Bottle Applications
32 Caps & Closures from bio resources
Basics
38 Proteineous meals for bioplastics
40 Bioplastics from proteins
42 Bioplastics from the slaughterhouse
Opinion
44 Single-use carrier bags
Imprint
Publisher / Editorial
Dr. Michael Thielen
Samuel Brangenberg
Layout/Production
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phone: +49 (0)2161 6884469
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www.bioplasticsmagazine.com
Media Adviser
Elke Hoffmann, Caroline Motyka
phone: +49(0)2161-6884467
fax: +49(0)2161 6884468
eh@bioplasticsmagazine.com
Print
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47807 Krefeld, Germany
Print run: 4,400 copies
bioplastics magazine
ISSN 1862-5258
bioplastics magazine is published
6 times a year.
This publication is sent to qualified
subscribers (149 Euro for 6 issues).
bioplastics MAGAZINE (Eu) is printed on
chlorine-free FSC certified paper.
bioplastics MAGAZINE is read
in 91 countries.
Not to be reproduced in any form
without permission from the publisher.
The fact that product names may not be
identified in our editorial as trade marks is
not an indication that such names are not
registered trade marks.
bioplastics MAGAZINE tries to use British
spelling. However, in articles based on
information from the USA, American
spelling may also be used.
Editorial contributions are always welcome.
Please contact the editorial office via
mt@bioplasticsmagazine.com.
Envelopes
A part of this print run is mailed to the
readers wrapped in envelopes sponsored and
produced by FKuR, Maropack and
Kobusch-Sengewald
Cover-Ad:
Avantium Cemicals BV
Photo: iStockphoto.com/Berc [m]
4 bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7
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News
Collaborative to
accelerate development
The Coca-Cola Company, Ford Motor Company, H.J. Heinz
Company, NIKE, Inc. and Procter & Gamble announced in early
June the formation of the Plant PET Technology Collaborative
(PTC), a strategic working group focused on accelerating the
development and use of 100% plant-based PET materials and
fiber in their products. PET is a durable, lightweight plastic
that is used by all member companies in a variety of products
and materials including plastic bottles, apparel, footwear and
automotive fabric and carpet.
The collaborative builds upon the success of The Coca-Cola
Company’s PlantBottle packaging technology, which is ~30%
by wt. made from plants (the monoethylene glycol component)
and has demonstrated a lower environmental impact when
compared to traditional PET plastic bottles. Currently, Heinz
licenses the technology from Coca-Cola for select Heinz
ketchup bottles in the U.S. and Canada.
This new collaborative was formed to support new
technologies in an effort to evolve today’s material that is
partially made from plants to a solution made entirely from
plants. By leveraging the research and development efforts of
the founding companies, the PTC is taking the lead to affect
positive change across multiple industries. PTC members are
committed to researching and developing commercial solutions
for PET plastic made entirely from plants and will aim to drive
the development of common methodologies and standards for
the use of plant-based plastic including life cycle analyses and
universal terminology.
“Fossil fuels like oil have significant impacts to the
planet’s biodiversity, climate and other natural systems”
said Erin Simon, Senior Program Officer of Packaging
for World Wildlife Fund (WWF). “Sustainably managing
our natural resources and finding alternatives to fossil
fuels are both business and environmental imperatives.
It’s encouraging to see these leading companies use their
market influence to reduce dependence on petroleumbased
plastics. We hope other companies will follow their
lead.”
These leading brand companies are making a
commitment to support research, expand knowledge
and accelerate technology development to enable
commercially viable, more sustainably sourced, 100%
plant-based PET while reducing the use of fossil fuels.
PTC member companies look forward to working together
to meet each member’s future business goals and lead
the charge toward 100% plant-based materials.
www.thecoca-colacompany.com
http://corporate.ford.com
www.heinz.com
www.nikeinc.com
www.pg.com
bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7 5

News
Biobased PBS on
commercial scale
Showa Denko K.K. (SDK), at its Tatsuno Plant in Hyogo
Prefecture, Japan, has succeeded in producing Bionolle TM ,
a biodegradable aliphatic polyester on a commercial
scale using bio-derived succinic acid. SDK has started
providing film-grade samples of this product.
Bionolle comprises PBS, Polybutylene Succinate and
PBSA, Polybutylene Succinate Adipate grades, which
can be fully decomposed after use into water and carbon
dioxide and have been used in compost bags and mulch
films. To reduce CO 2
emissions, SDK has worked to
use bio-derived raw materials. Specifically, SDK has
developed the volume production technology for Bionolle
that uses succinic acid made from starches or sugars.
This means that about 50% of main raw materials for
Bionolle are now bio-derived. As for Bionolle Starcla TM ,
in which starch is mixed with Bionolle, the ratio can be
increased to about 70%. Both of Bionolle and Bionolle
Starcla have been certified compostable by OK Compost
and DIN CERTCO according to EN13432.
The product is being test-marketed to some customers,
including Natur-Tec ® , a division of Northern Technologies
International Corp., Circle Pines, Minnesota, USA. The
company is already using conventional grades of Bionolle
for certain high-volume consumer goods packaging
applications developed by Harita-NTI Ltd, its jointventure
in India. Vineet Dalal, Vice President and Director
of Global Market Development for NTIC’s Natur-Tec
Business Unit, said, “Our customers are increasingly
demanding higher biobased carbon content in our
materials, in order to reduce the overall carbon footprint
of their finished products. We are excited at the possibility
of incorporating SDK’s bio-derived Bionolle into our
compounds and converted plastic products, to meet this
burgeoning market demand.”
In view of the increasing international awareness of the
need for environmental protection, SDK aims to expand
the sales of Bionolle biodegradable plastic based on bioderived
raw materials. By the end of this year, SDK will
be able to secure the supply of 10,000-20,000 tons a year
of bio-derived succinic acid. The company will therefore
step up its activity to meet new demand. MT
Successful partnership
between Tecnaro
and Braskem
Tecnaro GmbH, Ilsfeld-Auenstein, Germany closed
a contract in 2011 with Braskem from Brazil. Tecnaro
produces compounds with sugar cane based Green PE
from Braskem in a special product line of the material
family ARBOBLEND ® . The biopolymer compounds
include grades for injection molding, (film) extrusion,
thermoforming, melt spinning, etc.
“Objective of the cooperation is the development of new
applications in order to increase the product portfolio
made from Green PE” says Claudia Cappra, Commercial
Manager of Braskem.
Tecnaro was selected by Braskem to increase the
penetration of customized compound solutions based
on Green PE in the European market. “We are pleased to
cooperate with Braskem and hereby realize an important
step in the further exploration of the Brazilian and
German market”, says Dr. Lars Ziegler, Director R&D of
Tecnaro.
Once again, this cooperation shows the long-term
relation of Tecnaro with Brazil. The German company
keeps a sales representation in Sao Paulo since 2001. In
2005 a comprehensive training program was introduced
focusing on the utilization of renewable resources in the
plastics industry. This was elaborated and implemented by
Tecnaro within Private Public Partnership (PPP) Projects
supported by BMZ/Sequa gGmbH and in cooperation
with the Brazilian center for research and education
SENAI CIMATEC and other partners. In addition, new
biomaterials have been developed and the awareness
regarding bioplastics has been increased in Brazil. MT
www.tecnaro.com
www.braskem.com
http://www.sdk.co.jp
6 bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7

News
3% 1%
0%
3% 4%
4%
7%
7%
14%
46%
7%
55%
2% 4%
26%
8%
45%
Polylactic Acid
Starch-Based
Cellulose
Bio-Based Polyethylene
29%
2006
20%
2011
3%
12%
2016
Bio-Based Polyamides
Degradable Polyesters
Other
US Demand
for Bioplastics
US demand for bioplastics is forecast to climb at a 20%
annual pace through 2016 to 250,000 tonnes, valued at
$680 million, as Freedonia, a Cleveland, Ohio, USA based
business research company published in a new study
titled ‘Bioplastics’.
Although they have achieved a considerable degree of
commercial success, bioplastics remain in an early stage
of development, representing only a small niche within
the overall plastics industry. Going forward, technical
innovations that enhance the properties of bioplastics
and lower their price will drive growth.
Today biodegradable resins still account for the vast
majority of bioplastics volume (2011). However, Freedonia
foresees the emergence of non-biodegradable bioresins
to dramatically alter the market landscape going
forward. Over the next decade, these materials will rise
to more than two-fifths of volume demand, up from
13% in 2011. Growth will be propelled by large-volume
production of bio-based polyethylene, as well as the
eventual commercialization of bio-based polyethylene
terephthalate (PET), polypropylene, and polyvinyl chloride
(PVC). Since these resins are chemically identical to their
conventional counterparts, market acceptance is forecast
to occur at a rapid rate. Among these bio-based plastics,
PET is projected to offer significant growth potential over
the longer term, particularly as large corporations are
investing heavily in the development of this material (see
also p. 5 in this issue of bioplastics MAGAZINE).
Polylactic acid (PLA) is expected to remain the most
extensively used resin in the bioplastics market through
the forecast period. Advances will be promoted by a
widening composting network, advances in terms of
recycling of PLA and greater processor familiarity, as well
as ongoing efforts to diversify PLA feedstocks.
Bio-based polyethylene - which entered the market
in 2010 - is expected to offer the best opportunities for
growth through 2016, increasing rapidly from a small
base. These exceptionally strong gains are predicated on
the expansion of production capacity, which will reduce
prices and enable this resin to compete more effectively
with its petroleum-based counterpart. MT
Source: The Freedonia Group, Inc. (Cleveland, OH).
The study is available via the bioplastics MAGAZINE bookstore
for US$ 4900.
www.freedoniagroup.com.
© bioplastics MAGAZINE, source: Freedonia
Shaping the
future of
biobased plastics
www.purac.com/bioplastics
bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7 7

News
Composting pilot project
in China
In conjunction with World Environment Day, Ecoplast Technologies
Inc (‘Ecoplast’), Wuhan, China, its wholly owned subsidiary in Wuhan,
Huali Environmental Technology (‘Huali’), and BASF jointly announced
on June 2nd that they have formed a partnership with the Wanke
Community in Wuhan to promote composting of source-separated
organic waste in certified compostable and fully biodegradable bags
made of BASF’s Ecoflex ® and Ecoplast’s PSM. To demonstrate the
closed-loop concept for organic waste, the high quality compost
produced during the duration of the project (June to August) will be
used as organic fertilizer in the community and on farms in Wuhan
Xingzhou.
“The launch of this joint project in conjunction with World
Environment Day aptly exemplifies the theme ‘Green Economy:
Does it include you?‘ as it serves to demonstrate how a community
can contribute to and benefit from a more sustainable future. The
project will serve as a tangible case study in support of waste division
policies and the enactment of favorable legislation,” said Xianbing
Zhang, Chairman and CEO, Ecoplast.
“The potential savings in greenhouse emissions by composting of
organic waste has not been well explored in Asia. It is for this reason
that BASF has initiated many composting projects worldwide with
partners such as Ecoplast. Diverting organic waste from landfills to
composting also helps to recover nutrients that would otherwise be
lost. As the result, the nutrients can be returned to the soil in the
form of compost, which helps to improve soil quality, reduce fertilizer
use and serve as a cost-effective alternative for landscaping,” said
Dr. Tobias Haber, Head, Specialty Plastics Asia Pacific, BASF.
Landfilling of organic matter is environmentally detrimental
as it generates methane, a greenhouse gas that is 23 times more
potent than carbon dioxide. In comparison, industrial composting
with compostable and fully biodegradable bags is a distinctly more
efficient and effective waste management option for organic waste.
www.basf.com
www.ecoplastech.com
Info:
BASF has been actively involved in similar projects worldwide to
demonstrate the potential of composting as a feasible and effective
waste management option for organic waste. Most recently in
Australia, BASF partnered with Woolworth (supermarket chain),
Zero Waste Australia and the Murrumbidgee Shire Council in the
Cooperation for Organics Out of Landfill (COOL) project, providing proof
that composting of organic waste on farm as well as by local councils,
can be done safely, hygienically and at a low cost. A video which
documents the project over a 12 week period is also available at
http://youtu.be/J-x1xsz_6Jw
Biobased
kids house
On 4 June 2012 a Biobased Kidshouse
sponsored by Purac was opened by the Dutch
Minister of Economic Affairs, Agriculture
and Innovation. The Biobased Kidshouse is
an initiative of BE-Basic, an international
public-private partnership, funded by the
Dutch government in the field of sustainable
chemistry and ecology. The biobased
kidshouse intends to educate children with
respect to biobased materials, in order to
promote a biobased economy towards future
generations.
The Biobased Kids House is located in
the area Education & Innovation, next to the
‘My Green World’ pavillion at the Floriade
in Venlo, The Netherlands, and has been
created entirely from innovative, biobased
building materials. Every part of the house
has been produced from materials based
on natural resources and the materials can
easily be reused or recycled. Some examples
include wall switches and cable ducts made
from bioplastics and roof insulation panels
made from expanded PLA foam. The project
demonstrates how biobased construction can
reduce our dependency on fossil fuels.
Rop Zoetemeyer, former CTO of Purac,
comments: “This project is a good example of
educating our children about the opportunities
of biobased materials in order to stimulate
the next generations to develop a thorough
biobased economy”.
www.purac.com
8 bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7

PRESENTS
THE seventh ANNUAL GLOBAL AWARD FOR
DEVELOPERS, MANUFACTURERS AND USERS OF
BIO-BASED 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 and to come to Berlin on Nov. 06/07
More details and an entry form can be downloaded from
www.bioplasticsmagazine.de/award
Sponsors welcome for different award categories
The Bioplastics Award will be presented during the
7th European Bioplastics Conference
November 06/07, 2012, Berlin, Germany
supported by

Book Review
It is always a good recommendation for a new technical book if it can
successfully meet the extensive needs of a specialist readership. This
description applies very well to the work by authors Hans-Josef Endres
and Andrea Siebert-Raths entitled ‘Technische Biopolymere’, and
published in 2009 in German language by the Carl Hanser publishing
group. The fact that the publication of an English edition (‘Engineering
Biopolymers’) was a correct and logical step is made clear by the long
list of producers of such plastics from all parts of the world. It is good
to know that the book has also been brought up to the latest ‘state of
the art’ via a thorough review. With more than 600 pages this publication
provides an excellent overview on the subject of bioplastics. Within
those pages the reader will find details of all the relevant standards
that apply to bioplastics and which refer to important matters such
as biodegradability and percentage of biobased content – some of the
properties that differentiate bioplastics from conventional plastics.
Manufacturing processes and the structure of the different polymers is
extensively described in exact detail.
A large number of tables and diagrams provide the technical
specialist with information on the properties of the materials so that he
may quickly evaluate their possible suitability for the various plastics
processing methods used, or for a particular application.
Standard work
on the subject
of bioplastics
Engineering Biopolymers
Markets, Manufacturing,
Properties and
Applications
by Hans-Josef Endres
and Andrea Siebert-Raths
Carl Hanser Verlag, Munich
Germany 2011
676 pages
ISBN 978-3-446-42403-6
Certainly an outstanding feature of the book is the extensive
presentation, mainly in tabular form, of the specification of the different
plastics, making it possible to compare the performance and properties
of several different bioplastics. These comparisons are based on a
biopolymer data base developed by the Hanover technical university
together with M-Base Engineering + Software that is kept permanently
up to date.
The book also contains some very useful background information on
the numerous producers of biopolymers and compounders.
The whole picture is rounded off by some basic considerations on
the possible recovery of the plastics after use in certain products, and
to their environmental profile. The authors understand the importance
of this aspect and explain it in a straightforward way to readers who
certainly have a more technically-oriented background.
If there was ever a book with the credentials to be seen as the
‘standard work on bioplastics’ for specialists in the plastics industry
then this is it.
Possibly the only drop of bitterness for the reviewer of the book
is its title – which should perhaps refer more clearly to ‘bioplastics’
(or ‘Biokunststoffe’). Genuine biopolymers such as starch, cellulose
or proteins – and even DNA – cannot, without a certain degree of
appropriate technical preparation, be processed on the machinery used
today by the plastics industry, but we should not be ashamed to use the
term ‘plastic’, and so avoid any confusion. Bioplastics are, after all, the
youngest, but successfully growing, kids of the plastics family.
Dr. Harald Käb (narocon)
www.hanser.de
www.ifbb-hannover.de
http://biopolymer.materialdatacenter.com
www.narocon.de
This review was previously published in German language in KUNSTSTOFFE,
5/2012, p. 104, Carl Hanser Publishers
Both books (German and English version) are available in the
bioplastics MAGAZINE bookstore (see. P. 53)
and www.bioplasticsmagazine.com/en/books
10 bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7

Event
The Re-Invention
of Plastics
‘Bioplastics – The Re-Invention of Plastics‘, a conference
that was organized by Yash Khanna (InnoPlast Solutions,
Inc) for the second time now attracted about 140 delegates
and speakers from twelve countries (North America,
Europe and Asia) to San Francisco on June 13 to 15. In
the Hilton Hotel (Financial District of San Francisco), the
conference started with A workshop about ‘BioPlastics
– State of the art & Future Trends by 3 speakers of IHS
consulting company.
Chaired by Roger Avakian (PolyOne) in the first of three sessions of the first conference day industry experts shared their
experiences and information about their activities in terms of Bioplastics in different applications from packaging to durable … .
The second session addressed traditional plastics from food/non-food biomass, such as bio-PE and bio-PET followed by an
interesting mix of presentations from brand owners such as Coca-Cola, IBM or Toyota.
The second day started with a two sessions on biobased building blocks such as Furan dicarboxylic acid (FDCA) (see p. 12
for more details). After a session about bioplastics modifiers the conference ended with session number seven about the
end-of-life perspectives of bioplastics. MT
www.bioplastix.com
bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7 11

Cover Story
The world’s
next-generation polyester
100% biobased polyethylene furanoate (PEF)
By
Peter Mangnus
VP Partnering & Commercialisation YXY
Avantium Chemicals BV
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
In 2009 The Coca-Cola Company launched its PlantBottle,
a (partially) bio-based plastic bottle for its Coca-Cola and
Dasani brands. In the same year Frito Lay introduced a
bio-based chips bag for SunChips. Recently Nike introduced
its new bio-based GS football boot. The direction of major
brand owners is to move away from petroleum based materials
and they are ramping up their efforts to introduce renewable
materials.
Avantium, an innovative renewable chemicals company
based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, is commercializing
a new bio-based polyester: polyethylene furanoate (PEF)
for large applications such as bottles, films and fibers.
With PEF’s exceptional barrier properties and increased
heat resistance it has come on the radar screen of the
leading brand owners in the beverage industry. Looking at
its differentiating polymer properties, its cost competitive
production process, and the strongly reduced carbon
footprint, one must conclude that PEF has the potential to
become the world’s next-generation polyester. In December
2011 the Dutch company announced its development
partnership with The Coca-Cola Company, followed by a
similar agreement with Danone in March 2012, to develop
and commercialize PEF bottles for carbonated soft drinks
and water. With the support of these brand powerhouses in
the beverage industry Avantium seems to be on a winning
course to make PEF the new 100% renewable and recyclable
standard for the polyester industry.
The road to a new bioplastic
Avantium has a 12-year track record of discovering,
developing and optimizing catalytic processes for the
refinery, chemical and renewables industries. Using its
advanced catalyst research technology, the company
has developed its YXY (pronounced ~iksy) technology, a
proprietary process to convert plant based carbohydrates
into building blocks for making bio-based plastics, biobased
chemicals and advanced biofuels. The company is
backed by an international group of venture capital firms,
including Sofinnova Partners, Capricorn Cleantech, ING and
Aescap. Avantium has been listed for two consecutive years
as a global top 100 cleantech company.
Over the past few years the company made significant
progress in the development and commercialization of the
YXY technology.
The basic philosophy behind it is to develop products
from renewable sources that compete both on price and
on performance with petroleum-based products, while
also having a superior environmental footprint. Built upon
Avantium’s core capability of advanced catalysis R&D,
this chemical catalytic process allows the production of
cost-competitive next-generation plastic materials and
chemicals. YXY’s main building block, 2,5-furandicarboxylic
acid (FDCA), can be used as a replacement for terephthalic
acid (TA).
O
HO
Terephthalic acid
(TA)
OH
O
Furan- dicarboxilic acid
(FDCA)
Avantium has announced collaborations with leading
brands and industrial companies to create a strong demand
for products based on YXY technology. In addition to the joint
development programs for 100% bio-based PEF bottles,
O
HO
O
OH
O
12 bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7

Cover Story
Plant-based
carbohydrates
MMF
FDCA
70%
30%
PEF
Bottles
MEG
Fibers
Crude Oil
PX
TA
30%
70%
PET
Film
Avantium’s YXY technology (in blue), the production chain of PEF versus PET
similar contracts were signed with Solvay, Rhodia and
Teijin Aramid for the creation of Furanic polyamide-based
materials.
In December 2011, Avantium officially opened its pilot
plant at the Chemelot Campus in Geleen, the Netherlands.
This pilot plant has been successfully started and is running
24/7. Its main purpose is to demonstrate the PEF technology
at scale but is also producing sufficient volumes of FDCA
and PEF for application development.
The first commercial plant will have a production capacity
of around 50,000 tonnes per year. Preparations for this
commercial production plant have already started, and
Avantium expects the plant to come on stream in 2016. The
company is in the process of securing the financial resources
for the first commercial scale FDCA plant, after which it will
announce the site location.
PEF: the next generation polyester
The focus is clearly set on PEF, a polyester-based
on FDCA and MEG (monoethylene-glycol). When using
bio-based MEG, PEF is a 100% bio-based alternative to
PET. PEF can be applied to a wide variety of commercial
uses, including bottles, textiles, food packaging, carpets,
electronic materials and automotive applications. One of
the benefits of PEF is that it can be processed in existing
PET assets. Avantium has used an existing PET pilot plant
to produce PEF at pilot plant scale and the company has
used existing PET processing equipment such as PET blow
molding machines and PET fiber spinning lines.
PEF is in many ways similar to PET: it is a colorless
and rigid material. However there are some remarkable
differences between PEF and PET. PEF has a glass
transition temperature of 86°C, which is 10-12°C higher
than PET. Its higher heat resistance makes PEF a versatile
packaging material, for example, for hot fill or in-container
pasteurization. Table 1 presents additional properties for
PEF. To any packaging expert PEF’s remarkable barrier
properties stand out as a significant improvement over PET.
PEF outperforms the barrier properties of PET in every way
– it shuts out oxygen 6-10x better; carbon dioxide is 2-4x
better; and water vapour 2x better. Table 2 shows some of
the applications where these improvements can help satisfy
an unmet market need.
Table 1: PEF properties
Property
PEF (relative to PET)
Tg
86°C (Higher 11°C)
Tm
235°C (Lower 30°C)
HDT-B
(@ 0.45 N/mm 2 , ASTM E2092)
76°C (cf. 64°C for PET)
CO 2
barrier improvement 2-4x
Oxygen barrier improvement 6-10x
Table 2: Unmet needs in PET packaging
(* CSD = Carbonated Soft Drinks)
Unmet need for packaging
CO 2
O 2
H 2
O
CSD*
x
Juices
x
Vitamin Water
x
Beer x x
Milk
x
Ketchup x x
Coffee/Tea x x
bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7 13

Cover Story
For brand owners and packaging developers the improved
barrier properties of PEF offer a range of innovation
opportunities such as the extension of shelf life, further
light weighting of bottles, the packaging of smaller volume
carbonated drinks, and the replacement of glass by PEF for
oxygen sensitive products. In a fast growing category of plastic
packaging materials PEF offers the opportunity to increase
plastic packaging penetration in a number of attractive market
segments.
PEF’s strongly reduced carbon footprint
To assess the environmental footprint of YXY technology,
Avantium is working with the Copernicus Institute at Utrecht
University, the Netherlands, an independent organization
specialized in making Life-Cycle-Analysis (LCA). Comparing
YXY technology for making PEF with petroleum based PET, the
Institute made a cradle-to-grave assessment of non-renewable
energy use (NREU) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
(Energy Environ. Sci., 2012, 5, 6407–6422). The results of this
assessment demonstrated that the production of PEF reduces
GHG emissions by 50-70% compared to PET and yields a 40-
50% reduction in NREU. The YXY technology platform is still in
pilot development, so the ultimate reduction in non-renewable
energy use and GHG emission may be even larger, if additional
improvements in the process can be realized.
Renewable feedstock
The technology introduced here is a catalytic technology that
converts plant-based carbohydrates into Furanics building
blocks. The most important monomer is FDCA which is the key
building block for the production of PEF. Like a number of other
companies in the renewable chemical industry, Avantium is
following a feedstock flexibility strategy, meaning that it can use
different types of feedstock that are available today (corn, sugar
cane, sugar beet) and feedstock that will become available in
the future (agricultural waste, forest residues, waste paper,
etc.). The ultimate choice of feedstock will depend on the
geographical location of the production plant, the availability of
feedstock, its sustainability and economic factors. Avantium is
actively working on the use of feedstock from second-generation
non-food crops to ensure that these are fully useable for the
YXY technology. The company collaborates with a range of
companies that work on the processing of non-food crops and
waste streams into commercially viable carbohydrate streams.
14 bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7

Cover Story
Recyclable and renewable
To successfully commercialize PEF bottles it is essential
that PEF can be integrated into the existing infrastructure
for the collecting and recycling of existing plastics.
Avantium is working with its development partners to fully
explore the recycling of PEF, and will engage with partners
in the recycling community to ensure that PEF bottles can
be recycled for different applications. Preliminary tests
have demonstrated that PEF recycling will be very similar
to PET recycling, by grinding and re-extruding the polymer
(primary recycling), by remelting post-consumer waste
followed by solid-state processing (secondary recycling)
and by depolymerization through hydrolysis, alcoholysis, or
glycolysis followed by repolymerization (tertiary recycling).
Conclusion
Where many bioplastics companies are pursuing biobased
drop-in materials (bio-based versions of products
that are made today from fossil resources, such as biopolyethylene,
or bio-PET) it is interesting to see the PEF
developments at Avantium. Using its proprietary YXY
technology, Avantium converts plant-based carbohydrates
into FDCA, a green monomer, to make the new polyester
called PEF. According to Avantium, PEF is not only a
renewable and recyclable material, but is also has
differentiating properties that create a range of exciting
innovation opportunities. In particular PEF’s fascinating
oxygen and carbon-dioxide barrier properties make it a
very attractive material for bottle and film applications. The
product is still in the development phase so there are still
questions that need to be answered by the developers of
PEF over the coming years. An example is the recycling of
PEF: the integration of PEF into the existing recycle stream
looks promising but will need to be carefully managed.
Avantium collaborates with leading brands and industrial
companies to create a strong demand for biobased
products based on its YXY technology. The company has
already signed partnerships with The Coca-Cola Company
and Danone for the development of 100% biobased PEF
bottles, and with Solvay, Rhodia and Teijin Aramid for the
creation of Furanic polyamide-based materials. Bolstered
by the already existing partnerships, Avantium is actively
seeking other like-minded brands and companies to help to
challenge the status quo.
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
5
4
3
2
1
0
NREU
PET PET+ PEF PEF+
CO 2
PET PET+ PEF PEF+
> 50%
reduction
www.avantium.com
www.yxy.com
Comparison of PEF versus PET (revised 2010 PET data set)
NREU = non-renewable energy useage (GJ/tonne)
CO 2
equivalents for GHG potential (tonne CO 2
equiv/tonne)
PET+ and PEF+ means: biobased MEG
bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7 15

Bioplastics from Waste Streams
Bioplastics
from agro waste
Bioplastics are still rather expensive and are sometimes
(rightly or wrongly) blamed for potential competition
with food production. SPC Biotech Pvt. Ltd at
Hyderabad, India, has developed a new process for manufacturing
PLA, cost effectively, from agro waste such as
mango kernel, tamarind seeds, and other locally available
agro waste.
In general bioplastics based on PLA attempt to reduce
the negative environmental impact of petroleum-based
conventional plastics and global plastic pollution. Landfills
and oceans around the world for instance are being polluted
with conventional plastics; PLA bioplastics are designed to
biodegrade into CO 2
, water and biomass within weeks of
being disposed of.
Most PLA based bioplastics, however, are developed from
the edible parts of plants as opposed to inedible agricultural
waste. In addition turning sugar into plastics has been a
rather expensive and inefficient process. SPC Biotech is now
able to reduce the potential impact of PLA production on
the global food supply by using inedible agricultural waste
as the raw material. SPC has developed a novel process in
which hydrolysed mango starch (from the mango kernel, i.e.
from agricultural waste) is converted into high-quality PLA.
SPC’s R&D team has successfully evolved a technique to
actually train and select bacteria which can convert glucose
into lactic acid with a 73% to 78% process efficiency.
Although the bacteria have been successfully breaking
down sugars obtained by the hydrolysis of mango starch,
they have not been able to process two components that
resulted from the process of breakdown, namely maltose and
glucose. This failure led to the fact that a substantial amount
of fermentable sugars from the hydrolysed materials was
left unused. However, co-culturing of two bacteria which can
effectively use maltose and glucose to reduce the residual
sugars produced the best result with more than 86% process
efficiency.
As a part of the ongoing research initiative to improve
existing technology, the R&D team at SPC is actively
engaged in an adaptive evolutionary process to train the
bacteria, by growing and selecting only the most efficient
strains for better utilization of sugars from hydrolysed
agro-waste. The results have been successful. After several
The overall process for development of PLA from mango kernels
Pulverization
Acid Hyrolysis
Mango Kernel seeds Kernel powder
Dextrose
Solution
Purification
Fermentation
Lactic Acid 88%
Polymerization
Sodium Lactate
Culture strain
Ring Opening
Polymerization
L-Lactide
POLY LACTICACID
(GRANULES)
16 bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7

By
M.S.Shankara Prasad
Managing Director
Dr. Sateesh Kumar
Vice President (Technical)
both: SPC Biotech, India
months of adaptive process relatively few bacteria could
quickly digest all of the fermentable sugars present
in the medium. And surprisingly enough, these trained
bacteria could also digest moderately tolerable level of
contaminated hydrolysate.
3. Kooperationsforum mit Fachausstellung
Biopolymere
Funktionen – Technologien – Anwendungen
SPC Biotech reduces bioplastic production’s potential
competition to food and animal feedstuffs by using
inedible agricultural waste such as mango kernel, rice
waste etc. as the raw material, rather than the edible
parts of plants. SPC Biotech has developed a cost
effective and sustainable process to produce bioplastics
at a competitive price compared to conventional plastics
and other PLA bioplastic producers. These bioplastics will
be at least 40% cheaper than the closest competitor, and
due to the design of SPC’s unique machinery, there will
be a 30% reduction in the total capital cost of the project.
Presently, the company is working on a commercial
project that will produce 1,000 tonnes of PLA bioplastic
per year and expects commercial activity to commence
by the end of 2012. After validating the performance at
1,000 tonnes per year, SPC will begin a 10,000 tonne per
year project and will need to raise about $15 Million USD.
www.greenplastics.org
Herzogschloss
Straubing
20. November 2012
Fig 1: Growth rate of bacteria before and after adaptive
evelutionary procecess measured by determining the
Optical Density (OD)
Besichtigung von Firmen und Instituten
19. November 2012
6
Growth curve
5
O.D. at 660 nm
4
3
2
1
0 0 50 100
TIME (hrs)
Bildnachweis: istock, Evonik Industries AG,
H.Hiendl GmbH & Co. KG
Informationen und Anmeldung:
www.bayern-innovativ.de/biopolymere2012
Wild strain
Adopted strain
bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7 17

Bioplastics from Waste Streams
The bakery industry is one of the world’s major food
industries and varies widely in terms of production
scale and process. The western European bread industry
produces 25 million tonnes of bread per annum,
of which the industrial or plant sector’s share is 8 million
tonnes. Germany and the UK are the main operations
with 60 % of plant sector production. France, The Netherlands
and Spain produce another 20% among them.
Nowadays bakery solid waste is commonly eliminated
using landfills or incineration processes. Landfill
causes the waste to decompose, which eventually
leads to production of methane (a greenhouse gas)
and groundwater pollution (organic compounds).
Furthermore, incineration of bakery waste can also
release nitrogen oxide gases.
Bread 4 PLA
Biodegradable food packaging
from bakery industry waste
By
Rosa González
Department of Extrusion
Miguel Angel Sibila
Department of Chemical Laboratory
Both
Technological Institute of Plastics (AIMPLAS)
Paterna (Valencia), Spain
Alternative treatment options such as using the waste
for production of valuable products have been proposed
for bakery waste even though these treatments represent
very low-added value options so far. Recycling constitutes
an environmentally friendly way for this waste, although
economically it represents a very low added value. On the
other hand, carbohydrates such as starch, which is the
main constituent of the bread dry weight, are preferably
used as substrate/nutrients for several biotechnological
processes (fermentation). However this application
consumes a very low percentage of this type of waste.
Providing solutions: BREAD4PLA project
The industrial feasibility of an innovative, user friendly
and sustainable environmentally sound solution for
bakery waste is being analysed by different specialized
centres through the European project entitled
BREAD4PLA 1 , specifically the Technological Institute of
Plastics (AIMPLAS) in Spain, the Technological Institute
of Cereals (CETECE) in Spain, the Agricultural Institute
(ATB) in Germany and the Biocomposites Centre (BC) in
the UK.
The project, which is coordinated by AIMPLAS, is funded
by the European Commission’s programme LIFE+ and
supported by different stakeholders such as Panrico and
Grupo Siro, which are providing different types of bakery
wastes for the project. The project promotes the waste
recovery on the specific agro-food sector of the bakery
industry and aims to develop high added-value products
from bakery waste. In particular, the BREAD4PLA project
aims to demonstrate, on a pilot plant scale, the technical
viability of the production of poly(lactic) acid (PLA) by the
polymerization of lactic acid (LA) obtained by fermentation
processes of bakery waste. The new PLA produced, will
be used in the packaging of bakery products, closing the
life cycle of the product.
18 bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7

Bioplastics from Waste Streams
The project Consortium unites four specialized partners
in the different sectors involved in the development of the
new packages from waste of the bakery industry, covering
the whole chain:
• CETECE: recovery and treatment of organic waste from
the bakery industry / packaging validation for bakery
products.
• ATB: production of lactic acid by enzymatic processes
• BC: production of PLA by polymerization
• AIMPLAS: PLA modification by compounding and
processing to obtain films
The BREAD4PLA project is a three-year project started in
October 2011. At this stage, different bakery wastes, such
as bread crusts, expired bread and pastry products, have
already been selected and the fermentation processes on a
large scale are being optimised for the production of lactic
acid.
Applications of bakery waste on
bioresources
PLA is a biodegradable and compostable polymer well
known as suitable for different kinds of food packaging
such as for milk, cheese, and bakery. Approximately half
of the total lactic acid consumed in the world is produced
by fermentation of carbohydrates by lactic acid bacteria. In
order to supply the increasing demand for lactic acid, more
economical materials such as starch hydrolysates, whey and
molasses have been evaluated.
Bakery waste represents an important source of energy
to produce high added-value products such as chemical
precursors for the synthesis of biopolymer materials.
Generally, bakery waste contains a relatively high content of
available starch and sugar, which can be used for production
of lactic acid by fermentation of these materials with the aid
of microorganisms.
Getting PLA from bakery solid waste constitutes an
innovative and eco-friendly treatment option and allows
closing the life cycle by the production of plastic packages
based on renewable materials.
Objectives and innovations of BREAD4PLA
The project analyses and demonstrates the potential of
natural non-food sources for bioplastics production. The
main objective of BREAD4PLA is to demonstrate, in a preproduction
continuous pilot process, the viability of PLA
synthesis from waste products of the bakery industry and
its use in the fabrication of a 100% biodegradable film to be
used in the packaging of bakery products.
Other specific objectives are:
• To increase the value of bakery waste by its recovery for
lactic acid production.
• To show the technical viability of the pre-industrial process
of lactic acid from bakery waste.
• To scale-up the polymerization process of PLA using lactic
acid obtained from bakery waste fermentation.
• To obtain a 100% biodegradable thermoplastic film of PLA
from the bakery waste 95% from renewable resources.
• To replace the current human food raw material to produce
PLA from a residual one, avoiding the problems related to
fluctuations in food prices.
Acknowledgements
BREAD4PLA project has received funding from the
European Community‘s Programme LIFE+ (sub-programme
Environmental Policy and Governance, Policy area: Waste &
Natural resources) under grant agreement LIFE+ 10E NV/
ES 479.
www.bread4pla-life.eu
www.aimplas.es
1 Demonstration plant project to produce poly-lactic acid
(PLA) biopolymer from waste products of the bakery industry
(BREAD4PLA).
Analysis of the
organic waste of the
bakery industry
Package
characterization
and validation
Bakery
industry
Pilot plant production
of lactic acid using
enzymatic process
PLA properties
modifications by
compounding & film
processing
Production of PLA
bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7 19

Bioplastics from Waste streams
Martin Markotsis with the biospife
The biospife with Zespri kiwifruit
Bioplastic products
from kiwi waste
New Zealand has extensive forestry, agricultural and
horticultural industries that produce significant volumes
of biomass waste. Scion, New Zealand’s forestry
research institute, is discovering and developing new
ways to use biomass that add value and reduce waste.
Scion’s research includes the transformation of biomass
wastes into novel additives and improved biopolymers,
adhesives, coatings or composites to create a range of
added-value waste-derived industrial products. These
all contain various types and amounts of processed and
modified biomass waste streams and can be processed by
extrusion, injection moulding, or thermoforming.
Two of the recent research successes are ‘Waste 2 Gold’
and the Zespri ® biospife.
‘Waste 2 Gold’ is a major research programme with the
goal of converting biomass waste into valuable products.
Scion has recently developed exciting new technology that
converts solid waste from municipal sewerage treatment
plants into useful industrial feedstock chemicals. This
technology, called TERAX, is a hydrothermal oxidation
process and has generated lots of interest from local
authorities. The Rotorua District Council was so impressed
that it has partnered with Scion to build and operate a pilotplant
scale facility at its municipal wastewater treatment
plant, which deals with waste from the 60,000 inhabitants of
this New Zealand city.
Industrial waste water (such as pulp and paper mill
effluent) can be used as growth environments for special
bacteria that not only produce bioplastics but also remediate
the water. Details of some of Scion’s other biomass-based
bioplastic developments can be found in previous issues of
bioplastics MAGAZINE [1,2].
Another successful collaboration is with Zespri, the
company that markets New Zealand kiwifruit worldwide. A
survey, commissioned by Zespri, identified approximately
50,000 tonnes per year of waste biomass from the New
Zealand kiwifruit industry. Sustainability is an important
driver for Zespri who decided to partner with Scion to
investigate environmentally friendly products and processes
for utilising these residues in plastic products within Zespri’s
value chain.
Kiwifruit waste comes either from whole fruit unsuitable
for fresh sales or export or residues from fruit processing
operations, such as juicing. A key issue with kiwifruit waste
is its high moisture content. Scion has developed new
technology that transforms these residues into a plastically
processable intermediate, which can then be blended or
formulated with other bioplastics/plastics.
This next step was to use this fruit-waste bioplastic
instead of oil-based plastic. The spife was chosen because
it is a unique combined spoon-knife utensil designed for
cutting, scooping and eating kiwifruit. Currently, spifes are
made from polystyrene which Zespri has found contributes
3% to the company’s total carbon footprint.
Scion and Zespri are working together to develop a novel
biospife to retail with kiwifruit. A bioplastic formulation has
been optimised to generate a material that can be processed
on existing injection-moulding equipment as well as having
mechanical properties similar to, or better than, the current
general purpose polystyrene.
Scion’s life cycle analysis (LCA) team studied the biospife
production and found the real environmental advantage of
the kiwifruit bioplastic came with composting at the end of
life.
20 bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7

Bioplastics from Waste streams
Thermoformed trays made from
kiwifruit bioplastic/PLA formulation
Composting trial of the biospife
By
Alan Fernyhough and Martin Markotsis
Biopolymers and Chemicals, Scion
Rotorua, New Zealand
So, the vision for the biospife is a bioplastic utensil that can
be placed into an industrial composting waste stream, along
with the kiwifruit skins, once the consumer has finished
eating. This would remove the need for people to sort the
biospife and kiwifruit waste into different recycling bins.
Zespri in Europe had such a positive response to prototype
biospifes, displayed at the BioVak trade fair for sustainable
agriculture in The Netherlands, that commercial scale
biospife production trials are now underway.
The biospife is both renewable, being formulated from
plant materials such as kiwifruit and corn, and compostable
under industrial composting conditions. Scion is currently
measuring the composting profile of the biospife using their
in-house biodegradation test facility.
Developing a bioplastic from kiwifruit residues is a winwin
for everyone; excess fruit material is diverted from
waste streams and converted to a higher value product, the
carbon footprint for Zespri is reduced, and there are clear
marketing benefits.
With the successful development of kiwifruit bioplastic
formulations for the biospife, Scion’s biopolymers and
chemicals team have begun to investigate other possible
kiwifruit bioplastic products in Zespri’s value chain such as
packaging materials.
Scion and Zespri had been working with another company,
Alto, to mould the biospifes. These three companies also
worked together to trial a similar fruit bioplastic/PLA
formulation in the thermoformed trays used in packaging
and displaying the kiwifruit.
This success demonstrates Scion’s ability to add value
throughout the logistics and supply chain for commercialscale
biospife production from supply of fruit, bioplastic
formulation and compounding, through to injection
moulding.
Scion is also working with other companies, such as
LignoTech Technologies, who have developed technology to
transform corn ethanol waste biomass (DDGS) into a costeffective,
low density, bio-based filler material for plastic
composites which they are looking to commercialise in the
USA.
www.scionresearch.com
www.zespri.com
REFERENCES:
[1] Fernyhough, A. From Waste 2 Gold: Making bioplastic products
from biomass waste streams, bioplastics MAGAZINE, 2 (4), 2007.
[2] Fernyhough, A. Bioplastic Products from Biomass Waste
Streams, bioplastics MAGAZINE, 3 (5), 2008.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ji1B-RQuDk0
bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7 21

Bioplastics from Waste Streams
Microbial
Community
Engineering
By
Leonie Marang
Yang Jiang
Jelmer Tamis
Helena Moralejo-Gárate
Mark C.M. van Loosdrecht
and Robbert Kleerebezem
all: Delft University of Technology
Delft, The Netherlands
Producing Bioplastic from Waste
Production of waste is a sign of inefficiency. The
amounts of waste generated in agro-industrial production
chains are nevertheless enormous. Effective
reclamation and valorisation of these heterogeneous
organic residues is one of the main challenges towards
the establishment of a sustainable society. In recent years
the Environmental Biotechnology group at Delft University
of Technology developed a biotechnological process
in which organic waste streams are used to produce bioplastic
- thus converting the waste into a resource.
Polyhydroxyalkanoates
The polymer that is produced is a polyhydroxyalkanoate,
or in short PHA. PHAs are storage polymers accumulated
by many different groups of bacteria in nature as an
energy reserve similar to fat storage by animals. PHA is
therefore a bioplastic that, besides being produced from
renewable resources, is fully biodegradable and the only
bioplastic completely synthesized by microorganisms.
Chemically, PHA is a polyester of hydroxy fatty acids.
Many different hydroxy fatty acids have the potential
to be incorporated into the polymer – over 90 different
monomer units have been identified. Interestingly, the
type of monomer that is produced and incorporated in the
polymer depends mainly on the available substrate, i.e.,
on what you feed to the bacteria. The properties of the
polymer can thus be tuned by adjusting the composition
of the substrate. In general, the properties of the most
common PHAs are similar to those of polypropylene (PP).
Engineering the Environment instead of
Bacteria
In traditional biotechnological processes pure cultures
of a specific bacterium are used. These bacteria
have often been genetically modified to improve the
productivity (Figure 1). At this moment, PHAs are being
commercially produced according to this approach.
However, the cultivation of these bacteria requires sterile
equipment and well-defined substrates such as glucose. This
is not desirable for two reasons. Firstly this results in a high
cost price – PHA is currently still 2-5 times more expensive
than comparable petroleum-based plastics. Secondly, the use
of pure glucose for bioplastic production competes with food
production.
To make PHA a truly sustainable bioplastic the researchers
at Delft University of Technology use an alternative approach:
microbial community engineering. The conceptual idea of
microbial community engineering is that genetic engineering
is often not needed when recognizing that microorganisms in
nature already provide us with a wealth of catalytic potential.
The Dutch microbiologist L. Baas Becking once stated that
“Everything is everywhere, but the environment selects”.
Inspired by this statement, the team at Delft works on the
engineering of the environment instead of the bacterium to
select a natural bacterium that thrives under the conditions
that they chose.
The Environment Selects
In order to create an environment in which PHA-storing
bacteria can be selected, a natural bacterial community is
subjected to alternating periods of substrate presence (feast)
and absence (famine). During the feast phase, when substrate
is present, bacteria can use the substrate either for growth
or storage. During the subsequent famine phase only those
bacteria that stored can continue to grow and thus increase
in number. Bacteria that did not store substrate cannot grow.
Therefore, bacteria that quickly store a lot of substrate as soon
as it becomes available have a competitive advantage over
bacteria that use substrate only for growth during the feast
phase.
Before feeding new substrate to the enrichment reactor, part
of the bacteria is removed. In this way, the number of bacteria
in the reactor is being controlled and it is assured that only
bacteria that are able to store enough PHA can survive in the
system. After repeating this selection cycle numerous times, the
microbial community is enriched with PHA-producing bacteria,
whereas non-PHA producers are washed out. Eventually, the
22 bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7

Bioplastics from Waste Streams
WORK HORSE
GENOME ANALYSIS
GENETIC
ENGINEERING
INDUSTRIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
MICROBIAL COMMUNITY ENGINEERING
MICROBIAL
COMMUNITY
SELECTIVE
PRESSURE
DOMINANT
WORK HORSE
Photo: iStockphoto.com/ MiguelMalo
Figure 1: Industrial biotechnology versus microbial community engineering.
bacterium that can produce the largest amount of PHA at
the highest rate will dominate the microbial community.
Producing the Polymer
Although the enrichment of a microbial community with a
high storage capacity is the key to the production of PHA from
waste, the overall process consists of four steps (Figure 2).
In the first step, the organic waste, mainly consisting of
carbohydrates, is converted to a mixture of volatile fatty
acids by anaerobic fermentation. These fatty acids are more
suitable for PHA production than the original carbohydrates,
and will be used as a substrate in the following two steps.
The second step is the enrichment of PHA-producing
bacteria, as described above. Once a stable enrichment
is obtained, this reactor will be operated as a microbial
community production step. The microbial community that
is harvested from the enrichment reactor at the end of each
cycle is used for the actual production of PHA.
In this third step, in order to produce large amounts of PHA,
the microbial community is continuously fed with substrate
and the bacteria will store as much PHA as they can. Under
these conditions, the bacteria produce up to nine times their
own dry weight of PHA (Figure 3). Comparing these natural
bacteria with their genetically modified competitors from
industry, they can accumulate similar amounts of PHA and
are able to achieve these high PHA contents in a shorter
period of time.
In the fourth and final step, the PHA is recovered from the
cells and purified for its use as bioplastic.
A Bright and Natural Future
Using enrichments of natural bacteria for the production
of PHA has several advantages. First, instead of glucose,
organic waste streams can be used as the substrate. This
will reduce the substrate costs, especially since waste
(water) currently has a negative value. Second, through
Figure 2: Schematic overview of the PHA production process:
converting organic waste streams into a versatile biopolymer that,
for one, can be used as a bioplastic.
AGRICULTURAL RESIDUES
BIOPLASTICS
ANAEROBIC
FERMENTATION
ORGANIC WASTE
fatty acids
MICROBIAL
ENRICHMENT
BIOCHEMICALS
BIOPOLYMER
PRODUCTION
biomass
INDUSTRIAL WASTE
biomass
& biopolymer
PRODUCT
RECOVERY
BIOFUELS
bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7 23

Bioplastics from Waste Streams
(1) (2) (3)
Figure 3: Microscopy images of the bacteria at the end of the PHA production step. In this case lactate was used as the substrate. (1) Phase
contrast image; (2) Fluorescence image showing the different populations within the enrichment in different colours; (3) Fluorescence image
taken after staining the intracellular PHA with Nile blue A.
continuous enrichment of the PHA-producing community in
a strongly selective environment, there is no need for sterile
process conditions. This will not only reduce the energy
costs, but also the equipment cost. Overall, the approach of
engineering the environment instead of the bacterium can
reduce the cost price of PHA by half.
To enable industrial implementation of this highly
promising technology the team at Delft University of
Technology has initiated research on the development
of the overall production chain for PHA production from
waste. A multidisciplinary project has been established
within the ‘From waste to resource’ research program of
the Dutch Technology Foundation STW in cooperation with
other Dutch universities and companies. This allows the
investigation of up-scaling aspects in a pilot scale process,
downstream processing for biopolymer extraction, polymer
characterisation and application, as well as overall life-cycle
aspects.
www.bt.tudelft.nl
www.w2r.nl
Conference on
Carbon Dioxide
as Feedstock
for Chemistry
and Polymers
CO2
5 th – 6 th September 2012
WWW.CO2-chemistry.eu
CO 2
as chemical feedstock –
a challenge for sustainable chemistry
9 th International Symposium
“Materials made of
Renewable Resources”
10 th – 11 th October 2012, Haus der Technik, Essen (Germany)
Organiser
Institute
for Ecology and Innovation
Partners
www.nova-institute.eu www.hdt-essen.de www.kunststoffland-nrw.de
Main topics:
· Biopolymers
· Natural fibre composites
· Alternative Cellulose
· Wood based materials
Accompanying exhibition
www.narotech.de
www.co2-chemistry.eu www.clib2021.de
24 bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7
www.arbeit-umwelt.de

Bioplastics from Waste Streams
PHA from
waste water
Transformation of residual
materials and waste water
into valuable bioplastics
By
Onno de Vegt, KNN Milieu BV,
Groningen, The Netherlands
and
Alan Werker, AnoxKaldnes AB
Lund Sweden
Bram Fetter, Suiker Unie
Groningen, The Netherlands
Ronald Hopman, Veolia Water
Ede,The Netherlands
Bas Krins, Applied Polymer Innovations
Institute BV, Emmen, The Netherlands
Rik Winters, Bioclear BV,
Groningen, The Netherlands
Since the 1980s biodegradable plastics, like polyhydroxyalkanoates
(PHAs), have led a life of commercial
anticipation alongside much advancement
in science and engineering research, demonstrating the
material potential. In spite of the progress evidenced in
an almost overwhelming sea of publications in peer review
and patent literature, PHA based bioplastics have
not yet attained a mainstream commercial status - and
that after more than 30 years. But why not? One may argue
that it is purely a question of price competition with
cheaper conventional non-biodegradable plastics. One
may further argue that it is a question of material properties
and/or a critical available mass of raw material needed
to entice more widespread practical implementation
and commercial commitment. These questions are part
of the BioTRIP project that aims at defining the technical,
environmental, organizational and economic principles
in real life case studies that demonstrate a viable proof
of principle for commercializing the production of PHAs
from waste and other material streams.
To this end the project BioTRIP (the Dutch abbreviation
BioTRIP stands for, “BIOlogische Transformatie van
Reststromen In marktgevraagde bioPolymeren”), with
six commercial partners representing a residual to
renewable resource stakeholder network, was established
in November of 2011. The consortium of companies that
cooperates in the development of the biopolymer concept
in alphabetic order are Anoxkaldnes, API Institute,
Bioclear, KNN, Suiker Unie and Veolia Water.
Biopolymer production
The key process is a novel concept being developed by
AnoxKaldnes (Lund, Sweden) for the production of PHA in
biological wastewater treatment plants and is known as
the Cella technology. A variety of residual streams from
municipal and industrial sources has been investigated
over the past ten years and it has been observed that
considerable potential for producing and extracting
commercially relevant quantities of PHAs exists for open
culture bioprocesses used for environmental protection.
PHA’s are particularly attractive given the diversity
of performance characteristics that can be achieved.
Instead of using a pure culture of PHA producing bacteria,
Activated Sludge Enriched for PHA Production
Phenotypic Behaviour from Nile Red Staining
26 bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7

Bioplastics from Waste Streams
the complex bacterial flora in a wastewater treatment
plant are being employed. The process configuration and
conditions are used to favor the enrichment of naturally
occurring PHA-producing bacteria. The waste treatment
plant is transformed from a waste sludge generation
plant into a biopolymer production plant. In this way,
wastewater becomes a raw material for renewable
products and services. Moreover, other organic materials
may also be of potential interest. When process residual
management yields biopolymers as well as other gains
and synergies in products and services one begins to
enter a biobased society comprising an industrial ecology
of environmental and bioresource engineering activities.
To develop the biopolymer production technology further
to the marketplace successfully using residual streams
that would otherwise be a ‘waste’ for treatment requires
the right balance. Striking the right balance, satisfying the
interests of people, society and the plant, is the challenge
of the BioTRIP project and its stakeholders interested in
the development of a win-win economy embracing goals
of a biobased society. The project, with its foundation
in practical and real world implementation goals in
specific case studies, focused on establishing viability of
technical solutions towards commercial material flows
in today’s marketplace. Practical questions that will be
answered within the framework of the BioTRIP project
are for instance: Can renewable platform chemicals be
realistically derived from waste management services? Is
there incentive to use the volatile fatty acid (VFA) potential
of organic residuals as a platform to produce more than
‘just’ biogas? What is the potential to realize PHA quality
with high-end market applications? What is the incentive
and synergy potential up the value added chain? Do
businesses lend support towards a full-scale technology
demonstration? These questions are the core challenges
of BioTRIP in case studies involving both industrial and
municipal sources of enrichment biomass as well as
industrial and municipal sources of residual carbons as a
platform for PHA production.
Fachkongress
Biobasierte Polymere –
Kunststoffe der Zukunft
am 25. / 26. September 2012 im Umweltforum Berlin
www.fnr.de/biokunststoffe-2012
In support of the project objectives are prototype pilot
facilities for producing kilogram quantities of enrichment
biomass per week while treating residual streams from
food industry (Eslöv Sweden) and organic contamination
bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7 27

Bioplastics from Waste Streams
in municipal wastewater (Brussels, Belgium). The biomass
harvested from these piloting prototypes in turn are used
to accumulate kilogram quantities of PHA, using a number
of available volatile fatty acid feedstocks from within the
project stakeholder group. The research and development is
directed towards realizing maximization of PHA yield and the
control of PHA quality while still serving needs in residuals
management and environmental protection. A PHA recovery
pilot plant has been commissioned by AnoxKaldnes in
Sweden to purify the PHA from the mixed culture biomass for
critical evaluation of recovered PHA and non-PHA products.
Quality of the biopolymers produced and
product-market combinations
At the core BioTRIP aims to identify at least one viable
business case that links both material flow from residuals
to market, interconnected with the chain of stakeholder
interests. Since there is a close relationship between PHA
quality and its processing, critical characterization of the
biopolymer quality is essential. The VFA-composition of the
feedstock influences the type of PHA produced, and therefore
this is an important aspect of the business case. Different
residual streams from distinct industrial and/or municipal
sources therefore are anticipated to flow to different
application windows. Therefore, an interaction between the
Cella technology, the residual carbon suppliers, and the
required type and quality of biopolymer for processing and
developing high-end market applications is an integral part
of BioTRIP. The quality of the biopolymers produced in this
way is being characterized by API. Assay of quality of the
biopolymers produced should tell the scope for processing
of PHAs into high-end market products. The potential for
new product-market combinations are being explored.
Biobased business development activities
In order to realize a full-scale demonstration project for
PHA production as a by-product from services in residuals
management, business development activities are taking
place alongside technical and economic questions of
surrounding specific solutions of the process’s practical
implementation. Sensitivity analyses of relevant CAPEX
and OPEX estimates are to provide for feedback to identify
challenges and opportunities falling within the stakeholder
network and/or the modes of Cella technology application.
BioTRIP is on the road and practical investigations have
begun. Stay tuned for outcomes and perspectives to be
reported in due course.
Acknowledgement
The BioTRIP project is made possible by the European
Community, European Regional Development Fund, and the
province of Groningen, Groningen Innovative Action-3.
The authors acknowledge and are grateful for support to
the goals of BioTRIP in the Cella prototyping activities from
Aquiris (Belgium), VA Syd (Sweden) and Veolia Environment
(France).
www.knnadvies.nl
Resources
Energy
Biopolymers
Organic Waste
Minerals
Clean Water
Biofuel
28 bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7

Visions become reality.
COMPOSITES EUROPE
9 -11.10.2012 | Messe Düsseldorf
7th European Trade Fair & Forum for
Composites,Technology and Applications
www.composites-europe.com
Organiser:
Partners:
CE_210x148+3_GB.indd 1 19.06.12 09:04
New ‘basics‘ book on bioplastics
This new book, created and published by Polymedia Publisher, maker of bioplastics
MAGAZINE is now available in English and German language.
The book is intended to offer a rapid and uncomplicated introduction into the subject
of bioplastics, and is aimed at all interested readers, in particular those who have not
yet had the opportunity to dig deeply into the subject, such as students, those just joining
this industry, and lay readers. It gives an introduction to plastics and bioplastics, explains
which renewable resources can be used to produce bioplastics, what types of bioplastic
exist, and which ones are already on the market. Further aspects, such as market
development, the agricultural land required, and waste disposal, are also examined.
An extensive index allows the reader to find specific aspects quickly, and is
complemented by a comprehensive literature list and a guide to sources of additional
information on the Internet.
The author Michael Thielen is editor and publisher bioplastics MAGAZINE. He is a
qualified machinery design engineer with a degree in plastics technology from the
RWTH University in Aachen. He has written several books on the subject of blowmoulding
technology and disseminated his knowledge of plastics in numerous
presentations, seminars, guest lectures and teaching assignments.
110 pages full color, paperback
ISBN 978-3-9814981-1-0: Bioplastics
ISBN 978-3-9814981-0-3: Biokunststoffe
Pre-order now for € 18.65 or US-$ 25.00 (+ VAT where applicable, plus shipping and handling, ask for details)
order at www.bioplasticsmagazine.de/books, by phone +49 2161 6884463 or by e-mail books@bioplasticsmagazine.com

Bioplastics from Waste Streams
Fish scales
to goggles
Before you can enjoy a nice fish meal in a good restaurant
the fish has to be scaled. But what happens
to the tonnes of fish scales that end up as a
byproduct each year?
Whilst doing his masters at the Royal College of Arts
(RCA, London, UK), design student Erik de Laurens
got interested in finding local and sustainable ways of
producing plastic-like materials. During his research he
was inspired by a company that produces leather from
fish skins, left over from the food industry. He realized
some things are completely disregarded and yet have an
enormous potential for production.
Looking into history Erik was fascinated to learn
that the tanning of fish skin was a process known for
centuries. If fish skins could become leather, surely fish
scales - the only byproduct of leather tanning- could
become something too. Knowing that fish-scales in their
composition were somewhere between horn and bone,
both materials resembling plastics, Erik dived into old
manufacturing books from the 19th century and adapted a
technique of processing horn through heat and pressure.
It turned out to work incredibly.
During the process the fish scales release collagen
which bonds the fish scales together. The material has
the visual qualities of stone and the touch of Bakelite. It is
moldable, biodegradable and recyclable.
In order to test the material Erik designed 3 pairs of
goggles and glasses inspired by swimming goggles and a
table with an inlay of a fish.
Currently Erik is looking for funding to push the
development of this material further.
www.erikdelaurens.com
(Photos courtesy Erik de Laurens)
30 bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7

Bioplastics from Waste Streams
Bioplastics from
chicken feathers
In a scientific advance literally plucked from the waste
heap, scientists described a key step toward using the billions
of pounds of waste chicken feathers produced each
year to make a new biobased thermoplastic.
“Others have tried to develop thermoplastics from
feathers,” said Yiqi Yang, Ph.D., who is an authority on
biomaterials and biofibers in the Institute of Agriculture &
Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
(USA). “But none of them perform well when wet. Using this
technique, we believe we‘re the first to demonstrate that we
can make chicken-feather-based thermoplastics stable in
water while still maintaining strong mechanical properties.”
One major goal to find alternatives for petroleum based
plastics is to use agricultural waste and other renewable
resources to make bioplastics. Starch, cellulose and proteins
are derived from renewable resources and are biodegradable
but are not readily processable thermoplastics. Chemical
modifications mainly esterification, etherification and
grafting of synthetic polymers such as methyl, ethyl and
butyl acrylates and methacrylates are done to make these
biopolymers thermoplastic. Two major limitations of
bioplastics are low elongation and poor stability in water.
Poultry feathers are inevitably generated and are available
in large quantities at very low cost.
Yang explained that feathers are made mainly of keratin,
a tough protein also found in hair, hoofs, horns, and wool
that can lend strength and durability to plastics. However,
feathers are non-thermoplastic and chemical modifications
are necessary to make feathers thermoplastic. Researchers
in the Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion
Design, College of Education and Human Sciences at the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln have chemically modified
feathers to make them thermoplastic. Feathers were
acetylated, etherified or grafted with vinyl monomers
to develop thermoplastic products. After chemical
modifications, the feathers were thermoplastic and could
be compression molded into transparent films. The films
obtained had high elongation and good stability in water.
Among the different chemical methods studied, grafting
provided a better opportunity to control the elongation and
stability of the films. Grafting retains the main structure of
the feather keratin and attaches thermoplastic polymers to
the keratin backbone as side chains. This allows the feather
films to be flexible and biodegradable. Chemically modified
feathers would be suitable to develop inexpensive biobased
and biodegradable products through extrusion, compression
and injection molding.
Potential products of what Yang‘s group terms ‘featherg-poly(methyl
acrylate)’ plastic include films, packaging
materials, fibers, resins for composites and other molded
parts. The researchers have demonstrated the possibility of
developing biothermoplastic products from feathers and are
ready to commercialize the technology which would take 2-3
years from the time commercialization is pursued.
http://www.unl.edu/ncmn/
(photo: iStockphoto.com/wakila)
bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7 31

Bottle Applications
Caps & Closures
from bio resources
KISICO Verpackungstechnik GmbH of Oestrich-Winkel
in Germany has been observing the development of
the bioplastics market for many years. At an early date
they began developing caps made from different bioplastics.
Over the course of the last few years the range of
suitable raw materials based on biopolymers has increased
significantly, for both biobased and biodegradable plastics.
The largest percentage of the bioplastics that Kisico
uses are made from renewable raw materials and are
biodegradable. In most applications however, it is impossible
to achieve the compostability according to ISO 14851 or 13432
for caps and closures because the required wall-thickness is
too big. This means that the time taken for composting is
too long, even if the bioplastic is completely biodegradable
(it just takes longer).
Depending on the application and on customer
requirements the most suitable material has to be selected
from a wide range of already approved materials.
Plastics made on the basis of wood and lignin have the
visual appearance of something natural. The same applies
to materials with visible, natural fillers. These fillers can be
waste material from agricultural food production, such as
wheat bran or corn samp these plastic materials are not
biodegradable because of the basic material used. Often the
rheological and mechanical properties are not ideal. Thus
a deep knowledge of the raw materials is crucial during
the development and design of new caps. If the filler has
a high fibre content, or other coarsely ground particles,
the properties of the raw materials have to be taken into
consideration.
Raw materials based on cornstarch or polylactide have
the widest range of properties. They can be designed and
produced to be very smooth but can also be brittle and hard.
This is achieved using different blends and composites. In
most cases they are made from renewable materials which
are also compostable. They can in fact be completely made
of waste from the food and the animal feed industries. As a
consequence no additional agricultural land has to be used
for production of the raw material.
32 bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7

Bottle Applications
A lot of caps from the standard Kisico range can be made
from these materials. Small threads starting at10 mm up to
large threads of more than 70 mm can be realized. Both onepiece
and two-piece tamper-evident caps are produced from
these materials. A typical example is a two-piece tamperevident
cap with a PP28 thread. The caps can be coloured in
almost every Pantone or RAL colour.
For many years cellulose has been used as basic material
for cellulose acetate (CA) and other cellulose derivatives.
Today the cellulose used often derives from sustainable
forestry. The cellulose based caps made by Kisico can be
transparent or both translucent and opaque coloured. Even
so, they have a very shiny surface and so are particularly
suitably for cosmetic applications.
During the colouring of caps made from bioplastics
it is important to ensure that the colour is made from
natural pigments and does not have a negative impact on
compostability. The colour components must not be toxic
for microorganisms. This applies especially to copper ions,
which are often used for green and blue colours and can
create problems.
The product range from Kisico also includes hinged caps
made of bioplastics. To find suitable biopl;astic materials
made of bioplastics it is necessary to carry out a great deal
of experimental work and testing. The requirements for the
mechanical properties within the hinge are high and must be
the same as provided by mineral oil based materials. Even
after repeated opening and closing of the hinge it should
not break and the cap has to seal correctly throughout the
product life.
Kisico’s experience also enables the company to offer
complete packaging solutions. This includes blow-moulded
containers, such as bottles, which are developed and
produced together with our partners.
www.kisico.de
Bio meets plastics.
The specialists in plastic recycling systems.
An outstanding technology for recycling both
bioplastics and conventional polymers
bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7 33

Application News
PLA jewellery
packaging
Under the GreenPack umbrella brand, international
packaging manufacturer Leser GmbH from Lahr,
Germany is offering its new EARTH series, the first
jewellery packaging made from 100% PLA.
In these times of increased environmental awareness
and social responsibility, more and more companies are
opting for products made from renewable materials. With
the ‘Earth’ series – the world’s first jewellery packaging
made from 100% bioplastic – Leser skilfully merges
design with sustainability. “The ‘Earth’ series is an
important step for our company on the path to sustainable
products. We will introduce further product lines under
the ‘GreenPack’ umbrella brand, which will live up to the
concept of sustainability 100% and without compromise,”
says Dietmar Klaus, sales manager at Leser – Packaging
and More.
The ‘Earth’ series is offered in five standard sizes in
the colours white, black, blue and green. Special sizes,
colours and designs are also possible upon request.
‘Earth’ therefore offers packaging solutions for a wide
variety of products from fields such as cosmetics,
personal care products, writing utensils, accessories,
optics, electronics and many more. MT
www.leser.de
Youtube:
http://bit.ly/PCE74H
New trekking pole
API S.p.A., Mussolente, Italy recently presented a new
trekking pole with a biodegradable grip produced in
collaboration with Fizan, Rosà, Italy, a leading producer
of ski and trekking poles that has always maintained a
commitment to using sustainable materials in their
manufacturing processes.
This trekking pole is only the most recent in a long
series of products made using APINAT, the series of
100% biodegradable thermoplastic polymers (according
to European Standard EN 13432) made by API Spa using
up to 40% of renewable raw materials.
The excellent rheological properties of APINAT mean
that grips can be injected moulded in thicknesses up
to 5 mm without the need for any further action on the
moulds, while reducing cylinder temperatures by 30°C
providing considerable energy savings. This, together
with APINAT’s significant crystallisation features, means
that moulding cycle times can be reduced without
compromising the quality of the finished product.
From a purely functional standpoint the intrinsic
polarity of APINAT means that it adheres extremely well
to the metal surface of the pole and also has excellent
resistance to atmospheric conditions and sweat, providing
the same level of performance as the thermoplastics
traditionally used for this type of application.
Lorenzo Brunetti, Vice President of API, explained that
as well as the technical challenges of the application, API
has made a conscious decision to produce sporting goods
for outdoor use that respect the environment, something
that lovers of trekking are concerned about. “We wanted
to provide these people with something extra, some firsthand
experience to help them appreciate not only the
technical and functional value of these new biodegradable
polymers but also to generate an increased awareness of
the environmental benefits that these products produce.”
MT
www.apinatbio.com
34 bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7

First Bioplastic
Ultimate Frisbee
While most of us know frisbees as toys or leisure
goods used by adolescents in parks, for many
others these flying discs have a place in serious
kinds of sports, i.e. Ultimate, Freestyle, Discgolf
and Disc-Dogging.
New Games – Frisbeesport from Deggen
hausertal in Germany is a supplier of high quality
frisbees for both the leisure area (including
promotional giveaways) and for the serious sports
sector. In search of some alternative materials
in an effort to get away from petroleum based
plastics Thomas Napieralski, Managing Director
of the company New Games, tried several different
bioplastics. Now they can for example offer frisbees
for Discgolf made of a Bioflex grade, by FKuR
(Willich, Germany), with about 35% renewable
content. “Even if discgolfers always try to find and
recover their wayward flying saucers, it’s good
to know that the discs will eventually completely
biodegrade even if they are completely lost”, says
Thomas Napieralski.
For Ultimate sport, New Games together with
Tecnaro (Ilsfeld-Auenstein, Germany) over a period
of three years developed Eurodisc, a very precise
175 gram sport frisbee made from a special grade
of Arboblend. This material is made from 96%
renewable resources. “The new Ultimate frisbee
can be injection-moulded in our new Eurodisc II
mould and it has excellent aerodynamic qualities
over more than 100 metres”, Napieralski proudly
explains. For the end of life New Games do not
suggest disposing of the frisbees in a composting
bin but rather using the yellow bin (in Germany)
or the grey residual waste bins. As long as there
are no recycling schemes for these bioplastics at
least in some countries such as Germany they will
end up in waste-to-energy incineration where they
represent a source of ‘renewable energy’.
For the leisure and giveaway sector, New Games
is already looking for new biobased solutions. MT
www.frisbeeshop.com
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
th
www.bio-based.eu
www.biowerkstoff-kongress.de
Int. Congress 2013
6on Industrial Biotechnology and
Bio-based Plastics & Composites
April 10 th – 11 th 2013,
Maternushaus, Cologne, Germany
Highlights from the world wide leading countries in
bio-based economy: USA & Germany
Organiser
Partner
ARBEIT
UMWELT
S T I F T U N G
DER IG BERGBAU, CHEMIE, ENERGIE
magnetic_148,5x105.ai 175.00 lpi 15.00° 75.00° 0.00° 45.00° 14.03.2009 10:13:31
www.nova-institute.eu
Prozess CyanProzess www.arbeit-umwelt.de MagentaProzess GelbProzess www.kunststoffl Schwarz and-nrw.de
UND
Magnetic
www.plasticker.com
for Plastics
• International Trade
in Raw Materials,
Machinery & Products
Free of Charge
• Daily News
from the Industrial Sector
and the Plastics Markets
• Current Market Prices
for Plastics.
• Buyer’s Guide
for Plastics & Additives,
Machinery & Equipment,
Subcontractors
and Services.
• Job Market
for Specialists and
Executive Staff in the
Plastics Industry
Up-to-date • Fast • Professional
bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7 35

Application News
Compostable film
for organic tea
Lebensbaum Ulrich Walter GmbH, Diepholz, Germany, a
pioneer in the production of organic tea, coffee and herbs
recently decided to pack its range of organic teas with Innovia
Films’ compostable cellulose-based material, NatureFlex
NVR. Lebensbaum’s success has been built on a combination
of pure tasting ingredients, ecological foresight and social
responsibility.
Introducing packaging materials based on renewable
resources is part of Lebensbaum’s sustainability strategy as
Dr Achim Mayr, Managing Director, explained: “NatureFlex
combines the packaging quality and functionality we are
looking for with our ambitioned environmental consciousness,
which fits with our mission.”
“We are delighted to offer new innovative packaging solutions
based on NatureFlex especially for the tea and coffee industry,”
explains Joachim Janz, Sales Account Manager, Innovia Films.
“Our customers can tick various boxes easily relating to
product safety and the objective to use a sustainable packaging
material. NatureFlex films offer both suitable aroma barrier
and a functional barrier to mineral oil migration which has
been scientifically confirmed to last for five years. Mineral oil
barrier is especially welcome in the tea industry, where recent
German publications highlight that various tea products have
weaknesses concerning mineral oil protection. The use of
renewable cellulose derived from certified managed plantations
and the fact it is certified home compostable rounds off this
new packaging solution!”
NatureFlex NVR is a two-side coated, heat sealable renewable
and certified compostable film with an intermediate moisture
barrier, ideally suited to box overwrap and individual flow wrap
applications such as this one.
www.innoviafilms.com
www.lebensbaum.de
The Lebensbaum box and individual teabags have been wrapped with
NatureFlex NVR film.
Sustainable soles
Gucci, headquartered in Florence, Italy announced
the launch of Sustainable Soles, a special edition of
eco-friendly women’s and men’s shoes designed
by Creative Director Frida Giannini and part of the
Prefall 2012 Collection. This new project conveys
the House’s mission to interpret in a responsible
way the modern consumer’s desire for sustainable
fashion products, all the while maintaining the
balance between the timeless values of style and
utmost quality with an ever-growing green vision.
The Sustainable Soles include the Marola
Green ballerinas for her and the California Green
sneakers for him, both realized in ‘bio-plastic’ –
an biodegradable (elastomer) material in compost
used as an alternative to petrochemical plastic.
Successfully tested in laboratories and certified
by the main European international standard: EN
13432 and ISO 17088, this material is completely
biodegradable without leaving any waste or
environmental impact. More details about the type
of bioplastics however, were not disclosed by Gucci
before going to press.
The Marola Green flat ballerina - entirely made
of this material - is characterized by cut out details
and the GG logo motif, and is available in the
polished tones of blush, taupe, black and black with
an interlocking G in white. The men’s California
Green sneakers – in a low or high top version
- combine the bio-rubber soles with the upper
part in genuine vegetable tanned black calfskin,
biologically certified strings and rhodium-plated
metal details. Additionally, the green Gucci logo has
been designed on a recycled polyester label.
This innovative project symbolizes an important
challenge and commitment for Gucci, as recently
confirmed by the brand’s participation at the latest
edition of the Copenhagen Fashion Summit: the
world’s most important conference on sustainability
and fashion, dedicated to the future of green style.
www.gucci.com
36 bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7

Basics
Proteineous meals
for bioplastics
By:
Murali M. Reddy
Amar K. Mohanty
Manjusri Misra
all: Bioproducts Discovery and Development Centre
University of Guelph, Canada
Bioplastics provide a sustainable application platform
for proteineous meals, such as soy meal, and canola
meal etc. that are available in large quantities due to
rapid expansion of biodiesel industries [1]. It is estimated
that production of proteineous meals will grow by 21.7%
in the US and 105.9% in Europe due to the new mandates
on biodiesel production [2] in the period between 2006 and
2015. This is equal to an increment of 22.5 million tonnes in
2006 to 43.6 million tonnes in 2015 in EU alone [2]. These
proteineous meals can be suitable candidates for the development
of new bioplastics due to their inherent biodegradability
and renewable carbon content. Although many studies
have been carried out in designing bioplastics from proteins
using solvent casting and compression molding, the commercial
viability of these bioplastics is hinging on adopting
industry prevalent processing techniques such as extrusion,
cast film and blown film processing and injection molding
[3-5].
The research team at the Bioproducts Discovery and
Development Centre (University of Guelph, Canada) has
been exploring the possibility of the direct utilization of
proteineous meals for bioplastic applications. The work
focuses on the utilization of soy meal, canola meal and
jatropha meal (Fig.1) for the development of biodegradable
composites and thermoplastic blends. An analysis shows
that the costs of these meals are significantly less than
traditional raw materials such as starch.
The process of converting proteineous meal into a
thermoplastic material is not straight forward since proteins
are heat sensitive and display a very narrow processing
window due to the presence of a large amount of different
functional groups. Although both wet processing and dry
processing can be used for processing proteineous meals,
dry processing like melt extrusion provides an opportunity
for industrial scale manufacturing. Protein based
Canola Meal
(Canola Oil Industry)
Jatropha Meal
(Jatropha Oil Industry)
Soy Meal
(Soybean Oil Industry)
Figure 1: Proteineous Meals from Different Oil Seed Crops
bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7 37

Basics
160
120
80
40
0
20
A
Tensile Strength [MPa]
Elongation [%]
5
Figure 3: Tensile Properties of Soy Meal Blends:
A): Soy Meal- Biopolyester (30/70 wt %)
B): Thermoplastic Soy Meal- Biopolyester (30/70 wt %)
30
B
156
thermoplastics are obtained in two steps; plasticization/
destructurization followed by blending with biopolyesters.
The process of plasticization/destructurization is
shown in the Fig.2. Soy meal and canola meal has been
successfully utilized in dry processing via twin screw
extrusion to obtain a thermoplastic like material [6]. This
thermoplastic meal was blended with tough biopolyesters
like polybutylene succinate (PBS), polycaprolactone (PCL)
and polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT) to obtain
flexible blends [7].
The study showed that destructurization and
plasticization has improved interactions between the
meal and the biopolyesters and thereby improving
the mechanical properties of the meal based
bioplastics. Also, soy meal was successfully converted
into thermoplastic using conventional twin screw
extrusion in one step process. The blends of soy meal
based thermoplastic with PBS, PCL and PBAT were
successfully utilized in both injection molding and cast
film processing. A comparison of tensile properties of
soy meal based blends with biopolyester is shown in the
Fig.3, where it can be clearly seen that with thermoplastic
conversion of the meal, the properties have improved
significantly. However, one of the drawbacks in utilizing
the meal for film applications is its fibre content which
doesn’t elongate during film processing and restricts its
thickness. To overcome this, different techniques were
adopted which effectively removes fiber from these meals
before initiating plasticization and destructurization step.
Ternary blending approach was used to improve the
mechanical properties of the thermoplastic blends [6].
Soy Meal
+
Denaturants &
Plasticizers
Plasticization /
Destructurization
Melt Extrusion
Thermoplastic
Soy Meal
Figure 2: Thermoplastic Conversion of Soy Meal via plasticization/destructurization
38 bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7

Bioplastics from Protein
There are multitudes of advantages in utilizing these
proteineous meals for bioplastics applications which
include renewability and biodegradability. Biodegradability
helps in removing the biodegradable plastic from the
environment by the action of microorganisms. This
should occur in timely manner for restoring carbon and
sustainability. Today all around the world, there is clear
demarcation on biodegradability and compostability, where
the compostability is time bound biodegradability. Many of
the bioplastics including PLA, PCL, PHBV and PBS degrade
under controlled composting environments [8]. However
their degradation rate is slow compared to the standard
compostable materials like cellulose [8]. Furthermore,
these bioplastics show very slow degradation profiles
in soil and studies have shown that the incorporation of
natural materials can accelerate their degradation [9].
Hence, incorporation of proteineous meals can improve the
degradation profiles of these bioplastics. Finally, based on
the studies conducted by Nova Institute, Germany, biomass
utilization for materials application results in 5-9 times
more employment and also improves 4-9 times economic
value of the meal than any other conventional applications
[10]. More importantly this approach helps in utilizing the
bio-carbon for plastics applications.
Films and sheets obtained from soy meal based
formulations on a conventional cast film processing unit are
shown in the Fig.4. The cost estimation studies shows that
these plastics can be very competitive compared to most
of the starch based formulations available. Furthermore,
jatropha meal which is not edible can be utilized for this
purpose and the technology can be extended to any new oil
crop based proteineous meals.
Proteineous meals based bioplastics can be used in both
flexible and rigid applications. These bioplastics can be
especially useful in one trip applications such as cutlery,
shopping bags and trash bags. Also, composites can find
applications in sports goods, automotive applications.
Acknowledgements: – Hannam Soybean Utilization
Fund (HSUF) and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food
and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) New Directions & Alternative
Renewable Fuels ‘Plus’ Research Program 2009 # SR9223.
References:
1. Reddy M. M, Mohanty A.K and Misra M, Chem. Eng Prog, 2012,
108(5),37-42
2. Taheripour F, Hertel T W, Tyner W.E, Beckman J.F, and Birur
D.K, 2010, Biomass and Bioenergy, 34(3), 278.
3. Verbeek C.J. R., van den Berg E.L, Macromol. Mater. Eng. 2010,
295, 10–21
4. Song F., Tang D.L., Wang X.L., and Wang Y.Z.,
Biomacromolecules, 2011, 12 (10), pp 3369–3380
5. Wu Q, and Zhang L., Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 2001, 40 (8), pp
1879–1883
6. Reddy M. M, Mohanty A.K and Misra M, Macromol. Mater. Eng.
2011, 9999, 000–000, DOI: 10.1002/mame.201100203
7. Reddy M. M, Mohanty A.K and Misra M, J. Mater. Sci,2012, 47
(6),p 2591
8. Rudnik E. Compostable polymer materials: Elsevier Science;
2008.
9. Teramoto N, Urata K, Ozawa K, Shibata M. Polymer degradation
and stability. 2004;86: 401-9.
10. Nova Institute for Ecology and Innovation, GmbH, “The
Development of Instruments to Support the Material Use of
Renewable Raw Materials in Germany,” Hürth, Germany (2010).
www.bioproductscentre.com
Thermoplastic Soymeal-
Biopolyester Blend
Sheets
Cast Film Process
Films
Figure 4: Sheets and Films obtained from Soy Meal based Bioplastics
Colored Films
bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7 39

Basics
Fig. 1: Cropping system using protein based bioplastic pots
Bioplastics
from proteins
By
David Grewell
Associate Professor and Chair of
Biopolymers and Biocomposites
Research Team
Iowa State University, Agricultural
and Biosystems Engineering
Ames, Iowa, USA
Fig. 2: Golf Tees, wood composites with protein adhesives,
animal toys and lubrication sticks (transparent samples are
renewable oil based samples from Dr. Kesslers group at Iowa
State University)
The concept of using protein as a plastic is not novel. While
nature has been using protein for structural purposes,
Henry Ford was one of the first to make automotive components,
such as body panels, from soy protein plastics. Proteins
are naturally occurring polymers that consist of amino acids
linked together to form a long globular molecular structure.
In nature, these proteins can have a wide range of properties
and functions. Today, research efforts at Iowa State University
(ISU) as well as at other institutions are building on Ford’s idea
and turning protein plastics into commercial products tailored
to the demands of the current economy. These materials have
many inherent benefits compared to petrochemical plastics,
including being biorenewable and biodegradable. However, as
with any new technology, researchers have had to overcome
many challenges to the successful implementation and use of
these new materials, such as optimization of formulations to
meet market needs, development of processing, and testing
and characterization to determine their performance.
Because they are readily available, plant proteins have
been the primary feedstock for producing protein plastics,
in particular corn and soy proteins. While widely available,
these proteins have a globular molecular structure, which is
not conducive to load bearing applications, unlike collagen
that gives bones their strength and integrity. To overcome
this shortcoming, researchers have developed chemistries,
processing conditions, and benign solvents (e.g., water, glycerin,
ethanol) to linearize (denature/plasticize) the molecular
structures to enhance mechanical performance through
molecular reconfirmation.
The plastics formulations are relatively easy and involve only
a few steps: 1) protein extraction (denaturing); 2) plasticization
through heat, benign solvents (such as water, ethanol, or
polyethylene glycol), 3) shearing (through a conventional plastic
extruder); and 4) pelletization. The pellets are similar to those
already used by the plastics industry and can be processed
using existing polymer processing equipment. They can be
injection molded, extruded, blown into films, and, with slight
modification to the formulations, even sprayed.
Researchers at the ISU Biopolymers and Biocomposites
Research Team (BBRT) along with other institutes have been
working on a cropping system, made in part or in whole, of
protein plastics. These cropping systems, pots (Fig. 1) are not
only sustainable, renewable and biodegradable, they have an
added feature: Once the plant is in the soil together with the
pot, the pot degrades and inherently releases nitrogen into the
soil because of the protein’s natural nitrogen content. This selffertilizing
effect allows gardeners and growers to be ‘green.’
Similar applications under development at ISU include golf
tees, protein-based adhesive composites panels, animal toys
and lubrication sticks (Fig. 2) as well as temporary lawn and
garden markers. According to Dr. James Schrader (Assistant
Scientist, Department of Horticulture) at ISU, “Horticulture
plant containers (pots) made from corn- and soy-protein
polymers have potential to provide a fertilizer effect for plants
grown in them.”
40 bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7

Bioplastics from Protein
Fig. 4: Temporary lawn
flags / markers
Fig. 3: Erosion
control products
“Administrative, communications, and grant development
assistance from the Center for Crops Utilization Research
(CCUR) have enabled BBRT researchers to focus on
science,” said Dr. Darren Jarboe, program manager for the
CCUR and BioCentury Research Farm. “This focus and the
diversity of participating researchers, for example artists,
chemists, and engineers, have allowed the group to identify
unique opportunities and develop proposals, such as the
cropping systems project.”
Other applications include plastics for erosion control and
ground cover matting as seen in Fig. 3. The sheets can be
made as matting or as a weave to allow plant growth.
Research suggests that nitrogen amounts released from
pots made of 100% corn and soy plastics may be too high
to sustain healthy plant growth and that blending these
protein polymers with biopolymers that have lower nitrogen
contents may help optimize the inherent fertilizer effect of
protein-based containers for horticulture crop production.
In addition, researchers at ISU have been working with
companies such as Creative Composites, Ankeny, Iowa, USA,
to develop environmentally friendly, temporary lawn flags/
markers (Fig. 4).
Researchers at the University of Illinois, led by Dr. Graciela
Padua, have been using these natural polymers as food
additives, even replacing petrochemical rubber in chewing
gum. This biorenewable, non-stick gum is environmentally
friendly. In addition, Dr. Padua has developed edible food
packages based on corn protein.
Dr. Jinwen Zhang at the University of Washington has been
developing degradable foams produced from soy protein and
polylactic acid (PLA). Dr. Zhang has been able to produce
relatively homogeneous mixtures of soy protein and PLA to
produce relatively high-strength plastics.
In addition to soy and corn protein (both plant based), a
team of Iowa State researchers, including Drs. Permenus
Mungara and Jay-lin Jane, also investigated feather protein
for plastic production. Results of the study demonstrated
that chicken or turkey feathers can be used for bioplastics
production. A drawback of this approach was the odor
transferred to the product due to the current process used in
the slaughterhouse. Feather protein has good potential for
making bioplastics, once the process of feather harvesting
can be improved.
Another example for animal based protein are casein
proteins. These are extracted from milk and are composed
of glutamic acid, proline, valine, leucine and lysine, which
account for more than 60 % of the amino acid residues.
They are unique in comparison to plant proteins because
of their randomly coiled structure and the lack of cysteine
and resulting crosslinking disulfide bonds. These properties
and their excellent barrier properties make casein a
promising base material for coatings. Similar to other
protein polymers, casein shares the shortcoming of water
sensitivity and inferior mechanical properties compared
to petroleum plastics. Historically, aldehyde was used as
a crosslinking agent to stabilize casein; these resins were
utilized to manufacture buttons, imitation ivory and other
novelty items as early as at the beginning of the last century.
Recent research has explored the utility of these proteins
as a plastic foam material utilizing glyceraldehyde as a
crosslinker.
Within the United States much of this fundamental
research and development has been supported by the
national grower associations such as the United Soybean
Board (USB) and National Corn Growers Association.
According to Russ Carpenter, Chair of the United Soybean
Board’s New Uses Committee and a soybean farmer from
Trumansburg, N.Y., soy protein research characterizes a key
component of USB’s Long Range Strategic Plan.
“Investments in novel applications for soy proteins help
the United Soybean Board address its strategic objectives
of meeting customer demand for a wide range of quality soy
products,” Carpenter said. “By capitalizing on the demand
for biobased, sustainable products, the soy checkoff can
increase the value of U.S. soy oil across the entire value
chain.”
www.biocom.iastate.edu/
bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7 41

Basics
Bioplastics from
the slaughterhouse
Animal-based protein for thermoplastic products
By:
Johan Verbeek
University of Waikato
School of Engineering
Biopolymers and Composites Group
Hamilton, New Zealand
www.waikato.ac.nz
The complexity of proteins as macromolecules greatly restricts
their processability as thermoplastics. Proteins
may consist of up to 20 different amino acids leading to
a vast variety of intermolecular interactions in this heteropolymer.
In their native state proteins fold into a variety of structures,
classified as primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary
structures. The primary structure is determined by the amino
acid sequence while the higher order structures are determined
by the way the three dimensional structure has formed.
The most important structures, leading to a protein’s semicrystalline
nature are alpha helices and beta sheets. The challenge
to the plastics engineer is to unravel the protein’s structure
to enable extrusion and injection moulding. Its properties
are then determined by the final structure as it shifts between
either predominantly helical or sheet-like structures and the
overall degree of crystallinity.
Despite the potential environmental advantages of proteinbased
plastics, these materials do have some challenges.
Most important of these are difficult processablility, weak
mechanical properties and their water sensitivity. Many of
these could be overcome by blending with other polymers or
appropriate additives. However, these new bioplastics will have
to be fit for purpose rather than claiming general applicability
in the plastics industry. For example, using a biodegradable
material where biodegradation is a requirement rather than a
marketing benefit.
Research at the University of Waikato’s Polymers and
Composites Group have developed a thermoplastic based
on bloodmeal which is a by-product of the meat industry
[1]. Bloodmeal is more than 80% protein (most of which is
hemoglobin) making it an ideal precursor for a thermoplastic,
similar to the many plant-based sources that have been used.
Waikatolink is the intellectual property commercialisation
office of the University of Waikato, and it is now commercializing
the technology through a spin off company called Novatein
Ltd. Work is mostly supported by a local rendering company
(Wallace Corporation Ltd.) and the industry body, Meat and Live
Stock Australia (MLA).
42 bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7

Bioplastics from Protein
Figure 1: Injection moulded plant pots
Figure 2: Composting NTP over
12 weeks (from left to right).
Figure 3: Conceptual weasand clip
The process of making Novatein Thermoplastic Protein
(NTP) is not overly complicated and is based on using an
additive cocktail of protein denaturants and plasticizers,
extrusion and pelletizing. NTP can be extruded and injection
moulded, but its properties currently prevent film blowing.
The material’s compostability makes it an attractive material
for applications where rapid degradation is required, such
planting pots, seedling trays, golf tees, clay targets and
possibly wads for shot-gun ammunition. NTP loses about
half its mass in 3 months under commercial composting
conditions [2].
One of the attractive features of NTP is that the protein
raw material is completely bioderived as well as being a byproduct
of a different industry. It is easy to assume that such
a product should be completely environmentally friendly,
however, it is important to assess it’s entire life cycle. For
NTP, the group has evaluated its cradle-to-gate eco-profile
thereby avoiding specific product applications and allowing
a comparison to some other bioplastics (although LCAs
should not typically be used for that). The most appropriate
way to consider NTP’s eco-profile was to consider blood as
a waste with regard to farming and meat processing, but
include energy consumption and gas emissions during blood
drying. This takes into account the motivations for farming
and meat processing, but also recognizes that there are
other treatment options for blood that do not produce blood
meal used in manufacturing NTP. It was shown that NTP is
comparable to other bioplastics in terms of non-renewable
primary energy use and greenhouse gas emissions [3, 4].
Probaby the most promising attribute of NTP is that it can
be rendered with waste from meat processing. For example,
slaughtering cows requires clips used for closing animals’
wind pipes (weasand clips) to prevent stomach contents
from contaminating the meat. These plastic clips end of in
the rendering process, contaminating products such as pet
food; making these from NTP could avoid their recovery.
Research in the Polymers and Composites group
mainly focuses on improving mechanical properties and
processability of NTP. To this extent it has been shown that
it can be blended with polyethylene and some biodegradable
polyesters. By using an appropriate compatibilizer, a product
with exceptional ductility and strength can be produced by
blending LLPE and NTP. Although its bioderivable content
is reduced, the improvement in properties such as water
resistance could be considered more important. More
recently, structural changes during processing have been
investigated using synchrotron light FTIR. It was found that
different phases exist within the material that is rich or poor
in different protein secondary structures; it is though that
this is one of the aspects influencing it’s film blowing ability.
Other work include decolouring and deodourising bloodmeal
to create wider market application, recovering fibre from
chicken feathers and manufacturing protein-intercalated
clay using waste water from meat processing and rendering.
Hopefully some products will be seen on the market within
the next two years and Novatein Ltd. is actively working with
its partner organizations, however the bioplastics market is
interesting and new materials like these require a significant
technology push.
The Author would also like to acknowledge a large team
of researchers that have contributed to this project; they are
Mark Lay, Kim Pickering, Lisa van den berg, Jim Bier, Aaron
Low, Velram Mohan, Rashid Shamsuddin, Marcel Ishak and
Darren Harpur for his work on commercialization.
1. Verbeek, C.J.R., et al., Plastics material. New Zealand,
NZ551531,
2. Verbeek, C., Hicks, T.; Langdon, A. Biodegradation of
Bloodmeal-Based Thermoplastics in Green-Waste Composting.
Journal of Polymers and the Environment. 2011, 1-10.
3. Bier, J., Verbeek, C.; Lay, M. An ecoprofile of thermoplastic
protein derived from blood meal Part 2: thermoplastic
processing. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment.
2012, 1-11.
4. Bier, J., Verbeek, C.; Lay, M. An eco-profile of thermoplastic
protein derived from blood meal Part 1: allocation issues. The
International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. 2012, 17(2),
208-219.
bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7 43

Opinion
Single-use carrier bags
Littering, legal banning and biodegradation in sea water.
By
Francesco Degli Innocenti
Ecology of Products and
Environmental Communication
Novamont S.p.A.
Novara, Italy
www.novamont.com
Single-use carrier bags are a shining example of overpackaging
all around the world. Needless to say, the
thin, single-use carrier bags have a bad reputation,
and mostly based on fact!
The first problem is that they are generally used just
once, which is a waste of resources and can become a litter
problem. Carrier bags are always the highest-ranking in the
‘top 10’ marine litter items as reported in the UNEP Report
‘Marine Litter: A Global Challenge’ [1]. However, to be fair
we should mention that single-use carrier bags are also
frequently reused as waste bags for garbage collection.
In this case they play a positive role because they help in
reducing the consumption of resources, by substituting
waste bags (a waste bag is not produced whenever a carrier
bag is used instead; this is called ‘avoided impact’ in Life
Cycle Assessment). The problem is that, whenever bio-waste
separate collection is in place (and this is an unrelenting
trend), the use of plastic carrier-bags is negative, because
they are not biodegradable. The organic recycling of biowaste
requires plastic-free streams to assure high recycling
rates. The plastic carrier bags are not ‘multi-purpose’ waste
bags.
The last important consideration is that for most packaging
any reduction is difficult to achieve because this usually
implies negative consequences on the shelf-life of the food.
On the contrary, single-use carrier bags can be substituted,
without negative effects on the consumer and on retailers,
by a more sustainable solution: the durable reusable carrier
bag.
All these factors have generated a series of initiatives
to reduce the consumption of single-use carrier bags.
Many retailers, committed to reducing the environmental
impact of their businesses, have tried to shift towards more
sustainable solutions. Also specific legislation has been
developed in some countries to force this shift in consumption
habits and some legislation has already been announced.
In particular, some months ago, UK Prime Minister David
Cameron warned supermarkets that unless stores deliver
‘significant’ reductions in the use of single-use bags over the
next 12 months, they could either be banned outright from
giving them away or be legally required to charge customers
for them. In Italy a ban on the commercialisation of plastic
44 bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7

Opinion
bags has been already in force since January 2011. The
Italian ban on single-use carrier bags can be considered
as an interesting experiment, the results and implications
of which should be fully assessed. The first lesson is that
consumers are ready to change their habits quickly to adopt
more sustainable behaviour following legislation promoting
packaging reduction. A study has shown that the use of
single-use carrier bags has dropped significantly (50%)
after the enforcement of the ban [2]. According to a survey
conducted by ISPO [3] the reduction of single-use plastic
carrier bags was of about 20%.
These, and other statistics that will very likely be prepared
in the future, show that prevention, the top priority in
European waste policy, has been easily achieved with
apparently no big distress to the consumer. The implicit
consequence is: the lower the amount of single-use carrier
bags in circulation, the lower the risk of littering. Therefore,
restriction to single-use carrier bags helps efficient use
of resources, waste prevention, and litter prevention. Less
resources are consumed, less waste needs to be recovered
and less pollution is produced.
Only biodegradable and compostable [4] single-use
carrier bags can still be sold by the Italian retailers when,
for instance, the consumer has forgotten to bring a reusable
bag. The use of biodegradable and compostable singleuse
carrier bags is having very interesting consequences.
The relative increase of biodegradable and compostable
carrier bag volumes has resulted in the promotion of a new
industrial chain and fostered innovation and development of
the bio-economy while new ventures have been immediately
announced by important international companies. There
have also been improvements in bio-waste collection and
recycling [5]. Biodegradable and compostable carrier bags
can be re-used as ‘multi-purpose’ waste bags, allowing
secondary use, and are suitable both for residual waste (any
waste that cannot be collected in a separate way), as well
as for bio-waste (e.g. kitchen waste). This is usually well
communicated to the consumers by slogans such as: ‘use
and re-use for the separate collection of waste’ and others,
printed on the bags which become a vehicle for education.
The risk that a non-biodegradable bag is improperly used
to collect bio-waste is cancelled out if the householder is
supplied with only biodegradable and compostable bags.
This in turn improves the quality of biological recycling and
relevant environmental benefits. A plastic-free compost
maintains fertility of soils, where bioplastics originate, in a
virtuous ‘cradle-to-cradle’ (or, strictly speaking, soil-to-soil)
loop. All this is possible thanks to another Italian law that
allows only certified biodegradable and compostable waste
bags for the separate collection of bio-waste.
This has turned out to be an interesting example of
support for the bio-economy. Innovation needs a proper
‘landscape’, namely framework conditions that favour the
development of the industrial/commercial process. State aid
is not necessarily needed, but rather smart, sustainable, and
inclusive legislation that finds comprehensive solutions for
different problems.
But what if the biodegradable and compostable carrier
bags, in spite of all the communication that accompanies
it, are littered into the environment? Recent developments
in the sector of biodegradation research show that suitable
carrier bags that reach the sea are effectively susceptible to
biodegradation [6]. But this should not be misunderstood:
the biodegradability of products cannot be considered
as an excuse to spread waste that should be recovered
and recycled. Human population and the current levels of
consumption - and consequently of waste production - are
huge. The environmental burden of littering is unbearable,
even for biodegradable products. Sewage that is composed
of biodegradable substances must be treated in a wastewater
treatment plant before discharge into the sea or a
river. The same applies for EN 13432 biodegradable and
compostable carrier bags.
[1] www.unep.org/pdf/unep_marine_litter-a_global_challenge.pdf
[2] Italian Ministry of the Environment: Analisi di Impatto della
Regolamentazione (A.I.R.) (Regulatory Impact Analysis).
[3] “I nuovi bio-shopper - Indagine su conoscenza e valutazione
dei nuovi bio-shopper tra la popolazione italiana”, 2°
edizione (23-25 January 2012).
[4] According to the European harmonised standard EN 13432
[5] www.assobioplastiche.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/
Massimo_Centemero_-conf-Stampa-12.01.2012-DEF.pdf
[6] Tosin M, Weber M, Siotto M, Lott C and Degli-Innocenti F
(2012). Laboratory test methods to determine the
degradation of plastics in marine environmental
conditions. Front. Microbio. 3:225. doi: 10.3389/
fmicb.2012.00225
bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7 45

Basics
Glossary 2.0
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
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)
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.
Aerobic - anaerobic | aerobic = in the presence
of oxygen (e.g. in composting) | anaerobic
= without oxygen being present (e.g. in
biogasification, anaerobic digestion)
[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]
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.
For an official definition, please refer to
the standards e.g. ISO or in Europe: EN 14995
Plastics- Evaluation of compostability - Test
scheme and specifications.
[bM 02/06, bM 01/07]
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.
updated
such as ‘PLA (Polylactide)‘ in various articles.
Readers who would like to suggest better or other explanations to be added to the list, please contact the editor.
[*: bM ... refers to more comprehensive article previously published in bioplastics MAGAZINE)
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 neutral | Carbon 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.
Catalyst | substance that enables and accelerates
a chemical reaction
Cellophane | Clear film on the basis of → cellulose.
Cellulose | Polymeric molecule with very high
molecular weight (biopolymer, monomer is
→ Glucose), industrial production from wood
or cotton, to manufacture paper, plastics and
fibres.
CEN | Comité Européen de Normalisation
(European organisation for standardization)
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 timefame. 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 | A solid waste management
technique that uses natural process to convert
organic materials to CO 2
, water and humus
through the action of → microorganisms.
When talking about composting of bioplastics,
usually industrial composting in a managed
composting plant is meant [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
Elastomers | rigid, but under force flexible
and elastically formable plastics with rubbery
properties
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)
Enzymes | proteins that catalyze chemical
reactions
Ethylen | colour- and odourless gas, made
e.g. from, Naphtha (petroleum) by cracking,
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 over
70 member companies throughout the European
Union. 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.
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.
Gelatine | Translucent brittle solid substance,
colorless or slightly yellow, nearly tasteless
and odorless, extracted from the collagen inside
animals‘ connective tissue.
46 bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7

Basics
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.
Granulate, granules | small plastic particles
(3-4 millimetres), a form in which plastic is
sold and fed into machines, easy to handle
and dose.
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).
IBAW | → European Bioplastics
Integral Foam | foam with a compact skin and
porous core and a transition zone in between.
ISO | International Organization for Standardization
JBPA | Japan Bioplastics Association
LCA | Life Cycle Assessment (sometimes also
referred to as life cycle analysis, ecobalance,
and → cradle-to-grave analysis) is the investigation
and valuation of the environmental
impacts of a given product or service caused.
[bM 01/09]
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
PBS | Polybutylene succinate, a 100% biodegradable
polymer, made from (e.g. bio-BDO)
and succinic acid, which can also be produced
biobased.
PC | Polycarbonate, thermoplastic polyester,
petroleum based, 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]
PET | Polyethylenterephthalate, transparent
polyester used for bottles and film
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 are linear polyesters
produced in nature by bacterial fermentation
of sugar or lipids. The most common
type of PHA is → PHB.
PHB | Polyhydroxybutyrate (better poly-3-hydroxybutyrate),
is a polyhydroxyalkanoate
(PHA), a polymer belonging to the polyesters
class. PHB is produced by micro-organisms
apparently in response to conditions of physiological
stress. The polymer is primarily a
product of carbon assimilation (from glucose
or starch) and is employed by micro-organisms
as a form of energy storage molecule to
be metabolized when other common energy
sources are not available. PHB has properties
similar to those of PP, however it is stiffer and
more brittle.
PHBH | Polyhydroxy butyrate hexanoate (better
poly 3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate)
is a polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA),
Like other biopolymers from the family of the
polyhydroxyalkanoates PHBH is produced by
microorganisms in the fermentation process,
where it is accumulated in the microorganism’s
body for nutrition. The main features of
PHBH are its excellent biodegradability, combined
with a high degree of hydrolysis and
heat stability.
[bM 03/09, 01/10, 03/11]
PLA | Polylactide or Polylactic Acid (PLA) is a
biodegradable, thermoplastic, linear aliphatic
polyester from lactic acid. Lactic acid is made
from dextrose by fermentation. Bacterial fermentation
is used to produce lactic acid from
corn starch, cane sugar or other sources.
However, lactic acid cannot be directly polymerized
to a useful product, because each polymerization
reaction generates one molecule
of water, the presence of which degrades the
forming polymer chain to the point that only
very low molecular weights are observed.
Instead, lactic acid is oligomerized and then
catalytically dimerized to make the cyclic lactide
monomer. Although dimerization also
generates water, it can be separated prior to
polymerization. PLA of high molecular weight
is produced from the lactide monomer by
ring-opening polymerization using a catalyst.
This mechanism does not generate additional
water, and hence, a wide range of molecular
weights are accessible.
[bM 01/09]
Plastics | Materials with large molecular
chains of natural or fossil raw materials, produced
by chemical or biochemical reactions.
Renewable Resources | agricultural raw materials,
which are not used as food or feed, but
as raw material for industrial products or to
generate energy
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 derivate | Starch derivates 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 connect with ethan
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 of the most often cited definitions of sustainability
is the one created by the Brundtland
Commission, led by the former Norwegian
Prime Minister Gro Harlem 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 non-human environment).
Sustainability | (as defined by European
Bioplastics e.V.) 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.
WPC | Wood Plastic Composite. Composite
materials made of wood fiber/flour and plastics
(mostly polypropylene).
Yard Waste | Grass clippings, leaves, trimmings,
garden residue.
bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7 47

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Events
Event
Calendar
Biopolymers & Biocomposites Workshop
14.08.2012
Memorial Union, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA,
www.biocom.iastate.edu/workshop/bioworkshop.html
naro.tech 9th International Symposium
05.09.2012 - 06.09.2012
Essen, Germany
www.narotech.eu
Fach Pack
25.09.2012 - 29.09.2012
Nuremberg, Germany
www.fachpack.de/en
Renewable Plastics Conference 2012
25.09.2012 - 26.09.2012
Crowne Plaza, Amsterdam, The Netherlands,
www.renewable-plastics.com
Composites Europe
09.10.2012 - 11.10.2012
Exhibition Centre Düsseldorf, Germany
www.composites-europe.com
Carbon Dioxide as Feedstock for Chemicals and
Polymers
10.10.2012 - 11.10.2012
Haus der Technik“ Essen, Germany
www.co2-chemistry.eu
Biopolymers Symposium 2012
15.10.2012 - 16.10.2012
The Westin Riverwalk Hotel, San Antonio (TX), USA
swww.biopolymersummit.com
Biopolymere 2012
20.11.2012 - Stuttgart,Germany
www.bayern-innovativ.de/biopolymere2012
Bioplastics - today and tomorrow
23.11.2012 - Zagreb,Croatia
The 2013 Packaging Conference
04.02.2013 - 06.02.2013
The Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead , Atlanta, Georgia, USA
www.thepackagingconference.com
Bioplastics - The Re-Innovation of Plastics
04.03.2013 - 06.03.2013
Cesar‘s Palace, Las Vegas, USA
www.bioplastix.com
You can meet us!
Please contact us in
advance by e-mail.
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/12] Vol. 7 49

Suppliers Guide
1. Raw Materials
10
20
30
40
Showa Denko Europe GmbH
Konrad-Zuse-Platz 4
81829 Munich, Germany
Tel.: +49 89 93996226
www.showa-denko.com
support@sde.de
www.cereplast.com
US:
Tel: +1 310.615.1900
Fax +1 310.615.9800
Sales@cereplast.com
Europe:
Tel: +49 1763 2131899
weckey@cereplast.com
Natur-Tec ® - Northern Technologies
4201 Woodland Road
Circle Pines, MN 55014 USA
Tel. +1 763.225.6600
Fax +1 763.225.6645
info@natur-tec.com
www.natur-tec.com
50
60
70
80
90
Simply contact:
Tel.: +49 2161 6884467
suppguide@bioplasticsmagazine.com
Stay permanently listed in the
Suppliers Guide with your company
logo and contact information.
For only 6,– EUR per mm, per issue you
can be present among top suppliers in
the field of bioplastics.
For Example:
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
plastics@dupont.com
www.renewable.dupont.com
www.plastics.dupont.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
PolyOne
Avenue Melville Wilson, 2
Zoning de la Fagne
5330 Assesse
Belgium
Tel.: + 32 83 660 211
www.polyone.com
100
110
120
130
140
150
160
170
180
190
200
210
39 mm
Polymedia Publisher GmbH
Dammer Str. 112
41066 Mönchengladbach
Germany
Tel. +49 2161 664864
Fax +49 2161 631045
info@bioplasticsmagazine.com
www.bioplasticsmagazine.com
Sample Charge:
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bookable for one year (6 issues) and
extends automatically if it’s not canceled
three month before expiry.
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
1.1 bio based monomers
PURAC division
Arkelsedijk 46, P.O. Box 21
4200 AA Gorinchem -
The Netherlands
Tel.: +31 (0)183 695 695
Fax: +31 (0)183 695 604
www.purac.com
PLA@purac.com
GRAFE-Group
Waldecker Straße 21,
99444 Blankenhain, Germany
Tel. +49 36459 45 0
www.grafe.com
Guangdong Shangjiu
Biodegradable Plastics Co., Ltd.
Shangjiu Environmental Protection
Eco-Tech Industrial Park,Niushan,
Dongcheng District, Dongguan City,
Guangdong Province, 523128 China
Tel.: 0086-769-22114999
Fax: 0086-769-22103988
www.999sw.com www.999sw.net
999sw@163.com
WinGram Industry CO., LTD
Benson Liu
Great River(Qin Xin)
Plastic Manufacturer CO.,LTD
Mobile (China): +86-18666691720
Mobile (Hong Kong): +852-63078857
Fax: +852-3184 8934
Benson@greatriver.com.hk
1.3 PLA
Shenzhen Esun Ind. Co;Ltd
www.brightcn.net
www.esun.en.alibaba.com
bright@brightcn.net
Tel: +86-755-2603 1978
1.4 starch-based bioplastics
ROQUETTE Frères
62 136 LESTREM, FRANCE
00 33 (0) 3 21 63 36 00
www.gaialene.com
www.roquette.com
220
230
240
250
260
270
www.facebook.com
www.issuu.com
www.twitter.com
www.youtube.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
Kingfa Sci. & Tech. Co., Ltd.
Gaotang Industrial Zone, Tianhe,
Guangzhou, P.R.China.
Tel: +86 (0)20 87215915
Fax: +86 (0)20 87037111
info@ecopond.com.cn
www.ecopond.com.cn
FLEX-262/162 Biodegradable
Blown Film Resin!
Limagrain Céréales Ingrédients
ZAC „Les Portes de Riom“ - BP 173
63204 Riom Cedex - France
Tel. +33 (0)4 73 67 17 00
Fax +33 (0)4 73 67 17 10
www.biolice.com
50 bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7

Suppliers Guide
1.6 masterbatches
3. Semi finished products
3.1 films
PSM Bioplastic NA
Chicago, USA
www.psmna.com
+1-630-393-0012
Jean-Pierre Le Flanchec
3 rue Scheffer
75116 Paris cedex, France
Tel: +33 (0)1 53 65 23 00
Fax: +33 (0)1 53 65 81 99
biosphere@biosphere.eu
www.biosphere.eu
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
Huhtamaki Films
Sonja Haug
Zweibrückenstraße 15-25
91301 Forchheim
Tel. +49-9191 81203
Fax +49-9191 811203
www.huhtamaki-films.com
www.earthfirstpla.com
www.sidaplax.com
www.plasticsuppliers.com
Sidaplax UK : +44 (1) 604 76 66 99
Sidaplax Belgium: +32 9 210 80 10
Plastic Suppliers: +1 866 378 4178
Cortec® Corporation
4119 White Bear Parkway
St. Paul, MN 55110
Tel. +1 800.426.7832
Fax 651-429-1122
info@cortecvci.com
www.cortecvci.com
Eco Cortec®
31 300 Beli Manastir
Bele Bartoka 29
Croatia, MB: 1891782
Tel. +385 31 705 011
Fax +385 31 705 012
info@ecocortec.hr
www.ecocortec.hr
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
Division of A&O FilmPAC Ltd
7 Osier Way, Warrington Road
GB-Olney/Bucks.
MK46 5FP
Tel.: +44 1234 714 477
Fax: +44 1234 713 221
sales@aandofilmpac.com
www.bioresins.eu
2. Additives/Secondary raw materials
Arkema Inc.
Functional Additives-Biostrength
900 First Avenue
King of Prussia, PA/USA 19406
Contact: Connie Lo,
Commercial Development Mgr.
Tel: 610.878.6931
connie.lo@arkema.com
www.impactmodifiers.com
Taghleef Industries SpA, Italy
Via E. Fermi, 46
33058 San Giorgio di Nogaro (UD)
Contact Frank Ernst
Tel. +49 2402 7096989
Mobile +49 160 4756573
frank.ernst@ti-films.com
www.ti-films.com
3.1.1 cellulose based films
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
Metabolix
650 Suffolk Street, Suite 100
Lowell, MA 01854 USA
Tel. +1-97 85 13 18 00
Fax +1-97 85 13 18 86
www.mirelplastics.com
GRAFE-Group
Waldecker Straße 21,
99444 Blankenhain, Germany
Tel. +49 36459 45 0
www.grafe.com
INNOVIA FILMS LTD
Wigton
Cumbria CA7 9BG
England
Contact: Andy Sweetman
Tel. +44 16973 41549
Fax +44 16973 41452
andy.sweetman@innoviafilms.com
www.innoviafilms.com
4. Bioplastics products
NOVAMONT S.p.A.
Via Fauser , 8
28100 Novara - ITALIA
Fax +39.0321.699.601
Tel. +39.0321.699.611
www.novamont.com
Tianan Biologic
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
The HallStar Company
120 S. Riverside Plaza, Ste. 1620
Chicago, IL 60606, USA
+1 312 385 4494
dmarshall@hallstar.com
www.hallstar.com/hallgreen
Rhein Chemie Rheinau GmbH
Duesseldorfer Strasse 23-27
68219 Mannheim, Germany
Phone: +49 (0)621-8907-233
Fax: +49 (0)621-8907-8233
bioadimide.eu@rheinchemie.com
www.bioadimide.com
alesco GmbH & Co. KG
Schönthaler Str. 55-59
D-52379 Langerwehe
Sales Germany: +49 2423 402
110
Sales Belgium: +32 9 2260 165
Sales Netherlands: +31 20 5037 710
info@alesco.net | www.alesco.net
WEI MON INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
2F, No.57, Singjhong Rd.,
Neihu District,
Taipei City 114, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Tel. + 886 - 2 - 27953131
Fax + 886 - 2 - 27919966
sales@weimon.com.tw
www.plandpaper.com
bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7 51

Suppliers Guide
7. Plant engineering
10
20
30
40
50
60
Simply contact:
Tel.: +49 2161 6884467
suppguide@bioplasticsmagazine.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
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
nova-Institut GmbH
Chemiepark Knapsack
Industriestrasse 300
50354 Huerth, Germany
Tel.: +49(0)2233-48-14 40
Fax: +49(0)2233-48-14 5
Bioplastics Consulting
Tel. +49 2161 664864
info@polymediaconsult.com
70
80
90
100
110
120
130
140
150
160
39 mm
Stay permanently listed in the
Suppliers Guide with your company
logo and contact information.
For only 6,– EUR per mm, per issue you
can be present among top suppliers in
the field of bioplastics.
For Example:
Polymedia Publisher GmbH
Dammer Str. 112
41066 Mönchengladbach
Germany
Tel. +49 2161 664864
Fax +49 2161 631045
info@bioplasticsmagazine.com
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 €
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
Roll-o-Matic A/S
Petersmindevej 23
5000 Odense C, Denmark
Tel. + 45 66 11 16 18
Fax + 45 66 14 32 78
rom@roll-o-matic.com
www.roll-o-matic.com
8. Ancillary equipment
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
UL International TTC GmbH
Rheinuferstrasse 7-9, Geb. R33
47829 Krefeld-Uerdingen, Germany
Tel: +49 (0)2151 88 3324
Fax: +49 (0)2151 88 5210
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
European Bioplastics e.V.
Marienstr. 19/20
10117 Berlin, GermanyTel. +49 30
284 82 350
Fax +49 30 284 84 359
info@european-bioplastics.org
www.european-bioplastics.org
170
180
190
200
210
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.
ProTec Polymer Processing GmbH
Stubenwald-Allee 9
64625 Bensheim, Deutschland
Tel. +49 6251 77061 0
Fax +49 6251 77061 500
info@sp-protec.com
www.sp-protec.com
6.2 Laboratory Equipment
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
10.2 Universities
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
220
230
240
250
260
270
www.facebook.com
www.issuu.com
www.twitter.com
www.youtube.com
MODA : Biodegradability Analyzer
Saida FDS Incorporated
3-6-6 Sakae-cho, Yaizu,
Shizuoka, Japan
Tel : +81-90-6803-4041
info@saidagroup.jp
www.saidagroup.jp
narocon
Dr. Harald Kaeb
Tel.: +49 30-28096930
kaeb@narocon.de
www.narocon.de
Institute for Bioplastics
and Biocomposites
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/
52 bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7

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NEW
Michael Thielen
Bioplastics - Basics. Applications. Markets.
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New ‘basics‘ book on bioplastics: The book is intended
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the subject of bioplastics, and is aimed at all interested
readers, in particular those who have not yet had the
opportunity to dig deeply into the subject, such as
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The state of the art on Bioplastics
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Handbook of Bioplastics and
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Hans-Josef Endres, Andrea Siebert-Raths
Engineering Biopolymers
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Hans-Josef Endres, Andrea Siebert-Raths
Technische Biopolymere
Rahmenbedingungen, Marktsituation,
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bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7 53

Companies in this issue
Company Editorial Advert Company Editorial Advert Company Editorial Advert
A&O Filmpac 51
Aescap 12
AIMPLAS 18
Alesco 51
AnoxKaldnes 26
API 34 50
Applied Polymer Innovations Institute 26
Aquiris 28
Arkema 51
ATB 18
Avantium 12 1
BASF 7
Bayern Innovativ 17
Bioclear 26
Biocomposites Centre 18
Biosphere 51
BMZ/Sequa 5
BPI - The Biodegradable Products Institute 52
Braskem 5 55
Capricorn Cleantech 12
Center of Crop Utiliztion Research 41
Cereplast 50
Coca-Cola 5, 11, 12
Copernicus Institute 14
Cortec 51
Danone 12
DuPont 50
Dutch Technology Foundation
Ecoplast Technologies 7
Erema 33
European Bioplastics 52
Fachagentur Nachw. Rohstoffe (FNR) 27
FKuR 35 2, 50
Ford 5
Fraunhofer UMSICHT 52
Freedonia 6
FritoLay 12
Grace Biotech Corporation 51
Grafe 50, 51
Guangdong Shangjiu Biodegradable
50
Plasticd
Gucci 36
H.J. Heinz 5
Hallink 51
Hallstar 52
Harita NTI 5
Huhtamaki Films 51
IBM 11
IHS 11
ING 12
InnoPlast Solutions 11
Innovia Films 36 51
Institute for Bioplastics and Biocomposites 10 52
Iowa State University 40
Kingfa Sci. & Tech. Co. 50
Kisico 32
KNN Milieu 26
Lebensbaum 36
Leser 34
Limagrain Céréales Ingrédients 50
M-Base Engineering + Software 10
Meat and Live Stock Australia 42
Messe Erfurt (naro.tech) 24
Messe Nürnberg (Brau-Beviale) 49
Messe Nürnberg (Fachpack) 5
Metabolix
Michigan State University 52
Minima Technology 51
narocon 10 52
National Corn Growers Association 41
Natur-Tec 5 50
New Games 35
NGR 11
Nike 5, 12
nova-Institut 24, 35
Novamont 43 51, 56
Novatein 42
Plastic Suppliers 51
plasticker 35
Polymediaconsult 52
Polyone 11 50, 51
President Packaging 52
Procter & Gamble 5
ProTec Polymer Processing GmbH 52
PSM 51
Purac 7 6, 50
Reed Exhibitions (Composites Europe) 29
RheinChemie 51
Rhodia 13
Roll-o-Matic 52
Roquette Frères 50
Rosà 34
Royal College of Arts 30
Saida 52
Scion 20
Shenzhen Esun Industrial Co. 50
Showa Denko 5 50
Sidaplax 51
SINAI CIMATEC 5
Sofinnova Partners 12
Solvay 13
SPC Biotech 16
Suiker Unie 26
Taghleef Industries 51
Tech. Inst. Of Cereals 18
Tecnaro 5, 35
Teijin Aramid 13
Tianan Biologic 51
Toyota 11
Uhde Inventa-Fischer 52
UL International TTC 52
United Soybean Board 41
University Nebraska-Lincoln 31
University of Delft 22
University of Guelph 37
University of Illinois 41
University of Stuttgart IKT 52
University of Utrecht 14
University of Waikato (New Zealand) 42
University of Washington 41
VA Syd 28
Veolia Water 26
Wallace Corporation 42
Wei Mon 25, 51
WinGram Industry 50
World Wildlife Fund WWF 5
Wuhan Huali 7
Zespri 20
Zhejiang Hangzhou Xinfu 50
Editorial Planner 2012 / 2013
Issue Month pub-date deadline Editorial Focus (1) Editorial Focus (2) Basics Event / Fair
05/2012 Sept/Oct 01.10.12 01.09.12 ed.
15.09.12 ad.
Fiber / Textile /Nonwoven
Polyurethanes /
Elastomers
Bioplastics
from CO 2
06/2012 Nov/Dec 03.12.12 03.11.12 ed.
17.11.12 ad.
Films / Flexibles /
Bags
Consumer
Electronics
PTT
01/2013 Jan/Feb 04.02.2013 21.12.12 ed.
21.01.13 ad.
Automotive Foam t.b.d.
Subject to changes
www.bioplasticsmagazine.com
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54 bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/12] Vol. 7

A real sign
of sustainable
development.
There is such a thing as genuinely sustainable
development.
Since 1989, Novamont researchers have been working
on an ambitious project that combines the chemical
industry, agriculture and the environment: “Living Chemistry
for Quality of Life”. Its objective has been to create products
with a low environmental impact. The result of Novamont’s
innovative research is the new bioplastic Mater-Bi ® .
Mater-Bi ® is a family of materials, completely biodegradable and compostable
which contain renewable raw materials such as starch and vegetable oil
derivates. Mater-Bi ® performs like traditional plastics but it saves energy,
contributes to reducing the greenhouse effect and at the end of its life cycle,
it closes the loop by changing into fertile humus. Everyone’s dream has
become a reality.
Living Chemistry for Quality of Life.
www.novamont.com
Inventor of the year 2007
Within Mater-Bi ® product range the following certifications are available
The “OK Compost” certificate guarantees conformity with the NF EN 13432 standard
(biodegradable and compostable packaging)
3_2012