bioplasticsMAGAZINE_1303

ioplastics magazine Vol. 8 ISSN 1862-5258
Basics
Succinic acid | 60
Cover-Story
Toy blocks | 20
May / June
Highlights
03 | 2013
Injection Moulding | 16
PLA Recycling | 40
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Editorial
dear
readers
Michael and Jenny (Covergirl 05/2011)
bioplastics MAGAZINE has already reported a couple of times about the PLA beverage cups
that are collected and recycled at large festivals, sport events or rock concerts. “So why not
do it myself?” I thought earlier this year. During a rather small local festival in my home
town of Mönchengladbach in Germany I succeeded in convincing the organizers to sell
beer in PLA cups (Ingeo cups supplied by Huhtamaki). And just like at the other festivals
or concerts, the guests were offered a free drink for each ten returned cups.
The collected cups will be sent to Purac to be recycled during one of the next uses of the
Perpetual Plastic Project’s recycling machine (see p. 54).
The festival is a typical German Schützenfest (see http://bit.ly/Y1SmVP for an explanation),
and this year I was one of the two Ministers to the King of Marksmen, wearing
a traditional red hussar’s uniform.
Now… after combining job and leisure… back to business: And back to recycling of
PLA, which is one of the highlights in this issue, even though we could not obtain the
latest news about the future of the chemical recycling system LOOPLA in time to
include it. The project will be continued by Futerro after Galactic decided to orient
its development towards more specific solutions for the food and pharmaceutical
sectors, and we still offer our readers a lot of other articles and news around the
recycling of PLA. We will certainly keep you updated on the future of LOOPLA…
The other editorial focus is on injection moulding of components for use in
durable applications. Because durable applications have become an increased
focus of attention in the bioplastics world, we also decided to dedicate the third
day of our Bioplastics Business Breakfast, during the upcoming K’2013 trade
fair, to durable applications.
Finally this issue is once again rounded off by another of our basics articles,
this time on succinic acid, and lots of industry and applications news. As usual, our
events calendar provides an overview about forthcoming conferences and trade shows. I’m
looking forward to seeing one or more of you at one of these events.
Until then, we hope you enjoy reading bioplastics MAGAZINE
Sincerely yours
Michael Thielen
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bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8
3

Content
03|2013
May/June
Editorial ...................................3
News ...................................5 - 8
Events .....................................9
Cover Story ................................20
Application News .......................34 - 35
Suppliers Guide ........................66 - 68
Event Calendar .............................69
Companies in this issue .....................70
Did you know
10 Did you know…? …about meat
Report
11 New data on land-use
12 Valorisation of by-products
14 Greenhouse gas-based PHA
58 Bioplastics for food packaging
Injection Moulding
16 Not only for film making
18 Watch bracelets made in Austria
20 Toys and more... (Cover Story)
21 Pitcher with separate bamboo handle
22 Liquid wood and more …
From Science & Research
24 Lacquer from tomato for metal cans
28 Bioplastic products from citrus wastes
36 Advances in PLA chemistry
Chinaplas Review
31 Chinaplas
Materials
39 Innovative biopolymer blend
PLA Recycling
40 Bioplastics want to be recycled as well
42 PLA recycling via thermal depolymerization
45 Solvent based PLA recycling
46 PLA recycling with degassing
48 Mechanical PLA recycling
49 Supporting ecological advantages
50 Better-than-virgin recycled PLA
52 Chemically recycling post-consumer PLA
54 Recycling ‘hands on‘
55 Pelletizing and crystallizing of PLA
Portrait
56 10 years FKuR
Opinion
57 Biobased: Lose the hyphen
63 Market studies
64 Reliable and transparent
Basics
60 Succinic acid
Imprint
Publisher / Editorial
Dr. Michael Thielen (MT)
Samuel Brangenberg (SB)
Contributing editor: Karen Laird
Layout/Production
Julia Hunold, Christos Stavrou
Mark Speckenbach
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Elke Hoffmann, Caroline Motyka
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fax: +49(0)2161 6884468
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bioplastics magazine
ISSN 1862-5258
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News
Green materials in
rapid prototyping
In early April of this year, Merseburg University of
Applied Sciences joined the Research for the Future
stand, run by the Central German Universities at the
Hanover Trade Fair, and presented the latest FABIO
project results.
FABIO stands for the FAbrication of parts with
BIOplastics and simply means that, in the framework of
this project, processes and devices are developed which
enable the use of biobased polymers in Rapid Prototyping.
The research team and project leader, Dietmar Glatz,
presented a rapid prototyping system based on fused
layer modelling (FLM). For the very first time, thermo
plastic, biobased polymers are processed in granular
form using this method. The development of this rapid
prototyping system provides a new basis for construction
materials and has enormous developmental potential.
Since November 2011, functional prototypes have
been produced from bioplastics, opening up new fields
of application. In the framework of the FABIO project,
Merseburg University of Applied Sciences co-operates
with four partners from industry, 30 designers and
Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences. The
manufactured prototype is living proof of the usability of
bioplastics in technical fields.
The Hanover Trade Fair, which took place from April 8 th .
- April 12 th . is the world’s biggest investment goods trade
fair and an important platform for scientific institutions,
universities and business developers from all branches
of industry.
www.hs-merseburg.de
(Photo: HS Merseburg)
Cardia and University
of Sydney explore
PPC applications
Cardia Bioplastics Limited (Mulgrave, Victoria,
Australia) recently announced a collaboration of the
University of Sydney with CO2 Starch Pty Ltd (100%
owned subsidiary of Cardia).
Cardia launched the world’s first CO 2
+Starch
biodegradable carrier bag in 2010. This patented
breakthrough opened up the potential for
biodegradable polymers and polymeric blends for
packaging applications to mitigate environmental
problems caused by non-degradable polymeric and
plastic materials.
Cardia advanced its patented CO 2
+Starch
development one step further and produced a
biodegradable CO 2
+ Starch bag with good mechanical
properties.
CO2 Starch Pty Ltd’s ground breaking work allows
polypropylene carbonate (PPC) resins to be blended
with starch with the potential to be cost-effectively
transformed into a wide variety of industrial products
that includes packaging, medical and coatings and
engineering polymers. The research agreement also
allows for the PPC resin to be used for bio-medical
applications such as tissue scaffolds and drug
delivery agents.
CO2 Starch Pty Ltd Chairman Pat Volpe said: “In
collaboration with the University of Sydney, CO2
Starch Pty Ltd is looking to expand its patented
PPC+starch blending technology into application
within the packaging industry before addressing
potential applications in other industries including
but not limited to the medical industry.”
Volpe said they are working with the University
of Sydney to develop and adopt their new unique
technique that aims to produce PPC, a biodegradable
aliphatic polyester which is synthesized from
copolymerization of carbon dioxide (CO 2
) and
propylene oxide (PO). The technique is a one-step
manufacturing process (rather than two) that
also lowers the levels of residual zinc catalyst and
potentially lowers the costs of PPC.”
The aim is to apply the technology to many
applications and produce alternative renewable
biodegradable plastics at an economical price point
whilst maintaining good mechanical properties that
meet international compostability standards. MT
www.cardiabioplastics.com
www.sydney.edu.au
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8 5

News
Sulzer to build high PLA
production plant in Asia
Sulzer (Winterthur, Switzerland) has been awarded
a contract for the delivery of a production plant based
on Sulzer’s proprietary polylactic acid (PLA) technology.
The facility with a capacity of more than 10,000 tonnes
per year will produce high performance PLA for a broad
range of applications. Commercial production is planned
to start in the second half of 2014.
Both parties have agreed to leverage Sulzer’s
technology and pilot facilities to support the customer
in the development of innovative solutions for the Asian
polymer market.
Sulzer’s proprietary technology allows the continuous
production of high-performance PLA grades with very low
residual monomer levels and a wide possible viscosity
range. The new PLA produced with Sulzer technology
exhibits an excellent crystallinity and withstands
temperatures up to 180°C (HDT-B for stereocomplex
PLA). Applications in the automotive, electronics and the
textile industry based on this new type of material are
currently under development and will see their market
appearance in the near future.
In order to further facilitate the PLA market
development and to emphasize its commitment to
the biopolymer industry, Sulzer has recently startedup
its own PLA pilot plant for 1,000 tonnes per year in
Switzerland. MT
www.sulzer.com
Renewable farnesene
Amyris, Inc. (Emeryville, California, USA), a leading
renewable chemicals and fuels company, recently announced
the first commercial shipment from its new plant in Brazil.
Amyris’s first purpose-built industrial fermentation facility
produces Biofene ® , Amyris’s brand of renewable farnesene,
a chemical building block to be used in a range of specialty
chemical, fuel and polymer applications.
With its unique chemical structure, Biofene is ideally
suited for various polymer applications. Amyris is currently
collaborating with two of its partners to incorporate Biofene
in breakthrough applications.
Amyris is working with Japan’s Kuraray to use Biofene
to replace petroleum-derived feedstock in the production
of specified classes of high-performing polymers for the
tire industry. Initial testing indicates that Biofene provides
differentiated performance for rubber tires by reducing
rolling resistance, which improves fuel economy, without
reduction in tire wear.
Amyris has partnered with Italy’s Gruppo M&G to
incorporate Biofene as an ingredient in PET (polyethylene
terephthalate) resins for packaging applications. While
lightweight, shatterproof and recyclable, plastic bottles are
not very good at keeping air from reaching its contents,
particularly food products. When processed, Biofene helps
form an oxygen barrier for plastic bottles and jars.
Amyris’s Biofene plant in Brotas, in the state of São Paulo,
Brazil, sources its sugarcane feedstock locally from the
Paraíso mill. Prior to the start-up of this facility, Amyris relied
solely on contract manufacturing for commercial production.
www.amyris.com
Significantly enhanced heat and impact resistance
Teijin Limited Tokyo, Japan, recently announced that it
has developed technology to significantly enhance the heat
and impact resistance of PLANEXT, the company’s highperformance
bio-polycarbonate.
The technology modifies the molecular design of Planext
to achieve greatly improved heat resistance with a glasstransition
temperature of 120°C, as well as superior
resistance to impact. In addition, a separate proprietary
flame-retardant technology enables Planext to achieve toplevel
flame retardancy of UL94V-0 at 1.6mm.
Teijin will develop markets for Planext as a strategic bio- and
next-generation transparent material with new applications
in the electronics, architecture and exterior fields, starting
with the Japanese market. Annual production capacity at the
company’s Matsuyama Factory in Ehime Prefecture, Japan is
expected to expand to 3,000 tons within a few years.
Planext is an eco-friendly bio-polycarbonate made with
bio-content based on isosorbide from corn-starch and other
plants. In addition to excellent moldability and durability, it
is superior to oil-derived polycarbonates in terms of surface
hardness (pencil hardness rank: H), weather and chemical
resistance, and light transmission of 92%. With its newly
enhanced heat and impact resistance, Planext is now a
material suited for a much wider range of applications than
ever before. MT
www.teijin.com
6 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8

News
Purac and Rotec
cooperate in Russia
In early April CJSC Rotec (Moscow, Russia, a
subsidiary of the Renova Group of companies) and
Purac (Gorinchem, The Netherlands), a subsidiary
of CSM), signed an agreement on the development
of a project to create a unique in the world high-tech
biopolymer production facility in Russia.
The agreement envisages analysis of opportunities
to set in Russia a 100,000 tonnes/annum facility that
will produce PLA polymers for subsequent production
of biodegradable plastics.
A facility of this scale operating on the basis of
Purac’ technology of industrial PLA and lactides
production from renewable resources from locally
available biomass, and their polymerization knowhow,
will be the first production chain of its kind in
Europe.
In the study, Rotec will focus on a location analysis
related to the availability of optimal agricultural land
and feedstocks and potential production locations,
as well as research of the Russian market. Purac,
leading player in natural food preservation and biobased
building blocks & chemicals, will focus on the
analysis of the optimal available feedstock-to-PLA
technologies and defining the business case.
In the event of positive project feasibility testing,
the new facility will allow for industrial production of
a revolutionary generation of polymers that will be
unique for Russia and globally. According to Renova’s
estimate, project investments will exceed rubles
(RUB) 16bn (€ 400mio).
As Renova Group’s High-Tech Asset Development
Director Mikhail Lifschitz says, ”the prospect of
creating a production facility of this kind will not only
contribute to improvement of overall environmental
situation in our country and the development of
agricultural sector as the core supplier of raw
materials for production of biopolymers, but will
also improve the image of Russian economy as the
user of environmentally friendly newest-generation
materials”.
Million-invest in
bioplastic production
The Russian company PoliKompleks plans to build a
complex for rectification of lactic acid and for the production
of bioplastics in the Kaliningrad region.
The administration of the Kaliningrad region informed in
a press release that an agreement was signed at the recent
Hanover Fair (Hanover, Germany). According to that press
release, the plants will produce about 50,000 tonnes/annum
of bioplastics as well as about 12,000 tonnes/annum of
biodegradable thawing agents on the basis of lactic acid or
of polylactides (PLA) with a targeted turnover of 1.4 billion
rubles (RUB) (€ 35 million) per year.
The completion of the complex is scheduled for 2016, work
to be started this year. The investment volume amounts to
approximately RUB 1.2 bn (€ 30 million). A precise location of
the facilities was not disclosed in the press release.
The project will be the basis of a biochemical cluster.
Together with similar industrial projects, e.g. for the
automotive and shipbuilding industries, it will become a
focus for future economic growth in the region. The whole
project is part of a development plan of the bio-economy in
Russia, known as Bio-2030. The strategic goal is to increase
the bio-economy to 1% of the GDP by 2020 and 3% by 2030.
For the Russian government bio-economy is an important
part of the modernization of the economy, creating social
benefits and new jobs, and working against depopulation in
the rural areas.
The company PoliKompleks has been active in the field of
industrial biotechnology in several Russian regions as well as
in Kazakhstan and Venezuela since 2009.
According to the information from the Kaliningrad
administration PoliKompleks cooperates (among others)
with the Dresden, Germany based company Sarad. MT
Source: www.nov-ost.info
Renova is also the major shareholder of the Swiss
corporations Sulzer and Oerlikon. MT
www.purac.com
www.renova.ru
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8 7

News
15% annual growth for biodegradable plastics
According to a new IHS Chemical global market research
report, mounting consumer pressure and legislation such as
plastic bag bans and global warming initiatives will increase
demand for biodegradable plastics. In North America, Europe
and Asia demand will rise to nearly 525,000 tonnes in 2017 (from
269,000 tonnes in 2012). This represents an average annual
growth rate of nearly 15% during his period.
The IHS Chemical CEH Biodegradable Polymers Marketing
Research Report focuses on biodegradable polymers, including
compostable materials, but not necessarily including all biobased
products.
In terms of biodegradable polymer end-uses, IHS estimate
that the food packaging (including fast-food and beverage
containers), dishes and cutlery markets are the largest enduses
and the major growth drivers. In both North America and
Europe, these markets account for the largest uses and strong,
double-digit growth is expected in the next several years.
Foam packaging once dominated the market and continues to
represent significant market share for biodegradable polymers,
behind food packaging, dishes and cutlery. Compostable bags,
as well as single-use carrier plastic bags, follow foam packaging
in terms of volume.
“The biodegradable polymers market is still young and very
small, but the numbers are off the charts in terms of expected
demand growth and potential for these materials in the coming
years,” said Michael Malveda, principal analyst of specialty
chemicals at IHS Chemical and the report’s lead author. “Food
packaging, dishes and cutlery constitute a major market for the
product because these materials can be composted with the
food waste without sorting, which is a huge benefit to the waste
management effort and to reducing food waste and packaging
disposal in landfills. Increasing legislation and consumer
pressures are also encouraging retailers and manufacturers to
seek out these biodegradable products and materials.”
In 2012, Europe was the dominant market for biodegradable
polymers consuming 147,000 tonnes or about 55% of world
consumption; North America accounted for 29% and Asia
approximately 16%. Landfill waste disposal and stringent
legislation are key market drivers in Europe and include a
packaging waste directive to set recovering and recycling
targets, a number of plastic bag bans, and other collection and
waste disposal laws to avoid landfill.
The most acceptable disposal method for biodegradable
polymers - according to IHS - is composting. However,
composting requires an infrastructure, including collection
systems and composting facilities. Composting has been a
growing component of most European countries’ municipal solid
waste management strategies for some time, and the continent
has an established and growing network of facilities, while the
U.S. network of composting facilities is smaller, but expanding.
In 2012, the two most important commercial, biodegradable
polymers were polylactic acid (PLA) and starch-based polymers,
accounting for about 47% and 41%, respectively, of total
biodegradable polymers consumption. MT
www.ihs.com
Biome Bioplastics to investigate lignin
The UK’s innovation agency, the Technology Strategy Board,
has awarded a £150,000 (€ 176,000) grant to a consortium led
by Biome Technologies, to investigate a biobased alternative
for the oil derived organic chemicals used in the manufacturer
of bioplastics.
The research will be undertaken by the group’s bioplastic
division Biome Bioplastics (Southampton, UK) in conjunction
with the University of Warwick’s Centre for Biotechnology
and Biorefining. The project is scheduled to last nine
months and is about scaling up laboratory results to test
their technical feasibility for commercial use, as reported by
packagingeurope.com.
One of the most interesting sources of biobased chemicals
is lignin, a waste product of the pulp and paper industry, thus
being a potentially abundant feedstock that could provide the
foundation for a new generation of bioplastics.
Biome has partnered with the University of Warwick’s
Centre for Biotechnology and Biorefining that is pioneering
academic research into lignin degrading bacteria. Together
they want to develop methods to control the lignin breakdown
process to determine whether aromatic chemicals can
be isolated from the lignin in significant quantities. These
aromatic chemicals are to replace the oil-derived equivalent
currently used in the production of a polyester that conveys
strength and flexibility in some of BIOME’s bioplastics.
“The environmental and social concerns surrounding the
use of fossil fuels make lignin a compelling target as a source
of chemicals”, explains Professor Tim Bugg, Director of the
Centre. “Often considered a waste product, it may provide a
sustainable source of building blocks for aromatic chemicals
that can be used in bioplastics”.
“The bioplastics market remains small compared to that
of fossil-based polymers”, comments Biome Bioplastics CEO
Paul Mines. “Growth is restricted by the price of bioplastic resins
being 2-4 times that of their petrochemical counterparts. We
anticipate that the availability of a high performance polymer,
manufactured economically from renewable sources would
considerably increase the market”. MT
www.biomebioplastics.com
8 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8

Events
International conference
in Cologne
With 180 participants (60% up on 2012) from 23 countries
(up 50%), this year’s International Conference on Industrial
Biotechnology and Bio-based Plastics & Composites
organized by the nova-Institute (Hürth, Germany) further
established itself as a major industry meeting-place and
visitors both grew in number and became more international.
Lengthening the conference to three days to provide
comprehensive coverage of political, industrial and scientific
issues proved a success.
The focus of this year’s conference was on the United States
and Germany. The large number of American speakers and
participants contributed to a thrilling dialogue between the
world’s two leading industrial biotechnology countries.
Policy
The first day was largely devoted to discussing the political
framework that could drive the development of the biobased
economy and, above all, biobased materials and products.
Industry
During the industry sessions on the first and second
day, companies such as Clariant Produkte (Germany),
BASF (Germany), DuPont (USA), Bayer MaterialScience
(Germany), NatureWorks (USA), Johann Borgers (Germany)
and FlexForm Technologies (USA) presented their plans for
biorefineries, new biobased polymers and natural-fibrereinforced
composites.
Science
This was the first time that the conference had been
extended to a third, scientific day, which nova-Institute
organised with the collaboration of Professor Dr Jörg
Müssig from Bremen University of Applied Science’s Bionics
Innovation Centre. The organisers had succeeded in bringing
together 13 renowned speakers from the USA and Germany.
Biomaterial of the Year 2013
There was great interest
in the awards ceremony
for the Innovation Prize
for Biomaterial of the Year
2013, which, as in previous
years, was sponsored by
Coperion GmbH and, for
the fifth time, conference
participants voted for
the winners. This prize is
awarded to new practical
applications of biobased materials. Around 20 companies
from the USA and Germany entered the competition.
The First prize, Biomaterial of the Year 2013, was awarded
to Newlight Technologies, LLC for its Airflex (AirCarbon)
resins. CEO Mark Herrema presented a new kind of highyield
technology chain to produce thermoplastics (PHAs)
from greenhouse gases (such as CO 2
and methane). See
page 14 for a more comprehensive article on this technology
The 2 nd prize went to fischerwerke GmbH & Co. KG
(Germany) for their bio-PA universal UX green plug
and the 3 rd prize was awarded to 4e solutions GmbH &
TECNARO GmbH (Germany) - ajaa! For their product line
of sustainable household articles from bioplastics - made
in Germany. Both were already introduced in earlier issues
of bioplastics MAGZINE. MT
www.biowerkstoff-kongress.de
www.nova-institut.eu
left to right: Uta Kühnen (Coperion,
Mark Herrema, Newlight, Michael Carus, nova-Institute)
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8 9

Did you know
Did you know…?
…about meat
by Stephan Piotrowski
nova-Institute
Huerth, Germany
kg meat per capita and year
140.0
120.0
100.0
80.0
60.0
40.0
20.0
0.0
2000 2003 2006 2009 2012 2015 2018 2021 2024
USA China Indiana
Fig. 1: Per capita meat consumption in the USA, India and China
(Source [1])
m 2 /kg
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Beef 34,5 (28-50) Pork 11 (9-13) Chicken 9 (8-10) Wheat 1,5
Fig. 2: Land use for livestock products (in m 2 /kg of product)
(Source [2, 3])
The per capita meat consumption in the USA amounted
to about 108 kg per year in 2012 [1]. The projection of
FAPRI [1] until 2025 is that this level of consumption
will rise only slightly to about 109 kg/year. This meat consumption
level, one of the highest in the world, can be regarded
as a kind of saturation level.
If this consumption level would prevail in the whole world,
this would equate to about 720 million tonnes of meat per year
today (6.7 billion people) or about 1 billion tonnes in 2050 (given
the UN population projection of 9.3 billion people by 2050).
Currently, global meat consumption amounts to about 270
million tonnes, so that consumption would rise by almost
3 times today or almost 4 times by 2050. The current meat
consumption demands about 60% of harvested agricultural
biomass worldwide as feed. Assuming that this level of
feed use is already the limit today, taking into account the
already high competition for other biomass uses, mankind
would therefore need today almost 2 more planets to satisfy
the world’s appetite for meat. In addition to the total meat
consumption, the kind of meat also plays an important role
on the required land. Beef for example requires about twice
as much land as pork or chicken.
Looking out into 2050, approximately 40% yield increases
are projected by the FAO for most arable crops. Ignoring all
other influencing factors, two more planets may therefore
still suffice to provide enough meat to the world. However,
this calculation disregards, among many more, one
important aspect: The increasing demand for food, energy
and materials not only due to a growing world population,
but also per person due to economic development and higher
living standards.
Eat more
chicken!
[1] Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) 2012
[2] M. de Vries, I.J.M. de Boer; Comparing environmental impacts
for livestock products: A review of life cycle assessments;
Livestock Science 128 (2010) 1–11; Elsevier
[3] Jørgen E. Olesen: Scenarios of land use in Denmark under
climate change, Aarhus University, Denmark; bit.ly/17oWTa0
(image: iStock: Chris3fer)
10 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8

Report
New data on land-use
Feedstock required for bioplastics production accounts for only a
minimal fraction of global agricultural area.
The surface required to grow sufficient feedstock
for today’s bioplastic production is less than
0.006 % of the global agricultural area of 5 billion
hectares. This is the key finding published recently by European
Bioplastics, based on figures from the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and
calculations of the Institute for Bioplastics and Biocomposites
(IfBB, University of Applied Sciences and Arts,
Hanover, Germany).
In a world of fast growing population with an increasing
demand for food and feed, the use of feedstock for non-food
purposes is often debated controversially. The new brochure
Bioplastics - facts and figures recently published by European
Bioplastics, moves the discussion on to a factual level.
Of the 13.4 billion hectares of global land surface, around
37% (5 billion hectares) are currently used for agriculture.
This includes pastures (70%, approximately 3.5 billion
hectares) and arable land (30%, approximately 1.4 billion
hectare). These 30% of arable land are further divided into
areas predominantly used to grow crops for food and feed
(27%, approximately 1.29 billion hectares), as well as crops for
materials (2%, approximately 100 million hectares, including
the share used for bioplastics), and crops for biofuels (1%,
approximately 55 million hectares).
Minimal fraction of land used for bioplastics
European Bioplastics market data depicts production
capacities of around 1.2 million tonnes in 2011. This
translates to approximately 300,000 hectares of land-use
to grow feedstock for bioplastics. In relation to the global
agricultural area of 5 billion hectares, bioplastics make use
of only 0.006 %. Metaphorically speaking, this ratio correlates
to the size of an average cherry tomato placed next to the
Eiffel Tower.
No competition to food and feed
A glance at the global agricultural area and the way it is used
makes it abundantly clear: 0.006 % used to grow feedstock
for bioplastics are nowhere near being in competition with
the 98 % used for pastures and to grow food and feed.
According to European Bioplastics, increasing the
efficiency of feedstock and agricultural technology will be
key to assuring the balance between land-use for innovative
bioplastics and land for food and feed. The emergence of
reliable and independent sustainability assessment schemes
will also contribute to this goal.
www.european-bioplastics.com
Source: European Bioplastics | Institute for Bioplastics and
Biocomposites (October 2012) / FAO
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8 11

Report
Valorisation of
by-products
BioTRANSformation of by-products from fruit and vegetable
processing industry into valuable BIOproducts
by
Thomas Dietrich
TRANSBIO Coordinator
TECNALIA
Miñano – Álava, Spain
Sustainable use of renewable raw materials is required to become
a long lasting biobased economy. OECD stated already
in 2001 that the use of eco-efficient bio-processes and renewable
raw materials is one of the key strategic challenges for the 21 st
century. Nevertheless, renewable raw materials must be used in a
sustainable and environmental sound manner, as increasing demand
for industrial products and energy from biomass will inevitably lead to
an expansion of global arable land at the expense of natural ecosystems.
Current strategies for utilization of biomass for food, biofuels
and biomaterials resulted in some areas in increased land utilization
for monocultures and competition of raw materials for food and fuel.
According to OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook (2012), some of 65% of
EU vegetable oil, 50% of Brazilian sugarcane and 40% of US corn production
are being used as feedstock for biofuel production. In parallel
worldwide available agricultural area per person reduced significantly
from 1,05 ha (1980) to 0,70 ha (2011) (FAOSTAT, 2013). Therefore, new
untapped renewable resources such as by-products from fruit and
vegetable transforming industry must be evaluated for their potential
to be used as base material for biomaterials and platform chemicals.
The aim of the European project TRANSBIO (grant agreement no.
289603) is the implementation of an innovative cascading concept for
the valorisation of by-products from fruit and vegetable processing
industry, using environmental friendly biotechnological solutions to
transform these by-products into biopolymers, platform chemicals
and enzymes. Currently, Transbio is characterizing several fruit and
vegetable by-products in order to select the most appropriate ones for
further pre-treatment and enzymatic hydrolysis. In order to obtain a
broad application potential for the by-products selected, the partners
investigate different fermentation strategies – submerged cultivation
in liquid media (bacteria, yeasts) and solid state fermentation (fungi).
Parallel to on-going by-product characterisation and selection,
partners identify several new strains to be utilized in the concept. Beside
optimisation and up-scaling of fermentation protocols, down-stream
processing will be developed keeping in mind economical feasible and
sustainable procedures. The procedures will be implemented for extra
cellular succinic acid production using novel non-conventional yeast
strains, extracellular enzyme formation in solid state fermentation,
as well as polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) production in submerged
fermentation. The obtained PHB will be tested in packaging application,
enzymes will be proved for detergent utilisation and succinic acid will
be purified for food applications. In order to achieve these objectives,
the project is receiving funding from the European Union’s Seventh
Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013).
www.transbio.eu
12 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8

Market study on
Bio-based Polymers in the World
Capacities, Production and Applications: Status Quo and Trends towards 2020
Bio-based polymers – Production capacity
will triple from 3.5 million tonnes in 2011
to nearly 12 million tonnes in 2020
Germany’s nova-Institute is publishing the most
comprehensive market study of bio-based polymers
ever made. The nova-Institute carried out this study
in collaboration with renowned international experts
from the field of bio-based polymers. It is the first
time that a study has looked at every kind of biobased
polymer produced by 247 companies at
363 locations around the world and it examines in
detail 114 companies in 135 locations (see table).
Considerably higher production capacity was found
than in previous studies. The 3.5 million tonnes
represent a share of 1.5 % of an overall construction
polymer production of 235 million tonnes in 2011.
Current producers of bio-based polymers estimate
that production capacity will reach nearly 12 million
tonnes by 2020.
million t/a
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
2011
PLA
Bio-based polymers: Evolution of
production capacities from 2011 to 2020
2012
2013
Starch Blends
2014
2015
PHA
2016
2017
PA
2018
2019
PBAT
2020
PBS
Content of the full report
This over 360-page report presents the
findings of nova-Institute’s year-long
market study, which is made up of three
parts: “market data”, “trend reports” and
“company profiles”.
The “market data” section presents market
data about total production and capacities
and the main application fields for selected
bio-based polymers worldwide (status quo
in 2011, trends and investments towards
2020).
The “trend reports” section contains a
total of six independent articles by leading
experts in the field of bio-based polymers
and plastics. Dirk Carrez (Clever Consult)
and Michael Carus (nova-Institute) focus
on policies that impact on the bio-based
economy. Jan Ravenstijn analyses the main
market, technology and environmental
trends for bio-based polymers and their
precursors worldwide. Wolfgang Baltus (NIA)
reviews Asian markets for bio-based resins.
Roland Essel (nova-Institute) provides an
environmental evaluation of bio-based
polymers, and Janpeter Beckmann (nova-
Institute) presents the findings of a survey
concerning Green Premium within the value
chain leading from chemicals to bio-based
plastics. Finally, Harald Kaeb (narocon)
reports detailed information about brand
strategies and customer views within the
bio-based polymers and plastics industry.
These trend reports cover in detail every
recent issue in the worldwide bio-based
polymer market.
The final “company profiles” section includes
114 company profiles with specific data
including locations, bio-based polymers,
feedstocks, production capacities and
applications. A company index by polymers,
and list of acronyms follow.
“Bio-based Polymers Producer
Database” and updates to the report
To conduct this study nova-Institute
developed the “Bio-based Polymers
Producer Database”, which includes a
company profile of every company involved
in the production of bio-based polymers and
their precursors. This encompasses (state of
affairs in 2011 and forecasts for 2020) basic
information on the company (joint ventures,
partnerships, technology and bio-based
products) and its various manufacturing
facilities. For each bio-based product,
the database provides information about
production and capacities, feedstocks, main
application fields, market prices and biobased
share.
Access to the database is already available.
The database will be constantly updated by
the experts who have contributed to this
report. Buyers of the report will have free
access to the database for one year.
Everyone who has access to the database
can automatically generate graphics and
tables concerning production capacity,
production and application sectors for all
bio-based polymers based on the latest
data collection.
Order the full report
The full 360-page report contains three main
parts – “market data”, six “trend reports”
and 114 “company profiles” – and can be
ordered for 6,500 € plus VAT at:
www.bio-based.eu/market_study
This also includes oneyear
access to the “Biobased
Polymers Producer
Database”, which will be
continuously updated.
©
©
Polyolefins
-Institut.eu | 2013
PET
CA
PU
Thermosets
Evolution of the shares of
bio-based production capacities in different regions
20% 15%
52%
-Institut.eu | 2013
2011 2020
13%
North America
South America
14% 13%
55%
Asia
Europe
18%
Quellen: FEDIOL 2010
BIO-BASED POLYMERS
AVERAGE BIOMASS CONTENT
OF POLYMER
PRODUCING
COMPANIESUNTIL
2020
LOCATIONS
Cellulose Acetate CA 50% 9 15
Polyamide PA rising to 60%* 14 17
Polybutylene Adipate PBAT rising to 50%* 3 3
Terephthalat
Polybutylene Succinate PBS rising to 80%* 11 12
Polyethylene PE 100% 3** 2
Polyethylene Terephthalat PET 30% to 35%*** 4 4
Polyhydroxy Alkanoates PHAs 100% 14 16
Polylactic Acid PLA 100% 27 32
Polypropylene PP 100% 1 1
Polyvinyl Chloride PVC 43% 2 2
Polyurethane PUR 30% 10 10
Starch Blends **** 40% 19 21
Total companies covered with detailed information in this report 114 135
Additional companies included in the “Bio-based Polymer Producer Database” 133 228
Total companies and locations recorded in the market study 247 363
* Currently still mostly fossil-based with existing drop-in solutions and a steady upward trend of the average bio-based share up to given percentage in 2020
** Including Joint Venture of two companies sharing one location, counting as two
*** Upcoming capacities of bio-pTA (purifi ed Terephthalic Acid) are calculated to increase the average bio-based share, not the total bio-PET capacity
**** Starch in plastic compound

Report
Greenhouse
gas-based PHA
A Breakthrough In Yield, A New
Paradigm in Carbon Capture
by Karen Laird
When Mark Herrema and Kenton Kimmel set out in
2003 to develop a technology to convert greenhouse
emissions into useful materials, they were armed
with optimism, idealism, a healthy measure of self-confidence
and the resolution to succeed. Today, ten years, ten
patents and millions of dollars in research and development
later, they’re the founding partners of Newlight Technologies
LLC, a company specialized in high yield greenhouse gasto-PHA
conversion and functionalization technologies, that is
fast overturning all preconceptions about biopolymers.
“When we started, our goal, simply put, was to reverse
climate change by using carbon emissions to produce
materials on a global scale,” says Mark Herrema. “Not only
were we seeking a way to turn carbon emissions into plastics
that actually removed more carbon from the air than they
produced, we also knew that the only way we could do this on
a commodity scale was if our material could out-compete on
its own merits, without reference to environmental benefit.”
In other words, the plastic materials Newlight produced
would need to match oil-based plastics on performance
and out-compete on price, definitely not features that had
characterized most bioplastics up until now.
Technological hurdles
Kimmel and Herrema soon discovered that the idea of
converting carbon-containing gases into plastics - in this
case, PHA bioplastic - was not a new one; indeed, it was an
ongoing object of study at companies in countries around
the world, from Germany to the US to China. Everywhere,
however, everyone kept running up against the same,
seemingly insurmountable hurdle: yield.
All currently available technologies had thus far failed
to deliver a cost-effective and economically viable process
14 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8

Report
to produce greenhouse gas-based PHA plastic at scale.
“Obviously, more expensive PHA wasn’t something that could
move at meaningful scale on the market,” said Herrema. “In
addition, we found that the performance of the PHAs produced
via the greenhouse gas route needed to be significantly
improved to render these functionally competitive with oilbased
plastics.”
Next to these yield and performance limitations, Newlight
also encountered new challenges, such as gas mass transfer
conversion efficiency—that is, the amount of energy required
to make greenhouse gases chemically accessible. Herrema:
“Basically we realized that we were facing the task of having to
develop new technology, which meant generating novel methods
to approach yield, performance, and mass transfer efficiencies,
and capabilities in catalyst engineering, reactor design, and
polymer performance.”
Breakthrough
“It took years, and it was far from easy”, said Mark Herrema.
“But we finally cracked it.”
The central problem, as Newlight had discovered in the
course of its work, was the fact that the company’s proprietary
biocatalyst, developed to convert air and greenhouse gasses,
such as methane and carbon dioxide into PHA, was controlled
by a negative feedback control loop. This meant that when the
concentration of plastic produced reached a certain maximum
level, it would stop making plastic.
To address this, Newlight developed a set of novel catalyst
engineering tools, aimed at producing a biocatalyst with a
malleable overproduction control switch—that is, the ability
to turn off this negative feedback response. By turning off
this response, the catalyst would overproduce PHA, thereby
fundamentally altering the yield profile of the process. “That,
at least, was the theory,” said Herrema. “Getting it to work in
practice was trickier. “
Yet ultimately, work it did, and with dramatic results, as
illustrated by the immediate 500% increase in yield performance
compared to before. The net result was that Newlight had
successfully developed a market-driven solution to capturing
carbon: technology able to produce plastic from greenhouse gas
for significantly less than the cost to produce plastic from oil. In
short, a PHA plastic offering a revolutionary value proposition.
Herrema: “Explaining it like this makes it sound so simple.
But an incredible amount of time and R&D ten years and
millions of dollars - went into this development, and it unlocked
something tremendous.“
The breakthrough had immediate and profound impact. “We
were able to reduce our unit operations by a factor of 3, the
company’s capital equipment cost dropped by a factor of 5, and
total operating costs were dramatically reduced.”
At the same time, Newlight also developed a suite of
polymer functionalization tools, and teamed with key
partners to improve the performance of its resins, addressing
classical PHA functional challenges, such as strength,
flexibility, thermal stability, molecular weight, and aging.
As a result, the company was able to develop the ability to
tailor its materials to meet a wide range of performance
specifications, spanning replacements for various grades of
polypropylene, polyethylene, ABS, and TPU, in both durable
and biodegradable grades.
New challenges: sales and capacity
expansion
In 2012, Newlight began selling its Airflex (also known
as AirCarbon) plastics for the first time. Since the
commencement of sales, demand for Newlight’s materials
has grown significantly in excess of capacity, with over
5,700 tonnes of material now under executed letter of
intent for purchase. “The response of the market has been
overwhelming - we’ve been inundated with applications.
In fact, everything we make is presold,” said Herrema.
Moreover, in recognition of the company‘s technological and
commercialization achievements in 2012, Newlight‘s plastic
was named “2013 Biomaterial of the Year“ by the nova-
Institut at an international biomaterials conference in April
2013 (see p.9).
Newlight’s customers and product development partners
already include some of the largest manufacturers in the
world, including Fortune 500 companies, brand-name market
leaders, and an $8 billion consumer goods manufacturing
company—making everything from chairs and containers to
caps and bags. “We’re getting ready for a number of product
launches,” said Herrema. “We’re preparing to launch a
furniture line in the course of this year.”
The company’s new focus is on growth and expansion, in
order to be able to keep up with demand and, ultimately, to
accomplish its founding objective: to use its carbon-negative
plastics as a market-driven tool to reverse climate change.
Newlight has its eye on a number of sites for a facility with
a multi-thousand tonne per year projected annual capacity
of. A first step in this direction is the capacity expansion that
Newlight will have in place by the end of this year. “We’ve got
the technology,” said Herrema. “The next challenge is to get
it out to the market at large scale. That’s our mission now.”
www.newlight.com
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8 15

Injection Moulding
Not only for
film making
Potential applications: ecovio IS for injection moulding
Six years ago BASF launched the compostable plastic
ecovio ® – which is biodegradable as defined by EN 13432
and based to a large extent on renewable resources.
Since then the material was able to prove itself in a variety
of film applications. To date, the primary fields of application
have been bags for collecting biodegradable waste and mulching
film, which helps to cultivate fruit and vegetables in fields.
Now BASF has once again added variants to its range of
the compostable and partially biobased plastic ecovio. The
ecovio T2308 is now available for the processing method
of thermoforming. For injection moulding the company
offers the new ecovio IS1335 grade. Both of these products
are now available in commercial quantities. They consist
predominantly of renewable raw materials and lend
themselves well for being dyed.
Thermoforming: Processing on conventional
flat-film installations
The new ecovio T2308 can now be used to make
thermoformed trays and cups can. It exhibits mechanical
properties similar to those of amorphous PET, but it differs
from this conventional thermoforming material by its
compostability and its high content of renewable resources
(PLA). The content of ecoflex ® , which is BASF’s compostable
polyester, accounts for the fact that the material is not too
stiff or too brittle. Thus, thermoformed trays and cups are
not damaged during transportation and storage. The ecoflex
component also ensures a balanced stiffness-to-strength
ratio and sufficient low-temperature impact strength.
The processing window for ecovio T, between 80°C
and 120°C, is very broad in comparison to other plastics.
Processing can be carried out on conventional flat-film
installations and at the processing speeds that are typical for
thermoforming. Like all ecovio grades, it also complies with
the stipulations for products that come into contact with food.
The material is translucent and can be adequately sealed
with cover films.
Injection molding: For thin-walled highquality
packaging
The second novelty in the ecovio product line, the injectionmoulding
grade ecovio IS1335, can be processed using
single-cavity or multi-cavity moulds that are equipped with or
without hot runners. This material exhibits moderate flowing
characteristics and is dimensionally stable under heat up
to 55°C (HDT-B). This variant lends itself for thin-walled,
complex and high-quality packaging, which should preferably
be manufactured by injection moulding and should be
compostable. The product can also be decorated employing
in-mould labeling. Results of experiments on compostability
show that, depending on the application, injection-moulded
products made of ecovio IS1335 having wall thicknesses of as
much as 1.1 mm degrade in accordance with the EN 13432
standard for compostable packaging. Thicker mouldings will
certainly biodegrade completely too, however, it takes longer
than required in the compostability standards.
A first serial application of this new injection mouldable
ecovio grade is just being finalized together with a customer,
a newcomer in the market. In this application (for the time
being still confidential) the compostable plastic is part of a
system solution for food packaging. The injection moulded
grade is being used in combination with an ecovio-based
multi-layer system with specific barrier properties.
www.ecovio.de
16 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8

organized by
supported by
17. - 19.10.2013
Messe Düsseldorf, Germany
Bioplastics in
Packaging
Bioplastics
Business
Breakfast
B 3
PLA, an Innovative
Bioplastic
Bioplastics in
Durable applications
Subject to changes
Call for Papers now open
www.bioplastics-breakfast.com
Contact: Dr. Michael Thielen (info@bioplastics-magazine.com)
At the World’s biggest trade show on plastics and rubber:
K’2013 in Düsseldorf bioplastics will certainly play an
important role again.
On three days during the show from Oct 17 - 19, 2013 (!)
biopolastics MAGAZINE will host a Bioplastics Business
Breakfast: From 8 am to 12 noon the delegates get the
chance to listen and discuss highclass presentations and
benefit from a unique networking opportunity.
The trade fair opens at 10 am.
Bio meets plastics.
The specialists in plastic recycling systems.
An outstanding technology for recycling both
bioplastics and conventional polymers

Injection Moulding
Watch bracelets
made in Austria
Cooperation agreement
for biopolymer use
In April 2012 an extensive research agreement with the Austrian
FFG (a governmnet research body) and the Austrian states
of Lower Austria and Carinthia was initiated. Cooperation with
the Hirsch watch bracelet manufacturers (Carinthia), NaKu (Lower
Austria) and Doraplast (Lower Austria) led to an optimisation of
bioplastic technology.
The first project, the development of an innovative watch
bracelet, mount and fixture, made of biologically, compostable and
heat resistant bioplastics, will enter the market in the summer of
2013.
The commercially available bioplastics did not meet the basic
requirements of the project, so the team had to start right from the
beginning with the development of a new material.
The company NaKu (short for Natürlicher Kunststoff, i.e. natural
plastic) is one of Austria’s pioneers in the field of bioplastics. Its
range reaches from special compounds, acquired for higher
temperatures, or made of waste materials such as sunflower seed
cases, through to product development of items for retail sales or
industry. Also NaKu supports its clients with the introduction of the
process in the market, which is especially complex in the bioplastic
sector. In Austria, NaKu supplies (amongst others) retailer Rewe
with special fresh storage bags made of bioplastics. An expansion
of the product range into kitchen articles led to shared interests
with the company Doraplast.
“The NaKu company was recommended to us by one of our long
term clients, namely the Hirsch company”, said Franz Sprengnagel,
manager of Doraplast. “We already had a wide product range of
kitchenware made of traditional plastics. An expansion into the
bioplastic sector with the company NaKu was perfectly obvious for
us.” As a result, the Biodora or NaKuWare product line emerged.
During the process of selecting basic working materials, the
maximization of renewable and ecological resources was a crucial
factor. Another important factor was the high biocompatibility and
therefore the tolerance of lactic acid with the human body. The
compostability of our kitchenware was not a real factor.
In this way, a kitchen product line with 52 parts was generated,
and one which is being extended permanently. The main focus for
the kitchen line is the contact between food and plastic.
This successful cooperation between the companies NaKu and
Doraplast was one of the main reasons for the company Hirsch to
start an alliance for their high quality watch bracelets. The first
step was the invention of a laser-resistant watch bracelet mount
made of bioplastics.
18 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8

The world market leader Hirscharmbänder GmbH,
with head office in Klagenfurt, is confident that the issue
of sustainability has to be actively faced and expanded
in different areas during the production process of high
quality watch bracelets.
Hirsch is known for its pioneering role when it comes
to the development of innovative materials, innovative
products or innovative sales programmes. Thus they
succeeded again and again in obtaining a clear advantage
in the sector, true to the slogan “there is nothing that
cannot be improved”.
The watch bracelet mount, the so called Hirsch
Point, is now produced by ABS/PC in the Far East. “The
difficulties were, in particular, to combine the different
technologies like thin walls for deep flow processes, laser
markability and embossed sheet, with natural polymers.
There is almost no experience to draw on,” said Johann
Zimmermann, manager of company NaKu said.
BuilDing
a BioBaseD
futuRe
foR euRoPe
At the same time, the production costs had to be
reduced while moving production to Europe - a task
that is only possible by using a high level of automation.
Many principles had to be reviewed and a high number of
material tests had to be carried out. The watch bracelet
mount will be entering the market in the summer of 2013.
The fascinating idea of the NaKu-Doraplast-Hirsch
Cooperation is the investigation and introduction of a
product line that is sustainable at all levels.
The actual successes has convinced all project partners
that the Hirsch bracelet mount will not be the last mutual
project. More products are already in progress. MT
www.naku.at
www.hirschag.com
www.doraplast.at
Laser markability
Register now!
10 / 11 December 2013
InterContinental Berlin
More information is available at:
conference@european-bioplastics.org
Phone: +49 (0)30 28 48 23 50
www.conference.european-bioplastics.org
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8 19

Cover Story
Toys and more…
Markus Swoboda, founder and managing director of the
company BioFactur GmbH (Datteln, Germany) produces
small things from bioplastics for day to day life.
However, the way to market his products was not always easy.
More than ten years ago he had the idea of making products
from bioplastics because he was convinced that petroleum
would, sooner or later, no longer be available - or affordable
as a resource for plastics. “One day we will ask ourselves,
why we didn’t start to do this earlier,” Markus Swoboda said
to bioplastics MAGAZINE. Fossil-based plastics, with all the
additives and plasticizers, had given him cause for concern,
and he initially looked into toys. However, “to replace a
conventional plastic material by a renewably sourced one was
a tough road to follow - with many drawbacks”. Ten years ago
there were not so many different biobased plastics available,
he explained. At the end of 2009 Swoboda finally founded
BioFactur with some of his first marketable products.
Today BioFactur produces sand-box toys and food contact
articles such as jugs for juices, drinking cups, lunch boxes
or salad servers, exclusively from a cellulose acetacte-based
bioplastic with properties in some ways even better than
those of tradtional plastics, as Markus Swoboda explained.
About 10 tonnes of this material per year is being purchased
from a German supplier. “The wood cellulose all comes from
sustainably managed forests - 80% from Europe and the
rest from Canada,” Markus Swoboda pointed out. For the
manufacture of his products he relies on standard injection
moulding machines. The processing parameters, such as
pressures, temperatures and processing times, do however
have to be adjusted according to the requirements of the
resins. Also the moulds have to be designed slightly differently.
“A lot of things we had to learn the hard way,” he said.
The material is free of any kind of toxic substances such as
plasticizers, as confirmed by TÜV Rheinland, an independent
testing and certification body. “So no problem for parents to
let their kids chew on the toys,” as Swoboda commented.
The latest product from BioFactur, just introduced
to the market a few days before printing this issue of
bioplastics MAGAZINE, is a set of toy blocks. Like most of
their other products BioFactur sells them through two large
mail order businesses, Memo and Waschbär, both strongly
committed to sustainable products. In addition all products
are available via BioFactur’s own online-shop. The company
is planning to launch about two or three new products each
year – mostly toys or household items.
Being asked what pioneers such as BioFactur expect from
bioplastics resin suppliers and from politicians, Swoboda
said that first of all he hopes for a decrease in raw material
prices. “With raw material costs 30% above tradtional plastics
it is not so easy”, he said. He sees his growth potential in a
sustainable commercial market. Swoboda makes it clear:
“The advantages of bioplastics must be communicated very
strongly, and here too we need the policy makers.” MT
www.biofactur.de
20 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8

Injection Moulding
Pitcher with separate
bamboo handle
Well Water (Reeuwijk, The Netherlands) recently announced
that the patented and stylish Well Jug pitcher
with its crystal clear Ingeo bioplastic pitcher and removable
bamboo handle is now being made available to hotels,
restaurants, food service organizations, and distributors for direct-to-consumer
sales in the U.S. The Well Jug has been sold in
Europe for the past year and with every unit purchased Well Water
provides 264 gallons (1,000 liters) of clean drinking water to a village
in Africa or Asia.
Well Water has been giving 25% of the gross income from its
bottled water business to charities since 2003. Several years ago,
when the Dutch government launched a campaign to promote
the use of tap water in order to reduce packaging, Well Water
launched what would become a two and a half year research and
development project into the Well Jug. The idea was to promote
sustainability in the hospitality and food services industry with
a reusable and sustainable cold drinks pitcher, while expanding
efforts in Africa and Asia to bring fresh water to rural villages. The
company is still working out how the sales of the Well Jug in the
U.S. will figure into its drinking water and other charitable efforts.
The Well Jug consists of a durable crystal clear injection
molded Ingeo PLA 1 liter (1.06 quart) pitcher. To achieve the
Well Jug’s crystal clear appearance with no flow marks was a
balancing act in injection molding dependent on finding the
optimum thickness for the pitcher’s walls.The removable handle
is made from solid bamboo, one of the world’s fastest growing
grasses. The handle can also be used by hotels, restaurants, or
foodservice organizations to hold table announcements cards.
Well Jug pitchers and handles are ultra-light, stackable, and
require minimal transport and storage space. These pitchers are
suitable for water, beer, juices, and other cold drinks and are hand
washable in warm water.
“The uniqueness of the Well Jug comes from its striking design,
its utilization of sustainable materials, and the contribution of
clean water to villages in Africa and Asia,” said Michel Rijkaart,
director of sales and a principal/founder of Well Water. “The Well
Jug on any table, whether it’s in a hotel or at a catered event,
generates greater awarness and conversation about sustainable
innovations.”
Well Jugs can be customized with an orgnaization’s name
and can be purchased in various colors. Hospitality, foodservice
organizations, and distributors for direct-to-consumer sales
interested in learning more about the innovative Well Jug may
contact Michel Rijkaart directly.
www.welljug.co.uk
www.wellwater.nl
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8 21

Injection Moulding
Liquid wood
and more…
Fig. 1: Green Lantern, Romolo Stanco
by
Lars Ziegler
Jürgen Pfitzer
Helmut Nägele
Benjamin Porter
Tecnaro GmbH
Ilsfeld-Auenstein, Germany
Founded in 1998, TECNARO GmbH develops, produces
and markets bio-based and biodegradable compounds.
Focusing on thermoplastic compounds made from renewable
resources like lignin, cellulose, natural fibres, PLA,
PHB, Bio-PE, Bio-PA and others, Tecnaro has been developing
solutions for injection moulding, compression moulding,
extrusion, calendaring, blow molding or thermoforming into
moulded parts, semi-finished products, sheets, films or profiles.
One of the raw materials mentioned is lignin, which is
the second most abundant natural polymer after cellulose.
More than 20 billion tonnes of lignin are generated naturally
by photosynthesis per year. Lignin can be obtained as a
by-product of the pulp and paper industry and the volume
arising worldwide is about 50 to 60 million tonnes per year.
Lignin can be extracted also from wood bark or straw. Mixing
lignin with natural fibres like e. g. flax, hemp, wood or others
and natural additives results in thermoplastic composites.
These granules made from 100% renewable resources are
named ARBOFORM ® (arbor, Latin = the tree) and protected
with various patent families. Besides Arboform , Tecnaro´s
business is focused on two other compound categories:
Biopolymer compounds ARBOBLEND ® and natural fibre
reinforced plastic composites ARBOFILL ® .
ARBOFORM
Arboform is sustainable, independent from crude oil,
reduces environmental impacts and offers new markets
for agriculture and forestry business. It combines two
big industrial sectors: Wood industry can provide three
dimensional parts in an economic way and plastics
processors can substitute their materials by an ecological
alternative. It can be considered as liquid wood.
ARBOFILL
The compounds are made from plastics and natural
fibers like wood, hemp, flex, sisal, bagasse from sugarcane,
bamboo, coir fibre from coconut husk, etc. This combination
offers sustainable and aesthetical materials with good
mechanical and thermal properties at very competitive costs.
22 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8

Injection Moulding
Fig. 2: Bios line: Household series made
from Arbofill with FDA approval, COZA
ARBOBLEND
Arboblend can be 100% biodegradable or durable. It
consists – depending on the grade - of biopolymers like the
wood constituent lignin or of lignin derivatives and/or other
biopolymers like polylactic acid, polyhydroxyalkanoates,
starch, natural resins and waxes, cellulose, but also grades
with sugar based Polyethylene and plant oil based Polyamides
are available.
The scope of material properties covers bio-compounds
for injection moulding with very low up to very high Young‘s
moduli of 100 to 16,000 MPa and high tensile strengths up to
100 MPa. Heat deflection temperatures (HDT-B) higher than
150°C are possible and impact strength can be modified to
non-break (Charpy unnotched).
New Arboblend grades include Thermoplastic Elastomers
(TPEs) which can have biobased carbon contents of more
than 90%. Compounds with following properties are already
available:
• hardness in a range from 65 to 95 Shore A
• compression set below 45%
• tensile strength up to 8 MPa
• elongation at break up to 800%
Processing and Application
Tecnaro´s approach as a specialized compounder is the
optimal choice of polymers, fibres, fillers, processing aids and
additives preferably from renewable and natural resources
in order to achieve the required material properties and
processability at lowest possible cost and environmental impact.
Additives allow special functionalities and properties like
flame resistance, UV stability and high impact strength. High
heat deflection temperatures and impact properties can also
be achieved by blending, fibre reinforcement and processing
adaptations.
Today’s series applications can be found in a wide range
of products like e.g. household, toys, automotive, furniture,
electronics, music instruments, packaging, stationary,
building and construction industries as well as in funeral
business, agriculture and forestry. Until today, more than 200
series products have been realized so far.
Due to free form geometries excellent designs can be
achieved with Arboform. Low shrinkage grades allow
precise tolerances in general without sink marks and very
low warpage as well as a broad variation in wall thicknesses
including thick-wall applications.
Natural fibers are incorporated for reinforcement and
sustainability reasons but also for special aesthetical
designs: Injection moulded Arboform F results in surface
appearances similar to root wood (see Fig 1).
Arboform L and Arbofill have a regular visible fibre surface
structure (see picture 2) which can be injection moulded
without cloudiness or other typical moulding defects.
Arboblend and Arbofill include grades which can be
injection moulded into products with film hinges. Special
Arboblend grades are available with Melt Volume Rates
higher than 80 cm 3 /10 min. These are suitable for extreme
thin-wall applications.
Due to their low shrinkage and good bondage behavior
several grades from all Tecnaro material families are suitable
for Inmould Decoration IMD by back-filling of polymer and
metal films as well as genuine wood veneers. According to
a Tecnaro patent the latter can be moulded with overlap and
therefore perfect intarsia can be realized without minimal
gaps.
Tecnaro´s bio-compounds can be chosen from an existing
data base of already more than 2,000 formulations. For
existing products and moulds the foreseen shrinkage and demoulding
behavior as well as compatibility with hot runner
systems, needle valves, etc. are taken into consideration. In
case existing data seems not adequate for a new enquiry,
modifications and new developments can be a suitable
approach. Processing guidelines for each compound and
technical assistance are provided for a successful start-up
of serial production.
www.tecnaro.de
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8 23

From Science & Research
Lacquer from tomato
for metal cans
by
D.ssa Angela Montanari,
coordinator of BIOCOPAC project
16-hydroxyhexadecanoic acid
16Hid
Introduction
HO
O
10,16-dihydroxyhexadecanoic acid
HO
O
Fig. 4: Composition of tomato cutin
OH
OH
16Hid-10ol
OH
Every year millions of tons of tomatoes are used and
large amounts of tomato by-products are treated as
waste. About 300 million tonnes of by-products, waste
and effluent are produced in the EU each year.
Tomato waste consists essentially of the fibrous parts of
fruits, seeds and skins, and can constitute as much as 2.2%
of the weight of the processed tomato. The cost of disposing
of these wastes is over 4 €/t. Currently tomato waste is used
mainly for animal feed or, once it is dried, as the substrate
for the production of fertiliser and lately for the production of
biogas.
Now BIOCOPAC, a project funded by the EU with € 800,000
under the 7th European Framework, is to develop a biobased
lacquer for the protection of metal food packaging, using a
natural biopolymer, cutin, extracted from peels and skins of
industrial tomato by-products. The idea for the project is based
on an old patent developed by SSICA (Stazione Sperimentale
per l‘Industria delle Conserve Alimentari) in the 1940.
Lacquers for metal packaging
The lacquers currently used are based on synthetic resins,
mostly epoxy resins. However in recent years those synthetic
lacquers have been the subject of several cases of alert due
to problems of the migration of residues of polymerisation,
monomers and oligomers, plasticizers added to the lacquering
system or other additives. The object of the Biocopac project
is to develop a natural based lacquer from the tomato skins.
In this way Biocopac will meet the demand for sustainable
24 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8

From Science & Research
Fig. 2: Dried tomato peels
Fig. 1: Separation of tomato peels and seeds from tomato waste
Fig. 3: Raw cutin
production and for the safeguarding of consumer health,
increasing at the same time the competitiveness of the metal
can industry, valorising waste produced by the food industry,
reducing refuse and obtaining a product with high added
value.
Analysis of tomato skins
Tomato samples, collected in two tomato factories (one
in Italy, one in Spain) have been subject to chemical and
microbiological analysis. As the lacquer will be in contact
with food products, the concentration of heavy metals and
pesticides have been analysed. While tin (~ 80 ppb – parts
per billion) and copper (4.9-11.8 ppb) were detected, other
heavy metals were at values below the quantification limit of
the measuring equipment. All samples analyzed for pesticide
residues presented values below the significance’s limit.
Set-up of the extraction’s method
The procedure of extraction of raw cutin from tomato peels
consists in a treatment of skins with an alkaline solution and
then cutin is separated through precipitation for successive
centrifugation after a treatment with an acid solution.
This procedure has shown very good results, with regard to
the final product obtained, the yield and the reproducibility of
the method as well as the applicability of the method even on
an industrial scale.
The final bioresin obtained with the extraction procedure
showed a good ability to form a new bio-lacquer that is the
target of Biocopac project.
The method has run not only in laboratory but also in a
pilot plant with large quantities and high volumes. This is
an important result for the project, as regarding a future
application of the patent to industries. Naturally some
improvements and modifications can be even studied and
applied to obtain a continuous process.
Analysis of the cutin extracted
The composition of tomato skins’ cutin has just been
extensively studied in relation to the plant’s botany.
Recently Graça [1] provided a tomato cutin consisting of
n,16-dihydroxyhexadecanoic acids where the 10-isomer
is largely dominant. The tomato cutin is a polyester
biopolymer interesterificated. The significant proportion
of secondary esters (esterification in the C-10 secondary
hydroxyl) shows that the polyester structure is significantly
branched.
Resin’s production
The experimental work, in the consecutive phase, still in
progress, has examined the production of the resin.
For the production of the cutin-based resin two alternative
methods are currently underway:
• Homopolymerization of the extracted raw cutin
With the homopolymerization the cutin-based resin has
been obtained from extracted cutin applying particular
experimental conditions of polymerization; in this method
the cutin polymerizes with itself to get a higher molecular
weight resin.
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8 25

From Science & Research
• Copolymerization of the extracted cutin with selected
petrochemicals raw materials
With the copolymerization some standard polyester resins
have been copolimerized with the extracted raw cutin (10%
and 20%) and the resultant resins have been characterized.
Development and application of the
Biocopac lacquer
Different formulations of lacquer containing from 10 to
100% of cutin have been prepared and characterized in order
to find the best formulations for the final bio-lacquer. The
more promising formulations have been applied on different
metallic substrates (tinplate, tin free steel and aluminium)
and some properties such as degree of curing, appearance,
sterilization’s resistance were measured.
The first results obtained with at least two formulations,
showed good values of chemical resistance (MEK - Methyl
Ethyl Ketone - test), good adherence (tape test), good
mechanical properties and a good resistance to thermal
sterilization in water.
Production of cans and caps
Based on the first best formulations, sheets of tinplate
and aluminium have been lacquered. From these lacquered
sheets it has been possible to produce two piece cans,
crown corks and caps. In all cases the lacquer didn’t show
adherence’s loss, rather it has showed a good behaviour in
all the products obtained as it can be seen in Fig. 5.
Conclusions
All these first results are considered very satisfactory
and from these first results the researchers are optimistic
about the possibility of realize a natural lacquer and chances
of getting a polymeric film obtained from tomatoes are
becoming a reality.
www.biocopac.eu
Fig. 5: Samples of cans and caps lacquered with varnish.
[1] J. Graça and P Lamosa, ”Linear and Branched Poli
(ω-hydroxyacid) Esters in Plant cutin”, J. Agric. Food Chem.
2010,58,9666-9674.
[2] J.C. Saam, “Low temperature polycondensation of carboxylic
acids and carbinols in heterogeneous media”, J. Polym. Sci.,
Part A: Polym. Chem.; 1998, 36, 341-356.
[3] J.J. Benìtez, R. Garcìa-Segura, A. Heredia, “Plant biopolyester
cutin: a tough way to its chemical synthesis”, Biochim. Biophys.
Acta; 2004, 1674, 1-3.
[4] J.A. Heredia-Guerrero, A. Heredia, R. Garcìa-Segura, J.J.
Benìtez, “Synthesis and characterization of a plant cutin mimetic
polymer”, Polymer, 2009, 50, 5633-5637
[5] D. Arrieta-Baez, M. Cruz-Carrillo, M. B. Gòmez-Patino, L. G.
Zepeda-Vallejo, “ Derivatives of 10,16-dihydroxyhexadecanoic
acid isolated from tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) as potential
material for aliphatic polyesters”; Mol., 2011, 16, 4923-4936.
[6] European patent application EP 2 371 805 A1 “Method for the
application of oligo- and polyesters from a mixture of carboxylic
acids obtained from suberin and/or cutin and their use thereof”
published by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland on the
5th November 2011.
[7] Società Italiana Pirelli, Brevetto per invenzione industriale
N° 389360 “Vernici a base di resina estratta dalle bucce di
pomodoro” ,1944
A significantly more comprehensive
version of this article with more results
and details about the project can be
downloaded from
www.bioplasticsmagazine.de/201303
The project partners:
• Stazione Sperimentale per l’Industria delle Conserve Alimentari
(IT – RTD Performer)
• Centro Tecnologico Agroalimentario Extremadura
(ES – RTD Performer)
• Fundacion TECNALIA Research & Innovation
(ES – RTD Performer)
• SYNPO A.S. (CZ – RTD Performer)
• Salchi Metalcoat S.r.l. (IT – lacquer manufacturer)
• Chiesa Virginio Azienda Agricola (IT – livestock & biogas producer)
• Conservas Martinete S.A. (ES – manufacturer of canned tomato)
• National Can Hellas S.A. (GR – metal packing)
• Rodolfi Mansueto S.p.A. (IT – transformation of tomatoes)
• Schekolin AG (LI – manufacturer of lacquers)
• Saupiquet S.A.S. (FR – canned seafood producer)
26 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8

THE NO. 1 FOR
WORLD PREMIERES:
K 2013
Get ready for your most important global business and contact platform. On a net exhibition space of more than
168,000 sqm, some 3,000 exhibitors from over 50 countries will be presenting innovative solutions and visionary
concepts in the areas of machinery and equipment, raw materials and auxiliaries, semi-finished products,
technical parts and reinforced plastics. Plan your visit now. Welcome to your K 2013.
International Trade Fair
No. 1 for Plastics
and Rubber Worldwide
k-online.de
Messe Düsseldorf GmbH
Postfach 10 10 06 _ 40001 Düsseldorf _ Germany
Tel. +49 (0)2 11/45 60-01 _ Fax +49 (0)2 11/45 60-6 68
www.messe-duesseldorf.de

From Science & Research
Bioplastic
products
from citrus
wastes
by
Mohammad Pourbafrani 1
Jon McKechnie 2
Heather L. MacLean 1,3
Bradley A. Saville 1
1
Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University
of Toronto, 200 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3E5, Canada
2
Division of Energy and Sustainability, University of Nottingham,
University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
3
Department of Civil Engineering, University of Toronto, 35 St George
Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A4, Canada
Introduction:
Biomass-derived plastics have the potential to displace
relatively high market value products, while also contributing
to sustainability objectives. In particular,
second generation feedstocks such as agricultural residues
offer great potential. Employing citrus wastes (CW) as a feedstock
for bioplastics production has potential as a low-cost
alternative, while providing other environmental advantages.
Approximately 30 million tonnes of CW is estimated to be
produced annually, representing half of the citrus fruit used
for juice production [1]. New strategies for processing CW
are required to address disposal challenges, including high
costs, a lack of disposal sites, and concerns about negative
environmental impacts of current practices. Citrus waste
contains simple sugars and carbohydrate polymers such as
cellulose and hemicellulose. The proposed CW biorefinery
discussed in this article could convert these sugars and
carbohydrates into bioethanol, while recovering limonene
(natural solvent), and producing biomethane and nutrientrich
digestate (fertilizer) from residual materials [1]. The
bioethanol could then be further processed to renewable low
density polyethylene (LDPE) following ethanol dehydration to
ethylene.
To evaluate the CW to LDPE process, it is important to
understand the associated environmental implications from
a life cycle perspective (from feedstock production through
to the final product) and to compare with current production
technologies. Understanding the greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions of the process is important due to the GHGintensity
of current LDPE production from fossil fuels. In this
article, the potential to reduce life cycle GHGs when LDPE is
produced from citrus wastes is evaluated.
Citrus waste to bioethanol
A biorefinery for production of bioethanol from CW
is presented in Fig.1. The technical data related to the
28 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8

From Science & Research
Citrus
Waste
Acid
Ethanol
Hydrolysis
Reactor
Fermentation
Distillation
Flash
Liquid Solid
Flash
Stillage
Limonene
Recovery
Biogas
Purification
Anaerobic
Digestion
Limonene
Methane
Steam Boiler
Steam
Citrus
Waste
Biorefinery
Methane
Ethanol
Power Plant
Electricity
and Heat
Ethylene and LDPE
Production Plant
Excess
to grid
LDPE
Limonene and Digestate
Fig. 1. Block Flow Diagram of Ethanol Production from Citrus Wastes [1]
Fig.2. Production of LDPE from Citrus Wastes
biorefinery were published previously [1]. The biorefinery’s
main stages include hydrolysis, fermentation, distillation and
anaerobic digestion. Citrus waste carbohydrate polymers
are converted into sugars during hydrolysis, and then
fermented to produce bioethanol. The ethanol is purified
by distillation and the non-fermentable sugars and other
process residues are converted to biomethane by anaerobic
digestion. Some of the biomethane is combusted to satisfy
the thermal energy requirements for the biorefinery; excess
biomethane is converted to electricity. In this biorefinery
design, one dry tonne of CW yields 198 liters of ethanol,
45 liters of limonene, 270 m 3 of biomethane and 220 kg
digestate. For a hypothetical 40,000 dry tonne per year CW
biorefinery, the ethanol production cost is estimated to be
0.65 USD per litre [1].
Bioethanol to bioplastic
The ethanol produced by the CW biorefinery is dehydrated
to ethylene in a catalytic process at high pressure and
temperature [2]. Each kg of ethanol yields 0.59 kg of ethylene.
This process is energy intensive and requires 5.6 MJ of
thermal energy and 1.8 MJ of electricity per kg of ethylene
produced. The ethylene is polymerized to LDPE, consuming
0.3 MJ of thermal energy and 6.4 MJ of electricity per kg of
LDPE. With 1 kg of ethylene yielding 1 kg of LDPE, each dry
tonne of CW can produce ~92 kg of LDPE.
Life Cycle Assessment of renewable LDPE
from citrus wastes
Although LDPE production from CW is an energy intensive
process, biomethane generated in the biorefinery can provide
the required energy (Fig. 1 and Fig. 2). The biomethane is
utilized in a power plant that generates heat and electricity,
which are consumed by the ethanol and ethylene production
processes and the ethylene polymerization process; excess
electricity is exported to the grid. Therefore, the production
of LDPE from CW is energy self-sufficient.
A life cycle assessment was performed to calculate the
life cycle GHG emissions associated with LDPE production
from CW. The key inputs, outputs and processes are shown
in Figure 2, and include CW transportation, bioethanol
production, ethylene production and LDPE polymerization.
The emissions associated with LDPE production include all
process steps, inputs and outputs. In addition, emissions
credits resulting from the biorefinery’s co-products
(limonene, digestate and biomethane) displacing chemical
and fossil fuel products (acetone, biofertilizer and natural
gas, respectively) are assigned to the LDPE. This method
of co-product treatment, termed displacement or system
expansion, is recommended under the International
Organisation for Standardisation guidelines for life cycle
assessment [3].
Since generation of electricity and heat from biomethane
is considered to be a carbon neutral process, the life cycle
GHG emissions of LDPE production are dominated by
chemical inputs to the process stages, fossil fuel use in
transportation of CW to the biorefinery, and biomethane
emissions from the biorefinery’s anaerobic digesters [4].
The net life cycle emissions for the production of renewable
LDPE are -4,100 g CO 2
eq./kg. Negative emissions are
achieved because of two factors: CW LDPE sequesters
biomass carbon that would otherwise be released to
the atmosphere; and emissions credits for co-products
more than offset the production-related emissions. By
comparison, the life cycle GHG emissions values for
LDPE produced from crude oil are significantly greater
(2,130 g CO 2
eq./kg of LDPE) [5]. Prior work has assessed
LDPE production from sugar cane [2], which found
emissions to exceed those of crude oil-derived LDPE when
including land use change-related emissions (e.g., land
clearing directly or indirectly linked to sugar cane cultivation
for ethanol production). In contrast, when using CW, no land
use change related GHG emissions are incurred since CW is
a byproduct of juice manufacture.
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8 29

From Science & Research
Financial considerations
Ongoing work will evaluate the financial performance of the
above CW biorefinery system. Based on recent market prices
for ethanol and LDPE [6, 7], process costs for converting
ethanol to LDPE would have to be less than ~$0.20/kg
LDPE to offer a competitive use of ethanol without subsidy.
The financial attractiveness of LDPE production from CW is
affected by the high market price of ethanol, which results
in part from existing policies that mandate its use as a
transportation fuel. Currently, similar support is not available
to biomass-derived chemicals or plastics.
Summary
Conversion of CW to renewable LDPE is demonstrated
to have the potential to significantly reduce life cycle GHG
emissions compared to LDPE produced from fossil fuel or
sugar cane. Utilizing global CW supply for producing LDPE
would provide up to 3.5% of worldwide demand [8] and reduce
emissions by approximately 3.4 million tonnes CO 2
eq./yr,
while simultaneously addressing environmental concerns
related to CW disposal practices.
[1] Pourbafrani M., 2011. Citrus Waste Biorefinery: Process
Development, Simulation and Economic Analysis. PhD
Dissertation. Published by Chalmers University of Technology.
Gothenburg. Sweden.
[2] Liptow C., Tillman A.M., 2009. Comparative Life Cycle
Assessment of Polyethylene based on Sugarcane and Crude
Oil. Report No.2009:14. Published by Chalmers University of
Technology. Gothenburg. Sweden.
[3] ISO 14044 (International Organisation for Standardisation)
2006 Environmental Management—Life Cycle Assessment—
Requirement and Guidelines
[4.] Pourbafrani M., McKechnie J., MacLean L.H., Saville A.B., 2013.
Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Impacts of Ethanol, Biomethane
and Limonene Production from Citrus Waste. Environmental
Research Letter, 8, 015007 doi:10.1088/1748-9326/8/1/015007
[5] PlasticsEurope, 2008. Low Density Polyethylene. http://www.
plasticseurope.org/plastics-sustainability/eco-profiles.aspx
(accessed 15/04/2013)
[6] NASDAQ, 2013. Ethanol Futures. http://www.nasdaq.com/
markets/ethanol.aspx (accessed 15/04/2013)
[7] Platts, 2013. Platts Global Low-Density Polyethylene Price Index.
http://www.platts.com/newsfeature/2013/petrochemicals/pgpi/
ldpe (accessed 15/04/2013)
[8] Nexant, 2010. Polyolefins planning service: Executive report,
Global commercial analysis. http://www.chemsystems.com/
about/cs/news/items/POPS09_Executive%20Report.cfm
(accessed 15/04/2013)
www.utoronto.ca
www.nottingham.ac.uk
Big enough to innovate,
small enough to cooperate!
It takes sophisticated technology to make plastics recycling
sustainable and more efficient and to continuously improve pellet quality.
And it takes commitment to really be successful.
SIMPLY ONE STEP AHEAD
®
www.ngr.at
30 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8

Chinaplas Review
Chinaplas 2013 took place from May 20 - 23 in the
southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, being Asia’s No. 1 and
the world’s no. 2 plastics and rubber exhibition. More than
2900 exhibitors from 38 countries showed their expertise on
220,000 m² of floor space. Chinaplas expected to attract more
than 115,000 Chinese and foreign visitors from 150 countries
looking to learn about, exchange and source chemicals and
raw materials and a variety of plastics and rubber machinery.
In a special Bioplastics Zone in hall 12.2 again more
than 30 companies were listed in the show catalogue to
present their products and services in terms of biobased
and/or biodegradable plastics. Still there were a significant
number of companies offering traditional PE or PP filled
with starch, straw or bamboo and it could be argued whether
or not such blends should be considered as bioplastics.
The 5th International Seminar on Bioplastics Applications
took place on May 18-19 in a Guangzhou hotel, sharing the
latest trends, government policy on bioplastics and lowcarbon
economy, and the technologies of the bioplastics
industry. Key material suppliers, manufacturers, professional
research organizations and machinery suppliers were invited
to offer their expertise.
As in previous years, the booth of bioplastics MAGAZINE was very
well visited. We had lots of interesting talks and many visitors
seriously interested in bioplastics. The 1000 copies of bioplastics
MAGAZINE that were printed specially for this show were gone after
two and a half of the four very busy days at Chinaplas.
In addition to the Chinaplas Preview that we published in
the last issue, we now add some more small reports about
selected companies from the Bioplastics Zone in Guangzhou.
Hubei Guanghe Bio-technology Co., Ltd.
Since 2006 Hubei Guanghe Bio-technology has been
engaged in the development of ultra-high molecular weight
PLA compounds in cooperation with different universities
and colleges. At Chinaplas they presented four different
grades: GH401 for injection moulding, GH501 for sheeting,
GH601 for stretch blow moulding and GH701 for film.
Products made from the
GH materials include
disposable tableware, hotel
consumables, agricultural
applications and bags. All
GH reins are OK-Compost
certified (EN 13432).
www.ghbt.com.cn
Jiangsu Jinhe Hi-tech Co., Ltd
This company is located in Yangzhou (Jiangsu province)
near Shanghai. The main products are starch and straw
filled polypropylene. The materials are well suited for
injection mouding of high
quality products such as
cutlery, plates and bowls
or even coat hangers, child
chairs and toothbrushes.
www.jsjhgk.com
Guangzhou Bioplus Materials Technology
CO., Ltd
Bio-plus Materials
Technology is specialized
in the development
of modified PLA. The predecessor,
Junjia Technology
Co., Ltd., was founded
in 1998 and in 2006, the
company started to step
into the field of modified
PLA and its application.
Their current focus is on
property improvement of
PLA, especially on heat
resistance and impact
strength. By now, we have
already made great progress on its heat resistance.
Bioplus’ products include grades for injection moulding
and such for extrusion and thermoforming with heat deflection
temperatures up to 100°C without inorganic filers
and such with white inorganic fillers. Special grades for
foam appications and for bottle blowing as well as such for
melt spinning are also available.
www.bio-plus.cn
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8 31

Chinaplas Review
ITENE
The Spanish Packaging, Transport & Logistics
Research Center ITENE is a Technological Center that
promotes, in general and for any type of business,
scientific research, technological advancement, the
development of information society and promoting
sustainability in the areas of packaging, logistics,
transportation and mobility. Now ITENE presented
itself in the Bioplastics Zone at Chinaplas. Among other
products and services they showed blends of PLA and
nano-clay. These products were developed in order to
enhance mechanical and barrier properties.
www.itene.com
DuPont
The RS product range of DuPont (RS for renewably
sourced) is well known. It comprises among other
products the long-chain Zytel RS polyamide 1010, the
elastomer Hytrel RS and the PTT material Sorona.
While the PA 1010 offers different properties and
functionalities compared to PA 11 or PA 12, the Hytrel
RS elastomer is a drop-in material with the same
properties as the oil based Hytrel. Here it is important
for customers that the biobased version is not more
expensive. Sorona is not very much used in China, but
the Japanese automotive company Toyota recently
decided for an air outlet in the instrument panel of the
Prius model for Sorona. This saved cost compared to
PBT or PA6. Not due to the resin price, but due to the
fact, that the PTT version did not need to be painted in
a secondary step.
With an R&D center in Shanghai and compounding
plant in Shenzhen DuPont offer their clients
comprehensive consultation in the development of
applications.
www.dupont.com
Fukutomi
The core business
of Fukutomi Company
Ltd. From Shantou,
China, is the production
of plastic parts from
plastic scrap. To prove
their commitment to
environmental protection
and to follow the company’s objective of sustainable
development, Fukutomi also started to produce PLA
compounds as well as parts from PLA. Fukutomi has
produced products such as ice cream spoons, golf tees and
flower pots from Biodegradable Polylactic Acid. The PLA
compounds include grades for injection moulding, bottle
blowing and sheet grades.In order to meet the customers
growing requirements, Fukutomi provide PLA material
modification, mould design and production service.
www.fukutomi.com
Shandong Fuwin New Material Co. Ltd.
Shandong Fuwin New
Material Co. Ltd., from Zibo
Shandong is primarily engaged
in the production and R&D
of fully biodegradable plastic
materials and fine chemicals.
Their products include BDO,
PBS and PBS co-polymers
and are marketed under the brand name ECONORM. Fuwin’s
capacity for the production of PBA and PBSA is about 25,000
tonnes/annum. Their materials are made with biobased
succinic acid and currently still with fossil based BDO. Injection
moulding grades (e.g. for disposable cutlery, plant pots etc)
are available as well as blown film grades e.g. for shopping
bags or mulch film.
www.sdfuwin.com
Nafigate
Nafigate Corporation a.s.
from Prague (Czech Republik)
presented their biotechnology
for PHA production that was
developed by (Czech) Brno
University of Technology.
Nafigate is now seeking to
find partners to invest into this
technology. The distinctive feature of the technology is that it uses
waste cooking oil as the raw material und thus does not compete
in any way with food or feed.production. The high performance
bioprocess for the production of PHA assures lower operational
cost and market price, as a spokesperson told bioplastics
MAGAZINE. A model calculation for a 10,000 tonnes/annum plant
shows the potential to achieve a market price of EUR 2.1 (USD
2.8) per kg of raw material.
www.nafigate.com
Shenzhen Esun Industrial CO., Ltd.
Established in 2002 and
located in Shenzhen Special
Economic Zone, Shenzhen
Esun Industrial Co., Ltd.
is a high-tech enterprise
specializing in researching,
developing, producing and
operating degradable polymer
materials, such as PLA and
PCL. The company strives
for becoming the leader
in biodegradable material
industry and achieving the
breakthrough of 200,000
tonnes annual capacity within
the next ten years. One of the highlights at Chinaplas is the new
PLA sheet material for the production of cards: membership
cards, gift cards, etc.
www.brightcn.net
32 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8

Chinaplas Review
Tianjin GreenBio Materials Co., Ltd
GreenBio is dedicated
in the development,
production and sale of
the fully degradable
bio-based polymer
materials PHA and its
application products.
So far GreenBio has
established the worlds largest production base of PHA
in the Binhai District in China (capacity 10,000 tonnes/
annum). The PHA materials are marketed under the
brand name Sogreen. Among other products GreenBio
have developed exclusive PHA foam pellets. This kind of
foam pellets have over 20 times in expansion and can
be made into full-biodegradable foam food service ware
and industry or electric appliance packaging to replace
conventional EPS. As highlights at Chinaplas the company
presented heat stretch film and nonwoven fibre products.
www.tjgreenbio.com
Toray
Toray Industries Inc. headquartered in Tokyo, Japan,
offers a range of different products under the common
brandname ecodear. This includes blends of PLA with
ABS (offering higher strength), blends of PLA with PC (with
enhanced flame retardance) and PLA blends with PMMA
offering an excellent transparency in combination with heat
resistance. Other members of the ecodear family are a
PA 610, a bio-Polyethylene foam based on Braskem Green
PE and a partly biobased PBT, made with bio-BDO.
Grabio Greentech Corporation
Grabio Greentech
Corporation specializes
in the development
and manufacture of
100% biodegradable
and compostable starch
plastics. Their products
are GRABIO film grade resin and GRABIO agri grade
resin. Grabio starch plastics are all certified (EN 13432
and ASTM D6400) compostable. At Chinaplas Grabio
displayed its existing GB series film grade products,
among which a newly developed GBL series film grade
material was also on display. The new GBL series
material has more rigid texture and higher renewable
content, and is suitable for making shopping bag, fruit
bag, magazine wrapping and other flexible packing
applications. Moreover, besides the GB and GBL series,
the developing GBXV series material is designed for high
transparency require packaging application.
www.grabio.com.tw
www.toray.co.jp/english/plastics
Shanghai Disoxidation Macromolecule
Materials Co., Ltd
With the mission of Life
&Environment Balance
and Natural, No Harm,
Shanghai Disoxidation
Macromolecule Materials
Co., Ltd (DM) is providing
plastic manufacturers
and consumers with
biodegradable starch
resins and related
derivatives, such as
shopping bags, garbage
bags, films and outside
package. The company
is located in Xiangshi Road Jin Ban Industrial Zone of
Kunshan, Jiangsu Province and runs 10 Coperion dual
screw extruders, automatic feeding and packaging.
DM have a capacity of 32, 000 tones/year. Their product
BSR-09 was developed for blown film application and is
EN 13432/ASTM 6400 certified compostable.
www.dmmsh.com
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8 33

Application News
Biobased barrier
packaging for cheese
Bicycle mudguards
As part of a diploma project on the subject
of “Ecologically sustainable packaging in
the food industry” the Ecological Dairies
at Allgäu (ÖMA – Ökologische Molkereien
Allgäu) worked closely together with Plantic
Technologies GmbH (the German branch
of Australian Plantic Technologies Limited)
on the basic concepts of using sustainable
packaging materials. After an extensive
series of product tests the cheeses
specialists, who consistently focuses on ecological products,
decided in February 2013 to try a new approach to the
packaging question and from April used Plantic eco Plastic
for the first time for their pre-packaged sliced cheese.
Plantic eco Plastic was developed to replace petroleumbased
plastics with bioplastics in the food industry. It is the
first barrier packaging in the world that is biobased up to 80%
from renewable resources. The thermoform sheet consists
of a three-layer structure with the Plantic core layer being
up to 80% of the total film thickness and having particularly
good barrier properties, as explained to bioplastics MAGAZINE
by Brendan Morris CEO at Plantic. “It is embedded between
two very thin layers of polyethylene which also contributes to
the excellent sealing performance of the laminate film. The
new biobased lidding film will come in the next few months”.
During the production process up to 50% less energy is
used when compared with conventional polymers, and Plantic
eco Plastic can offer this material, which is so important for
food packaging, in good quantities.
“That was an important step in the right direction, and
underlines our company philosophy. We aim for ecological
progress and high quality. In both areas, using the new
packaging, we have made a significant step forward”, said
Michael Welte, CEO of ÖMA. “As the first German supplier of
bio-cheeses we have now developed a sustainable packaging
solution for our bio-cheese slices that also supports the
product’s freshness.”
“At the time of the changeover we had two main problems”,
continued Michael Welte. “Firstly we had to ensure that the
maize-based packaging we were using was totally free of
any genetically modified products, and secondly, since our
product places high demands on the barrier performance
of the packaging material it was important that our project
partner Plantic Technologies, was able to offer a material that
would not allow any loss of quality or taste”.
“We were able to confirm this within the extensive product
test programme that was carried out”, said Brendan Morris. MT
Zéfal (Jargeau, France) is the world’s leading
manufacturer of bicycle accessories. Innovation and
environment play a significant part in the corporate
strategy and eco-design of the products is part of a longterm
progress undertaking.
Zéfal launched its bio-based range Green’Z with a low
carbon footprint at the Eurobike show in 2012. This range,
the first in the world, comprises the Green’Z Deflector
FC50 & RC50 mudguards made with plant-based plastic.
To this end Zéfal selected Gaïalène ® (by Roquette) on
account of its certified environmental qualities and its
possible recyclability at the end of life. This plastic has
turned out to be easy to use with slight manufacturing
process adjustments and has enabled a reduction in the
consumption of electricity used by the injection machines.
‘’Focused on the future our teams who are passionate
about their work innovate every day in order to improve
the practice of cycling. The strong links we have forged
with the cycling community and the bicycle distributors
inspired the creation of this Green’Z range”, explains
Mathieu Brunet, the Chairman and Chief Executive of
Zéfal.
This initiative enables Zéfal to propose a range
of products that constitute a breakthrough from an
environmental standpoint, while retaining the same
manufacturing quality that the customers are used to.
The mechanical and ageing tests have confirmed the
suitability of this material for these applications linked to
sport and nature.
The result is a carbon footprint reduced by over
65% compared with the products usually made from
polypropylene, without any compromising on the technical
or economic performances.
Zéfal is consequently going to pursue this initiative with
several products in its range and intends in the coming
years to develop the Green’Z brand by innovating in other
complementary applications. MT
www.zefal.com
www.gaialene.com
www.oema.de
www.plantic.eu
34 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8

Application News
First PA 410 film introduced
DSM Engineering Plastics (since early 2012 headquartered
in Singapore) recently announced that its development
partner MF Folien GmbH in Kempten, Southern Germany,
successfully introduced a new polyamide film, which is based
on DSM’s bio-based EcoPaXX ® polyamide 410.
MF Folien is a leading expert in the production of polyamide
film, and has been DSM’s development partner for EcoPaXX
film from the start. In 2011, the company was the first to
create samples of 30 µm cast film from EcoPaXX. This film
has the same high quality level for which MF Folien is very
well known in the market. Samples of film based on EcoPaXX
are available in various thicknesses: 30, 40 and 50 µm.
Potential application areas are in flexible food packaging,
building & construction, medical, aviation and shipping.
Rainer Leising, general sales manager MF Folien, said: “We
are delighted to be working with DSM on the development of
this innovative and sustainable material solution. Since we
first introduced EcoPaXX film, with its distinctive shiny, silvery
‘high-tech’ appearance, the material has been featured in our
product brochure.” EcoPaXX polyamide 410 films are strong
and transparent with a high puncture resistance. They have
a reduced moisture transmission rate versus polyamide 6
film, and a comparable oxygen barrier. When fully wet, the
oxygen barrier of polyamide 410 is even higher.
Recently, three grades of EcoPaXX were given the “Certified
Biobased Product” label (70%), awarded by the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA). The bio based content of
EcoPaXX polyamide 410 stems from one of its building blocks,
derived from castor oil obtained from plants that grow in
tropical regions and which are not used for food products. MT
www.dsm.com
www.ecopaxx.com
www.mf-folien.de
PLA serviceware in Asia
Purac’s partners have successfully launched a range of
PLA serviceware based on PURALACT ® Lactides. The range,
available in retail outlets in Singapore, features printed text
‘Love Eco’ and ‘PLA’ on each item.
The packaging includes a variety of sustainability and
performance statements, including:
• dishwasher safe
• microwave safe
• food contact approved (USA & Europe)
• biodegradable.
The serviceware is being produced by New Sunrise
Plastics Co and is retailed at Giant Hypermarket in
Singapore.
Puralact Lactide monomers for PLA are exclusively made
from non-GMO feedstocks, heat resistant up to 120°C,
biobased, biodegradable & recyclable.
www.purac.com/bioplastics
www.srplastic.com
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8 35

From Science & Research
Advances in
PLA chemistry
by
Alexander Hoffmann
Sonja Herres-Pawlis
Ludwig-Maximilians University
Munich, Germany
New robust catalysts for lactide polymerization:
Zinc complexes of neutral nitrogen donors
Ring-opening polymerisation (ROP) of lactide represents
a growing field of research because the resulting polymers
are biodegradable and based on renewable raw
materials which ensures growing attention within the context
of Green Chemistry. Up to now, neutral nitrogen donor ligands
have been overlooked in their potential to stabilise catalytically
active systems. This contribution highlights recent developments
in this area as well as the applicability in the lactide
polymerisation with special regard to the reaction conditions.
Targeting a use in industrial scale, the tolerance towards
moisture, air, lactide impurities and high temperatures is an
important issue to be considered during catalyst design.
For the well-controlled synthesis of polylactide with regard
to composition, molecular weight and microstructure, the
coordination-insertion process is now commonly regarded as
the most efficient method [1-4]. This mechanism (Figure 1)
involves the coordination of the monomer to the metal
centre, followed by a nucleophilic attack of the alkoxide to the
acyl carbon atom and the insertion of lactide into the metalalkoxide
species with retention of configuration [5]. A new
metal-alkoxide species is formed which is capable of further
insertion reactions.
Under industrial conditions, mostly homoleptic catalysts are
used like tin(II)ethylhexanoate, zinc(II)lactate and aluminium
isopropoxide in combination with alcohols as initiators [6].
These catalyst systems can be conveniently synthesised
and utilised in the polymerisation of cyclic esters but
complicated equilibria phenomena and multiple nuclearities
of the active species result in limited polymerisation control.
Detrimental side reactions like transesterifications and
epimerisations may occur which lead to a broadening of the
molar mass distribution. Consequently, the development of
new catalysts for the ring-opening polymerisation of lactide
has seen tremendous growth over the past decade [1-5,7]. As
amelioration, these catalysts shall enable a better control,
activity and selectivity during the polymerisation by optimal
adaption of the coordinating ligands. A vast multitude of
well-defined Lewis acid catalysts following a coordinationinsertion
mechanism has been developed for this reaction
mainly based on tin,[8] zinc,[9-12] aluminium[13-15] and rare
earth metals [16-20].
To develop the polymer from a specialty material to a
large-volume commodity plastic the development of new
polymerisation catalysts is required. Most large-scale
processes are based on the use of stannous compounds
as initiators [3,4,7]. For use in food packaging or similar
applications, heavy metals are undesirable because of
accumulation effects [3,4].
To date, the design of new catalysts mostly follows the
paradigm that an efficient lactide ROP initiating system
needs an anionic ligand, e.g. alkoxides, amides, ketiminates
or an alcohol as co-initiator which forms the truly active
species as alkoxide. The high polymerisation activity of all
these systems is often combined with high sensitivity towards
air and moisture. For industrial purposes and especially the
breakthrough of PLA in the competition with petrochemical
based plastics, there is an exigent need for active catalysts that
tolerate air, moisture and small impurities in the monomer
[3,4,7]. The disadvantageous sensitivity can be ascribed to
the anionic nature of the ligand systems stabilising almost
all of these complexes.
36 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8

From Science & Research
the use of the sterically less demanding guanidine-pyridine
ligands, a multitude of zinc complexes could be isolated and
trends for the ROP activity were derived [29,30]. In case of
the quinoline-guanidine complexes, mono(chelate) chlorido
complexes exhibit smaller activity than the mono(chelate)
acetato complexes [29,30]. Especially quinoline-guanidine
bis(chelate) triflato zinc complexes exhibited very high
activity and robustness towards monomer impurities at
the same time. Using technical quality lactide, molecular
weights of 70000 and 77000 g mol -1 (M n
) with PDs of 2 could
be obtained with conversions of >90% [29,30]. Together with
comparative studies with guanidine mesylato complexes,[31]
it came up that within the bis(chelate) triflato zinc complexes
the zinc atom possesses a high positive partial charge and
the guanidine a pronounced negative charge.
Figure 1. Coordination-insertion mechanism for lactide ROP
The role of neutral donor ligands for the stabilisation of
ROP active systems has to be highlighted because this niche
has been overlooked for years [21]. With regard to industrial
usefulness, only systems with real applicability in lactide bulk
polymerisation are discussed here (Figure 2). The scope of
used neutral N donors ranges from simple alkylated amines
and substituted pyridines over guanidines to sophisticated
oxabispidines and oxalamidines. Historically, the pyridinecarbene
zinc complexes of Tolman and coworkers are the
first complexes of this class; they polymerise lactide at
140°C within minutes with a polydispersity (PD) of 2.4 [22].
The robust 9-oxabispidine zinc acetate complex has been
reported as ROP active system in the lactide melt at 150°C
(PD = 2) but with low yields [23]. As rather simple neutral ligand
systems, the classic N donor ligands 2,2´-bipyridine and
1,10-phenanthroline were proven to stabilise zinc complexes
with surprising ROP activity under challenging conditions
in melt in 2009 [24]. The polydispersities of approximately 2
account for the presence of transesterification reactions.
In order to overcome the limitations of anionic and other
sensitive ligand systems, the potential of a neutral but
highly nucleophilic ligand system was evaluated. Guanidines
convince by their good donor properties and their strong
nucleophilicity [25,26]. In 2007, the first cationic complex
[Zn(DMEG 2
e) 2
][OTf] 2
comprising an aliphatic bis(guanidine)
has been reported as active ROP catalyst for the lactide
polymerisation in melt at 150°C [27]. In following studies with
the closely related but more basic imino-imidazoline 8MeBL,
it appeared that the partial charge at the zinc atom as well
as on the donating Nimine atom is crucial for the lactide
activity [28]. Using mono(chelate) zinc imino-imidazoline
complexes high conversions of 88 % were observed. With
As guanidines are strong neutral donors, their
nucleophilicity was proposed to help the ring-opening
reaction. In all these polymerisation experiments with
commercial grade PLA, no external initiator had been added.
Hence, the working hypothesis implied the coordination
of the lactide to the zinc centre followed by a nucleophilic
attack of the guanidine on the carbonyl C atom of the lactide
molecule. Guided by this idea, extensive density functional
studies for the ROP with guanidine triflato zinc complexes
were accomplished [32]. In fact, this computational study is
the first DFT study for the ROP with neutral ligands without
additional co-initiators. The fluorescence activity of the
guanidine-quinoline ligands gave further mechanistic hint
because the quinoline-related emission can be traced in the
zinc complexes and the resulting polylactide. Moreover, the
UV absorption of the guanidine-quinoline ligands was found
in the corresponding lactide as well [32]. In summary, these
studies showed that the guanidine zinc triflato complexes
react in a variant of the coordination-insertion mechanism
with the nucleophilic attack to the lactide performed by the
guanidine and the classic ring-opening step as next transition
state [32]. The great impact of the guanidine is expressed in
two central traits: the excellent donor capacity stabilises
very robust zinc complexes and the high nucleophilicity of
the guanidines enables the ring-opening of cyclic esters by
the guanidine donor functionality. The great advantage of
guanidine systems is their extraordinary robustness towards
moisture and monomer impurities. Until now, comparable
robust systems have only been reported by Davidson et al.[33]
who used tris-phenolate titanium complexes. However, the
zinc guanidine systems combine in a unique manner many
crucial features for efficient large-scale lactide ROP. In
detail, the robustness of zinc guanidine complexes in lactide
ROP supersedes monomer recrystallisation or sublimation
and saves cost-effective processing steps. Moreover, the
polymerisation can be accomplished under melt conditions
at high temperatures up to 200°C without racemisation
effects [32]. This is important for further applications in
reactive polymer extrusion.
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8 37

From Science & Research
magnetic_148,5x105.ai 175.00 lpi 15.00° 75.00° 0.00° 45.00° 14.03.2009 10:13:31
Prozess CyanProzess MagentaProzess GelbProzess Schwarz
Magnetic
for Plastics
• International Trade
in Raw Materials,
Machinery & Products
Free of Charge
Figure 2. Selected catalysts
with neutral donor ligands
Targeting simpler and cheaper donor systems, very
recently, zinc complexes of peralkylated amines came
into the focus of research: they are derived from lowpriced
starting materials and convince by high ROP
activity at 150°C to molecular weights of 65000 g mol -1
at PD of 2 [34,35]. Parallely, the donor class of oxalic
amidines has been investigated for the stabilisation of
zinc complexes in the polymerisation of lactide which
opens up a new neutral N-donor ligand class [36]. An
oxalic amidine zinc chlorido complex yields polylactide
with 50000 g mol -1 at PD of 1.4.
www.plasticker.com
• 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
The comprehensive concept of robust N donor zinc
systems has been proven to yield efficient and versatile
ROP active catalysts. In general, the importance of
neutral ligands for the ring-opening polymerisation of
lactide cannot be underestimated. With regard to the
major breakthrough of bioplastics for the substitution of
petrochemical plastics in the commodity market, every
robust catalyst system represents a huge step towards
greater sustainability of our society.
www.cup.lmu.de/ac/herres-pawlis
Up-to-date • Fast • Professional
A complete list of the quoted references
can be found at http://bit.ly/12aHSmx
38 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8

Materials
Innovative
biopolymer blend
An innovative PLA based blend with improved toughness and durability
is close to reaching the market. The material, named Floreon
was developed under a TSB funded knowledge transfer partnership
between materials scientists at the University of Sheffield and CPD
plc, a leading UK distributor of office water cooler bottles. Floreon is intended
as a replacement for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) in CPD’s
15 litre water bottles, but has also shown promise as a cutting/printing
substrate for applications such as key cards and horticultural labels.
A plant pot label made from Floreon
CPD’s existing PET bottle
Water cooler bottles present a promising application for this material
as they are distributed in a closed loop system. It is intended that the
improved durability will make the bottles suitable for reuse, allowing the
bottles to go through many cycles of use before further conversion. The
team are now exploring the use of reground bottles in extruded sheet
applications for cutting and printing, or even reconversion into bottles.
When extruded as sheet the material cuts well and is also a good
substrate for printing. Floreon sheet items have excellent mechanical
performance and feel and the challenge now is to make the material
cost competitive. The use of recycled PLA as a base material for Floreon
has been trialled with promising results and the aim is to match the
price of current materials whilst offering better performance and a
range of end of life options.
Floreon is unique in comparison with other PLA based blends due
to its simplicity and versatility. The patent pending blend uses small
quantities of commercially available biodegradable (certified to
EN13432) thermoplastics which enhance the mechanical performance
of PLA whilst also making it easier to process. The material has passed
independent food contact testing with a range of aqueous and fatty food
simulants.
A further innovation in the works is the use of self-sanitising additives
with Floreon. Polycarbonate (PC) bottles can go through hundreds of
cycles of reuse, being washed at ~60 °C before each refill and using
strong detergents and chemicals. The inclusion of additives to prevent
biofilm formation would reduce or alleviate this need saving large
amounts of energy throughout the bottle life. Initial tests with additives
that inhibit microbial growth have shown promising results when
combined with Floreon. This could provide an alternative to reusable
bottles made from PC, a material associated with health concerns due
to the leaching of bisphenol A.
The project has also been funded by the REY programme, which is
delivered by the low-carbon consultancy CO2Sense and part-funded by
the European Regional Development Fund. CO2Sense help businesses
and public-sector organisations cut their greenhouse gas emissions
and costs, and have accelerated the project with funding to purchase
materials and tooling for production trials.
www.floreon.com
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8 39

PLA Recycling
Bioplastics want to
be recycled as well
EREMA makes sure the loop is closed
Erema T recycling system for the recycling of PLA
Plastic is becoming an increasing economic factor as a
valuable secondary raw material. The reasons are plain to
see. Whereas the production of plastics has risen by 8%
per year over the last decade, primary raw material resources
are declining dramatically. The fact is that raw material prices
are continuing to soar. Increasing importance is being attached
to bioplastics from renewable raw materials and high-quality
secondary raw materials.
Booming bioplastics trend – but the loop is not
closed yet
The ever growing ecological awareness in society and the
increasing popularity of reusable materials has meant that the
demand for bioplastics has risen considerably in recent years
and products made of bioplastics have become a booming
economic factor. The annual growth rate in Europe, for example,
is in the region of 20%, with the share of biobased plastics
becoming more and more predominant. According to European
Bioplastics some 1.161 million tonnes are currently produced
and the forecast for 2016 is over 5 million tonnes (with biobased
equivalents of conventional plastics accounting for the major
share).
In order to be able to close the loop in the bioplastics sector,
too, however, you need the appropriate recycling solution. This
is currently possible only in the case of production waste in
defined loops. Bioplastics in post-consumer waste, on the other
hand, are not separated due to the amounts still being too low.
As the amounts increase, however, so too does the necessity to
handle new material flows so existing recycling loops are not
jeopardised. The appropriate collecting and sorting systems are
becoming increasingly important as a result.
Bioplastics recycling requires expertise
Since it was founded in 1983, EREMA (Ansfelden, Austria)
has specialised in the development and production of plastic
recycling systems and technologies and is regarded as the global
market and innovation leader in these sectors. The team of the
Austrian group of companies and subsidiaries in the USA and
China, plus around 50 local representatives in all five continents
provide custom recycling solutions for international customers.
The recycling of packaging – made of bioplastics, among other
things – is a key field.
Erema has already been working on the processing of
bioplastics of a wide variety of biopolymer types such as bioPE,
bioPET, PLA (fibres, films), PHA, starch-based products,
etc. for over ten years – whether it is flat film, blown film or
biaxially oriented films and assorted types from a wide range
of manufacturers including Mater-Bi ® film from Novamont,
Ecoflex ® film from BASF or Ingeo PLA from Natureworks.
Erema Marketing Manager Gerold Breuer explains
what the recycling of bioplastics entails: “It is important to
differentiate between biobased and biodegradable plastics. The
characteristics of biobased drop-in types such as bioPET or
bioPE are no different to those of conventional plastics based
on fossil raw materials – they are merely made from a different
raw material. This means that they can be processed with the
same parameters. Bioplastics which are both biobased and
biodegradable, such as starch-based products or also PLA,
require an adapted processing profile in recycling. PLA is very
sensitive to moisture, for example, and the shearing forces that
arise in the course of processing.“
40 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8

PLA Recycling
EREMA systems already close loops
Erema has acquired a wealth of information in the field of
bioplastics recycling thanks to over 400 trials in the Erema
Customer Centre every year and recycling applications
at customers. Bioplastic customers in Europe and the
USA are already using Erema recycling systems with
success for production waste from defined bioplastic loops.
Moisture-sensitive materials such as PLA are carefully cut,
homogenised, prewarmed and dried in the patented Erema
cutter/compactor. The drying in this process is so efficient
that in many cases there is no need for any additional extruder
degassing. The warm material which is processed this way
is thus melted, filtered and pelletised with minimum shear
stress in the extruder. “In many cases PLA material can be
recycled with an Erema T system, i.e. without any additional
extruder degassing. The drying and treatment in the large
cutter/compactor are so efficient and gentle that there is no
thermal damage. We know from rheological measurements
of recycled materials that the valuable polymer structure is
retained and there is no viscosity loss,“ emphasises Gerold
Breuer (see diagram).
viscosity
Viscosity function
Rheometry; T=170°C
EREMA T
Input: PLA mill material
shear rate
Research findings confirm that PLA material processed with an
EREMA T system, i.e. without additional extruder degassing, can be
recycled without viscosity loss
New innovation highlights at K 2013
Erema’s research and development team works
continuously on the further development of its technologies
in order to drive forward a closing of the loops. The latest
innovations from the global market leader will be on show
this year at K 2013 (International Trade Fair for Plastics and
Rubber, 16 to 23 October 2013, Düsseldorf, Germany). These
will include the presentation of a new solution which gives
customers additional benefits particularly for temperaturesensitive
bio(plastics), too. Gerold Breuer shares with us
exclusively what it is all about: “This whole package of
technical innovations enables above all optimised material
intake so that temperature-sensitive bioplastics such as
PLA can also be processed at lower temperatures with high
throughput rates.”
Conclusion: (bio)plastic recycling – closing the
loop
Turning waste plastic, regardless of whether it is bioplastics
or not, into high-quality and recognised secondary raw
material calls for intensive communication in the entire
plastics industry – between raw material suppliers, plastic
processors and recyclers. This would result in the development
of materials which would take into account their later
recyclability at the time they are produced. The way forward is
to organise material flows better and optimise the production
of plastics in such a way that new, high-quality products with
a high recycling content can be achieved. And as Erema says,
‘Closing the loop’ makes sustainability happen.
www.erema.at
Bewährt zuverlässige
Leistung
Vorbildlicher
Kundenservice
Hohe
Innovationskraft
Engagiertes und
erfahrenes Team
Halle 09,
Stand 9B65
16 – 23 October 2013
www.gala-europe.de
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8 41

PLA Recycling
PLA recycling
via thermal
depolymerization
by
Ramani Narayan
Xiangke Shi
Daniel Graiver
Biobased Materials Research Group
Michigan State University
Sample # Lactide monomer % Note
1 93.49 PLA Resin
2 93.49 PLA Resin
3 91.79 NatureWorks Ingeo cups
Table 1. Recovery of lactide by catalytic thermal depolymerization
PBAT
content
Lactide recovered –no
catalyst
Table 2. Recovery of lactide monomer from PLA-PBAT blends
Figure 3. Laboratory scale recovery of
lactide from PLA polymers and blends
Lactide recovered
0.1% SnO 2
0% 99.7% 99%
10% 98.7% 99.6%
25% 96.5% 81.6%
50% 80.0% 68.2%
Background
PLA, poly(lactic acid) is a commercial 100%
biobased thermoplastic polymer that has
found wide spread industrial applications.
It derives its value proposition from having a zero
material carbon footprint arising from the short
(in balance) sustainable biological carbon cycle.
This is different from the process carbon footprint
(the carbon and environmental footprint arising
from converting the feedstock to product, use, and
ultimate disposal, typically covered by LCA methodology
[1, 2]. Many issues of bioplastics MAGAZINE
have showcased the commercial applications of
PLA, and it is the biobased plastic of choice in the
market today. The typical end of life option for the
PLA product is in industrial composting systems,
where it is readily and completely assimilated by
the microorganisms present in the compost environment
as “food” (completely biodegraded in
industrial composting environment) releasing
energy that it utilizes for its life processes.
A viable end-of-life option for PLA is chemical
recycling back to monomer – a virtual cycle of
monomer to polymer and back to monomer
– a circular biobased economy. PLA can be
manufactured by the direct condensation
polymerization of lactic acid with concomitant
removal of water. However, it is difficult to
obtain the high molecular weights necessary
for plastics applications because of the low
equilibrium constant of lactic acid esterification
and the difficulty of water by-product removal
in the increasingly viscous reaction mixture.
42 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8

PLA Recycling
O
O
OH
OH
HO
HO
(R,R)-lactide
(R) or D-lactic acid
(S) or L-lactic acid
H O O
3
C
H O O
3
C
H O O
3
C
O O
CH 3
O O
(R,S) or meso-lactide
CH O O
3
CH 3
(S,S)-lactide
O
O
Hydrolysis
HO HO (
OH
O
n
OH
Lactic Acid
Purification
Condensation
O
O
O
Lactide
O
Polymerization
Depolymerization
O
Poly (latic acid)
(
Figure 1. Stereochemistry of the lactide monomers
Figure 2 Chemistry of the interconversion between lactic acid,
lactide, and poly(lactic acid),
Today’s industrial processes are based on the ring opening
polymerization of the lactide monomer. First lactic acid is
heated under vacuum in a high surface area-to-volume
process to obtain PLA oligomers with degree of polymerization
between 2 and 25. A metal catalyst is added and the resultant
lactide removed by distillation.
The PLA system has a rich stereochemical architecture
which controls physical and performance properties of the
resultant product – the stereoisomers of lactic acid and
lactide monomers are shown in Figure 1. The percent meso
or D lactide in the L-lactide monomer would affect rate and
percent crystallinity and the eventual polymer properties of
the polymer product.
Reversible Kinetics model approach for PLA
recycling
Current approaches to PLA recycle is to hydrolyze it to
lactic acid, purify it and then reform into lactide which can
then enter into the polymerization step. However, the authors
and their workgroup have shown that the polymerization of
lactide to PLA follows a reversible kinetic model [3]. “They
have used this reversible polymerization to recycle PLA to
lactide monomer using catalytic thermal depolymerization
with success [4]. The chemistry scheme is shown in Figure
2. Proof of concept was established in a laboratory scale setup
with 10-50 gram samples of commercial PLA resin from
NatureWorks. Tin(II) 2-ethylhexanoate catalyst was used.
Melting occurred at 180-185 °C and the depolymerization
reaction started at 185°C.The reaction was carried out under
vacuum in a distillation set-up. The lactide distilled over
driving the reaction forward. The melting point of lactide
is 92-94°C and electric heating tape was used to keep the
lactide in the liquid phase after vapor condensed. A trap
was used to prevent lactide vapor from clogging the vacuum
line. The reaction temperature was kept between 185-210°C
by using an oil bath. Figure 3 shows the laboratory scale
distillation set up with the pale yellow lactide clearly visible in
the receiver flask.
As can be seen from Table 1 the total yield of lactide
was around 94% on a mass basis. Commercial Ingeo
thermoformed cups were obtained from the marketplace,
cut into small squares and added to the reactor vessel, 92%
of lactide was recovered on a mass basis.
The composition and optical purity of the lactide
was established by 1H NMR (Proton Nuclear Magnetic
Resonance) (Figure 4). The resonance peak at 1.7 ppm
corresponded to meso lactide and the resonance peak at 1.65
ppm corresponded to either LL or SS lactide (Figure 4). Due
to the isomeric nature of LL and SS lactide, their resonance
peaks are identical in the 1H NMR spectrum. According this
analysis, the meso content of this product is 9.5%, very close
to the previously reported14 meso content of PLA 3051D (8%).
Since PLA is also blended with other polyesters to
incorporate biobased content, it was important to establish
lactide recovery from such blends. One such blend is a
PLA-PBAT (polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate) reactive
blend marketed (e.g.) under the BASF trademark of Ecovio ® .
Experiments were run with and without tin oxide catalyst. Table
2 shows lactide recovery from blends with varying amount of
PBAT resin content. The SnO 2
catalyst in the resin did not aid
in depolymerization but was processed with the resin. If was
found that higher amounts of Ecoflex ® (PBAT) in the blended
samples prevented recovery of lactide from PLA. PLA
samples containing 50 wt% of Ecoflex yielded 80% recovery
of available lactide in the samples without resin catalyst and
68% recovery in the samples with resin catalyst. However, the
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8 43

PLA Recycling
1
1
H 3
C
O O
O O
CH 3
D-lactide
1
H 3
C
O
2
O
O
L-lactide
O
CH 3
1
1’
H 3
C
O
2’
O
O
Meso-lactide
O
CH 3
Solvent
1’
1.75 1.70 1.65
2
2’
1.60
1’
Figure 4 Proton NMR of the recovered
lactide from PLA depolymerization
7.0 6.5 6.0 5.5 5.0 4.5 4.0 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0
Chemical Shift (ppm)
recovery of lactide was unaffected when the amount of Ecoflex
was lowered to below 25 wt% in both samples. The addition of
resin SnO 2
catalyst to the blended samples seemed to lower
the recovery of lactide by approximately 10%-15% in blends
with greater than 25% Ecoflex. One possible explanation for
the decreased lactide recovery in blended samples could be
due to the transesterification reaction between PBAT and the
lactide oligomers.
The depolymerization rate of PLA at constant catalyst
concentration is dependent on temperature following the
Arrhenius equation The thermogravimetric analysis of
samples with 0.6% catalyst at different temperatures are
shown in Figure 5. At lower temperatures (160-180), the rate
of the reaction was low. After 60 min, the weight loss was less
than 50%. In contrast, at 210, the depolymerization reaction
resulted in 100% weight loss within only 30 min.
In summary, the authors have shown that PLA polymers
and their blends can be recycled back to lactide in 95% yields
by using a simple catalytic thermal depolymerization process
with lactide recovery by distillation. Kinetic modeling and
engineering parameters development is in progress to scale
to a pilot plant.
[1] Ramani Narayan, Biobased & Biodegradable Polymer Materials:
Rationale, Drivers, and Technology Exemplars; ACS (an
American Chemical Society publication) Symposium Ser. 1114,
Chapter 2, pg 13-31, 2012
[2] Ramani Narayan, Carbon footprint of bioplastics using biocarbon
content analysis and life cycle assessment, MRS (Materials
Research Society) Bulletin, Vol 36 Issue 09, pg. 716 – 721, 201
[3] Witzke, D. R.; Narayan, R.; Kolstad, J. J., Reversible Kinetics and
Thermodynamics of the Homopolymerization of l-Lactide with
2-Ethylhexanoic Acid Tin(II) Salt. Macromolecules 1997, 30 (23),
7075-7085.
[4] Narayan, R.; Wu, W.-m.; Criddle, C. S., Lactide Production from
Thermal Depolymerization of PLA with applications to Production
of PLA or other bioproducts. US Patent 13/421780 3/15/2012
Weight percentage [%]
100
80
60
40
20
0
0 10 20 30 40 50
Time [min]
Thermograms (TGA) of PLA depolymerization at different
temperatures (from bottom to top: 210, 200, 190, 180, 170, and 160)
at 0.6% catalyst concentration.
44 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8

PLA Recycling
Solvent based
PLA recycling
Fig. 2: no colour changes
by
Nathalie Widmann, Tanja Siebert, Andreas Mäurer,
Martin Schlummer / Fraunhofer IVV
Felix Ecker / University of Applied Sciences Fulda
In many cases waste containing PLA is currently sorted out
as an impurity during the disposal of plastic materials, since
low PLA amounts do not yet justify recycling activities. Instead
PLA, separated from post-consumer waste, is finally
processed into refuse-derived fuel or in waste incineration.
With the increasing quantities in recent years the necessity
also increases to establish efficient recycling systems for
PLA and generate high-quality recyclates guaranteeing
a good resource-efficiency. However, recycling of PLA is
challenging since in packaging materials PLA is often used
as a composite or blend. The main issues are therefore the
separation of pure PLA fractions from post-consumer waste
and the preservation of its mechanical properties in order to
obtain a high-quality recyclate. These issues have not been
solved by mechanical state-of-the-art recycling technologies.
The solvent-based CreaSolv ® process was developed by the
Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging
IVV in Freising, Germany, in cooperation with the CreaCycle
GmbH in Grevenbroich, Germany (owner of the trademark).
It represents a future-oriented alternative for the recycling
of PLA. The process has been developed for conventional
thermoplastics (e.g. PET, ABS, PA, PP, PE and PS) and
generates pure and high-quality polymer recyclates from
contaminated and heterogeneous waste.
The process can be divided into four main steps including
solution, cleaning, precipitation (the formation of a solid
in a solution during a chemical reaction) and drying of the
polymer (Fig. 1).
The CreaSolv formulations used are selective for the
respective plastic and non hazardous. Furthermore the
process involves precipitation stages for soluble contaminants
like degradation products, oligomers or undesired additives.
It returns a solution of purified macromolecules where the
size and molecular weight were found to comply with virgin
material.
The major advantage of the CreaSolv process over
established mechanical recycling processes is the ability to
separate effectively both undissolved foreign polymers and
non-plastic materials from the dissolved target plastics.
It is therefore particularly suitable for mixed waste and
composites.
Initial studies on a laboratory scale with PLA allow first
statements about solvent selection and selectivity. The PLA
solvent was applied to other typical packaging materials (PE,
PP, PET and PS) and was confirmed to be selective for PLA.
First results show that the molecular weight of PLA can be
maintained by specific process control during the dissolution,
precipitation and drying stages. Also colour changes of the
PLA can be avoided by certain conditions (Fig. 2).
Currently, results from laboratory scale experiments are
being transferred onto the small scale technical line at the
pilot plant of the Fraunhofer Institute in Freising.
www.ivv.fraunhofer.de
www.creacycle.de
solvent refining
waste solution purification precipitation drying product
impurities,
contaminants
Fig. 1: CreaSolv process (Source CreaCycle)
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8 45

PLA Recycling
PLA recycling
with degassing
The Institute of Plastic Processing (IKV) evaluates the recycling
behaviour of PLA. Recycling helps cut raw material
consumption and lowers material costs. Additionally, it
improves the ecological balance. The different industrially practiced
recycling strategies are analysed. A review is given about
the processing by means of melt degassing.
With the biggest production capacities of all bioplastics
Polylactide (PLA) is a promising bio-plastic. However, although
many raw material suppliers are starting production lines, the
amount of commercially available PLA is still limited [1].
The end-of-life scenario for PLA has rarely been analysed, yet.
Mechanical recycling is a reasonable option, but not well known
in industry. The aim of this research project is the analysis of the
material and process behaviour during mechanical recycling.
This knowledge helps converters to improve their production.
Production costs and raw material input are reduced. Four
research institutes are analysing the recycling of internal PLA
waste. Within the project the Flanders’ PlasticVision (Kortrijk,
Belgium) analyses injection moulding while the Institute of
Plastics Processing (IKV) focusses on the extrusion process. The
chemical analysis of the recycled material and the development
of biological chain extenders are done by the Fraunhofer
Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability (LBF),
in Darmstadt, Germany. Celabor (Herve, Belgium) characterizes
the physical properties of the recycled products and does a Life
Cycle Analysis of the different recycling options.
In the flat film extrusion process production waste arises
mainly from the side cuts. In the thermoforming process punch
scrap is produced. Both accounts for almost 40 % of the used
raw material. The thermoplastic waste can be melted and reprocessed
into a new product. But like every thermoplastic
material PLA is exposed to degradation. The hydrolytical
degradation is crucial for the processing of PLA. To achieve a
sufficient quality certain production steps have to be followed
during recycling, e.g. to avoid hydrolytical degradation PLA has
to be dried [2].
The material handling of PLA is important. Figure 1 shows
the moisture absorption of r-PLA under real storage conditions.
After a very strong increase in the beginning the moisture
reaches the saturation level at given humidity and temperature.
If moisture is present during the plasticization, hydrolysis
leads to a very fast degradation. This results in a decrease of the
average chain length, which can be described by the molecular
weight. A low molecular weight induces insufficient product
properties, e.g. bad mechanical properties and low chemical
resistance. Furthermore, the extrusion process is affected.
A low molecular weight is followed by a low viscosity and an
unstable process. In extreme cases, the process collapses. To
prevent hydrolysis an expensive, time and energy consuming
pre-drying step has to be conducted. An alternative is the
processing by means of a degassing extruder. The degassing
allows processing of moist material. By applying a vacuum the
moisture is removed during the process and pre-drying is not
necessary anymore. Previous analyses have shown that nearly
30 % energy can be saved by using a degassing extruder [3].
Extrusion experiments are done with the IKV equipment
on a 60 mm single screw degassing extruder (L=38 D) and a
calandar stack. The degassing zone can be closed. In that
case the extruder operates as normal extruder. The extrusion
line is equipped with a melt pump and a 900 mm flat film
die. Additionally, a bypass-rheometer is implemented. Films
produced from virgin PLA are used for recycling. A shred mill
processes these films to flakes which are subsequently used
as r-PLA.
Figure 2 shows the melt viscosity depending on the shear rate
measured with the bypass-rheometer. It correlates directly with
the molecular weight and therefore with the quality of the film.
Virgin PLA is processed with a moisture content of less than
250 ppm and without melt degassing. The artificially moistened
r-PLA is processed with the specified moisture content.
As shown in Figure 2 the melt viscosity drops with increasing
PLA moisture. The higher the moisture the stronger is the
hydrolysis. At 3200 ppm the viscosity drop is very high. As a result
the melt stability is very low and the production of film is not
possible anymore. The very strong viscosity drop at low shear
rates is a result of the longer dwell times at low shear rates in the
rheometer. This shows the very fast reactivity of the hydrolysis.
By degassing the polymer melt its moisture is removed during
processing. The hydrolytical degradation is lessened. At 750
ppm the viscosity is comparable to the viscosity of virgin PLA.
The quality loss is marginal. The degassing of the r-PLA with
moisture of 3200 ppm leads not to a sufficient viscosity. One
reason is that the capacity of the degassing system is limited.
Another reason is that the polymer has to be plasticized before
the degassing takes place. Between plasticization and actual
degassing, hydrolysis has already started to degrade the
polymer chains. At high moisture rates the degradation is too
heavy. Hence, the degassing effect is limited.
46 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8

PLA Recycling
by
Ch. Hopmann
S. Schippers
Institute of Plastics Processing (IKV) at
RWTH Aachen University
Aachen, Germany
The results of the viscosity are confirmed by
measurements of the molecular weight of the produced
film in Figure 3.
The higher the moisture content, the lower is the
molecular weight. This results from the hydrolysis. By using
degassing the molecular weight loss can be reduced. The
molecular weight of the 750 ppm r-PLA is nearly as high
as the molecular weight of the film made from virgin PLA.
Overall, the molecular weight is more stable compared to
the viscosity. The trends are the same but the effect on the
molecular weight is minor. Apart from the r-PLA with very
high moisture content (3200 ppm) the achieved viscosity and
the molecular weight are comparable to the values of virgin
PLA. The molecular weight loss is little.
Conclusion
The material handling of PLA is important for the
production process and for the later product quality.
PLA shows a strong hygroscopic behaviour. To avoid the
expensive pre-drying step the production using melt
degassing is recommended. Hydrolysis of the PLA can be
reduced as long as the moisture content does not exceed
2000 ppm. At a moisture content higher than 3200 ppm
the process and product quality is affected even though
degassing is used. In that case a pre-drying step has to be
conducted or a degassing system with a higher capacity has
to be implemented.
Acknowledgment
The research project 44EN of the Forschungsvereinigung
Kunststoffverarbeitung has been sponsored as part of the
Collective Research Networking (Cornet) by the German
German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology
(BMWi) due to an enactment of the German Parliament
through the AiF. We would like to extend our thanks to all
organizations mentioned.
www.ikv-aachen.de
[1] Auras, R.; Lim, L.T.; Selke, S.E.M.; Tsuji, H.: Poly Lactic Acid -
Synthesis, Structures, Properties, Processing, and Application.
Hoboken, New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons Inc., 2010
[2] Brandrup, J.: Recycling and Recovery of Plastics. München,
Wien: Carl Hanser Publishing, 1996
[3] Schmitz, T.: Verarbeitung von PET auf einem
Einschneckenextruder mit Trichter-und Schmelzeentgasung.
RWTH Aachen, Dissertation, 2005
PLA moisture [ppm]
4400 55
4000 50
3600 45
3200 40
2800 35
2400 30
2000 25
1600 20
1200 15
800 10
400 5
0 0
0 7 14 21 28
time [days]
PLA moisture [ppm] enviromental humidity [%] temperature [°C]
Figure 1. Moisture absorption under storage conditions
1000
viscosity [Pas]
virgin PLA
moisture degassing
750 ppm no
750 ppm yes
3200 ppm no
3200 ppm yes
100
1 10 100 1000
shear rate [s -1 ]
Figure 2. Melt viscosity with and without degassing
weight average molecular
weight [kg/mol]
250
200
150
100
50
0
Moisture [ppm] virgin 750 750 3200 3200
degassing no yes no yes
Figure 3. Molecular weight with and without degassing
enviromental humidity / temperature
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8 47

PLA Recycling
Mechanical
PLA recycling
by
Steve Dejonghe
Looplife Polymers
Hulshout, Belgium
When PLA was firstly introduced, the main proposal
was a shift from fossil resources to renewable
ones. But the remarkable versatility of the material
also opened new recycling perspectives, further enhancing
its environmental profile.
Several complementary end-of-life options are therefore
possible (ranging from composting to chemical recycling),
the most appropriate recycling channel being ultimately
determined by the nature of PLA waste.
While growing steadily, bioplastics currently account for
a marginal share of the global plastic production. Despite
the emergence of small PLA post-consumer streams,
field experience reveals the difficulties to properly identify
recycling channels and shows the challenges to connect
streams and potential recycling units.
Mid-2000’s, Galactic, a leading actor of the green
chemistry, started the first PLA recycling projects in Belgium.
Partnering with international key stakeholders, the company
was able to build an extensive know-how while acquiring a
concrete market experience over the last few years.
But to allow further industrial development, Galactic
decided end of 2012 to transfer its PLA recycling projects to
third parties.
The mechanical recycling department has been recently
acquired by Devetex, a company active since 1995 in the
recycling of off-spec material issued from the textile industry
(namely PA66 and PP). As post-consumer streams grew, a
dedicated line was also installed in 2005 to handle soiled
carpet waste.
All know-how and experience acquired by Galactic and
Devetex are now combined in one company, LoopLife
Polymers, located in Hulshout (Belgium).
LoopLife Polymers intends to support market demand for
rPLA by proposing a tangible industrial recycling solution for
various compatible waste streams, either post-industrial or
post-consumer. For this purpose, the company continues
to develop national and international partnerships and is
setting a first demo-plant for PLA post-consumer streams
(e.g. PLA cups). The philosophy is to turn less established
waste streams into useful raw material.
LoopLife Polymers and NatureWorks are collaborating
to map out regular streams of post-industrial and postconsumer
waste which can be considered for mechanical
recycling. An effective system to valorize waste is an essential
part of the biopolymer value chain optimization.
For compatible waste streams, mechanical recycling
remains a highly interesting option. With an adequate control
of the process, thermal degradation is kept to a minimum
and the resulting r-PLA still shows adequate mechanical
and thermal properties for a wide range of applications. It
also combines the advantages of being both bio-based and
recycled, with expected benefits in Life Cycle Assessment
studies. Furthermore, LoopLife’s recycling process is
optimized to lessen environmental impacts.
LoopLife Polymers can therefore be a partner;
• as an output channel for various PLA waste streams (either
Post-industrial, Post-consumer or closed-loop events),
with no volume restrictions of compatible streams
• as a supplier of several high-quality r-PLA grades with
constant specifications
Such grades are especially interesting for cost-sensitive
applications where prime PLA cannot be considered, helping
therefore to broaden the use of PLA. These r-PLA grades
are well suited for less-demanding, non-food applications.
At term, tailor-made grades could be developed to meet
specific customer’s requests.
www.looplife-polymers.eu
48 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8

PLA Recycling
Supporting
ecological advantages
A
division of Starlinger & Co GmbH (Vienna, Austria),
world market leader in the field of machinery and
complete lines for woven plastic packaging production,
Starlinger recycling technology provides machinery
solutions for the recycling and refining of a wide
scope of plastics such as PE, PP, PLA, PA, PS, BOPP and
PET. Starlinger recycling technology has focused on production
waste: although companies emphasize the concept
of zero-waste, production waste cannot be avoided
completely. Mechanical recycling is the answer as use of
rPLA can be up to 100 %.
Decisive for the quality of the end product:
Input material and recycling process
PLA is now used in many applications, such as film
for packaging, containers for juices, filaments for fabric,
etc. New technologies allow the recycling of PLA in a way
that high-quality re-granulate becomes a cost-saving
alternative to virgin resin. To ensure the production of
high value regranulate – which is the requirement for
improving cost efficiency and stability of the production
process – an analysis of the input material and the right
choice of equipment is paramount. Starlinger recycling
technology offers two suitable systems for the recycling
of PLA production scrap: recoSTAR basic and recoSTAR
universal.
Technology principles
The recostar basic uses an agglomerator for cutting
the material by means of knives on a rotating disc at
the bottom, suitable for film and pre-cut material. This
frictional process heats and dries the mixed material,
densifies it and brings it close to the melting point before
it is fed into the extruder. Six extruder sizes from 150 –
2,200 kg/h are available.
Equipped with a heavy-duty single-shaft cutter arranged
parallel to the extruder, the recostar universal enables
also the processing of film and additionally of hard-togrind
materials such as containers, fibres and start-up
lumps. The hydraulic pusher in the single shaft cutter
presses the material against a water-cooled rotating
shaft and thus provides efficient crushing. The new
feeding system into the extruder accounts for increased
operational reliability, simplified operation, and lower
energy consumption and higher output at the same time.
Five extruder sizes from 150 – 1,300kg/h are available.
Vacuum treatment, fine filtration and
pelletising
It’s all in the melt: To ensure high-quality regranulate
although PLA is hygroscopic, both recycling systems can
be equipped with an extruder vacuum unit in order to
extract volatile contaminants and reduce viscosity loss
in the melt. A variety of melt filtration systems ensure
clean, high-grade melt: melt filters with and without
backflushing, and power backflush filters are the most
common. The choice of filter type and size depends on
the type and amount of contaminants (e.g. paper) and
required fineness (50 µm positively tested). Customers
can choose water ring pelletizing, manual and automatic
strand pelletising or underwater pelletising. MT
www.recycling.starlinger.com
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8 49

PLA Recycling
Linear polymer
Better-than-virgin
recycled PLA
Chain extended polymer
(PLA + chain extender by reactive extrusion)
Ex: CESA-Extend, Joncryl, other epoxides
Hyperbranched PLA
(PLA + IFS Proprietary Chemistry by Reactive
Extrusion)
Top: PLA extrudate from a cast film process at 180°C,
bottom: hyperbranched PLA,
Interfacial Solutions LLC (River Falls, Wisconsin, USA) has
developed proprietary processing technology that converts
scrap PLA, possessing inferior properties, into a recycled
PLA resin with properties that exceed those of virgin PLA.
To do so, Interfacial Solutions utilizes a novel reactive extrusion
process and chemistry to hyperbranch PLA polymer
within a continuous extrusion process. Interfacial Solutions
has shown that hyperbranching dramatically increases the
molecular weight of the polymer while simultaneously creating
many random branching sites along the backbone of
PLA, creating a unique rheology during melt processing. The
result is an improved PLA resin with superior melt strength
and mechanical properties to virgin PLA. The hyperbranched
recycled PLA resins are particularly suited for profile extrusion
applications in durables markets.
PLA itself is a linear polymer with low melt viscosity, and
as a consequence, does not exhibit substantial melt strength
during processing. Branching of PLA through chain extension
chemistries has been shown to improve melt strength,
however, these chemistries work only on the chain ends of
the polymer. Hyperbranching produces a unique molecular
architecture from many random long and short chain
branching events. This molecular architecture allows for improved
melt processing compared to both linear and conventional
chain extension by providing substantial melt strength
enhancement, but at lower shear viscosity in the melt [1]. In
other words, profile control of the extrudate can be dramatically
enhanced without large increases in die pressure and
torque on extrusion equipment.
An additional benefit to hyperbranching is that the increased
molecular weight of the polymer makes PLA less
susceptible to processing variations caused by moisture. It
is well known that moisture in PLA resin during processing
creates process instabilities due to hydrolysis of the PLA polymer
at elevated temperature. The significantly greater molecular
weight and branched structure of hyperbranched PLA
makes for a lesser impact of hydrolysis. From the perspective
of recycling PLA through the reactive extrusion process, the
incoming scrap PLA feedstocks do not require drying to the
levels recommended by users of prime PLA grades. It is possible
to counteract the hydrolysis caused by moisture with
adjustments to the chemistry used in the reactive extrusion
process, effectively allowing repeated melt processing without
drying.
Interfacial Solutions’ proprietary technology was originally
developed to enhance the performance of compounds produced
from virgin. Through a prestigious grant from the Na-
50 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8

PLA Recycling
by
Adam R. Pawloski, Brandon J. Cernohous
Gregg S. Bennett, Jeff J. Cernohous
Interfacial Solutions / River Falls, Wisconsin, USA
tional Science Foundations Small Business Innovation Research
(SBIR) program (Grant No. IIP-1215292), Interfacial
Solutions expanded the technology to make it amenable to
recycling processes by converting low quality PLA scrap into
hyperbranched, recycled PLA resins of greatly improved mechanical
and rheological properties. As demonstrated by the
data in Table 1, even very poor quality scrap can be effectively
converted into hyperbranched resins with better-than-virgin
properties. The technology works effectively on both post-industrial
and post-consumer scrap, allowing for multiple options
of source materials. Products based on hyperbracnehd,
recycled PLA are available for purchase under the deTerra ®
product line.
www.interfacialsolutions.com
[1] Pawloski, A. R. et al., “Recycled PLA Feedstocks by Hyperbranching,”
Global Plastics Environmental Conference (GPEC),
New Orleans, 2013.
Examples of molded and extruded articles made from deTerra ®
biobased polymer
Resin
MFI (g/10min,
190°C, 2.16 kg)
Mw
(kg/mol)
Flexural
Strength (kpsi)
Virgin PLA (NatureWorks 2003D) 6.0 220 155
Hyperbranched, virgin PLA (XP759) 2.7 425 156
Prime Grade Post-industrial PLA 11.8 145 153
Low level hyperbranching 6.8 142 153
Intermediate level hyperbranching 3.2 464 155
High level hyperbranching 1.6 470 155
Low Grade Post-Industrial PLA 420.0 108 64
Low level hyperbranching 285.0 125 98
Intermediate level hyperbranching 290.0 145 122
High level hyperbranching 130.0 300 135
Post-Consumer PLA 5.0 187 145
Low level hyperbranching 0.8 398 141
Intermediate level hyperbranching 0.3 518 145
High level hyperbranching 0.0 --- 149
Table 1. MFI, Molecular Weight, and Flexural Strength of Hyperbranched,
Recycled PLA Resins
‘Basics‘ book on bioplastics
This book, created and published by Polymedia Publisher, maker of bioplastics
MAGAZINE is 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 or 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
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Or subscribe and get it as a free gift (see page 69 for details, outside German y only)
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8 51

PLA Recycling
Chemically recycling
post-consumer PLA
A
research project at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens
Point over the past two years has instituted what
is believed to be the first concerted effort in the USA to
collect and recycle post-consumer PLA.
Today, PLA is technically recyclable but infrastructure is
not in place for recycling post-consumer PLA. The Wisconsin
Institute for Sustainable Technology (WIST) at UW-Stevens
Point inaugurated a plan to create the recycling infrastructure
on a small scale to determine the practical feasibility of
chemical recycling of post-consumer PLA.
UW-Stevens Point dining services began buying food service
ware of PLA plastic in 2009 as an initiative in sustainability.
However, no system for collecting and composting or
recycling the material was in place at the university. In fact,
the switch to PLA from the polystyrene foam products the
university had been using had been intended in part as a way
to kick-start a compostability service on campus. But that
didn’t happen, either.
The FRESH Project
In an effort to more fully take advantage of the PLA
attributes, WIST created a research project to collect and
recycle post-consumer PLA. A graduate student in soil and
waste resources, Waneta Kratz, was recruited to take on
the project in conjunction with her graduate research. The
project had several aspects. The primary research goal was
to determine how much processing – rinsing and washing –
was required in order to successfully recycle post-consumer
PLA, turning waste back into lactic acid from which new,
non-food products again could be made.
A secondary goal was to test awareness on campus about
PLA and its sustainability attributes, and to learn to what
degree a publicity campaign could influence knowledge about
PLA and improve recycling success. As part of the public
relations aspect, Kratz hired several assistants to create a
campaign. The campaign was called the FRESH project, for
Focused Research Effort for Sustainable Habits. It is believed
to be the first such recycling campaign at any university in the
U.S. and the first attempt at recycling post-consumer PLA.
Publicity included informational kiosks and displays,
surveys, social media and poster campaigns to educate the
campus community about PLA environmental benefits and
end-of-useful-life options for the bioplastics. Additional
recycling containers specifically labeled for PLA food
service ware disposal were placed in dining areas for source
separation of the PLA waste where consumers were most
likely to be using and disposing of the items.
FRESH project student employees collected material from
the recycling bins and sorted the material to separate PLA
from other materials. Although the bins were clearly labeled,
there was inevitably other material deposited. The postconsumer
PLA was washed, dried and stored before being
transported to a chemicals’ re-processor elsewhere in the
state that chemically recycles post-industrial and off-grade
PLA resin, but had not recycled post-consumer PLA.
Level Time, min Temp, °C NaOH, wt % Surfactant, wt %
Low

PLA Recycling
by
Paul Fowler
Waneta Kratz
Ron Tschida
Wisconsin Institute for Sustainable Technology
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Stevens Point, Wisconsin, USA
Chemical recycling analysis
Recycling post-consumer PLA presents an additional
problem in that it is contaminated by food. Prior to the WIST
research no studies had been done nor any procedures
established in the USA for cleaning post-consumer PLA
for chemical recycling. The WIST project designed two
different rinsing protocols to test whether a light rinse or
more intensive washing was required for effective chemical
recycling. The procedure for an intensive wash was adapted
from a standard washing procedure [1] for post-consumer
PET containers such as beverage bottles. A low-level
treatment was designed by Kratz for the FRESH project. (See
washing parameters summarized in Table 1, adapted from
Kratz thesis, unpublished, used with permission.)
Chemical recycling of PLA is done by hydrolysis, with
pressure and heat added to speed the process. To test the
rinse processing methods, laboratory hydrolysis in sealed
flasks was performed on PLA that had received a high-level
treatment, PLA receiving a low-level treatment, and on preconsumer
PLA as a control. The PLA products tested were
clear plastic cups made from NatureWorks Ingeo.
Total acid recovery in all treatments and controls exceeded
the client specification and ranged from 89.5 to 96.0% for total
acid (see Table 2, adapted from Kratz thesis, unpublished,
used with permission).
The difference in acid recovery was insignificant between
samples receiving a low-level treatment and those receiving
the more intensive treatment. The results indicated that
even a low level rinse of post-consumer PLA is adequate
for chemical recycling. The intensive wash procedures used
for PET may not be necessary to chemically recycle postconsumer
PLA.
Further research is needed on this topic, and experiments
on a larger scale would be useful toward developing practical
infrastructure. Meanwhile the FRESH project is ongoing at
UW-Stevens Point.
[1] Chariyachotilert, C., Selke, S., Auras, R.A., and Joshi, S. 2012.
Assessment of the properties of poly(L-lactic Acid) sheets
produced with differing amounts of post-consumer recycled
poly(L-lactic Acid). Journal of Plastic Film and Sheeting 28:
314–335.
Recovery through chemical recycling was evaluated in
terms of the amount of free acid and total acid in the hydrolyzed
lactic acid product. There is currently no industry standard
published for successful lactic acid recovery. However, a
potential client had specified that recovered material should
contain 68.5-74.5% free acid and 80-91% total acid. WIST
used those numbers for comparison purposes.
Treatment Sample Starting mass (g) Recovery (g) Recovery % Recovery Average %
Preconsumer
PLA
1
2
3
113.59
113.60
112.24
108.57
109.42
106.91
95.58
96.32
95.25
4 113.60 103.13 90.79
Low-level 5 113.60 105.10 92.52
6 113.60 105.32 92.71
High-level 1 8 113.62 104.19 91.71
7 113.60 101.84 89.64
9 113.62 102.61 90.31
95.71
92.01
90.55
Table 2. Recovery of lactic acid product from chemical recycling of polylactic acid (PLA) cups. Lowlevel
indicates FRESH wash only; high-level indicates adapted industrial PET recycling wash [1]
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8 53

PLA Recycling
Recycling
‘hands on‘
The Perpetual Plastic Project with live,
interactive demonstration
The sustainability and feasibility of various end-of-life options for bioplastics
remains a hot discussion topic. The actual application, of course, has
a strong influence on which end-of-life option could be the most sustainable.
For Purac, Gorinchem, The Netherlands, recycling is the preferred option
where possible. This ensures that valuable raw materials remain in the value
chain for reuse in future applications.
As a result, Purac – a leading company in lactic acid based bioplastics – has
sponsored the Perpetual Plastic Project to highlight how easily PLA bioplastic
can be recycled. PLA drinking cups were provided by Purac; intended for use
at events where people can immediately recycle them into new products after
use. The project is designed to educate people on the recyclability of bioplastic,
in order to close the loop and promote a circular, biobased economy for future
generations.
The Perpetual Plastic Project on tour
The Perpetual Plastic Project has successfully created a do-it-yourself’,
interactive machine, which provides users with a small-scale demonstration
of how easily PLA can be recycled: following the steps of cleaning, drying,
shredding, melting and extrusion, before finally being remade into a new article.
In this case, a 3D printer was used to create jewelry and small toys from the
used PLA cups. The machine has toured the Netherlands at numerous events,
including the Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven, the Science Center NEMO in
Amsterdam and the National Sustainability Congress in Nieuwegein.
The Perpetual Plastic Project is an initiative created by former TU Delft
students. Purac, together with GroenBeker, provided the PLA bioplastic drinking
cups which accompanied the machine. François de Bie, Marketing Director
Purac Bioplastics, is pleased with the project: “This initiative demonstrates in a
tangible, understandable way just how easily PLA can be recycled. Although PLA
is still a relatively new material to the plastics industry, it promises to become
widely implemented throughout a broad range of applications. It is therefore vital
that we already start to think about how best to recycle these valuable materials.
Thanks to the Perpetual Plastics Project, we can show people at events and
festivals what can ultimately be achieved on a much larger scale’.
Purac has created a short video to highlight the project and the recyclability of PLA.
www.purac.com/bioplastics.
Info:
See http://bit.ly/18SnQiM (or scan the QR-code)
to view the video-clip.
54 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8

PLA Recycling
Pelletizing and crystallizing of
PLA – an analogy to PET?!
As PLA finds more and more applications it gives rise
to the question of which are the most appropriate
technologies for processing. Because of the low glass
transition temperature of PLA the crystallization of the plastics
may play a decisive role in identifying further processing,
depending on the exact material parameters and processing
tasks.
The strong analogies of PLA and PET concerning
water absorption and crystallization behaviour suggest
that processes which can be successfully used for the
crystallization of PET are also suitable for the processing of
PLA. Meanwhile there are some very different methods for
the crystallization of PET as virgin and recycled material. An
essentially energy-efficient method is the so-called inline
crystallization in combination with an underwater pelletizing
system, as introduced by BKG Bruckmann & Kreyenborg
Granuliertechnik GmbH of Münster, Germany.
Complete BKG-KREYENBORG discharge unit consisting of melt pump,
screen changer, polymer valve and underwater pelletizing system
With the processing of thermoplastics underwater
pelletizing systems play an increasingly important role
and may slowly replace classic strand pelletizing systems.
The spherical pellets, obtained by using a die-face, are the
starting point for the following inline crystallization. The cut
pellets are transported in extremely hot process water to the
centrifugal dryer, in which they are separated from the water.
The amorphous pellets exit the dryer at a very high
temperature and fall onto a special vibrating conveyor. Under
permanent motion, which prevents a sticking together of the
hot pellets, the PET crystallizes automatically from inside to
outside solely due to the residual heat. Unlike other processes,
no additional energy has to be supplied from outside. With
the processing of PET a crystallization degree of about 45 %
may be achieved. Additionally the pellets do have such a high
temperature that further heating for downstream processes
is often not necessary.
Microscopic picture of PLA resin, which was crystallized with the
CrystallCut system of BKG
The analogy of PET and PLA is the starting point for a use
of this extremely energy-efficient process for the processing
of PLA as virgin and recycled material. A direct use depends
on the exact parameters and requires an exact adaptation
of the process. As soon as this procedure is successfully
identified a cost-efficient and energy-saving method for
the crystallization is available for PLA processors. Thus
the attraction of the forward looking plastic, PLA, is further
increased. MT
www.bkg.de
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8 55

Portrait
10 years FKuR
The bioplastics compounding company FKuR from Willich,
Germany, celebrates its 10 th anniversary this June.
bioplastics MAGAZINE spoke with co-founder and CEO
Edmund Dolfen.
bM: Edmund – first of all happy birthday for the 10th
anniversary of your company. Could you briefly tell us about
the origins of FKuR?
Dolfen: The roots were in our care for the environment,
especially in recycling. FKuR used to be an abbreviation for
Forschungsinstitut Kunststoff und Recycling established in
1992. When founding the FKuR Kunststoff GmbH in 2003 we
were convinced that nature itself is the best recycler. That was
the basis for the development of biodegradable plastics.
bM: And today?
Dolfen: Biodegradable and compostable plastics are still
our main markets including applications where the natural
degradation in nature is included in products such as mulch
films. In these compounds we try to include as much biobased
material as possible.
So, our second biggest field of activity are materials made
from renewable resources. The reasons are obvious: fossil
resources are finite and become more and more expensive -
and they burden the climate with additional CO 2
.
We compound and distribute, for example, Green PE by
Braskem made from sugar cane which is grown in freely
available areas in the South of Brazil and does not affect the
deforestation of the amazon rainforest.
bM: What is your secret of success?
Dolfen: We are technically inventive and we have strong
development partners such as Fraunhofer UMSICHT. We have
a huge number of external development agreements which
result in a broad portfolio of products, such as for film blowing,
extrusion, injection moulding and thermoforming.
bM: In recent years the bioplastics sector has grown
significantly and more and more players appear on the scene.
What differentiates FKuR from other suppliers?
Dolfen: One advantage is our company philosophy. We
constantly try to perfect our consulting and development
service, from the first idea to a marketable product. There are
so many different new resins available. We develop blends with
optimized processability and properties.
bM: Which are the most pleasant experiences in your
company history?
Dolfen: I’d say in the first instance the people around us,
i.e. our shareholders who all are active in the company, the
employees, 40 by now, who all participate in our success, and
most importantly the partners who accompany us, i.e. the
suppliers, customers and many development partners. This
pleasant surrounding allows us to grow smoothly and efficiently.
bM: What ideas are behind the latest agreements you have
made?
Dolfen: We are seeking renewable solutions for all important
applications. The name FKuR represents the task: When you are
looking for a biobased solution, FKuR offers a suitable resin, either
our own compounds or products that we distribute. Our driver is
supporting the customer with his new products and markets.
bM: What are your future targets?
Dolfen: Beside continuing expansion with biodegradable
products the biggest challenge for the future is to realize as
many renewably sourced materials as possible. We not only owe
this to our suffering environment but also to future generations.
And new biobased materials are standing by.
bM: For example?
Dolfen: We will announce them in due course. The most
interesting candidates are biobased PET and biobased PA.
bM: How do you manage these sales challenges?
Dolfen: We have also started to focus on direct customer
sales, which is a real challenge for our engineers. So, we
are integrating more native speakers, who can cope with the
multiple European mentalities.
bM: May I ask a personal question?
Dolfen: Please go ahead!
bM: You are now 72 years old. How long will this go on? Are
you considering retirement?
Dolfen: I was lucky to gather a lot of entrepreneurial
knowledge and experience during my career. I’d like to pass
them on and we are developing them further within our young
team. The management in FKuR is well structured – so I could
retire from daily management and concentrate on strategic
moves and co-operations.
bM: Is there a world other than FKuR?
Dolfen: It’s a question of balance and continuity. I enjoy the
job and the responsibility. So, it becomes a question of what is
essential for you during your unique visit on this earth and what
gives you the perception of happiness. For the sake of the balance I
am preparing for more time for other essentials in life, for instance
hobbies like arts and painting. I like to paint portraits in oils, since
I love people and faces. Each one represents an individual history
and exciting character which are reflected in his face.
bM: Thank you very much.
56 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8

Opinion
Biobased:
Lose the hyphen
by
Ron Buckhalt
U.S. Department for Agriculture
(USDA)
Look at this issue of bioplastics Magazine and you will
see nearly all things bio are not hyphenated. They are
one single word, biobased, biodegradable, bioplastics,
biopolymer, biorefineries, and biomass. Even the name of the
publication, bioplastics Magazine, is not hyphenated. Look
at any U.S. Federal government document and you will see
most things bio, including biobased, are not hyphenated. This
was not always the case. Many of these words were hyphenated
when first used because they were new in use. So while
much progress has been made, we continue to see biobased
spelled with and without a hyphen.
As one who was working with biobased industrial products
in the early 1980’s directing marketing and communications
campaigns I had to constantly fight my computer which kept
correcting to bio-based. It was frustrating until I added to the
term biobased to my computer’s accepted dictionary. I have
even added biobased some years ago to the memory of the
new machine on which I am now working to make sure it is
accepted. Of course, the mid-80’s was also the same time
automatic spell check would change biobased to beefalo. I
actually saw one published document in the 80’s which the
author did not double check, but left it to spell check to take
care of, that had beefalo throughout. Go figure. At that point I
promised myself that if I did nothing else in life I would do what
I could to make sure biobased became the accepted spelling.
So when we worked on ”Greening the Government” Federal
executive orders in the 80’s and legislation creating our
BioPreferred program in 2001-2002, we sought to standardize
the term to biobased in all Federal government documents.
Biobased is the way it is spelled in the 2002 and 2008 U.S.
Farm Bills that first created our BioPreferred program and
then amended it. Our intent was to make biobased a noun by
usage, not just an adjective always modifying product.
New words are created everyday and the dictionaries
eventually catch up. Words and terms like bucket list, cloud
computing, energy drink, man cave, and audio dub were
recently added. They have been around for a while. In the
case of biobased that has not yet happened. Biobased is not
in Webster, not even bio-based. Yet Wikipedia has it listed as
biobased. The name of our program, BioPreferred, was not in
the Farm Bill legislation. It is a made-up word for marketing
purposes to signify the Federal purchasing preference for
products made from bio feed stocks as well as the many
advantages to consumers and the environment. You won’t
find BioPreferred in a “proper” dictionary. Even Wikipedia
just points to the BioPreferred web site and when you do a
computer search for BioPreferred our program name pops
up. We hold a patent on the term by the way.
In the large scheme of things whether we hyphenate
biobased or not is probably no big deal. But there are those of
us who believe biobased is a movement, not an adjective, and
that is why we have dedicated most of our working career to
advancing the cause and we want to spell it biobased and we
want to see it in Webster.
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8 57

Report
% O 2
% O 2
2
1,5
1
0,5
0
0 10 20 30 40
Day
2
1,5
1
0,5
Short shelf life
(storage under
cooling)
Medium shelf life
(storage under
cooling)
Long shelf life
(storage at room
temperature)
Food product
Pouches
Tray
0
0 10 20 30 40
Day
Fig 2: O 2
concentration during the shelf life of ham sausage
packed in pouches made of Natureflex type 1 , Natureflex
type 2 and in the reference package or packed in a PLA
tray with a Paper/Alox/PLA topfilm , a Natureflex type 1/PLA
topfilm and in the reference package .
Tomatoes
Rumpsteak
Ham sausage
Filet de Saxe
Ham sausage
French fries
Grated cheese
Potato flakes
Rice cakes
Tortillachips
Speculoos
Selected films
PLA tray + Multilayer PLA
PLA tray + Natureflex
type 1/PLA
Natureflex type 1
Natureflex type 2
PLA tray + Natureflex
type 1/PLA
PLA tray + Paper/AlOx/PLA
Natureflex type 1
Natureflex type 2
Skalax (Xylophane)
Natureflex type 2
Cellophane /M/PLA
Natureflex type 1
Natureflex type 2
Cellophane /M/PLA
Natureflex type 3
Natureflex type 4
Table 2: Overview selected food products and films
Bioplastics for
food packaging
A
two year research project at Ghent University (Department
of Food Safety and Food Quality, Ghent, Belgium)
has shown that bioplastics have a great potential as a
packaging material for various types of food products (short,
medium and long shelf life), including packaging under modified
atmosphere (MAP). This research project, initiated by Pack-
4Food and funded by the Agency for Science and Technology
(IWT, Brussels, Belgium), was led by Prof. Peter Ragaert and
performed in close collaboration with different research institutes
(Ghent University, University college Ghent, Packaging
Centre, Belgian Packaging Institute and Flanders’ Plastic Vision)
and 22 companies.
Characterization of biobased materials
The project started with the characterization of multilayered
biobased materials that were found on the market or that were
laminated especially for this project. Different parameters
important for food packaging materials, like barrier properties
(Table 1), seal properties and mechanical properties, were
collected (from technical sheet or by measurements at the
Packaging Centre). The large variation in film characteristics of
the different tested materials shows that for various types of food
products a suitable biobased packaging material can be found.
Storage tests
Based on the characterization, different multilayered
bioplastics were selected to pack different food products (short,
medium and long shelf life) (Table 2). Several food products were
packaged under modified atmosphere (mostly a mixture of N 2
and
CO 2
) which is a commonly used preservation technique in the food
industry. The food products were analyzed for microbiological,
chemical and sensorial parameters at certain times during their
shelf life and the results were each time compared with their
evolution in the conventionally packaged food products. Some
examples of tested packages are shown in Figure 1a and 1b.
The results were mainly positive for the short and medium
shelf life products, which were all MAP packed, except for the
tomatoes, and stored at 4°C. All tested multilayered bioplastics
showed sufficient barrier against O 2
and CO 2
to maintain the
shelf life of the tested food products, as shown for ham sausage
in Figure 2. For most other parameters, no differences between
the biobased packages and the conventional packages were
observed. Only for rumpsteak and ham sausage packed in trays,
more loss in red or pink color was observed in the bioplastics
packaging by the color measurements and these results were
confirmed during the sensorial evaluations (performed at the
58 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8

Report
by
Nanou Peelman
Peter Ragaert
Ghent University
Faculty of Bioscience Engineering
Ghent, Belgium
Material
O 2
(cm³/m 2·d)
23°C - 75% RH
H 2
O
(g/m 2·d)
38°C – 90% RH
Natureflex type 1 9.9 10.1
Natureflex type 2 3.4 5.0
Ecoflex+Ecovio/Ecovio/Ecoflex+Ecovio 815.0 216.4
Metallised PLA 25.4 2.3
Cellophane /Metal/PLA 9.1 9.7
respective food companies). This difference in color could be
caused by different UV-transparency properties of the materials.
For the dry, long shelf life products, maintaining crispness
is essential. Moisture barrier is very important for these
food products, which were packed under air, except for the
potato flakes, which were MAP packed, and stored at room
temperature. Tortillachips and rice cakes maintained their
crispness when they were packed in the biobased packaging
during 6 or 12 months. Also no different lipid oxidation occurred
compared to the conventional packaging. For potato flakes, no
good sealed packages could be made from the Xylan based
material (due to food product contamination on the sealing zone
during filling), but the Natureflex film showed similar barrier
properties as the conventional film. Furthermore, no difference
in parameters was observed between both films. Because of
the small packages, dry biscuits were immediately packed at
the company itself. Small holes and micro leaks in the seal (due
to the thickness of the film) caused to much moisture uptake by
dry biscuits packed in the Natureflex type 3 film. Less moisture
uptake was observed in the Natureflex type 4 film, but still the
moisture barrier was insufficient to keep the biscuits crisp
during the entire shelf life of 30 weeks.
Printability and migration tests
The Natureflex type 1 film (Fig. 3) was printed in the framework
of a collaboration between Lima (organic food products) and
Be_Natural (packaging consultant sustainable packaging). This
packaging went commercial in 2012. Besides, a multilayer PLA
film was printed at Vitra NV during the research project. The
film could be printed without any problem and further testing
showed good adhesion of the inks on the film surface. The
PLA film seemed however receptive to solvents, which should
be solved by applying other types of inks or adjusting the print
design (no full surfaces). Global migration tests (10% and 95%
ethanol) showed that all the tested multilayered biobased films
did not exceed the limit of 10 mg/dm 2 .
Paper/AlOx/PLA 45.7 6.0
Bioska (multilayer PLA) 617.6 275.1
Natureflex type 1/PLA 11.01 11.3
PHB/Ecoflex 142.1 80.6
Xylophane A (coated on paper) 3.7 24.3
PLA tray (Ingeo) 46.8 3.8
Table 1. Barrier properties of multilayered biobased plastics
In conclusion, this collaborative research project shows
promising results for packing different food products in
bioplastics without compromising the desired shelf-life. This
also includes applications for MAP packaging. Moreover, some
of the tested materials are already in use today. Examples are
given in Fig. 3 (rice packaging - company Lima) and Fig. 4 (sliced
meat packaging – company Ter Beke). Further attention however
needs to be given to bioplastics materials for certain moisture
sensitive food products in need of a high moisture barrier.
Besides, the participating companies in the project mentioned
issues such as current price and waste management options
as important parameters in the decision and implementation
process of companies whether or not to add bioplastics in their
product portfolio.
www.foodscience.UGent.be
www.Pack4Food.be
www.iwt.be
Left Figure 1a. Ham sausage in PLA tray + Natureflex type 1-PLA
Right Figure 3. Rice packaging from company Lima (www.limafood.com)
Case studies at food companies
Several bioplastics were selected to be tested in production
environment at different participating companies in the project.
On the vertical flow pack machines, only easily solvable
problems were encountered (e.g. optimizing time-temperature
settings) and good sealed packages could be made. On the
horizontal flow pack machines, it was also possible to make
sealed pouches, but some of the films seemed too brittle to be
filled with a large amount of product.
Figure 1b. Tortillachips packed in
reference (l) - natureflex type 2
(m) - natureflex type 1 (r)
Figure 4. Sliced meat
packaging from company Ter
Beke (www.terbeke.com)
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8 59

Basics
Fig. 1: (source [2])
HO
O
Succinic
acid
by Michael Thielen
O
OH
As industry transforms from petro-based to environmentally
sustainable materials, succinic acid is
emerging as one of the most competitive of the new
bio-based chemicals [1].
Succinic acid (IUPAC name Butanedioic acid, other names
are amber acid or ethane-1,2-dicarboxylic acid) is a colorless,
crystalline, aliphatic dicarboxylic acid with a chemical formula
C 4
H 6
O 4
and structural formula HOOC-(CH 2
) 2
-COOH [2]
Succinic acid is a platform or bulk chemical with global
production rate of between 30,000 and 50,000 tonnes per
year. The market is expected to grow at a compound annual
growth rate of 18.7% from 2011 to 2016. It can be used directly
or as intermediate for a large number of applications such
as for plastics, paints, food additives and other industrial
and consumer products. Until recently, succinic acid was
produced mainly by chemical processes from petrochemical
feedstocks, such as butane or benzene via the conversion of
maleic anhydride to succinic anhydride followed by hydrolysis.
Alternative routes include the oxidation of 1,4-butanediol and
the carbonylation of ethylene glycol [3, 4, 5].
But succinic acid can also be produced by fermenting
carbohydrate or glycerol using engineered bacteria or yeast.
Current commercial routes are based on proprietary E. Coli
and yeast strains, developed by BioAmber and Reverdia
respectively. BioAmber are also developing a next generation
process based on yeast fermentation, developed by Cargill [4].
The downstream processing of succinic acid post
fermentation is critical to the cost of production. The need
to control (buffer) the pH during fermentation results in
succinate salt formation which then needs to be ‘cracked’
to recover the free succinic acid. The use of low pH tolerant
yeast removes the need for buffering and therefore simplifies
downstream processing reducing costs [4].
Fig. 3: thermoformed clamshells made of PBS (GS
Pla, source Mitsubishi Chemical)
Bio-succinic acid
Different companies are active in field of biobased
succinic acid [4]:
BioAmber, a renewable chemicals company based in
Minneapolis, USA has been producing and supplying biosuccinic
acid at commercial scale out of a plant in Pomacle,
France, since 2010. This plant was built in partnership
with Agro Industrie Recherches et Developpements (ARD)
of France and has a capacity of 3,000 tonnes. BioAmber’s
product is marketed under the brand name BioAmber
Bio-SA The comoany has been working with Cargill on a
second-generation organism to produce BioAmber Bio-
SA, based on Cargill’s proprietary SBA yeast, which builds
on decades of Cargill experience in the field. BioAmber is
building an industrial scale plant for bio-succinic acid and
bio-1,4 butanediol, with an initial projected capacity of 30,000
tonnes of Bio-SA and 50,000 tonnes of bio-1,4 butanediol in
Sarnia, Canada. The SBA yeast enables lower capital and
operating costs, as well as a simplified purification process,
which drives down facility and production costs to ensure
60 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8

Basics
Fig. 2: Examples for of typical polyurethane applications including the renewable content due to the use of bio-based succinic acid (Source Reverdia)
the lowest cost option for bio-succinic acid. BioAmber
Bio-SA produced using the SBA yeast can metabolise
non-agricultural feedstocks and has a carbon neutral Life
Cycle Analysis (LCA) from field-to-gate, effectively reducing
greenhouse gas emissions by 99.4% and providing energy
savings of 56.3% compared to petroleum succinic acid. [6].
Reverdia (a joint venture between DSM and Roquette Frères)
is employing a low-pH yeast technology to produce their
product which is branded Biosuccinium. The proprietary
technology is less complex, direct and has several distinct
advantages over bacteria-mediated conversion technologies,
but one of them in particular stands out: the Reverdia
process converts feedstock directly to acid. Bacteria-based
processes are indirect, and therefore require extra chemical
processing, additional equipment and additional energy to
convert intermediate salts into succinic acid [7]. Reverdia
recently opened the worlds first commercial-scale bio-based
succinic acid plant in Cassano Spinola, Italy. It has a capacity
to produce around 10,000 tonnes of Biosuccinium succinic
acid every year [4].
Myriant, as successor to BioEnergy International, have been
awarded $50 million by the US Department of Energy to help
fund the construction of a succinic acid plant in Louisiana, US.
Scheduled for start-up in 2013, the plant will produce about
14.000 tonnes of bio-succinic acid annually. The technology is
based on Myriant’s proprietary fermentation complemented
by ThyssenKrupp Uhde’s downstream process. [5].
BASF and Purac (a subsidiary of CSM) are establishing a
joint venture for the production and sale of biobased succinic
acid. The to be formed company with the name Succinity
GmbH intends to be operational in 2013. A modified existing
fermentation facility in Spain was announced to commence
operations in late 2013 with an annual capacity of 10,000
tonnes of succinic acid [8].
Mitsubishi Chemicals and PTT are jointly investigating
the feasibility of the manufacture of bio-based polybutylene
succinate (PBS) in Thailand. BioAmber will be the supplier
of biobased succinic acid to a Faurecia-Mitsubishi Chemical
partnership for the production of PBS for automotive interior
applications [9].
A similar approach is perfomed by Showa Denko K.K (SDK),
who announced Myriant as its global supplier of biosuccinic
acid for the production of PBS [5].
Feedstock
First generation of succinic acid fermentation processes
use traditional feedstock like starch hydrolysate, molasses
or industrial sugars. In the near future this will shift to
lignocellulose based fermentation feedstocks, as they are
being developed for second generation bio-ethanol [10].
Applications
Bio-based succinic acid can for example replace fossilbased
succinic acid or adipic acid used for the manufacture
of polyester polyols and polyurethanes.
Another field of application is the manufacture of
polybutylene succinate (PBS) (Fig. 3), a biodegradable
polymer sold under brand names such as Bionolle ® and GS
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8 61

Pla ® . These resins can for example be used as mulch films,
rubbish bags and ‘flushable’ hygiene products [4].
Polyamides are made by polycondensation of dicarbonic
acids with diamines or by polyaddition of lactames. e.g. PA
66 or PA 6. Succinic acid and its derivates 1,4 –di-amino
butane or 2-pyrrolidinone are therefore raw materials for
the production of polyamide 4.4 or polyamide 4 [3].
Other applications include thermoset resins, pigments,
phthalate free plasticizers, coating components,
adhesives, sealants, personal care ingredients and more.
As an acidulant and preservative made from plant based
feedstocks, bio-succinic acid offers multi-functionality with
a unique flavor profile to food and flavor formulations [1].
Bio-based succinic acid can also serve as a building
block for large volume chemical intermediates such as
1,4-butanediol (bio-BDO) [11].
Environmental Sustainability Benefits
Today’s technology for the production of succinic
acid from biomass can realise up to 99.4% reduction
in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to the
production of equivalent petrochemical products [11].
With R&D development, succinic acid production from
maize could lead to non-renewable energy savings of
51 to 68 GJ/tonne (53-71%) compared to petrochemical
production via maleic acid. Lignocellulosic feedstock could
increase this saving to 61-82%. The land requirement
for shifting to future biotechnology production ranges
from 0.07 to 0.32 ha/tonne depending on technology and
feedstock [12].
[1] http://www.bio-amber.com/products/en/products/succinic_
acid
[2] N.N.: Wikipedia
[3] N.N.: Polyamide from bio-amber, bioplastics MAGAZINE
01/2006
[4] N.N.: NNFCC Renewable Chemicals Factsheet: Succinic Acid,
2013
[5] http://www.myriant.com
[6] BioAmber – personal information, 30 April 2013
[7] Smidt, M.: A sustainable supply of succinic acid;
Euro|Biotech|News No. 11-12, Vol. 10, 2011
[8] N.N.: BASF and CSM establish 50-50 joint venture for biobased
succinic acid, Press-Release P-12-444, basf.com, 2012
[9] N.N.: Biobased succinic acid for PBS – production capacities
to be confirmed in 2013, European Bioplastics Bulletin 01/2013
[10] N.N.: personal information, Reverdia, May 2013
[11] N.N.: BioAmber Bio-SA Earns High Score in Environmental
Leader Technology Reviews; BioAmber Press Release, March 4,
2013
[12] The BREW Project. Medium and Long-term Opportunities and
Risks of the Biotechnological Production of Bulk Chemicals from
Renewable Resources – The Potential of White Biotechnology;
2006.
www.reverdia.com
www.bio-amber.com
www.myriant.com
www.basf.com
www.m-kagaku.co.jp/english/newsreleases
www.purac.com
62 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8

Opinion
Market studies
by Michael Carus,
nova-Institute
The nova-Institute carried out the study ‘Biobased Polymers
in the World; Capacities, Production and Applications:
Status Quo and Trends towards 2020’ in collaboration
with renowned international experts from the field of
biobased polymers. Considerably higher production capacity
was found than in previous studies. The 4.6 million tonnes
represent a share of 2% of an overall structural polymer production
of 235 million tonnes in 2012.
The table below shows for example the data of the latest
market study from ifBB in comparison with nova’s findings for
the year 2012.
What are the reasons for this huge difference?
1) It is the first time that a study has looked at every kind
of biobased polymer and their precursors, now including 48
polymers and 65 building blocks produced by 247 companies
at 363 locations around the world and it examines in detail
12 biopolymer families produced by 114 companies in 135
locations (see table).
2) Following the focus on polymers in structural applications,
Cellulose Acetate was included from the group of cellulosebased
polymers. Other Cellulose derivatives are either used in
functional applications or closely related to paper due to their
production process (which is out of scope).
3) The capacities for PET are derived from the capacities of
its precursor bio-MEG (Monoethylene glycol) which represents
the bottleneck in the production of bio-PET right now.
4) The study also covers the large group of thermosets
like epoxy resins, alkyd resins, unsaturated polyester resins
and several others, based on natural oil polyols. Due to the
structure of the value chain, the capacities here are derived
from capacities and development of their precursors.
Polyurethanes are regarded separately, as an own group of
polymers, be they thermosetting or thermoplastic.
5) For PA, PUR and starch blends higher capacities were
found, that information mainly comes directly from the
processing companies.
Methodology of the nova study
This study focuses exclusively on bio-based polymer
producers, and the market data therefore does not cover
the bio-based plastics branch in an attempt to avoid double
counting over the various steps in the value chain. For more
details about the methodology see issue 02/2013 of bioplastics
MAGAZINE or http://bit.ly/X4ILj9
www.nova-institute.com
nova-Institut
ifBB 2013
(European Bioplastics)
Bio-based polymers
Producing companies
until 2020
Locations
Production capacities
in 2012 (t/a)
Production capacities
in 2012 (t/a)
Cellulose Acetate 9 15 835.000 -
Cellulose Derivatives / Regenerated Cellulose - - - 34.000
PA 14 17 70.000 23.000
PBS / PBAT 14 15 175.000 122.000
PC - - - 250
PCL - - - 1.250
PE 3 * 2 200.000 200.000
PP 1 1 0 -
PET 4 4 850.000 542.000
PHAs 14 16 30.000 21.750
PLA 27 32 190.000 186.000
PUR 10 10 150.000 1.250
PVC 2 2 0 -
Starch Blends 19 21 335.000 140.000
Thermosets n.a. ** n.a. ** 1.775.000 -
TPE - - - 2.500
Total 114 135 4.610.000 1.274.000
Additional companies included in the “Bio-based
Polymer Producer Database”
133 228
Total companies and locations recorded in the
Market Study
247 363
*
Including Joint Venture of two companies sharing one location, counting as two
**
The final composition of a thermoset is not determined by the big chemical companies, but by multitude of formulators. In order to get capacitites’
data it is necessary to look at the renewable building blocks (monomeric and polymeric) that are used for thermosets.
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8 63

Opinion
Reliable and transparent
by Constance Ißbrücker, European Bioplastics
Compared to conventional plastics, the bioplastics market
is a fairly young one. Currently, there is no common
systematization for bioplastics statistics available. The
consequence: Diverse reports from private and public organisations
and institutions try to give an impression of where
the market stands and where it is heading. Different methodological
approaches with varying levels of thoroughness are
published. Reports giving not one common, but quite a multitude
of impressions are the consequence. This is confusing
for the end consumer, and also on a B2B level.
What is really included in the data? Which forecasts are reliable?
These were leading questions, when European Bioplastics
stepped up its own statistical approach together with an
independent research facility, the Institute for Biocomposites and
Bioplastics (IfBB, University of Applied Arts Hanover/Germany).
The aim was, to provide reliable, transparent market data giving
a neutral overview close to the reality of the bioplastics market.
The survey of EuBP and the IfBB comprises data regarding
production capacities (actual and announced) of bioplastic
worldwide. 115 manufacturers, which play a significant role on
the market concerning production capacities, were identified. The
current statistics comprise the data of 70 manufacturers from 19
countries and 87 material types. Still, all relevant market players
are accounted for, and the survey gives an indicative overview of the
market situation.
In order to account for the volatility of the market, a
conservative approach was taken for the accumulation and
assessment of the data.
EuBP defines bioplastics as biobased, biodegradable or both.
The published statistics consider novel and upcoming bioplastics,
which is the market the association is representing and whose
growth is explained. Traditional materials such as rubber, but
also established cellulose derivatives and regenerates in their
long familiar applications are not included. To ensure a welldefined
scope of the data, precursors and intermediates (like
for thermosets) were not included. This results in a strong
focus on thermoplastic materials. Functional biomass polymers
like WPC were excluded for the same reason as starch-filled
polyolefines. In contrast, blends based on plastified starch, in
which the polysaccharide does not only act as filling material,
were considered.
The relatively short reference period from 2011 to 2016 was
chosen, as market activities are subject to variations, and a
broader timeframe would decrease the validity of the resulting
data. At the end of 2012, no announcements for production
capacities that went beyond 2016 were known of.
If production capacities are announced for a later date (e.g.
middle of the year), capacities are partially calculated based on
the facility’s total capacity. The total amount is then counted for
in the year to follow.
The method of counting production capacities per
manufacturer inevitably leads to double counting. Therefore,
functional components are subtracted from blends to obtain a
realistic assessment of the total market volume. This concerns
e.g. for PLA or starch, blended with e.g. PBAT.
To give a correct projection of the realistic production
development of a facility, the following assumptions were made:
For all those interested in European Bioplastics’ methodology
the following link provides more information:
http://en.european-bioplastics.org/market/marketdevelopment/market-data-methodology
Production capacity development
Production capacity
Linear regression
Logistic regression
2010 2011 1 2012 2 2013 2014 2015 3 2016 4 2017
Announcement of production start (logistic 1 / linear 2 )
Expected point of full capacity (linear 3 / logistic 4 )
Capacity growth of < 10,000 t/a:
Forward projection of announced capacities
Capacity growth 10,000 – 50,000 t/a:
Equalisation and growth function (linear regression): f(x)=m∙x+b
Capacity growth of > 50,000 t/a:
Equalisation and growth function (logistic regression):
Scope of considered materials in the bioplastics statistics (EuBP/IfBB)
Biodegradable
Material group
Abbreviation
Cellulose derivatives 1
Regenerated cellulose 2
Other biodegradable polyesters PBAT, PBS, PCL
Polyhydroxyalkanoates
PHA
Polylactic acid incl. blends
PLA, PLA-Blends
Starch blends (biodegradable)
Biobased, durable
Material group
Abbreviation
Polyamide
Bio-PA
Polypropylene 3
Bio-PP
Polyethylene
Bio-PE
Polyurethane
Bio-PUR
Polyethylene terephthalate 4
Bio-PET
Thermoplastic elastomers
Bio-TPE
Polycarbonates 6
Bio-PC
Polyethylenefuranoate 7
PEF
1 Cellulose ester only
2 Hydrated cellulose foils certified to be compostable (in packaging segment).
3 At the time of publication, bio-PP was in its development stage.
4 Bio-PET 30: Considered to be 30 % biobased,
bio-PET 100: Considered to be 100 % biobased.
5 Excluding starch filled polyolefins.
6 At the time of publication, bio-polycarbonate was in its development stage.
7 At the time of publication, bio-PEF was in its development stage.
64 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8

ioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8 65

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: +33 680 28 69 99
fdevivie@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
100
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
Kingfa Sci. & Tech. Co., Ltd.
No.33 Kefeng Rd, Sc. City, Guangzhou
Hi-Tech Ind. Development Zone,
Guangdong, P.R. China. 510663
Tel: +86 (0)20 6622 1696
info@ecopond.com.cn
www.ecopond.com.cn
FLEX-162 Biodeg. Blown Film Resin!
Bio-873 4-Star Inj. Bio-Based Resin!
PolyOne
Avenue Melville Wilson, 2
Zoning de la Fagne
5330 Assesse
Belgium
Tel.: + 32 83 660 211
www.polyone.com
110
120
130
140
150
160
170
180
39 mm
Polymedia Publisher GmbH
Dammer Str. 112
41066 Mönchengladbach
Germany
Tel. +49 2161 664864
Fax +49 2161 631045
info@bioplasticsmagazine.com
www.bioplasticsmagazine.com
Sample Charge:
39mm x 6,00 €
= 234,00 € per entry/per issue
Sample Charge for one year:
6 issues x 234,00 EUR = 1,404.00 €
The entry in our Suppliers Guide is
bookable for one year (6 issues) and
extends automatically if it’s not canceled
three month before expiry.
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
FKuR Kunststoff GmbH
Siemensring 79
D - 47 877 Willich
Tel. +49 2154 9251-0
Tel.: +49 2154 9251-51
sales@fkur.com
www.fkur.com
GRAFE-Group
Waldecker Straße 21,
99444 Blankenhain, Germany
Tel. +49 36459 45 0
www.grafe.com
WinGram Industry CO., LTD
Great River(Qin Xin)
Plastic Manufacturer CO., LTD
Mobile (China): +86-13113833156
Mobile (Hong Kong): +852-63078857
Fax: +852-3184 8934
Email: Benson@wingram.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
190
200
210
220
230
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
1.2 compounds
Guangdong Shangjiu
Biodegradable Plastics Co., Ltd.
Shangjiu Environmental Protection
Eco-Tech Industrial Park,Niushan,
Dongcheng District, Dongguan City,
Guangdong Province, 523128 China
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
240
250
260
270
www.facebook.com
www.issuu.com
www.twitter.com
www.youtube.com
API S.p.A.
Via Dante Alighieri, 27
36065 Mussolente (VI), Italy
Telephone +39 0424 579711
www.apiplastic.com
www.apinatbio.com
Tel.: 0086-769-22114999
Fax: 0086-769-22103988
www.999sw.com www.999sw.net
999sw@163.com
BIOTEC
Biologische Naturverpackungen
Werner-Heisenberg-Strasse 32
46446 Emmerich/Germany
Tel.: +49 - 2822 - 925110
info@biotec.de
www.biotec.de
66 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8

Suppliers Guide
1.6 masterbatches
3. Semi finished products
3.1 films
ROQUETTE
62 136 LESTREM, FRANCE
00 33 (0) 3 21 63 36 00
www.gaialene.com
www.roquette.com
GRAFE-Group
Waldecker Straße 21,
99444 Blankenhain, Germany
Tel. +49 36459 45 0
www.grafe.com
Huhtamaki Films
Sonja Haug
Zweibrückenstraße 15-25
91301 Forchheim
Tel. +49-9191 81203
Fax +49-9191 811203
www.huhtamaki-films.com
Minima Technology Co., Ltd.
Esmy Huang, Marketing Manager
No.33. Yichang E. Rd., Taipin City,
Taichung County
411, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
Tel. +886(4)2277 6888
Fax +883(4)2277 6989
Mobil +886(0)982-829988
esmy@minima-tech.com
Skype esmy325
www.minima-tech.com
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
PolyOne
Avenue Melville Wilson, 2
Zoning de la Fagne
5330 Assesse
Belgium
Tel.: + 32 83 660 211
www.polyone.com
2. Additives/Secondary raw materials
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
NOVAMONT S.p.A.
Via Fauser , 8
28100 Novara - ITALIA
Fax +39.0321.699.601
Tel. +39.0321.699.611
www.novamont.com
PSM Bioplastic NA
Chicago, USA
www.psmna.com
+1-630-393-0012
1.5 PHA
A & O FilmPAC Ltd
9 Osier Way
Olney, Bucks.
MK46 5FP
Tel.: +44 1234 714 477
Fax: +44 1234 713 221
sales@bioresins.eu
www.bioresins.eu
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
TianAn Biopolymer
No. 68 Dagang 6th Rd,
Beilun, Ningbo, China, 315800
Tel. +86-57 48 68 62 50 2
Fax +86-57 48 68 77 98 0
enquiry@tianan-enmat.com
www.tianan-enmat.com
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
GRAFE-Group
Waldecker Straße 21,
99444 Blankenhain, Germany
Tel. +49 36459 45 0
www.grafe.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
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
4. Bioplastics products
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
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
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 [03/13] Vol. 8 67

Suppliers Guide
10
6. Equipment
20
6.1 Machinery & Molds
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
130
140
150
160
170
180
190
200
210
220
230
240
250
39 mm
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:
Polymedia Publisher GmbH
Dammer Str. 112
41066 Mönchengladbach
Germany
Tel. +49 2161 664864
Fax +49 2161 631045
info@bioplasticsmagazine.com
www.bioplasticsmagazine.com
Sample Charge:
39mm x 6,00 €
= 234,00 € per entry/per issue
Sample Charge for one year:
6 issues x 234,00 EUR = 1,404.00 €
The entry in our Suppliers Guide is
bookable for one year (6 issues) and
extends automatically if it’s not canceled
three month before expiry.
www.facebook.com
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
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
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
7. Plant engineering
EREMA Engineering Recycling
Maschinen und Anlagen GmbH
Unterfeldstrasse 3
4052 Ansfelden, AUSTRIA
Phone: +43 (0) 732 / 3190-0
Fax: +43 (0) 732 / 3190-23
erema@erema.at
www.erema.at
Uhde Inventa-Fischer GmbH
Holzhauser Strasse 157–159
D-13509 Berlin
Tel. +49 30 43 567 5
Fax +49 30 43 567 699
sales.de@uhde-inventa-fischer.com
Uhde Inventa-Fischer AG
Via Innovativa 31
CH-7013 Domat/Ems
Tel. +41 81 632 63 11
Fax +41 81 632 74 03
sales.ch@uhde-inventa-fischer.com
www.uhde-inventa-fischer.com
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
Institut für Kunststofftechnik
Universität Stuttgart
Böblinger Straße 70
70199 Stuttgart
Tel +49 711/685-62814
Linda.Goebel@ikt.uni-stuttgart.de
www.ikt.uni-stuttgart.de
narocon
Dr. Harald Kaeb
Tel.: +49 30-28096930
kaeb@narocon.de
www.narocon.de
nova-Institut GmbH
Chemiepark Knapsack
Industriestrasse 300
50354 Huerth, Germany
Tel.: +49(0)2233-48-14 40
E-Mail: contact@nova-institut.de
Bioplastics Consulting
Tel. +49 2161 664864
info@polymediaconsult.com
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, Germany
Tel. +49 30 284 82 350
Fax +49 30 284 84 359
info@european-bioplastics.org
www.european-bioplastics.org
10.2 Universities
IfBB – Institute for Bioplastics
and Biocomposites
University of Applied Sciences
and Arts Hanover
Faculty II – Mechanical and
Bioprocess Engineering
Heisterbergallee 12
30453 Hannover, Germany
Tel.: +49 5 11 / 92 96 - 22 69
Fax: +49 5 11 / 92 96 - 99 - 22 69
lisa.mundzeck@fh-hannover.de
http://www.ifbb-hannover.de/
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
260
270
www.issuu.com
www.twitter.com
www.youtube.com
68 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8

Events
Event
Calendar
Subscribe
now at
bioplasticsmagazine.com
the next six issues for €149.– 1)
Biopolymere in der Spritzgussverarbeitung
06.06.2013 - Hannover, Germany
http://wip-kunststoffe.de/wip/top/967572-biopolymere-schon-verarbeitet/
Biopolymers Symposium 2013
11.06.2013 - 12.06.2013 - Chicago,IL,USA
http://www.biopolymersummit.com/biopolymers-agenda.aspx
Biochemicals & Bioplastics 2013 Summit
19.06.2013 - 20.06.2013 - Frankfurt, Germany
http://www.acius.net
BioPlastek 2013 Forum
26.06.2013 - 28.06.2013 - San Francisco (CA), USA
San Francisco Hilton (Financial District)
www.bioplastek.com
Special offer
for students and
young professionals
1,2) € 99.-
2) aged 35 and below.
Send a scan of your
student card, your ID
or similar proof ...
The 5th International Conference on Sustainable Materials,
Polymers and Composites
03.07.2013 - 04.07.2013 - Birmingham, (UK) Großbritannien
http://www.ecocomp-conference.com
4th International Conference on BIOFOAMS 2013
27.08.2013 - 01.01.1970 - Toronto- Canada
http://biofoams2013.mie.utoronto.ca/
2nd Conference on CO 2
as Feedstock for Chemistry
and Polymers
07.10.2013 - 09.10.2013 - Essen, Germany
Haus der Technik
http://www.co2-chemistry.eu
Fifth German WPC Conference
10.12.2013 - 11.12.2013 - Cologne, Germany
Maritim Hotel Cologne
http://www.wpc-kongress.de/registration?lng=en
8th European Bioplastics Conference
10.12.2013 - 11.12.2013 - Berlin, Germany
InterContinental Hotel
www.conference.european-bioplastics.org
Innovation Takes Root
17.02.2014 - 19.02.2014 - Orlando FL, USA
Orlando World Center Marriott
http://www.innovationtakesroot.com/
World Bio Markets 2014
04.03.2014 - 06.03.2014 - Amsterdam, The Netherlands
RAI Amsterdam
http://www.worldbiofuelsmarkets.com
+
or
BioPlastics 2014: The Re-Invention of Plastics
04.03.2014 - 06.03.2014 - Las Vegas, NV, USA
Caesars Palace
http://www.BioplastConference.com
Mention the promotion code ‘watch‘ or ‘book‘
and you will get our watch or the book 3)
Bioplastics Basics. Applications. Markets. for free
1) Offer valid until 31 Dec. 2013
3) Gratis-Buch in Deutschland nicht möglich, no free book in Germany
bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8 69

Companies in this issue
Company Editorial Advert Company Editorial Advert Company Editorial Advert
4e solutions 9
A&O FilmPAC 67
Adsale (Chinaplas) 31
Amyris 6
API 66
ARD 60
Arkema 67
BASF 9, 16, 61
Bayer Material Science 9
Belgian Packaging Inst. 58
Bio Energy Intl. 61
BioAmber 60
BIOCOPACK 24
BioFactur 20
Biome Bioplastics 8
Biotec 66
BKR Kreyenborg 55
BPI 67
Braskem 33
Bremen Univ. App. Sc. 9
Brno Univ. of. Techn. 32
Cardia Bioplastics 5
Cargill 60
Celabor 46
Cereplast 66
Clariant 9
CO2 Starch 5
Coperion 9, 33
Cortec 67
CPD 39
CreaCycle 45
CSM 7, 61
Devetex 48
Doraplast 18
DSM 35, 61
DuPont 9, 32 66
EREMA 40 17, 68
European Bioplastics 11, 64 19, 68
FAO 11
fischerwerke 9
FKuR 56 2, 66
Flanders Plastic Vision 58
Flexform 9
Fraunhofer IVV 45
Fraunhofer LBF 46
Fraunhofer UMSICHT 68
Fukutomi 32
Futerro 3
Gala 41
Galactic 3, 48
Grabio Greentech 33 67
Grafe 66, 67
GroenBeker 54
Gruppo M&G 6
Guangdong Shangjiu 66
Guangzhou Bioplus 31
Hallink 68
Hallstar 67
Hirsch 18
HS Merseburg 5
Hubei Guanghe 31
Huhtamaki 3 67
IHS Chemical 8
Institut for bioplastics & biocomposites (IfBB) 11 68
Institut für Kunststofftechnik 68
Institut für Kunststoffverarbeitung (IKV) 46
Interfacial Solutions 50
ITENE 32
IWT 58
Jiangsu Jinhe 31
Johann Borgers 9
Kingfa 66
Kuraray 6
Limagrain Céréales Ingrédients 66
Loopline Polymers 48
Ludwig Maximilians Univ. München 36
Memo 20
Messe Düsseldorf (K'2013) 27
Metabolix 67
MF Folien 35
Michigan State University 42 68
Minima Technology 67
Mitsubishi Chemical 60
Myriant 61 62
Nafigate 32
NaKu 18
narocon 68
NatureWorks 9, 48, 53
Natur-Tec 66
New Sunrise Plastics 35
Newlight Technologies 9, 14
NGR 30
NNFCC 60
nova-Institut 9, 10, 63 13, 68
Novamont 67, 72
Ökologische Molkereien Allgäu 34
Plantic 34
Plastic Suppliers 67
plasticker 38
PoliKompleks 7
polymediaconsult 688
PolyOne 66, 67
President Packaging 67
ProTec Polymer Processing 68
PSM 51
PTT 61
Purac 3, 7, 35, 54, 61 66
Reverdia 60
Rewe 18
Rhein Chemie 67
Roll-o-Matic 68
Roquette 34, 61 67
Rotec 7
RWTH Aachen University 46
Saida 68
Sarad 7
Shandong Fuwin 32
Shanghai Disoxidation 33
Shenzhen Esun 32 66
Showa Denko 61 66
Sidaplax 67
SSICA 24
Starlinger 49
Succinity 61
Sulzer 6
Taghleef Industries 67
Technalia 12
Tecnaro 2, 22
Teijin 6
ThyssenKrupp Uhde 61
TianAn Biopolymer 67
Tianjin Greenbio 33
Toray 33
Toyota 32
Uhde Inventa-Fischer 68
UL Thermoplastics 68
Univ. App. Sc. Fulda 45
Univ. Ghent 58
Univ. Nottingham 28
Univ. Sheffield 39
Univ. Sydney 5
Univ. Toronto 28
Univ. Warwick 8
Univ. Wisconsin 52
USDA 57
UW Steven Point 52
Waschbär 20
Wei Mon 65, 67
Well Water 21
WinGram 66
Wuhan Huali 33
Zéfal 34
Zhejiang Hangzhou Xinfu 66
Editorial Planner 2013
Subject to changes
Issue Month Publ.-Date
edit/ad/
Deadline
04/2013 Jul/Aug 05.08.13 05.07.13 Bottles / Blow
Moulding
05/2013 Sept/Oct 01.10.13 01.09.13 Fiber / Textile /
Nonwoven
06/2013 Nov/Dec 02.12.13 02.11.13 Films / Flexibles /
Bags
Editorial Focus (1) Editorial Focus (2) Basics Fair Specials
Bioplastics in Building
& Construction
Designer‘s Requirements
for Bioplastics
Consumer
Electronics
Land use for bioplastics
(update)
biobased ( 12 C / 14 C
vs. Biomass)
Eutrophication
(t.b.c)
K'2013 Preview
K'2013 Review
70 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/13] Vol. 8

PRESENTS
2013
THE EIGHTH 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 31st:
1. What the product, service or development is and does
2. Why you think this product, service or development should win an award
3. What your (or the proposed) company or organisation does
Your entry should not exceed 500 words (approx 1 page) and may also
be supported with photographs, samples, marketing brochures and/or
technical documentation (cannot be sent back). The 5 nominees must be
prepared to provide a 30 second videoclip
More details and an entry form can be downloaded from
www.bioplasticsmagazine.de/award
The Bioplastics Award will be presented during the
8 th European Bioplastics Conference
December 2013, Berlin, Germany
supported by
Sponsors welcome, please contact mt@bioplasticsmagazine.com

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