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ioplastics magazine Vol. 6 ISSN 1862-5258<br />
Highlights<br />
Films Flexibles Bags | 14<br />
Consumer Electronics | 38<br />
Personality<br />
John Williams | 48<br />
November/December<br />
06 | 2011<br />
... is read in 91 countries
FKuR plastics – made by nature! ®<br />
Engineered Sustainability<br />
Mouse casing made from Biograde ®<br />
FKuR Kunststoff GmbH<br />
Siemensring 79<br />
D - 47877 Willich<br />
Phone: +49 2154 92 51-0<br />
Fax: +49 2154 92 51-51<br />
sales@fkur.com<br />
www.fkur.com<br />
For further information, contact your local partner:<br />
North America: sales.usa@fkur.com<br />
UK & Ireland: UK@fkur.com<br />
Italy:<br />
Italy@fkur.com<br />
France: France@fkur.com<br />
Scandinavia: Scan@fkur.com<br />
Israel:<br />
Israel@fkur.com
Editorial<br />
dear<br />
readers<br />
Even if the cover picture shows an example of a consumer electronics<br />
product that was launched only this year, this little mouse is the only<br />
consumer electronics example we have in this issue. On the other hand<br />
the second highlight that we had announced — films|flexibles|bags — is<br />
packed with articles, opinions and application news. Be it multilayer<br />
laminates, barrier solutions or the hot topic of plastic bags, there is<br />
plenty of new information and food for thought for you, our readers.<br />
We apologize that the ‘basics’ article about film blowing and blown film<br />
extrusion respectively, had to be postponed to a later issue. Instead we<br />
are happy to present another informative and basic ‘opinion’ article on<br />
the use of agricultural resources for materials production vs energy vs<br />
food or animal feed usage.<br />
And we are happy to congratulate Danone for winning the 6 th Bioplastics<br />
Award, this year for the first time awarded exclusively by bioplastics<br />
MAGAZINE. The ‘Bioplastics Oskar’ — as it was called by delegates of<br />
the conference — was given to the brand owners in recognition of their<br />
exceptional commitment to the use of bioplastics in the packaging of<br />
their leading brand products. The ceremony was part of the 6 th European<br />
Bioplastics Conference on November 22 nd and 23 rd in Berlin, Germany.<br />
Congratulations to European Bioplastics as well for a great conference<br />
with a new record of 420 delegates.<br />
The team of bioplastics MAGAZINE would like to thank all of you for your<br />
loyalty, be it as reader, author or advertiser. We wish you some relaxing<br />
days at the end of the year. Let’s continue a fruitful cooperation in 2012<br />
and see many of you at our 2 nd PLA World Congress on May 15 th and 16 th ,<br />
2012, in Munich, Germany.<br />
Follow us on twitter:<br />
twitter.com/bioplasticsmag<br />
Until then, we hope you enjoy reading bioplastics MAGAZINE<br />
Sincerely yours<br />
Michael Thielen<br />
Be our friend on Facebook:<br />
www.facebook.com/bioplasticsmagazine<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6 3
Content<br />
Award<br />
Bioplastics Award 2011 .......................... 10<br />
Events<br />
European Bioplastics Conference ................. 12<br />
Editorial ..........................3<br />
News .............................5<br />
Application News ..................34<br />
Event Calendar ....................52<br />
Bookstore ........................33<br />
Glossary .........................50<br />
Editorial Planner ..................58<br />
Companies in this issue ............58<br />
06|2011<br />
November/December<br />
Films | Flexibles | Bags<br />
Design Your Own Compostable Film ............... 14<br />
Longer Shelf Life in PLA Packaging ............... 18<br />
New Applications for BoPLA films ................. 20<br />
The Future of the Shopping Bag in Italy ............. 22<br />
Mulch Film Certified ............................ 24<br />
Biopolymer Coatings for Sustainable Packaging ..... 26<br />
‘Bagislation‘ in Europe .......................... 28<br />
Renewable Lightweight Coffee Pouches ............ 32<br />
Consumer Electronics<br />
Bioplastic Mouse added to Green Line .............. 38<br />
Report<br />
Bioplastics in Practical Use ...................... 40<br />
Basics<br />
Agricultural Resources for Bioplastics ............. 44<br />
Personality<br />
John Williams .................................. 48<br />
Imprint<br />
Publisher / Editorial<br />
Dr. Michael Thielen<br />
Samuel Brangenberg<br />
Layout/Production<br />
Mark Speckenbach, Julia Hunold<br />
Head Office<br />
Polymedia Publisher GmbH<br />
Dammer Str. 112<br />
41066 Mönchengladbach, Germany<br />
phone: +49 (0)2161 6884469<br />
fax: +49 (0)2161 6884468<br />
info@bioplasticsmagazine.com<br />
www.bioplasticsmagazine.com<br />
Media Adviser<br />
Elke Hoffmann, Caroline Motyka<br />
phone: +49(0)2161-6884467<br />
fax: +49(0)2161 6884468<br />
eh@bioplasticsmagazine.com<br />
Print<br />
Tölkes Druck + Medien GmbH<br />
47807 Krefeld, Germany<br />
Total Print run: 3,500 copies<br />
bioplastics magazine<br />
ISSN 1862-5258<br />
bioplastics magazine is published<br />
6 times a year.<br />
This publication is sent to qualified<br />
subscribers (149 Euro for 6 issues).<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE is printed on<br />
chlorine-free FSC certified paper.<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE is read<br />
in 91 countries.<br />
Not to be reproduced in any form<br />
without permission from the publisher.<br />
The fact that product names may not be<br />
identified in our editorial as trade marks is<br />
not an indication that such names are not<br />
registered trade marks.<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE tries to use British<br />
spelling. However, in articles based on<br />
information from the USA, American<br />
spelling may also be used.<br />
Editorial contributions are always welcome.<br />
Please contact the editorial office via<br />
mt@bioplasticsmagazine.com.<br />
Envelopes<br />
A part of this print run is mailed to the readers<br />
wrapped in BoPLA envelopes sponsored by<br />
Taghleef Industries S.p.A., Maropack GmbH &<br />
Co. KGand SFV Verpackungen<br />
Cover<br />
Photo: Philipp Thielen<br />
4 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6<br />
Follow us on twitter:<br />
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News<br />
Thailand Preferred for Next Ingeo Plant<br />
NatureWorks LLC, from Minnetonka, Minnessota, USA<br />
announced in mid-October that Thailand’s largest chemical<br />
producer, PTT Chemical Public Company Limited (PTT<br />
Chemical) is investing US$150 million in NatureWorks.<br />
NatureWorks supplies its broad family of renewable Ingeo<br />
biopolymers to plastics and fibers markets worldwide. PTT<br />
Chemical’s investment in NatureWorks, until now wholly<br />
owned by Cargill, is subject to regulatory approval.<br />
“The Thai Government encourages an investment in<br />
green chemicals, and particularly bioplastics, which have<br />
high growth potential in the Southeast Asian market,” said<br />
Thailand‘s Minister of Energy H.E. Mr. Pichai Naripthaphan.<br />
“By attracting what could be the most advanced biopolymer<br />
processing plant in the world to Thailand, PTT Chemical has<br />
made a significant step in achieving Thailand’s strategic<br />
objectives of becoming a regional hub for green technologies<br />
and solutions.”<br />
“This is a significant investment by a leading chemical<br />
company, which will allow NatureWorks to continue its<br />
aggressive growth while expanding its capacity to meet global<br />
demand for bio-based products. PTT Chemical’s investment<br />
demonstrates a significant milestone in moving Ingeo biobased<br />
plastics and fibers to the polymer mainstream,” said<br />
Marc Verbruggen, president and chief executive officer<br />
of NatureWorks. “PTT Chemical’s investment supports<br />
NatureWorks intent to globalize its Ingeo manufacturing<br />
capability. We anticipate bringing the new plant online in 2015<br />
and expect to announce further details on this expansion<br />
later this year.”<br />
operating officer, Downstream Petroleum Business Group of<br />
PTT Public Company Limited. “PTT Chemical is keen to play a<br />
role in pioneering a world-scale bioplastics industry with the<br />
aim to become a global leader by 2020 and push Thailand to<br />
become an Asian bio-hub.”<br />
“PTT Chemical reinforces NatureWorks’ leadership position<br />
and proven track record in bringing cost effective biopolymer<br />
innovations to the global marketplace,” said Mr. Veerasak<br />
Kositpaisal, president and chief executive officer of PTT<br />
Chemical. “NatureWorks is currently the forefront producer<br />
of bio-based products with commercially viable production<br />
volumes, competitive costing and a global customer base.<br />
Our investment in the company and its Ingeo technology<br />
platform for plastics and fibers is in line with our long-term<br />
strategic green growth and diversification objectives.”<br />
Over the past several years, NatureWorks has seen steady<br />
25 to 30% increases in annual product demand. In the last<br />
two years, NatureWorks doubled its Ingeo supply availability<br />
by bringing online additional production capacity at its Blair,<br />
Neb., processing facility.<br />
“The proposed new Ingeo facility in Thailand would be<br />
NatureWorks’ second production plant,” Marc Verbruggen<br />
added. MT<br />
www.natureworksllc.com<br />
www.pttchemgroup.com<br />
“This investment will strengthen PTT Chemical’s green<br />
growth strategy towards sustainable development by<br />
integrating more renewable and environmentally friendly<br />
materials in its portfolio, while offering more green product<br />
choices to the customer to fulfill our responsibility as<br />
the ‘Power for a Sustainable Future’ for Thailand and all<br />
stakeholders,” said Mr. Nuttachat Charuchinda, the chief<br />
FKuR Exclusive Distributor of Green-PE in Europe<br />
Global biopolymer leader Braskem and bioplastics specialist FKuR have signed a distribution agreement for Green PE.<br />
Taking effect immediately (Nov. 2011), FKuR will be the official distribution partner for Braskem´s Green PE in Europe.<br />
“This new business field is another milestone that helps make our ‘FKuR - plastics made by nature ® ’ strategy a reality. As<br />
a leading player in the European bioplastics market we are happy to be part of Braskem’s innovative campaign for changing<br />
resource utilisation,” said Dr. Edmund Dolfen, FKuR’s CEO.<br />
“For Braskem, it was important to find a partner who has extensive knowledge in promoting bioplastic specialties in a<br />
commodity market,” declared Fabio Carneiro, Renewable Chemicals Commercial Officer at Braskem.<br />
With its European sales force, FKuR will be an additional technology and technical contact support, development advisor<br />
and logistic partner for Europe. Furthermore, tailor-made compounds made from Braskem’s Green PE will be available under<br />
FKuR’s brand name Terralene TM .<br />
www.braskem.com<br />
www.fkur.com<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6 5
News<br />
NatureWorks<br />
Received Award<br />
NatureWorks was recently honored with<br />
the 2011 Leader of Change Award from<br />
The Foundation for Social Change and<br />
the United Nations Office for Partnerships<br />
(UNOP).<br />
The Leader of Change award recognizes<br />
visionary executives of companies,<br />
financial institutions, and advocacy<br />
groups that have demonstrated an<br />
exemplary commitment to the pursuit of<br />
sustainability whereby environmental and<br />
social performance are embedded in the<br />
competitive strategy of the organization.<br />
“We named NatureWorks a leader<br />
of change, because the company<br />
demonstrates several compelling proof<br />
points,” explained Louise M. Guido, CEO<br />
of the Foundation for Social Change.<br />
“NatureWorks is not a longstanding,<br />
conventional company that decided to<br />
‘go green,’ this is a company actually<br />
founded – just 10 years ago – on the<br />
simple principle of selling sustainable<br />
performance products, giving<br />
contemporary industry a new way to do<br />
business and today’s consumer a new<br />
choice. And, as the Ingeo Earth Month<br />
project demonstrated, NatureWorks’<br />
early bet on environmental performance<br />
is clearly paying off.”<br />
NatureWorks joins a prestigious<br />
group of other 2011 Leader in Change<br />
award recipients, including Billabong,<br />
Domini Social Investment Fund, DSM,<br />
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Marks<br />
& Spencer, Philips Lighting, Seventh<br />
Generation and Unilever.<br />
“NatureWorks is founded on the very<br />
principles recognized by the 2011 Leader<br />
of Change Award,” said Steve Davies,<br />
marketing and public affairs director for<br />
NatureWorks, “Ingeo allows companies<br />
to do business differently – by opening<br />
the way for brands to bring innovative and<br />
sustainable products to their customers<br />
without compromising performance and<br />
appeal.” MT<br />
www.natureworksllc.com<br />
First Bio-based EPDM<br />
Rubber in the World<br />
LANXESS from Leverkusen, Germany is strengthening its commitment<br />
to produce premium synthetic rubbers from bio-based raw materials. The<br />
specialty chemicals company aims to commercially produce ethylenepropylene-diene<br />
monomer (EPDM) from bio-based ethylene by the end of<br />
the year. It will be the first form of bio-based EPDM rubber in the world.<br />
EPDM is conventionally produced using the petroleum-based raw<br />
materials ethylene and propylene. Alternatively, Lanxess plans to use<br />
ethylene derived purely from the renewable resource sugar cane. The<br />
company Braskem S.A. will supply the bio-based ethylene via pipeline to<br />
Lanxess’ existing EPDM plant in Triunfo, Brazil.<br />
“Lanxess’ ongoing search for alternatives to fossil fuels underlines its<br />
commitment to reducing CO 2<br />
emissions through sustainable production,”<br />
said Guenther Weymans, head of Lanxess’ Technical Rubber Products<br />
business unit. “We are very excited that our Brazilian plant will be the<br />
pioneer for bio-based EPDM.”<br />
“Lanxess will contribute to broaden our portfolio of renewable chemicals’<br />
clients. This agreement will bring the benefits of green ethylene to other<br />
important applications and markets. Lanxess has extensive automotive<br />
experience and an excellent reputation in this market, which makes it<br />
an ideal partner,” said Marcelo Nunes, Braskem’s Renewable Chemicals<br />
Director.<br />
Triunfo currently produces 40,000 tonnes per year of regular EPDM<br />
rubber and it is expected that the first batches of the product Keltan Eco will<br />
amount to several hundred tonnes. The company’s other EPDM production<br />
sites are based in Geleen, The Netherlands, Marl, Germany, and Orange,<br />
Texas, USA. All EPDM grades will be sold in the future under the brand<br />
name Keltan.<br />
EPDM is used above all in the automotive industry but also in the plastics<br />
modification, cable and wire, construction and oil additives industries. Its<br />
properties include very low density, good resistance to heat, oxidation,<br />
chemicals and weathering as well as good electrical insulation properties.<br />
In addition, Lanxess is already seeking alternative sources to produce<br />
the premium synthetic rubber product butyl rubber, which is used<br />
predominantly in the tire industry. Together with Colorado-based Gevo, Inc,<br />
Lanxess is developing isobutene from renewable resources starting with<br />
corn. Isobutene is a key raw material needed in the manufacture of butyl<br />
rubber.<br />
Last year, Lanxess started up a new onsite<br />
power plant at its Brazilian site in Porto<br />
Feliz, which produces iron oxide pigments.<br />
The innovative, highly efficient cogeneration<br />
plant for the production of electricity and<br />
steam is powered by bagasse, a fibrous<br />
component of sugar cane that is left over<br />
after sugar production. Thanks to the use of<br />
this renewable, environmentally friendly raw<br />
material, energy can be produced on a CO 2<br />
-<br />
neutral basis for the site. MT<br />
www.lanxess.com<br />
www.braskem.com<br />
6 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6
News<br />
New Additives for<br />
High-Performance<br />
Bioplastics<br />
Compared to conventional high-performance<br />
plastics, bioplastics have their limitations – among<br />
other things in terms of stability and strength. The<br />
Düsseldorf/Germany based chemical company<br />
Henkel and the compounder and biopolymer<br />
specialist Tecnaro from Ilsfeld-Auenstein, Germany<br />
have worked together to overcome these limitations.<br />
In cooperation with Tecnaro, Henkel has now<br />
succeeded in developing new high-performance<br />
polyamide additives based on renewable raw<br />
materials that can significantly improve the<br />
performance of bioplastics.<br />
Containing a large proportion of natural raw<br />
materials, the additives of Henkel’s Macromelt brand<br />
are ideal for the production of industrial plastics. This<br />
has become possible through the use of dimer fatty<br />
acids based on natural oils (e.g. rapeseed and tall<br />
oil). Along with a general increase in the proportion<br />
of bio-sourced ingredients, the new additives also<br />
have a positive impact on the performance profile<br />
of bioplastics. Impact resistance and fiber-matrix<br />
adhesion are much improved by these additives.<br />
Depending on the plastics formulation, the<br />
additives are capable of reducing processing<br />
temperature, in some cases considerably. This<br />
diminishes the stressing of the fibers employed, with<br />
a positive effect on stability and appearance.<br />
By developing Macromelt polyamide technology<br />
further, Henkel is thus helping to improve the quality<br />
and usability of bioplastics and paving the way for<br />
further high-end applications.<br />
Thanks to the many years of successful<br />
cooperation between Henkel and Tecnaro, tailored<br />
biopolymers and composites containing Macromelt<br />
additives are already expanding Tecnaro’s broad<br />
range of biomaterials<br />
www.henkel.com<br />
www.tecnaro.de<br />
New Institute<br />
Institute of Bioplastics and Biocomposites<br />
(IfBB) is now in business<br />
The manufacturing and the industrial use of bioplastics and<br />
biocomposites is one focus of research by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Hans-<br />
Josef Endres and his team at the University of Applied Sciences<br />
and Arts in Hanover, Germany.<br />
At Faculty II (Mechanical and Bioprocess Engineering) of this<br />
University the new ‘Institute of Bioplastics and Biocomposites’<br />
(IfBB) started work on November 1 st , 2011.<br />
The formation of the new institute can be seen as the result<br />
of the success enjoyed by previous research on bioplastics and<br />
biocomposites. With the new institute all further ambitions and<br />
projects can be expanded with less restriction.<br />
The production, usage and disposal of biopolymers, cellulose<br />
based natural fibres and thermoplastic composites are the<br />
main focus for the Institute of Bioplastics and Biocomposites.<br />
The scientists there are, as an example, working on applied<br />
processes of material development.<br />
There is a close cooperation between the new institute and<br />
industry with regard to all industrial processes along the whole<br />
process chain: chemical research, materials development,<br />
machine manufacturer and the bioplastics converting industry<br />
– all working closely together.<br />
For example in collaboration with Henkel the scientists have<br />
developed a correction pen. In the future bioplastics will be<br />
used more and more in other technical applications, such as<br />
in the automobile industry. Here there has been cooperation<br />
with Volkswagen in Wolfsburg for many years, as well as with<br />
KraussMaffei Technologies and KraussMaffei Berstorff in<br />
Hanover.<br />
The interest in bioplastics and biocomposites is growing<br />
continuously, and commanding the attention of politics, industry<br />
and consumers. Many products, for example food packages,<br />
beverage bottles and sports equipment, are now manufactured<br />
from biobased materials.<br />
Such applications will<br />
certainly be increasing during<br />
the next years, and for which<br />
the new Institute of Bioplastics<br />
and Biocomposites is in an<br />
excellent starting position.<br />
www.fh-hannover.de<br />
The fiber-matrix adhesion of bioplastics is much<br />
improved by the additives of the Macromelt brand.<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6 7
News<br />
USDA Grant to Develop<br />
Plant Containers<br />
Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA has been awarded<br />
a grant by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to develop<br />
biorenewable and biodegradable containers for the specialty<br />
crop industry.<br />
The $1.9 million grant will be used to develop bioplastic<br />
containers as an alternative to petroleum-based pots. Bill<br />
Graves, professor of horticulture, will lead the research<br />
team that includes David Grewell, associate professor of<br />
agricultural and biosystems engineering and Center for<br />
Crops Utilization Research (CCUR) affiliate; Michael Kessler,<br />
associate professor of materials science and engineering<br />
and CCUR affiliate; James Schrader, assistant scientist<br />
in horticulture; and scientists at the University of Illinois;<br />
University of Nevada-Reno; and Ohio State University.<br />
Grewell, Schrader, and Kessler are also members of CCUR‘s<br />
Biopolymers & Biocomposites Research Team.<br />
The plant containers were produced by Grewell‘s research<br />
group in CCUR‘s Technology Transfer Pilot Plant using the<br />
150-ton hydraulic press. The containers are made of soy<br />
protein-based plastic.<br />
“Nearly all specialty crops, including bedding plants,<br />
tomatoes and other vegetables, and containerized shrubs<br />
and trees that are purchased for residential gardening and<br />
landscaping, are grown and marketed in petroleum-based,<br />
conventional plastic containers.Few of those are recycled or<br />
reused,” said Graves. “Our vision is to provide sustainable<br />
alternatives that can meet the needs of horticultural<br />
producers, and that will degrade harmlessly when installed<br />
with the plant in a garden.”<br />
An estimated $706 million could be saved annually by<br />
the specialty crop industry by converting from petroleumbased<br />
containers to bioplastic containers, Graves said. Other<br />
benefits include shifting resource revenue from foreign<br />
oil to domestic biorenewables and eliminating adverse<br />
environmental effects of petroleum-based plastics. MT<br />
First Sugar Cane<br />
based PHA<br />
Vinçotte recently awarded the ‘OK Biodegradable<br />
(in) Water’ certification to the MINERV ® PHA SC (Sugar<br />
Cane) bioplastics. This is the first and only biopolymer<br />
in the world made by the Italian company Bio on from<br />
Bologna, starting from sugar cane by-products.<br />
The certification confirms Minerv PHA SC’s complete<br />
biodegradability in water at ambient temperature. This<br />
new plastic can be used to make a wide range of rigid<br />
or flexible objects and to replace daily use products that<br />
are highly polluting and made from petroleum based<br />
conventional plastics, currently used to manufacture<br />
bottles, food packaging, auto parts, furnishings, fibres,<br />
packaging film and electronics and much more.<br />
Bio on develops new materials in the modern<br />
biotechnologies sector and this recognition completes<br />
the industrial research project, started in 2007, aimed at<br />
producing naturally biodegradable plastic, starting from<br />
sugar beets and, as of today, also from sugar cane. Until<br />
now both have mainly been used to produce edible sugar<br />
or biofuels. The idea is especially innovative since, for<br />
the first time in the world, PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate)<br />
is obtained from molasses or intermediate sugar cane<br />
juices or from its by-products and not from oils or cereal<br />
starches like the majority of the biopolymers on the<br />
market today. Minerv PHA bioplastics are thus made<br />
from waste materials and not from products intended<br />
for food production. This, combined with their complete<br />
biodegradability in water, is the big environmental<br />
advantage of the bioplastics developed by Bio on.<br />
Minerv PHA SC has excellent thermal properties.<br />
Through the range of polymerisation, production<br />
requirements from -10°C to +180°C can be met, to be<br />
used with injection or extrusion methods. MT<br />
www.minerv.it/<br />
www.bio-on.it/<br />
www.biocom.iastate.edu/<br />
8 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6
News<br />
Amsterdam ArenA (Photo: Bjørn Giesenbauer, CC-by-sa)<br />
Ajax Fans Sit on<br />
Sustainable Sugar<br />
Braskem recently established a partnership with<br />
Amsterdam ArenA, home of the famous soccer team<br />
Ajax Amsterdam in the Netherlands. The leading<br />
thermoplastic resin producer in the Americas will<br />
supply sugar-cane based polyethylene to be used in<br />
the production of seats for the multifunctional Dutch<br />
stadium. In addition to the 52,000 existing seats, two<br />
thousand new seats manufactured with Braskem‘s<br />
plastic made from bio-ethanol will be installed in the<br />
coming months. By the end of the next two years,<br />
all 54,000 seats will be made of plastic from 100%<br />
renewable raw material, using Brazilian technology.<br />
The installation of the ‘sugar seats’ - as these<br />
seats are being called - is part of the strategy to<br />
turn the Amsterdam ArenA into a landmark of the<br />
world‘s most sustainable capital. The stadium<br />
was inaugurated in 1996, and its remodel will not<br />
adversely affect the events happening in the stadium.<br />
The entire remodeling project follows sustainability<br />
guidelines. In 2015, the stadium wants to be<br />
ecologically neutral, producing no carbon footprint.<br />
“The use of Green Plastic at the Amsterdam ArenA<br />
is fully in line with Braskem‘s strategy of becoming<br />
the world‘s leading company in sustainable<br />
chemicals“, said Marcelo Nunes, Braskem‘s<br />
Renewable Chemicals Director. “Braskem‘s<br />
partnership with Station Amsterdam complements<br />
other alliances already consolidated in recent<br />
months, uniting companies that seek sustainable<br />
solutions“, added the executive. MT<br />
Synterra grade IM (left) and<br />
traditional PLA (right) after<br />
immersion in boiling water.<br />
Non-GMO PLA Wins<br />
Blue Tulip Award<br />
By mixing 100% pure PLLA with 100% PDLA, a fast cycle<br />
and heat-resistant injection mouldable PLA with very good<br />
temperature and impact properties is made that far exceeds<br />
the properties of the individual polymers. With a Heat Deflection<br />
Temperature (HDT B @ 0,45 N/mm²) of 123°C Synterra ® IM<br />
material performs much better than conventional PLA and the<br />
impact strength is comparable to that of ABS. After injection<br />
molding the IM material is able to withstand boiling water. With<br />
this development Synbra Technology sets a step in developing a<br />
new generation of high performance biopolymers.<br />
The polymerization of the optical isomers PLLA and PDLA<br />
takes place at Synbra Technology in Etten-Leur, the Netherlands,<br />
in a plant with a capacity of 5000 tonnes/annum, which was<br />
commissioned early 2011.<br />
Synbra Technology expects further growth in its PLA business<br />
as many brand-owners and retailers in Western Europe prefer to<br />
use bio-based and non-GMO PLA that is also heat-resistant.<br />
Shortly after introducing its Synterra IM material, Synbra<br />
Technology was awarded at the Accenture Blue Tulip Awards at<br />
the RAI Elicium, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.<br />
“This Blue Tulip Award in the category ‘Making more out of less’<br />
is the ultimate reward for the entire team that participated in the<br />
successful development of our Synterra IM grade, which is made<br />
from Cradle to Cradle SM certified PLA,“ said Peter Matthijssen,<br />
Commercial Manager of Synbra Technology.<br />
In recognition of the purity of the raw materials used, the PLA<br />
of Synbra was Cradle to CradleSM certified by EPEA in Hamburg<br />
and is thus the first PLA in the world with this certification.<br />
Application of this PLA also improves various properties such as<br />
toughness and temperature resistance of several other bio-based<br />
recipes, in which PLA is an important constituent. MT<br />
www.biofoam.nl<br />
www.synbra.com<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6 9
Award<br />
And the Winner is …<br />
The 6 th Bioplastics Award, this year for the first time<br />
awarded exclusively by bioplastics MAGAZINE, went to<br />
Danone GmbH in recognition of their exceptional commitment<br />
to the use of bioplastics in the packaging of their<br />
leading brand products. Marianne Schweiger, Senior Packaging<br />
Development Engineer of Danone accepted the soughtafter<br />
award on November 22 nd during the 6 th European Bioplastics<br />
Conference in Berlin.<br />
The annual Bioplastics Award was established in 2006<br />
by the English trade publication European Plastics News.<br />
It recognises the special role played by a brand owner or<br />
single individual and acknowledges the contribution made by<br />
companies, products or services to the further development<br />
of bioplastics by way of specific innovation or imaginative<br />
marketing concepts. This year the 5-man panel of judges,<br />
from academia, the press and trade associations in America,<br />
Europe and Asia, selected Danone GmbH in Haar near Munich<br />
from a long list of first class ideas and innovations. The judges<br />
are of the view that Danone, as an international brand owner,<br />
made a significant contribution to moving bioplastics from a<br />
niche packaging product to a mass market product with the<br />
introduction of Activia and Actimel in bioplastic packaging<br />
(PLA and Green HDPE). This means that today more than half<br />
of the Danone products in the German market are packaged<br />
in bioplastics.<br />
It is one of Danone’s objectives to make a serious<br />
contribution to the reduction of greenhouse gases. One of the<br />
various measures which they have taken is the use of biobased<br />
or partially bio-based packaging. And here Danone are<br />
not concentrating on specific bioplastics but are choosing<br />
the most appropriate bioplastic for the job – be it up to 100%<br />
bio-based polyethylene, partially bio-based PET or 100% biobased<br />
PLA. “This action by Danone is pointing the way for<br />
marketers of branded products in Europe and worldwide”,<br />
commented Dr. Michael Thielen, spokesman for the judges,<br />
and publisher of bioplastics MAGAZINE.<br />
“We are very pleased about the award. A highly valued<br />
acknowledgement like this is wonderful confirmation of our<br />
achievement over years of research, and of our commitment<br />
in the field of bioplastics. We must get away from our<br />
dependence on petroleum and focus on packaging materials<br />
that come from renewable resources. We therefore hope that<br />
the award will motivate other companies to select bioplastics.<br />
It is only in this way that we will be able to establish a full<br />
recycling system, for example for PLA, and make full use of the<br />
material’s potential”, commented Dr. Andreas Knaut, Director<br />
Corporate Communications, Health and Sustainability.<br />
The plastic material from which the Actimel bottles<br />
are made is so-called ‘Green HDPE’. This polyethylene is<br />
chemically almost identical to conventional PE, yet is produced<br />
from sugar-cane based bioethanol, i.e it is produced totally<br />
from renewable resources and not from petroleum products.<br />
PLA, the material used for the new Activia yoghurt pots, is<br />
also made completely from renewable raw materials. The<br />
PLA (polylactic acid) is obtained from starch by fermentation<br />
and is also biodegradable. However with PLA Danone is not<br />
promoting the composting aspect but is encouraging other<br />
packaging manufacturers to also use PLA so that significantly<br />
large quantities come onto the market and make a PLA-to-<br />
PLA recycling plant an ecologically sound and economical<br />
proposition.<br />
www.danone.com<br />
(Photo: European Bioplastics)<br />
10 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6
Award<br />
Info:<br />
Danone GmbH located in Haar,<br />
near Munich, is part of the Danone<br />
Group and in 2010 turned over<br />
589 million Euros in Germany<br />
with around 840 employees. For<br />
Germany Danone produces a wide<br />
range of fresh dairy products.<br />
The Danone Group is involved in<br />
a total of four product sectors in<br />
Germany: dairy products, water,<br />
baby foods, medical nutrition<br />
Register now:<br />
The conference will comprise<br />
high class presentations on<br />
• Latest developments<br />
• Market overview<br />
• High temperature behaviour<br />
• Barrier issues<br />
• Additives / Colorants<br />
• Applications<br />
• Reinforcements<br />
• End of life options<br />
The programme will be published<br />
soon at<br />
www.pla-world-congress.com<br />
Watch out for the<br />
‘Early Bird Offer’<br />
2 nd PLA World<br />
C o n g r e s s<br />
15 + 16 MAY 2012 * Munich * Germany<br />
Papers still welcome ...<br />
Deadline is Dec. 23, 2011<br />
send your proposal to<br />
mt@bioplasticsmagazine.com<br />
www.pla-world-congress.com Tel.: +49 (2161) 6884469<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6 11
Events<br />
Bernhard Bauske of WWF<br />
New Record at<br />
6 th European<br />
Bioplastics<br />
Conference<br />
More than 400 visitors came to Europe‘s leading bioplastics<br />
event<br />
The interest in bioplastics strongly increased over<br />
the year, noted the association European Bioplastics. This<br />
trend was once more confirmed by the attendance record<br />
at the 6th European Bioplastics Conference: more than<br />
400 visitors came to Berlin on 22 and 23 November to hear<br />
the 29 exciting speeches from renowned industry experts.<br />
Furthermore, the adjoining exhibition and networkingformats<br />
met with high response.<br />
With about 420 visitors from more than 250 companies and<br />
institutions from all over the world the European Bioplastics<br />
Conference once more established a record. Thereby, it<br />
remains the leading bioplastics industry event and the<br />
industry‘s information and networking plattform number<br />
one. This year, more than 80% of the participants came from<br />
Europe, 10% from Asia, and the better part of the remaining<br />
10% from North and South America.<br />
In his key-note speech Maurits van Tol, DSM Bio-based<br />
Products & Services, commented on the worldwide potential<br />
of bioplastics: “Mass production of bioplastics is around<br />
the corner, and such large scale plants with their better<br />
cost structure will increase the inroads of bioplastics in<br />
the relevant markets. The long awaited breakthrough of<br />
bioplastics in the worldwide market is near.“ Another positive<br />
comment came from Werner Ressing, Federal Ministry of<br />
Economics and Technology: “Bioplastics offer numerous<br />
opportunities to increase the economic value added of the<br />
German and European economy.“<br />
The presentations showcased the potential of bioplastics<br />
from several different perspectives. A number of innovations<br />
were introduced - new materials, additives and end-of-life<br />
approaches. The session on ‘bioplastics and sustainability‘<br />
gave insights into environmental communications as well as<br />
into certification concepts.<br />
A highlight of the 6 th European Bioplastics Conference was<br />
the ceremony of bioplastics MAGAZINE‘s Bioplastics Award“. In<br />
2011 the lucky winner was Danone. See page 10 for details.<br />
In view of the increased interest in bioplastics during the<br />
past year and the most successfull event Andy Sweetman,<br />
Chairman of European Bioplastics, offered a positive<br />
prediction for 2012: “The development of the bioplastics<br />
industry is picking up speed. We need clear framework<br />
conditions in Europe and a strong united voice to request<br />
them. 2012 the role and work of our industry association<br />
European Bioplastics will become more and more important<br />
in order to further our young industry. Established and<br />
leading formats such as the annual conference are of major<br />
importance to guarantee a rich and multi-facetted knowledge<br />
exchange about bioplastics.“<br />
www.european-bioplastics.org<br />
12 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6
NPE2012, the world’s largest plastics conference, exposition and<br />
technology exchange, blasts into Orlando, Florida USA this April<br />
to reshape the future of our industry! Showcasing more than 2,000<br />
exhibitors, NPE is the only global event that allows you to:<br />
See large-scale, running machines in action<br />
Explore more than 2 million square feet<br />
of solutions for every segment of the<br />
plastics industry supply chain<br />
Discover new and emerging technologies<br />
among hundreds of on-site demos every day<br />
Meet 75,000 plastics professionals from more<br />
than 120 countries<br />
Access hundreds of timely programs, from business<br />
development to the latest technical advances<br />
Connect with the entire lifecycle of the plastics industry<br />
And much, much more!<br />
REGISTER NOW AT NPE.ORG<br />
Co-located at NPE2012:
Films|Flexibles|Bags<br />
Design Your<br />
Own Compostable Film<br />
Multi-layer systems increasing the opportunities for new markets<br />
By<br />
B. von Hansen<br />
J. Schmeling<br />
D. Winkelmann<br />
P. Zimmermann<br />
FKuR Kunststoff GmbH,<br />
Willich, Germany<br />
Plastics made from renewable resources offer new opportunities<br />
and possibilities for both flexible and durable packaging<br />
along with general e.g. injection moulding applications. Each<br />
day nature shows us well designed packaging solutions. These solutions<br />
can be used as a guideline and implemented in our industrial<br />
packaging world. Of course, we have different requirements<br />
for industrial packaging compared to nature. Most goods need to<br />
be transported, stored and protected against surrounding conditions<br />
and some need to withstand a long shelf life. Biopolymers,<br />
whether biodegradable, based on renewable resources, or both<br />
have a similar natural approach. But sometimes they do not fulfil<br />
all of the requirements necessary for industrial packaging, in particular<br />
the properties of high barrier and transparency.<br />
14 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6
Films|Flexibles|Bags<br />
The packaging requirements for barrier properties are<br />
not even able to be achieved with polymers based on crude<br />
oil. For both conventional and bioplastics a co-extrusion or<br />
the lamination of different polymers is the key to fulfil these<br />
requirements of today’s packaging applications. Of course,<br />
it is still questionable if such high barriers are necessary<br />
but achieving such levels is state of the art in packaging<br />
technology. In order to enter new markets and increase the<br />
range of applications for bioplastics these resins must follow<br />
this trend and need to be co-extruded or laminated.<br />
Advantages of compostable multilayer<br />
systems for food packaging<br />
Plastics used for packaging represent around 39 %<br />
[Plastics Europe: Plastics – The Facts 2011] of the total<br />
plastic consumption and are by far the largest market<br />
segment of all plastics applications. The requirements for<br />
plastic films, especially for those used predominantly in food<br />
packaging, have been constantly rising over recent years and<br />
have now reached a level that can only be achieved by means<br />
of intelligent material combinations and well-engineered<br />
process procedures.<br />
In the beginning, biopolymers were mainly designed for<br />
applications such as waste bags and shoppers. Transparency<br />
was not a requirement. The content of renewable resources<br />
of these resins has been around 20 to 40 %. With the<br />
upgrading of properties, the range of applications made from<br />
biopolymers is constantly growing. In addition, the content of<br />
renewable resources in combination with compostability is<br />
gaining importance for all kinds of packaging applications.<br />
To enter new markets with biopolymers, new resins and<br />
compounds have to be created. The major requirements for<br />
such modern packaging include a high content of renewable<br />
resource materials (>50%) and compostability combined with<br />
good barrier properties and preferably transparency. On the<br />
one hand, barrier is a necessity for certain packaging, e. g.<br />
MAP (Modified Atmosphere Packaging) and other applications<br />
where an oxygen barrier is required. On the other hand, there<br />
are applications where high permeation and breathability are<br />
required, which is where Bio-Flex ® with its intelligent filler<br />
system allows up to perfection. Such applications include<br />
back sheet films for diapers along with fresh food packaging<br />
where transparency is often a key requirement. One of the<br />
largest advantages of compostable films is, whenever it is<br />
needed, packed goods and films can be disposed together<br />
or can be used in a fermentation plant without separating<br />
organic goods and films.<br />
In order to meet these challenges FKuR Kunststoff GmbH,<br />
Willich, and its cooperation partner Fraunhofer UMSICHT,<br />
Oberhausen, both Germany, have developed new Bio-Flex<br />
resins which exhibit outstanding characteristics when<br />
combined in a multilayer structure. The latest developments<br />
are focused on flexibility, transparency and a high content of<br />
renewable resources, whether in a mono or multilayer film<br />
structure.<br />
By co-extrusion it is possible to combine the clear and stiff<br />
material Bio-Flex A 4100 CL, used in the outer layers with the<br />
new transparent Bio-Flex F 2201 CL or translucent Bio-Flex<br />
S 1100 in the mid layer. As both resins are flexible and tough<br />
they are able to support Bio-Flex A 4100 CL in a multilayer<br />
structure. One of the main advantages is that the properties<br />
of this film can be adjusted by the variation of each layer. By<br />
using respective layer combinations, e.g. greater stiffness or<br />
more elasticity of the film, according to the final requirements,<br />
can be reached. This is shown in charts 1 and 2. By combining<br />
Bio-Flex A 4100 CL with F 2201 CL, the tensile modulus of<br />
A 4100 CL can be significantly reduced, while the elongation at<br />
break is still at the level of a pure F 2201 CL. The result of this<br />
is a 3-layer structure that not only offers superior toughness<br />
and flexibility, but at the same time high transparency.<br />
In addition to having high quality clarity, the content of<br />
renewable resource materials is outstanding for a blown film<br />
application. The content of renewable resource materials of a<br />
film made from Bio-Flex A 4100 CL / S 1100 / A 4100 CL is 30<br />
to 50%, depending on the structure, whereas with a film made<br />
from Bio-Flex A 4100 CL / F 2201 CL / A 4100 CL the content<br />
of renewable resources is between 60 to 80% depending on<br />
the final film structure. There are no transparent or flexible<br />
blown film types similar to the Bio-Flex resins available today.<br />
u<br />
Chart 1: Tensile Modulus of Bio-Flex mono and multilayer films<br />
(MD = machine direction, TD = transversal direction)<br />
Modulus of elasticity MD [MPa]<br />
2000<br />
1750<br />
1500<br />
1250<br />
Bio-Flex A 4100 CL / F 2201 CL / A 4100 CL<br />
(20 / 60 / 20 [%], 20µm)<br />
1000<br />
Bio-Flex F 2201 CL<br />
750<br />
Bio-Flex A 4100 CL / F 2201 CL<br />
A 4100 CL (15 / 70 / 15 [%], 20µm)<br />
500<br />
Bio-Flex S 1100<br />
0<br />
Bio-Flex A 4100 CL / S 1100 / A 4100 CL<br />
(20 / 60 / 20 [%], 20µm)<br />
Modulus of elasticity TD [MPa]<br />
Bio-Flex A 4100 CL<br />
| | | | | | |<br />
500 750 1000 1250 1500 1750 2000<br />
Chart 2: Elongation at Break of Bio-Flex mono and multilayer films<br />
Elongation at break MD [%]<br />
350<br />
300<br />
250<br />
200<br />
150<br />
100<br />
50<br />
0<br />
Bio-Flex A 4100 CL / S 1100 / A 4100 CL<br />
(20 / 60 / 20 [%], 20µm)<br />
Bio-Flex A 4100 CL<br />
Bio-Flex F 2201 CL<br />
Bio-Flex A 4100 CL / F 2201 CL / A 4100 CL<br />
(15 / 70 / 15 [%], 20µm)<br />
Bio-Flex A 4100 CL / F 2201 CL / A 4100 CL<br />
(20 / 60 / 20 [%], 20µm)<br />
Bio-Flex S 1100<br />
| | | | | |<br />
50 100 150 200 250 300 350<br />
Elongation at break TD [%]<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6 15
Films|Flexibles|Bags<br />
Multilayer made from Bio-Flex F 2110 / A 4100 CL / F 2110 Multilayer made from Bio-Flex A 4100 CL / Bio-Flex F 2110 /<br />
Bio-Flex A 4100 CL for deep freeze applications<br />
Opportunities through new Bio-Flex grades<br />
The combination of organically grown food with packaging<br />
made from sustainable bioplastics is a logical step and<br />
completes the overall sustainable message while providing<br />
consumers with the positive feeling of contributing to an ecofriendly<br />
environment.<br />
Compared to conventional plastics, bioplastics offer an<br />
alternative ‘end-of-life’ option. The ability to use bioplastics<br />
after their useful life in composting facilities or energy<br />
recovery systems are important factors. In particular,<br />
renewable plastics can contribute to the efficient utilization<br />
and conservation of our resources in terms of ‘renewble<br />
energy‘.<br />
The following practical examples will prove the expansion of<br />
the range of applications for bioplastics by means of efficient<br />
utilisation in multilayer systems. For both examples, the high<br />
content of natural resources (provided by Bio-Flex A 4100 CL)<br />
as well as the excellent strength and flexibility (provided by<br />
Bio-Flex F 2110) were the decisive factors for choosing a<br />
multilayer system made from Bio-Flex.<br />
• McCain uses a three layer combination made from Bio-<br />
Flex A 4100 CL / Bio-Flex F 2110 / Bio-Flex A 4100 CL for<br />
packaging of their ‘Bio-Ernte’ product line. This multilayer<br />
allows for the production of a very flexible and extensible<br />
film with a great stiffness also at low temperatures. (deep<br />
freeze)<br />
• A three layer system made from Bio-Flex F 2110 / Bio-<br />
Flex A 4100 CL / Bio-Flex F 2110 was used by Umbra<br />
Olii for wrapping their ‘Ecolive’ laundry soap, which is<br />
made from 100% natural olive. The film allows for a very<br />
appealing glossy surface along with a great toughness and<br />
chemical resistance as well as good barrier properties for<br />
a bioplastic.<br />
• One of the leading producers of napkins uses a three layer<br />
film made from Bio-Flex A 4100 CL / Bio-Flex F 2110 / Bio-<br />
Flex A 4100 CL for their compostable product line.<br />
Metallization as a possible solution to<br />
increase barrier<br />
The lower barrier of many bioplastics against water and<br />
oxygen, when compared to conventional plastics, can be<br />
improved by coating techniques such as metallization. Chart<br />
3 shows the improved barrier of a metallized Bio-Flex co-ex<br />
structure. Most notably, the oxygen barrier is highly improved<br />
which makes these films suitable for new applications in<br />
food packaging. Usually the layer thickness in metallization<br />
processes is below 0.1 µm. Therefore compostability/<br />
biodegradability of the final film structure can still be<br />
achieved. u<br />
Chart 3: Transmission rates of Bio-Flex films in comparison<br />
to other plastics (WVTR = Water Vapour Transmission Rate)<br />
350,0<br />
WVTR [g / (m 2 · d)]<br />
300,0<br />
250,0<br />
200,0<br />
150,0<br />
100,0<br />
50,0<br />
0<br />
PLA<br />
Bio-Flex A 4100 CL / F 2201 CL / A 4100 CL<br />
Bio-Flex F 2201 CL<br />
Bio-Flex A 4100 CL<br />
Testing conditions (25 µm film):<br />
H 2<br />
O: 23°C / 100% hum.<br />
O 2<br />
: 23°C / 0% hum.<br />
Metallized Bio-Flex<br />
A 4100 CL / F 2201 CL / A 4100 CL<br />
PET<br />
| | | | | | |<br />
250,0 500,0 750,0 1000,0 1250,0 1500,0 1750,0<br />
Oxygen [cm 3 / (m 2 · d)]<br />
PP<br />
16 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6
Films|Flexibles|Bags<br />
Multilayer made from Bio-Flex<br />
A 4100 CL / F 2201 CL / A 4100 CL<br />
(In-House) Recycling of compostable<br />
multi-layer structures made from<br />
Bio-Flex<br />
To achieve an overall sustainable and cost effective<br />
multilayer product it is also necessary to recycle the<br />
production scrap (e.g. edge trims) and to use the<br />
regrinds in the middle layer of the film. Various Bio-<br />
Flex resins used in the layers could have an effect on<br />
the mechanical properties and optical appearance of<br />
the middle layer. Analysis have been done using the<br />
multilayer structure Bio-Flex A 4100 CL / F 2201 CL /<br />
A 4100 CL (with layer ratios 20 % / 60 % / 20 %) as<br />
this is the most commonly used structure containing<br />
multiple Bio-Flex types. As the production scrap<br />
will be added into the middle layer all of the trials<br />
carried out are only reflected upon this middle layer.<br />
It is assumed that as a maximum 20 % of production<br />
scrap will be used in this middle layer.<br />
Degradation of the biopolymers during the different<br />
production steps normally implies a higher melt flow<br />
and softer end product. Comparing the results of<br />
these trials it is shown that the amount of Bio-Flex<br />
A 4100 CL in the regrind compensates the negative<br />
effects of possible mechanical degradation. The<br />
results of the tensile test indicate a shifting of the<br />
properties in transversal direction (TD) and machine<br />
direction (MD), the tensile test results increase by 5%<br />
measuring in TD but decrease by 10 % in MD. The<br />
optical appearance of the film is still the same, as a<br />
reduction of the transparence and a decrease of the<br />
haze is not visible.<br />
Although the results of all tests have shown that<br />
the usage of regrind will not affect the properties<br />
negatively, it is recommended to processors to<br />
conduct own tests. Since the shear during production<br />
and recycling has a high influence on the material<br />
these results can vary and should be tested and<br />
reviewed independently. •<br />
Chart 4: Tensile Modulus of Bio-Flex mono layer,<br />
multilayer and recycled films<br />
Modulus of elasticity MD [MPa]<br />
1000<br />
750<br />
500<br />
250<br />
0<br />
www.fkur.com<br />
Bio-Flex A 4100 CL / F 2201 CL / A 4100 CL<br />
(20 / 60 / 20 [%], 20µm)<br />
| | | |<br />
250 500 750 1000<br />
Modulus of elasticity TD [MPa]<br />
Chart 5: Elongation at Break of Bio-Flex mono layer,<br />
multilayer and recycled films<br />
Modulus at break MD [MPa]<br />
400<br />
300<br />
200<br />
100<br />
0<br />
Bio-Flex F 2201 CL<br />
+ Recyclat<br />
Bio-Flex A 4100 CL / F 2201 CL / A 4100 CL<br />
(20 / 60 / 20 [%], 20µm)<br />
Elongation at break TD [MPa]<br />
Bio-Flex F 2201 CL<br />
+ Recyclat<br />
Bio-Flex F 2201 CL<br />
Bio-Flex F 2201 CL<br />
| | | | | | |<br />
50 100 150 200 250 300 350<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6 17
Films|Flexibles|Bags<br />
Longer Shelf Life<br />
in PLA Packaging<br />
Pepper and tomatoes stay longer fresh<br />
By<br />
Paolo Serafin<br />
Sales Manager NATIVIA<br />
Taghleef Industries<br />
San Giorgio di Nogaro, Italy<br />
Consumer awareness with regard to more sustainable<br />
packaging is also pushing the use of bioplastics in the<br />
fruit and vegetables market, but there’s more than just<br />
an environmental advantage. Taghleef Industries, manufacturer<br />
of BOPP and BOPLA films, in cooperation with EOSTA<br />
and Bio4Pack, commissioned a study on the shelf life of bell<br />
peppers and vine tomatoes packed in PLA vs PP to the Univeristy<br />
of Wageningen, which produced some very interesting<br />
results.<br />
PLA (polylactic acid) is emerging in the packaging industry<br />
as the most promising alternative to oil-based plastics,<br />
thanks to its performance, availability and versatility. It’s<br />
already in use in rigid packaging (injection molding), semirigid<br />
(thermoforming and blow molding) and flexibles (film).<br />
At Taghleef Industries Italy, PLA is extruded into sheet and<br />
sequentially oriented in machine and transversal direction, in<br />
a production process very similar to that of BoPET and BoPP.<br />
PLA film is heat sealable and used for packaging products on<br />
traditional horizontal and vertical form/fill sealing machines,<br />
as well as on twist wrap and overwrap machines. Recent<br />
developments have also seen the use of PLA films for windows<br />
on paper bags, adhesive tapes, paper lamination and labels.<br />
Eosta, the market leader in the organic fruit and vegetables<br />
market in Europe, have used PLA for many years for the<br />
thermoformed trays and overwrapping film in which they<br />
pack their products. Besides contributing to minimizing the<br />
environmental impact of their packaging, PLA gives Eosta<br />
the chance to differentiate themselves from the competition<br />
and offer a packaging solution which fits perfectly with their<br />
mission and target customers.<br />
Having noticed an improvement in the preservation of their<br />
products using PLA compared to the standard PP packaging,<br />
Eosta, Taghleef Industries and Bio4pack have decided to<br />
carry out a detailed analysis, and commissioned this task<br />
to Wageningen University, one of the most experienced in<br />
this field, choosing two of the most common products: bell<br />
peppers and vine tomatoes.<br />
The test:<br />
Samples of the peppers and tomatoes were taken from the<br />
same lot, making sure that the harvest date was the same for<br />
the whole batch. Peppers were packed using a horizontal FFS<br />
(Form Fill Seal) machine and macro-perforated transparent<br />
PLA and PP films. The same packaging films were used<br />
for the thermoformed trays containing the vine tomatoes.<br />
Packaging and storage were done under the same conditions<br />
for all samples, also simulating the conditions available in<br />
retail stores. Unpacked products were also included in the<br />
analysis for a complete comparison and reference.<br />
The monitored parameters were:<br />
VINE TOMATOES:<br />
• Firmness<br />
• Fruit rot<br />
• Dehydration of wood stem<br />
• Stem rotten<br />
• Colour<br />
BELL PEPPERS:<br />
• Firmness<br />
• Dehydration/wrinkling<br />
• Fruit rot<br />
• Stem rotten, and freshness<br />
18 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6
Films|Flexibles|Bags<br />
Results:<br />
TOMATOES:<br />
As depicted in Fig. 1, PLA packaging contributed to<br />
delaying by approx. two days the crown and stem dehydration<br />
index, which emerged as the first aging sign of this product in<br />
comparison with the product packed in PP. This ageing factor<br />
is rather important, being clearly visible to the consumer.<br />
The other parameters did not show relevant differences and<br />
they all crossed the ‘acceptable’ threshold several days after<br />
the crown and stem index was negative, confirming that<br />
stem dehydration is the limiting parameter in the shelf life<br />
of tomatoes.<br />
PEPPERS:<br />
With regard to bell peppers, a positive effect of PLA was<br />
noticed in the firmness of the fruit when compared with PP<br />
(Fig. 2), but an improvement can also be observed on the stem<br />
index, which shows a slower degradation, remaining within<br />
the acceptable limits for 1-2 days longer than product packed<br />
in PP (Fig. 3). The other parameters did not show noticeable<br />
differences. In the case of peppers, dehydration (shrivelling)<br />
emerges at the same time as the limiting quality parameter<br />
for both PP and PLA, well before the others and even earlier<br />
if the product is unpacked. Nevertheless, this means that, as<br />
the use-by date gets closer, peppers packed in PLA will show<br />
a better stem and firmness compared to those packed in PP.<br />
Conclusions:<br />
From these tests it emerges quite clearly that unpacked<br />
product has a shorter shelf life.<br />
In general, it can be said that the most important<br />
parameters to be considered in the shelf life of tomatoes<br />
are degradation and dehydration of the stem, where PLA<br />
packaging has a positive effect, followed only later by the<br />
dehydration of the fruit. Tests confirmed that the shelf life of<br />
tomatoes packed in PP is 11 days, which becomes 13 days if<br />
they are packed with PLA.<br />
For peppers, the factor limiting the shelf life is dehydration<br />
of the fruit, where PLA and PP behave similarly, followed by<br />
the degradation of the stem and crown, where PLA shows a<br />
positive influence. Shelf life is therefore limited to 8-9 days<br />
for both packaging solutions. However, given the same age,<br />
peppers wrapped in PLA show a better stem.<br />
The next target on Taghleef Industries’ agenda is to make<br />
a similar test on washed and cut fresh produce, another<br />
growing application where PLA could play a role. Given the<br />
very short shelf life of such products (normally no longer than<br />
4-7 days), even 1-2 days extension would help considerably.<br />
www.ti-films.com<br />
www.eosta.com<br />
www.bio4pack.com<br />
Figure 1: Crown and Stem Index<br />
6.0<br />
Crown and stem index, [0-5]<br />
Firmness index, [02]<br />
Time, [day]<br />
Figure 3: Stem Index<br />
Stem index, [1-9]<br />
5.0<br />
4.0<br />
3.0<br />
2.0<br />
1.0<br />
0<br />
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14<br />
Time, [Days]<br />
Figure 2: Firmness Index<br />
5.0<br />
4.5<br />
4.0<br />
3.5<br />
3.0<br />
2.5<br />
2.0<br />
1.5<br />
1.0<br />
0.5<br />
0<br />
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14<br />
3.50<br />
3.00<br />
2.50<br />
2.00<br />
1.50<br />
1.00<br />
0.50<br />
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14<br />
Time, [Days]<br />
PLA<br />
PP<br />
Ref.<br />
PLA<br />
PP<br />
Ref.<br />
PLA<br />
PP<br />
Ref.<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6 19
Films|Flexibles|Bags<br />
New Applications for<br />
BoPLA films<br />
Biaxially oriented PLA films are widely used on flexible<br />
packaging applications, as alternative to oil-based<br />
films like PE, PET, PP. Taghleef industries, in cooperation<br />
with various converters, is looking beyond traditional<br />
packaging, to explore new opportunities for its NATIVIA<br />
range of BoPLA (bi-axially oriented) films. Here’s a few examples:<br />
Adhesive tapes go green<br />
Logotape — a German manufacturer from Harrislee of<br />
specialty adhesive tapes, has developed ‘Bio tape’, a biobased<br />
alternative to traditional PP or PET products.<br />
The environmental advantages of PLA combined with these<br />
innovative and eco friendly tapes will help saving resources<br />
and minimize carbon footprint, without compromising on<br />
performance and processability vs traditional oil-based<br />
materials, thanks to the excellent mechanical properties<br />
of BoPLA films. Logotape is developing tapes that offer<br />
compostability of the film as well as the glue according to<br />
EN 13432.<br />
The PLA adhesive tapes are fully compatible with the paper<br />
and carton recycling process, can be printed and are available<br />
in white as well as transparent or brown.<br />
Bio-based and compostable self-adhesive<br />
labels<br />
Self adhesive labels are normally made of paper or films<br />
(PP, PE or PET), or a combination of these. They are an<br />
excellent, flexible, simple and cost-effective solution to<br />
provide information and appeal to the products, but in case<br />
of compostable packaging, traditional labels can be an issue.<br />
Bio4life from Bleiswijk, The Netherlands, has developed<br />
a self adhesive label made of Nativia BoPLA films, which<br />
allows all those brand owners who already use compostable<br />
packaging to label their product without the risk of breaching<br />
the norms on compostability. The BoPLA labels are coated<br />
with a compostable permanent adhesive, so that the complete<br />
labels are certified by DIN Certco according to EN 13432. The<br />
potential applications for such labels are numerous, like for<br />
example the tiny labels applied on fruits (apples, oranges,<br />
bananas…): same appeal and moisture resistance of oilbased<br />
plastics, but compostable altogether!<br />
20 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6
group<br />
Let’s twist again<br />
Constantia Topepal, a leading packaging manufacturer in<br />
Spain, has developed a bio-based twist wrap material using<br />
a high gloss PLA film.<br />
This film can be used for candy, pralines, chocolate, and<br />
combines the excellent twist performance and appeal of a<br />
metalized film, with the environmental advantages of PLA.<br />
Nativia twist films have already been tested with excellent<br />
results on ACMA GD and Carle Montanari twist wrap<br />
machines<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE & BoPLA films:<br />
perfect combination<br />
This issue of the bioplastics magazine (just like the last two<br />
issues) comes to the subscribers wrapped in a transparent<br />
bag made by Maropack and printed by SFV Verpackungen.<br />
This is the first commercial application of Nativia in the<br />
magazine market. In this<br />
case it’s a pre-made bag<br />
with adhesive strip, but tests<br />
performed in cooperation<br />
with SITMA, the world leader<br />
in printed media distribution<br />
systems have confirmed that<br />
the same films can be used on<br />
high speed automatic reel-fed<br />
wrapping machinery.<br />
www.ti–films.com<br />
www.logotape.de/<br />
www.compostiket.com<br />
www.constantia-tobepal.com<br />
High Quality Film Production:<br />
Efficiency, Productivity, Flexibility<br />
High uptime, throughput<br />
and raw material efficiency<br />
Fast product changes<br />
Easy operation and low<br />
maintenance<br />
Reduced manpower and<br />
energy consumption<br />
Excellent film quality<br />
www.brueckner.com<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6 21
Opinion<br />
The Future of the<br />
Shopping Bag in Italy<br />
Are newly developed, biodegradable and<br />
compostable polymers the ideal solution?<br />
By<br />
Stefano Facco<br />
New Business Development Director<br />
Novamont SpA<br />
Novara, Italy<br />
Currently we are facing a quite chaotic debate about the ideal<br />
solution for the incredible amount of disposable shopping<br />
bags used by consumers today. Recycling, environmental<br />
impact, re-use, littering and especially marine litter are<br />
some of the main keywords arising when this important topic is<br />
discussed.<br />
Some facts related to the use of such bags are quite impressive.<br />
In Italy, some 300 bags per year per capita are used, which<br />
corresponds roughly to 25% of the total European consumption,<br />
and corresponding to 100 billion units. About 2/3 of these products<br />
are imported from countries such as China, Indonesia or Thailand,<br />
where many of them are being produced under conditions which<br />
are not allowed in Europe. This creates an unfair competitive<br />
advantage. The recycling quota of post-consumer shopping bags<br />
is below 1% on a world-wide level, albeit in some countries the<br />
collection rate is much higher, but not all collected bags end up<br />
in recycling.<br />
At this point, I feel that beside the environmental discussion<br />
about raw materials and products, we should strongly bear<br />
in mind the fact that right now the plastic converting industry,<br />
especially the European companies producing bags and sacks,<br />
are not facing easy times. The competing converters, mainly<br />
located in the Asia/Pacific area, quite often accept commercial<br />
conditions which may be described as dumping conditions (on<br />
an EU level, only a few years ago, some anti-dumping measures<br />
were taken). Especially in the southern European region, where<br />
most of the European production was located, more and more<br />
medium and small size companies are struggling to survive.<br />
Taking these aspects into account, it really may be considered<br />
a natural reaction to somehow strengthen again our European<br />
industry by converting new families of polymers (also produced in<br />
the EU) locally. A fair competition would arise again, and the basis<br />
for a healthy economic growth.<br />
Furthermore, the use of renewable resources combined with<br />
the property of being B&C (biodegradable and compostable)<br />
would, in addition to the aspects related to the growth of local<br />
companies, help us to better deal with the scarcity of fossil raw<br />
materials and to add new end-of-life options such as the organic<br />
recycling of polymers.<br />
22 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6
Films|Flexibles|Bags<br />
The new Italian decree, which came in force on January 1 st ,<br />
2011, imposing the use of B&C shopping bags, somehow<br />
perfectly supported the three major aspects I have described<br />
above: the strengthening of local or European enterprises,<br />
the use of renewable resources (as most of the polymers<br />
available on the market do contain a significant amount of<br />
renewable raw materials (RRMs)) and their compostability,<br />
which finally offers an end-of-life option which may help<br />
the Italian composting industry to get rid of some of the<br />
100,000 tonnes of plastic film pollutants sieved out during<br />
the composting process itself.<br />
The incredible speed with which major Italian B&C polymer<br />
producers (such as Novamont) and other European groups<br />
(such as BASF) were able to increase production capacity has<br />
enabled most of the traditional shopping bag converters to<br />
switch to these new materials in order to satisfy the growing<br />
market request. Due to the high technological level of these<br />
materials, the production switch was immediately carried out<br />
without loss of time and without additional investment.<br />
Major groups such as Matrica (ENI/Novamont JV),<br />
Roquette, Cereplast and other companies started, or<br />
have announced, huge investments in the production of<br />
monomers, intermediates and polymers based on RRMs or<br />
in compounding facilities. Therefore, the coming into force<br />
of this new decree not only boosted once more the optimism<br />
of local converters, but it also helped to attract huge<br />
investments in future-oriented technologies such as fully<br />
integrated biorefineries.<br />
Briefly summarizing the positive outcome of the new<br />
situation that we are experiencing in Italy, we may affirm<br />
that the composting industry is easily able to handle the<br />
increase and treatment of the new compostable shopping<br />
bags. Retailers have reduced consumption of shopping<br />
bags in general by 30% to 50%, which may be considered<br />
environmentally beneficial, converters are again increasing<br />
their production and replacing partially imported products,<br />
and new industrial investments have proven that investors<br />
believe firmly in the future of these new technologies.<br />
www.novamont.com<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6 23
Films|Flexibles|Bags<br />
Mulch Film<br />
Certified<br />
Novamont, Novara, Italy recently received the first certificate guaranteeing<br />
ecological quality of the Technical Resources for Organic and Sustainable<br />
Agriculture from ICEA for its mulching film in biodegradable<br />
Mater-Bi ® .<br />
ICEA, the Ethical and Environmental Certification Institute from Bologna, Italy,<br />
inspects and certifies firms respectful for the environment, workers‘ dignity<br />
and collective rights. With more than 300 experts inspecting over 13 thousand<br />
firms from 20 branches in various countries, ICEA is one of the most prominent<br />
inspection and certification bodies in the field of sustainable development.<br />
The institute has launched a specific certification scheme for the<br />
environmental performance of technical resources for organic and sustainable<br />
agriculture. Their main objective is to evaluate and reward the ability of technical<br />
resources in helping create a more sustainable agricultural system to improve<br />
the chemical, physical and biological characteristics of the land, as well as to<br />
reduce external water requirements. The regulations also aim to reduce the<br />
risk of the contamination and pollution of waters and soil caused by agricultural<br />
inputs and to obtain agricultural products free from chemical residues. ICEA<br />
certification is therefore intended to enhance and guarantee ecological quality<br />
requirements that go beyond the minimum requirements of current legislation;<br />
it is not intended to replace the authorisations currently required by the law.<br />
In order to certify the agricultural mulching film made from Mater-Bi,<br />
ICEA examined factors such as the composition and characteristics of the<br />
end product, the nature and origin of the raw materials used, the production<br />
process for the raw materials (Mater-Bi granulate) employed by Novamont, the<br />
manufacture of the end product (Mater-Bi film) and the end-of-life scenario.<br />
For Mater-Bi agricultural mulching film the Institute considered the<br />
fundamental aspects and characteristics of its application and end-oflife<br />
(considering the aspects under Technical Report CEN/TR 15822 for<br />
biodegradable plastics in or on soil, and (Italian) UNI standard 11183 which<br />
defines the requirements and test methods for biodegradable plastic materials<br />
at room temperature); aerobic biodegradation in the soil at the end of the crop<br />
cycle; the environmental safety of the product in terms of the release and<br />
dissemination of contaminants into the soil and eco-toxic effects in the soil<br />
after degradation.<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE will have a closer look into mulch films in general in one<br />
of the coming issues — stay tuned… MT<br />
www.novamont.com<br />
www.icea.info<br />
24 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6
Challenging Convention<br />
Biodegradability with exceptional<br />
seal integrity<br />
Renewable and high barrier<br />
Coloured and compostable<br />
Even higher performance<br />
achieved when combined with<br />
other biopolymers<br />
Variety of ‘end-of-life’ options<br />
www.NatureFlex.com<br />
use our imagination...
Films|Flexibles|Bags<br />
Biopolymer Coatings for<br />
Sustainable Packaging<br />
By Klaus Noller<br />
Head of Material Development Department<br />
Fraunhofer-Institut für<br />
Verfahrenstechnik und Verpackung IVV<br />
Freising, Germany<br />
Whey powder (picture: ttz Bremerhaven)<br />
The Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging<br />
IVV, Freising, Germany, has developed a packaging<br />
film having a barrier layer made of whey protein. This novel<br />
packaging film was developed as part of the EU funded „Wheylayer“<br />
project. Large quantities of whey arise during cheese manufacture<br />
and whey also contains antimicrobial substances which<br />
prolong the shelf-life of foods. The work of the Fraunhofer IVV<br />
involved optimizing the barrier properties to oxygen and water vapor<br />
and also the antimicrobial effect of the coating. In order to do<br />
this, very pure protein isolates were recovered from the whey. The<br />
film-forming properties of proteins from sweet and sour whey<br />
were optimized by chemical modification. The result was innovative<br />
protein formulations having a high barrier effect and excellent<br />
adhesion and resistance to mechanical stress. This means there<br />
is no longer a need to use synthetic barrier polymers to coat conventional<br />
packaging materials - these can be replaced by the new<br />
biopolymer made of whey protein. This reduces CO 2<br />
emissions<br />
and lowers the usage of material resources for production. The<br />
ability to subsequently dissolve the whey layer means that properly<br />
sorted recycling of the plastic film is possible. The multilayer<br />
film was manufactured using a patented roll-to-roll method. This<br />
processing method is a key precondition for fulfilling commercial<br />
criteria. The products and processes that have thus far been developed<br />
on a laboratory and pilot plant scale will be transferred to<br />
an industrial scale this year before the end of the project, meaning<br />
that the new whey layer material will soon be able to be used<br />
in the packaging sector.<br />
The Fraunhofer IVV is also developing coatings from renewable<br />
raw materials for paper which can be used, for example, for<br />
beverage packaging. The BioPaperCoating project, funded by the<br />
Federation of Industrial Research Associations (AiF), is developing<br />
biocoatings for paper and processes for their manufacture.<br />
The aim is to produce biocoatings on paper, paperboard, and<br />
cardboard for use as packaging for solid and liquid foods. These<br />
new packaging materials will replace the currently used plastics<br />
based on fossil raw materials, and especially polyethylene,<br />
in laminated packaging systems. The systems are based on<br />
compatible blends of polylactic acids and polyhydroxyalkanoates<br />
which combine the benefits of the individual components. At the<br />
Fraunhofer IVV the formulations are being tested for coating<br />
at near-industrial coating rates and are being optimized in<br />
collaboration with Fraunhofer UMSICHT. Other functionalities<br />
such as an extra co-extruded layer are also being added to the<br />
material system.<br />
26 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6
Films|Flexibles|Bags<br />
The FlexPakRenew project, which is being funded under the<br />
7 th Framework Programme of the EU, is developing novel flexible<br />
papers with multilayer structures (50 to 90 g/m²) made entirely of<br />
renewable raw materials for food and non-food applications. The<br />
multilayer structures in combination with the latest developments<br />
in nanotechnology and surface coating allow barrier properties to<br />
be achieved that are equivalent to traditional plastic laminates and<br />
composites having medium and high barriers. Low permeability to<br />
water vapour and oxygen and to fats and flavours is the goal. The<br />
environmentally friendly manufacturing process and optimized<br />
recyclability or biodegradability of the material means that the<br />
emission of greenhouse gases is reduced. The Fraunhofer IVV<br />
is undertaking advanced development of the process of vacuum<br />
coating with SiOx and Al 2<br />
O 3<br />
in order to optimize the water vapour<br />
and oxygen barriers of the coated papers.<br />
www.ivv.fraunhofer.de<br />
OTR at 23°C and 50% RH (cm 3 / m 2 d bar)<br />
10000<br />
1000<br />
100<br />
10<br />
1<br />
0,1<br />
PE-HD PP<br />
BOPP<br />
COC<br />
PE-LD<br />
PVC-P<br />
PS<br />
PC<br />
0,01 | | | | | |<br />
0,01 0,1 1 10 100 1000<br />
PLA<br />
PVC-U<br />
PET<br />
PA 6<br />
PAN<br />
PEN<br />
Wheylayer<br />
PVDC<br />
EVOH, 44%<br />
EVOH, 38%<br />
EVOH, 32%<br />
(LCP)<br />
EVOH, 27%<br />
WVTR at 23°C; 85% RH (g/m 2 d)<br />
Oxygan and Water Vapour Transmission rate<br />
Cellulose<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6 27
Opinion<br />
‘Bagislation‘ in Europe<br />
Italy‘s bag ban challenges the (bio-) plastics industry<br />
Analysed by<br />
Harald Kaeb<br />
narocon InnovationConsulting<br />
Berlin, Germany<br />
Fig. 1: The negative consequences of<br />
littering triggered and heated up ‘bagislation‘<br />
Italy does it, Spain has planned it, the European Commission is<br />
considering it: the banning of non-biodegradable single-use<br />
carrier bags has become a ‘battlefield‘ of product legislation in<br />
Europe. For the first time ever legal regulation could exert a huge<br />
impact on the market and the development of technology for bioplastics<br />
in Europe. For manufacturers of biodegradable plastic<br />
resin Italy became the ‘promised land‘ and a magic blueprint for<br />
so-called ‘bagislation’ in Europe and abroad. However, the battlefield<br />
is peppered with strong incumbents, diverse interests, sustainability<br />
constraints, waste management obligations and, last but<br />
not least, a complex political and legal landscape. Italy‘s ban triggered<br />
a public debate and further action: EU authorities put it under<br />
scrutiny and they now are evaluating how to reduce the consumption<br />
of, and littering by, bags. In the past a bag ban was considered<br />
non-compliant with EU Directives - from a legal point nothing has<br />
changed since then. But as the political perception most likely has<br />
changed, will Italy‘s bag ban now be allowed? What are the arguments?<br />
Which ones are really convincing and practicable? I have<br />
been analysing this market and the relevant policies for years. This<br />
article provides a first assessment of the situation with focus on<br />
motives and actions. The author also points out the risks that the<br />
protagonists need to be aware of.<br />
Dealing with littering issues<br />
Most likely there is no other plastic product which is under so<br />
much (legal) pressure as the plastic bag today. A vigorous discussion<br />
about littering and over-consumption has led to measures aimed at<br />
a far-reaching reduction of single-use bags around the globe. From<br />
Bangladesh to China, from Tanzania to the Philippines – it seems<br />
that every country on this planet has introduced bans or regulations,<br />
or is at least discussing the subject. Google reveals 1.2 million<br />
results (searching ‘carrier bag ban’) and three million pictures<br />
(searching ‘bag littering’) - all within one second. The photograph of<br />
a turtle with a remnant of blue plastic film in its mouth has become<br />
the accusatory symbol against plastic bags.<br />
The damage caused by littering heated up the debate and gave it a<br />
spin towards biodegradability as a proposed solution. This used to be<br />
a forbidden ‘No-Go-Area’ for many good reasons: If the bioplastics<br />
industry were to advertise in this way, it would not take long for<br />
studies to prove the opposite: biodegradable and compostable bags<br />
floating in the sea, eaten by animals, wrapped around branches on<br />
trees, piling up on the ground and NOT biodegrading. It would be a<br />
disaster. A great opportunity to fuel ‘anti-bioplastics’ PR campaigns<br />
and damaging the whole concept of biodegradable and compostable<br />
plastics. Whatever the plastic product and material type, littering<br />
is anti-social behaviour which must not be encouraged by “it just<br />
disappears!” adverts. Only oxo-additive producers and users go that<br />
way and they are failing to build a market in Europe.<br />
28 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6
Films|Flexibles|Bags<br />
Putting a price on carrier bags brings double<br />
benefits<br />
Most experts agree that the best way to fight littering is give a<br />
value to bags. The easiest way is to charge for them – no bags for<br />
free anymore! Many European food supermarkets charge for bags: A<br />
typical 50 µm (micron) loop handle PE bag is priced at 0.10 to 0.20 €<br />
(Bio-PE bags marketed at 0.15 to 0.25 €). Despite carrying a price of<br />
0.20 to 0.40 € compostable plastic bags are successfully introduced<br />
in more and more EU markets where no bans are in place. Their<br />
market share reaches up to 25% in German or Austrian grocery<br />
stores. The concept of selling bags and keeping a high margin has<br />
become a strong trend in Europe. When adding a price the stores<br />
often switch from free-of-charge 15 to 25 µm thin-gauge PE bags to<br />
40 to 50 µm bags. With a lot of benefits: the added weight prevents<br />
bags from blowing in the wind, the added performance (more kg<br />
loading capacity) turns the single-use bag into a reusable bag (used<br />
between 4 to 7 times, studies say). The number of bags per capita<br />
would drop from hundreds to a few dozen, or from more than two<br />
kilogrammes to less than one.<br />
This effect is a perfect contribution to the waste prevention goal<br />
which stands at the top of the EU waste hierarchy. Just by charging<br />
significantly for a bag the result is lower consumption and less<br />
littering. This concept is favoured by most of the food retailers. If<br />
it is objected to, then politicians are eager to enforce it: the Irish<br />
bag tax was a consequence of the objection of British retail stores<br />
to reducing the number of bags. The levy of 0.15 € per bag led to a<br />
90% reduction. In the UK Prime Minister Cameron recently warned<br />
the British retail sector to reduce bags - or taxation will be applied.<br />
He was not pleased with the weak results of a voluntary retail<br />
commitment. It seems it is only a matter of time until all carrier<br />
bags in the European food retail sector will be charged. Retailers<br />
love money and avoiding taxes.<br />
National and EU bag policies<br />
In 2005 the French government banned single-use carrier bags<br />
with the exception of biodegradable and compostable bags. This<br />
first attempt at a legal ban was not targeting littering, France had<br />
no big issues with it. The idea of the ‘Grenelle de l‘Environnement’<br />
was just to promote new outlets for feedstocks from French<br />
agriculture. Biodegradable and biobased bioplastics were regarded<br />
as an opportunity for French farmers and companies. Legislation<br />
was promoted despite the fact that there is little infrastructure for<br />
collecting bio-waste and composting in France. Whilst the European<br />
Commission (EC) blocked the enforcement of the French law the<br />
Italian one successfully came into force. u<br />
Fig 2: Lightweight bags blowing in the wind – they<br />
are much more of a litter problem than heavier ones<br />
(Photo: Kaeb)<br />
Fig. 3: Compostable bags conquer markets despite<br />
higher prices - even if ‘non-regulated’ (Photo: BASF)<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6 29
Opinion<br />
Fig. 4: Bags for fruits and vegetable are not included in<br />
bagislation. It is the perfect bio-waste bag (Photo: Kaeb)<br />
Both laws breach the principles of the European Packaging<br />
and Packaging Waste Directive and the EU trading and<br />
competition rules. However between 2005 and 2011 the public<br />
perception of bags has changed. Over the last two years<br />
television programmes, news and articles, and even movies,<br />
criticised overconsumption and its contribution to littering.<br />
Therefore, the EC did not directly react with a rejection of the<br />
Italian ban but with a public consultation. By August 15,000<br />
answers had arrived to questions that covered “the need for<br />
reduction, possible measures such as levies and bans, the<br />
need for differentiation between biodegradable and nonbiodegradable<br />
bags, EN 13432 standard and labelling issues“<br />
and more. DG Environment Commissioner Potocnik, who is<br />
currently responsible, is running an impact assessment on<br />
possible measures. As he made clear in his 2011 statements,<br />
the EC very likely will develop harmonised Europe-wide<br />
measures to reduce carrier bags and their environmental<br />
impact.<br />
The first reaction of the EU plastics industry to the Italian<br />
ban was, like the French case, heavy lobbying against a<br />
severe market distortion. But as the EC signalled “we will<br />
regulate bags“ the strategy changed and was turned into a<br />
self-regulation approach. In October 2011 European plastics<br />
industry organisations presented to the EU Commission<br />
an alternative to regulatory measures on plastic carrier<br />
bags. The draft proposal involves the whole value chain and<br />
has the objective of working towards more sustainable use<br />
of the plastic carrier bag in Europe by promoting reusable<br />
bags, avoiding bags being given for free and the use of more<br />
renewable and recycled materials in the production of new<br />
plastic carrier bags. While self-regulation is being discussed<br />
in the value chain Spain has come up with legislation similar<br />
to Italy. In a staged approach all single-use bags will be<br />
banned from 2018 onwards unless they are biodegradable<br />
and compostable according to EN 13432.<br />
The importance of waste management and<br />
recycling<br />
The very solid and valid argument for compostable<br />
shopping bags is that they will help to collect more bio-waste,<br />
e.g. food and garden waste. Diverting such waste from landfill<br />
or other recycling schemes is a significant contribution to<br />
better waste management and more efficient recycling. The<br />
precondition is to have established organic waste collection<br />
and recycling schemes. However, in many regions, e.g. in<br />
Southern and Eastern Europe, in France or the UK this<br />
infrastructure is hardly developed. The legal promotion of<br />
biodegradable bags occurs in countries where, at least in<br />
wider regions, composting is not well established (Southern<br />
Italy, Spain). There are huge differences when regarding<br />
the situation in EU countries. The consumption pattern is<br />
differing significantly from member state to member state.<br />
This includes the type of bag, the film gauge and the number<br />
of bags used, which is widely varying. For example in central<br />
and northern Europe, e.g. Germany, Denmark or Austria,<br />
carrier bags are rarely given away for free – resulting in<br />
low numbers of consumption. What is more, the available<br />
regional waste management and recycling infrastructure is<br />
ranging from ‘almost nothing in place’ to ‘far developed for all<br />
types of waste’. For PE carrier bags - the dominant product<br />
on the market - specific sorting and recycling schemes were<br />
developed and are working well in some EU countries. Any<br />
policy against PE bags would be a policy against recycling.<br />
Rather vigorous and negative debates earlier sensibilised the<br />
European bioplastics industry to the fact that the recycling of<br />
conventional plastics is an issue: when bioplastics interfere<br />
in a negative way with this view then a confrontation with the<br />
recyclers can be expected. As recycling is a strong pillar of<br />
the European sustainability and resource efficiency policies<br />
the end-of-life attributes will play a major role in future EU<br />
bagislation.<br />
30 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6
Films|Flexibles|Bags<br />
Fig. 5: Bio-based PE bags are well recyclable and eco-efficient –<br />
but discriminated in Italy (Photo: Zabel / European Bioplastics)<br />
Environmental performance will be<br />
scrutinized<br />
This holds also true for the environmental performance<br />
of carrier bags which is building another corner stone when<br />
evaluating the concepts and designing the ‘most wanted’<br />
products. The available LCA results comparing different types<br />
of carrier bags concur, i.e. reusable and recyclable bags have a<br />
very good environmental profile. The less material is used for<br />
a bag of a certain load capacity, the more often it is reused and<br />
recycled, and the better will be the profile. Biobased PE bags<br />
from sugar cane perform very well according to this measure.<br />
However, as these are non-biodegradable bioplastics they<br />
suffer from the existing bag bans. Biodegradable plastics<br />
today yield rather low LCA credits from organic recycling<br />
compared to mechanical recycling. They would benefit from<br />
a calculation of the indirect (secondary) effect when diverting<br />
food waste from landfill or keeping recycling streams clean.<br />
This, however, is difficult to quantify.<br />
Many questions remain open<br />
There are many questions to be answered to find the best<br />
‘bag solution’ serving the needs of the environment and the<br />
businesses involved. Depending on the region and purpose<br />
of application different types of bags will be favoured.<br />
Biodegradable bags are no solution to littering but are great<br />
products for organic waste recovery. Biobased PE bags<br />
perfectly fit to the established plastic recycling schemes.<br />
In all regulations the scope and the definition of the bags<br />
concerned is a huge challenge: What is single-use, what<br />
is reusable, what is a bag for life? In the Italian or Spanish<br />
legislation single-use plastic bags are not exactly defined. It<br />
is known that very thin plastic t-shirt bags are used only once<br />
before ending up as waste bags, while loop-handle or griphole<br />
bags are used several times. Is there a maximum film<br />
gauge separating single-use from reusable?<br />
Only very good and very solid arguments covering littering,<br />
waste management and proof of sustainability will allow us<br />
to justify measures that have a strong impact on the market.<br />
Bans violate EU law and are most often being regarded as a<br />
too strong in terms of market distortion - even by industry<br />
organisations like European Bioplastics. Targets for bag<br />
reduction or taxes on specific bags might be more acceptable<br />
alternatives. A voluntary branch agreement and selfregulation<br />
can be an alternative to legislation if it achieves<br />
the same results for reaching the objectives in a smarter way.<br />
Charging for bags at a reasonable price seems to be a smart<br />
and effective measure.<br />
In Europe it can be expected that the process of sorting<br />
out the options will be systematic and sound. The bioplastics<br />
industry has very good arguments to get a good share of<br />
the 750,000 tonne market for plastic carrier bags. National,<br />
sectorial or even company related interests however most<br />
likely will not be good enough to develop or defend regulations<br />
that are not in line with the principles of legislation, sustainable<br />
development or competition. NGOs and those who see their<br />
stakes at risk most likely will take care for unredeemed<br />
promises and proclaim their findings in the media.<br />
www.narocon.com<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6 31
Films|Flexibles|Bags<br />
A lightweight coffee pouch made from<br />
renewable resources using NatureFlex<br />
from Innovia Films.<br />
Renewable<br />
Lightweight<br />
Coffee Pouches<br />
Today metal cans, glass jars and rigid plastic containers<br />
dominate instant coffee packaging, all of which are recyclable<br />
but none are made from renewable resources or offer<br />
compostability.<br />
The move to conventional flexible packaging began some<br />
time ago for many premium gourmet makers of ground<br />
coffee and coffee beans with some every day instant coffee<br />
brands mirroring this trend. Many of these lightweight packs<br />
are stand-up bags or pouches with some using vacuum<br />
packed blocks.<br />
Innovia Films, a leading innovator in filmic solutions for<br />
packaging, has developed a range of cellulose-based films<br />
that when laminated together with other bio materials, can<br />
provide a fully renewable filmic structure suitable for coffee<br />
pouches – NatureFlex.<br />
“Coffee producers are moving towards packaging which<br />
weighs less to save on transportation costs in the supply<br />
chain and to lower the product’s carbon footprint,” expressed<br />
Innovia Films Neil Banerjee, Market Developer – Cello.<br />
He continued “NatureFlex films offer a viable alternative to<br />
coffee producers who want a complete packaging structure<br />
that is lightweight and able to not only protect their product<br />
but at the same time is also compostable and made from<br />
renewable resources. This is the real point of differentiation<br />
for NatureFlex as existing laminate structures for lightweight<br />
coffee packaging can be difficult to dispose of except through<br />
landfill, whereas NatureFlex can be composted.”<br />
Typical comparison of conventional versus NatureFlex film<br />
structures:<br />
Existing Structure<br />
Flexible packaging for the roast and ground coffee and<br />
coffee bean market typically consists of a laminate structure<br />
made up of three layers:<br />
1. A reverse printed outer layer: 20μm BOPP (biaxially<br />
oriented PP) or 12μm PET<br />
2. A high barrier middle layer: 6-10μm Aluminium foil<br />
or 12μm metallised PET<br />
3. An inner sealant layer: 50-90μm Polyethylene<br />
The NatureFlex Solution<br />
Innovia’s NatureFlex films can be combined with other<br />
biopolymers by a converter, to produce a renewable<br />
alternative to the above structure.<br />
The comparison properties are highlighted in the graph<br />
below:<br />
Thickness / µm<br />
100<br />
90<br />
80<br />
70<br />
60<br />
50<br />
40<br />
30<br />
20<br />
10<br />
PET, 12 µm<br />
Aluminium Foil, 7 µm<br />
Polyethylene, 60µm<br />
NatureFlex 20N<br />
Printable, transparent barrier<br />
NatureFlex 20N921M<br />
Metallised high barrier layer<br />
Bio-Polymer sealant layer<br />
High seal strength and integrity<br />
PET, 12 µm<br />
Metallised<br />
Polyester, 12 µm<br />
Polyethylene, 60µm<br />
Clear<br />
NatureFlex NK,<br />
20 µm<br />
Metallised<br />
NatureFlex,<br />
20 µm<br />
Biopolymer<br />
Sealant,<br />
50 µm<br />
0 Standard Packaging 1 Standard Packaging 2 NatureFlex based<br />
Bio-Laminate<br />
NatureFlex films comply with standards for compostable<br />
packaging, including EN13432, AS4736 and ASTM D6400.<br />
Depending on the individual films selected, the finished<br />
laminate structure could be certified compostable to the<br />
same standards subject to appropriate ink, print design and<br />
adhesive choices. If required, the pouches can be vented or a<br />
fully compostable zip closure could be added.<br />
Neil Banerjee explained “We are happy to work with coffee<br />
manufacturers to ensure that they get the right laminate<br />
structure to protect their product all they need to do is<br />
contact us.”<br />
www.innoviafilms.com<br />
32 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6
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Application News<br />
New Laminate<br />
Centroplast Spa from Meldola, Italy has a long and robust<br />
story in producing flexible packaging for the food industry.<br />
They are conscious of the importance to offer a sustainable<br />
packaging, with a significant reduction of the environmental<br />
impact, to food end-users.<br />
This is the reason why Centroplast, since years, has been<br />
searching solutions with a lower environmental impact.<br />
Now Centroplast is presenting to the market a new type<br />
of compostable packaging, satisfying different packaging<br />
requirements to achieve the same shelf life properties for the<br />
packed goods. However, compared with standard solutions<br />
no special settings on the production lines are required.<br />
This packaging has been developed using films<br />
compostable according to the EN 13432 standard.<br />
Regarding this project the R&D Manager Stefania<br />
Milandri explained that the development was carried out in<br />
collaboration with the main suppliers of raw materials and<br />
films. This led to a two layer laminate with high mechanical<br />
properties and excellent machinability in complex<br />
applications.<br />
The outer layer of consists of Ingeo PLA. It is laminated<br />
using a special adhesive to an inner layer which itself is<br />
coextruded from two different materials. This coextruded<br />
layer combines again PLA with a ‘new bioplastics’ derived<br />
from starch. More details were not disclosed at this time due<br />
to a proprietary recipe. This layer, however, gives the laminate<br />
a very good sealing strength, so that the packaging can hold<br />
even heavy products, such as rice and dried food.<br />
The adhesive used to laminate the two layers is completely<br />
compostable, providing at the same time a perfect bonding<br />
between the layers.<br />
In addition to the above mentioned compostable laminate,<br />
Centroplast has developed another laminate made out<br />
of paper with metalized poly-lactic acid for other food<br />
applications. MT<br />
www.centroplast.it<br />
Eco-Labels for<br />
Biobottles<br />
As a result of the extensive research in the field of<br />
environmental sustainability, Goglio Cofibox S.p.A.,<br />
leader in the production of flexible laminates for the<br />
packaging of food products from Cadorago, Italy has<br />
developed a new eco-friendly label in PLA for its client<br />
Fonti di Vinadio SpA. The label is being applied on<br />
Sant’Anna PLA bottles, the first eco-friendly bottles that<br />
biodegrade within 80 days.<br />
The label has been developed to work with the reel<br />
fed technology, the most common one in the beverage<br />
market thanks to its high speed labeling, and it is<br />
suitable for all common standard gluing systems. Labels<br />
are available in thickness starting from 30µm.<br />
Furthermore, the transparency of the film is highly<br />
appreciated in the mineral water market, since it<br />
guarantees perfect clarity in the see through graphics in<br />
a mono-web structure.<br />
The PLA resin used for the label, Ingeo by<br />
NatureWorks, assures excellent film performances<br />
even on those equipment which up to today have used<br />
‘traditional’ materials.<br />
In addition to this, Goglio Cofibox has developed<br />
exclusive bio inks to be used for printings on eco-friendly<br />
materials which, thanks to the Company’s 10-colors<br />
print rotogravure technology, allow to manufacture<br />
tailor-made, eye-catching printing effects on 100% green<br />
labels. The inks are certified compostable by Vinçotte<br />
and do of course not contain any toxic substances or<br />
heavy metals.<br />
This is one more example of Goglio Group’s flexible<br />
innovations towards environmentally friendly products.<br />
MT<br />
www.gogliocofibox.com<br />
34 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6
Application News<br />
Hoses Made from Biobased<br />
Raw Materials<br />
NORRES Schlauchtechnik from Gelsenkirchen, Germany<br />
is a leading manufacturer of industrial hoses, hose systems<br />
and other innovative, high-performance plastic products.<br />
The company has formulated a corporate sustainability<br />
strategy which specifies that all Norres products should<br />
be developed according to certain basic principles. One of<br />
these principles is that defined hose types should be made<br />
from bio-based raw material sources.<br />
Norres has a number of hose types that are either<br />
manufactured from a ‘bioplastic’ raw material as standard<br />
or can be supplied as variants made from raw materials<br />
based on derivatives. Castor oil is a typical example of the<br />
derivatives used for this purpose. The share of the bioplastic<br />
in each product is in the region of 20 to 50%, depending<br />
on the hardness and the nature of the synthetic material.<br />
The mechanical properties and chemical resistances of<br />
bioplastic raw materials are not significantly different from<br />
those of the standard Norres types, and they represent<br />
an altogether competitive option. Moreover, several<br />
Norres hoses are made using raw materials with a low<br />
environmental impact based on the life cycle assessment<br />
(LCA), in other words with a good ecobalance. The focus<br />
is on bioplastic monomers derived from renewable raw<br />
materials for polyesters, polyamides, polyurethanes and<br />
vinyl polymers. Hoses produced using these materials are<br />
offered as an alternative to the standard products. The<br />
Protapw ® PUR 335 MHF FLAT, Airduc ® PUR 350 MHF and<br />
Airduc ® PUR 355 are among the hose types. MT<br />
www.norres.com<br />
Biodegradable Bags<br />
for Home Compost<br />
Concern about the environment ranks high on Flexico’s<br />
R&D agenda. Always keen to contribute to a better world<br />
and curb waste, Flexico is adding new biodegradable bags<br />
for home compost to its Biopryl range, which already<br />
includes biodegradable bags for industrial compost. The<br />
Flexico group is a French company created in 1950 with five<br />
production sites and six subsidiaries in France Germany,<br />
UK, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Romania.<br />
Benefits for the community are twofold: with this<br />
biodegradation system, packaging can be collected together<br />
with the green waste by the community and turned into<br />
compost. At home, the end user, can place the packaging<br />
in their home compost together with other organic waste.<br />
The biodegradable Biopryl bags for home compost are<br />
made of compostable films, using renewable material<br />
(such as starch and vegetable oils) and biodegradable<br />
co-polyesters, all complying with standard EN 13432 and<br />
authenticated ‘OK Home Compost’ by Laboratory Vinçotte.<br />
No genetically modified plants (GMO) are being used for the<br />
production.<br />
Home Compost biodegradable Biopryl bags are produced<br />
with or without a drawstring closure. They are particularly<br />
useful as packaging for bioproducts such as cotton, but also<br />
for textile, fresh produce, and cosmetics. Biopryl bags offer<br />
a high water vapour transmission rate but a good barrier<br />
against oxygen. This means moisture can escape faster,<br />
fresh produce is less susceptible to mold and to oxidation<br />
and stay fresh for a longer period of time. MT<br />
www.flexico.fr<br />
36 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6
Joint Approach<br />
Innovia Films, Cumbria, UK and Sappi Fine Paper<br />
Europe, Brussels, Belgium have joined forces to<br />
demonstrate potential laminate structures, using their<br />
respective products, suitable for end users in the food,<br />
confectionery and pharmaceutical industries. These<br />
laminates provide technical functionality in addition<br />
to being made from renewable resources and offering<br />
compostability – a focus which many packaging end<br />
users are keen to pursue.<br />
Both companies recognise that the best end-of-life<br />
options for flexible paper/film laminates are either<br />
industrial, home composting or ultimately anaerobic<br />
digestion which turns waste into a useful energy source,<br />
compared to current landfill or incineration solutions.<br />
Innovia Films with its NatureFlex product range,<br />
brings its unique expertise in manufacturing renewable<br />
and compostable cellulose-based films with tailored<br />
moisture and barrier properties.<br />
Sappi brings its expertise in manufacturing flexible<br />
packaging papers and now offers coated and uncoated<br />
compostable paper options; Algro ® Nature is a unique<br />
compostable one side coated paper; Leine ® Nature is an<br />
uncoated equivalent, which is also compostable.<br />
The Sappi and Innovia products have been<br />
independently tested and have received the ‘OK<br />
Compost Home’ certification by Vinçotte, and also the<br />
compostability DIN E13432 certification by DIN CERTCO.<br />
Innovia Films and Sappi have now started trials with<br />
converters to demonstrate the capabilities of such<br />
laminates in terms of sustainability and technical<br />
packaging solutions. Trials have been made on both<br />
extrusion and adhesive laminate systems, targeting<br />
end users who are seeking alternatives to existing noncompostable<br />
structures.<br />
John Fell, Global Marketing Director for Innovia<br />
Films commented “Both companies are committed to<br />
evolving this joint partnership and will announce future<br />
developments of sustainable packaging solution, based<br />
on renewable and recyclable forest products, as and<br />
when they become available.”<br />
Shaping the future<br />
of biobased plastics<br />
www.purac.com/bioplastics<br />
www.innoviafilms.com<br />
www.sappi.com<br />
Laminate pack<br />
structure<br />
(used here for<br />
packaging dried soup)<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6 37
Consumer Electronics<br />
Bioplastic Mouse added<br />
to Green Line<br />
Fujitsu is extending their portfolio of ’Green IT TM ’ products.<br />
The KBPC PX ECO keyboard with bioplastic components<br />
has been available for quite some time already.<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE reported about it in its issues on 03/2010<br />
and 05/2010. Earlier this year, Fujitsu Technology Solutions<br />
GmbH from Munich, Germany, a subsidiary of the Japanese<br />
Fujitsu Limited, added an optical USB mouse to their Green IT<br />
line of products. “The environmentally friendly keyboard was<br />
and still is quite successful in the market so it was only a<br />
logical step to introduce a mouse,” said Christian Sandmeier,<br />
Senior Product Manager Accessories of Fujitsu.<br />
Like the keyboard, the optical USB mouse M440 with a<br />
resolution of 1000 dpi features a housing and 3 keys made<br />
of BIOGRADE ® C 7500, a cellulose acetate compound from<br />
FKuR in Willich, Germany. The 100% biodegradable material<br />
is predominantly composed of natural resource materials<br />
and completely recyclable. In addition, the mouse features<br />
halogen free circuit boards along with a PVC free cable.<br />
“One of the many advantages of using Biograde was the<br />
fact that existing injection moulding tools could be used,”<br />
explained Christoph Lohr, injection moulding expert working<br />
in the department of Applications Technology at FKuR. Thus,<br />
the existing manufacturer could produce the mouse without<br />
any problems. All necessary requirements for electronic<br />
devices, which include computer equipment, could be fulfilled<br />
(e.g. fire tests). In Germany, a special glow wire test is required<br />
whereas in other countries the UL94HB flammability test has<br />
to be met. All of these tests were passed without adding any<br />
special flame retardant additives. A colour masterbatch with<br />
a biobased carrier allows the colourisation of the mouse at<br />
a very high quality. The black version of the mouse can be<br />
laser-marked, also without the need for any additives.<br />
In addition to its ergonomic design for right and left handed<br />
users, due to the special properties of Biograde the haptic<br />
appearance of the mouse is very pleasant. This is quite<br />
important, as many users spend hours and hours with their<br />
hands in direct contact to the mouse, a fact that must not be<br />
neglected. Also, Biograde offers a ‘self-polishing’ effect, as<br />
Christoph Lohr explained. This means that small dents and<br />
scratches will disappear after a while, simply by touching<br />
and using it. The Swedish computer magazine ‘PC för Alla’<br />
tested the mouse and certified its robustness: “The mouse<br />
is as durable, hard-wearing and robust as other mice made<br />
from hard plastics”.<br />
With a reduction of oil based plastics of about 66 tonnes per<br />
year the ‘green’ mouse obviously is the best companion for<br />
the ‘green’ keyboard, as stated on Fujitsu’s website.<br />
Beside the environmental benefits, quality design<br />
and superior performance what’s the best benefit to the<br />
consumer? Both the keyboard and mouse are sold at a retail<br />
price comparable to ‘conventional‘ products.<br />
www.fujitsu.com<br />
www.fkur.com<br />
Our cover kitty cat Olivia<br />
likes ‘organic food‘ ...<br />
Her comment: „Miaouw“<br />
38 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6
Polylactic Acid<br />
Uhde Inventa-Fischer has expanded its product portfolio to include the innovative stateof-the-art<br />
PLAneo ® process. The feedstock for our PLA process is lactic acid, which can<br />
be produced from local agricultural products containing starch or sugar.<br />
The application range of PLA is similar to that of polymers based on fossil resources as<br />
its physical properties can be tailored to meet packaging, textile and other requirements.<br />
Think. Invest. Earn.<br />
Uhde Inventa-Fischer GmbH<br />
Holzhauser Strasse 157–159<br />
13509 Berlin<br />
Germany<br />
Tel. +49 30 43 567 5<br />
Fax +49 30 43 567 699<br />
Uhde Inventa-Fischer AG<br />
Via Innovativa 31<br />
7013 Domat/Ems<br />
Switzerland<br />
Tel. +41 81 632 63 11<br />
Fax +41 81 632 74 03<br />
marketing@uhde-inventa-fi scher.com<br />
www.uhde-inventa-fi scher.com<br />
Uhde Inventa-Fischer
Report<br />
Polylactic acid is a<br />
polymer which is made of<br />
renewable raw materials<br />
and is available in<br />
the market on an<br />
industrial scale.<br />
(Photo: ecopuls)<br />
Bioplastics in Practical Use<br />
A project by the Austrian Plastics Cluster<br />
providesexperience with PLA<br />
This article is an excerpt from a comprehensive report<br />
of the Austrian Plastics Cluster.<br />
Bioplastics: From the Lab to the<br />
Product Shelves<br />
An EU project led by the St. Pölten office of the Austrian<br />
plastics cluster has developed practical knowledge in the<br />
use of bioplastics which has been further extended thanks<br />
to the participation of numerous industry partners.<br />
A number of food producing companies process products<br />
from organic farms. They could improve the sustainability of<br />
their overall product if the films that are used for packaging<br />
were also made from renewable raw materials. Within<br />
a CORNET project (COllective Research NETwork), from<br />
1998 to 2001, practical knowledge in this subject has been<br />
developed, and now many companies benefit from it.<br />
Initiated by ecoplus, the business agency of Lower<br />
Austria and supported by the government of Lower Austria<br />
an application was submitted for financial support. Eleven<br />
institutes from six European countries, as well as a large<br />
number of company partners (20 from Austria alone),<br />
finally came together to pursue the common goal. “We<br />
want to learn how to deal with bioplastics,” says Alexander<br />
Komenda, who managed the entire project for the plastics<br />
cluster. The participating companies invest in the project, but<br />
each Euro from an Austrian company has been quadrupled<br />
by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency FFG. Overall<br />
the project volume totals 1.6 million Euros.<br />
In addition, the project was limited to material already<br />
available in the market and produced on a significant scale.<br />
Another definition set the benchmark for the project even<br />
higher, namely that any material used, including additives,<br />
must be biodegradable.<br />
Everyone Does What He Does Best<br />
Based on this general framework, the participants<br />
started to develop a project structure. Each of the countries<br />
involved, together with the respective scientific partner, took<br />
the lead in a different field.<br />
The experts in materials selection came from France,<br />
with the ‘Institut National des Sciences Appliquées’. It<br />
was important to take into account a series of physical<br />
properties which are essential to the processability and the<br />
practical use of bioplastics. Different applications require<br />
permeability or barrier towards certain gases, others need<br />
resistance to temperatures exceeding 60°C.<br />
The German ‘Institute for Polymers’ (DKI) was in charge<br />
of testing the raw materials. At the beginning it had to be<br />
decided whether standard test procedures for conventional<br />
plastics were applicable to bioplastics. Some methods had to<br />
be adapted to the special characteristics of the biopolymer.<br />
However, the results of these tests were necessary to<br />
characterise the materials to be used for the subsequent<br />
project phases. As Komenda says, “All participants were<br />
given large amounts of the same material in order to<br />
achieve comparable results.”<br />
The Slovenian ‘Tool & Die Development Center’ took the<br />
lead in processing the bioplastics on machines which are<br />
commonly used in the production of packaging, in close<br />
cooperation with the industry partners<br />
40 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6
The Polish institute ‘Cobro’ coordinated the tests of<br />
the new packaging materials in order to identify their<br />
behaviour under particular stress situations (e.g. bumping<br />
and banging during transport in trucks). Experts from the<br />
Austrian Research Institute for Chemistry and Technology<br />
(OFI) examined whether the packaging material made of<br />
polylactic acid (PLA) meets the special requirements of the<br />
food sector.<br />
Finally, ‘Celabor’ from Belgium was in charge of testing<br />
thermoformed plastic films from the waste-management<br />
end of the supply chain, as well as life-cycle analysis. This<br />
is a hot issue, as the ecological balance is one of the main<br />
arguments for the use of bioplastics.<br />
The challenge was to develop a transparent, easily<br />
adaptable report, which would withstand technical<br />
discussions and allow an emotional discussion to be seen<br />
from a more objective point of view. One option was to<br />
clearly identify certain measurable parameters such as the<br />
portion of carbon from renewable raw materials, which can<br />
be determined by radiocarbon dating.<br />
Application Food Packaging<br />
Now a stage has been reached where the raw material,<br />
PLA, can be characterised regarding its processability as<br />
a packaging material. It is known that it will be difficult to<br />
<br />
improve diffusion barriers without moving on to multilayer<br />
<br />
systems. It is known on which parameters temperature<br />
<br />
stability depends. It is known how to design production<br />
<br />
processes in order to obtain a usable product. In addition,<br />
<br />
knowledge has been distributed among the participating<br />
companies. “Ultimately it is important to create a product <br />
which a company can sell. Then the companies will need <br />
people to manufacture the product and we from the cluster<br />
will have done a good job,” Komenda summarises. It is<br />
exactly to this objective that the cooperation with the food<br />
cluster is committed.<br />
PLA – Properties of the Material and How<br />
to Improve Them<br />
PLA is available in different qualities in the market.<br />
A specific task of the CORNET project dealt with the<br />
properties of the materials and developed the basis for<br />
their improvement with suitable additives, guided by INSA<br />
Lyon. u<br />
Photo: ecoplus<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6 41
Report<br />
Photo: ecoplus<br />
Methods of Material - Characterisation for PLA<br />
The properties of PLA depend on its molecular structure. One of the<br />
task groups has developed methods which enable an accurate and reliable<br />
characterisation of this structure, guided by DKI-Darmstadt.<br />
Processing of PLA<br />
Learning to use a new type of plastic primarily means learning to process<br />
it. This task group conducted extensive tests on the processing of PLA,<br />
using different procedures and various different products. In this process a<br />
number of surprising discoveries were made!<br />
What was particularly fascinating about this task was the gradual gain<br />
in knowledge about the properties of the biopolymer, not least because<br />
its producers, the bacteria, do not disclose all of their secrets of chirality.<br />
A generally noticeable feature were the substantial differences between<br />
the various commercial types, which were seen above all in different<br />
molar mass distributions and represented significant differences in the<br />
applicability of the products. Extreme examples, in which PLA could be<br />
processed at 300°C without showing any noteworthy degradation reactions,<br />
are countered by cases in which discolouration became visible even under<br />
normal conditions.<br />
Testing Products Made of PLA<br />
Packaging products made of PLA have to meet the same requirements<br />
as packaging made from conventional plastics. Generally PLA can be<br />
processed without problems. However, processing, like additives, can have<br />
a significant influence on whether a future packaging development will<br />
meet the desired requirements. For example all processors have to find<br />
out whether drying of the raw material is necessary or not. Runners or<br />
gates for example cannot simply be re-used. The presence of expiry dates<br />
on PLA granulates and products will take some getting used to for plastics<br />
processors. But that’s how ‘bio’ works!<br />
PLA in Contact with Food<br />
One of the CORNET project’s topics was the use of PLA packaging in<br />
the food industry. A work group within the project examined whether PLA<br />
meets all of the requirements regarding contact with food, guided by OFI<br />
Vienna.<br />
PLA packaging appears to be particularly suitable for high-price and niche<br />
segments, such as organic products with a limited shelf life or fermented<br />
dairy products. Future research projects could analyse the influence of<br />
special additives and the combination with other biodegradable materials<br />
in greater detail.<br />
(Photo: Naku)<br />
a.komenda@ecoplus.at<br />
The Life Cycle of PLA<br />
When products made from PLA reach the end of their useful life various<br />
questions arise: How is the material disposed of? Can it be composted?<br />
Does PLA have an advantage over conventional plastics throughout its entire<br />
life cycle? This part of the project was guided by CELABOR of Belgium.<br />
To summarise in frank terms: There is the green advantage, but it’s not<br />
as big as it seems.<br />
Biopolymers will guide us to a green future, but it will be only one part of<br />
a general and massive change. The most important part is the human being<br />
himself and his wealth. MT<br />
The complete report can be downloaded from www.bio-packing.at<br />
42 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6
Opinion<br />
Agricultural Resources<br />
for Bioplastics<br />
Feedstock for bio-based plastics today and tomorrow<br />
By<br />
Michael Carus<br />
CEO nova-Institute<br />
Achim Raschka<br />
biotech expert at the<br />
nova-Institute<br />
Hürth, Germany<br />
1 st and 2 nd generation crops: Pros and cons<br />
To produce bio-based plastics there is a broad spectrum of feedstock options. Today biobased<br />
plastics are mainly based on sugar, starch, plant oil and natural rubber, the so-called<br />
first generation feedstock. Because of potential competition with food and animal feed<br />
politicians and scientists have introduced, in the last ten years, the idea of using lignocellulose<br />
feedstock by transforming it into fermentable sugar (whether this will have less impact on<br />
food security will be discussed below). Lignocellulose means wood, short rotation coppice<br />
such as poplar, willow or miscanthus, or lignocellulose containing agricultural by-products.<br />
Another option is to use by-products which contain sugar and starch.<br />
The following table shows the pros and cons for different feedstock options:<br />
Criteria<br />
Yield per hectare in terms of<br />
fermentable sugar equivalents<br />
Green House Gas Emissions for<br />
biomass derived Bio-based Plastics<br />
(cradle to factory gate)<br />
First Generation<br />
(Sugar, Starch, Oil,<br />
Natural Rubber)<br />
Second Generation<br />
(Lignocellulose – Wood and<br />
Short Rotation Coppice)<br />
Broad range, but more or less on the same level<br />
Broad range, but more or less on the same level<br />
Technical maturity Very high Still a lot to do<br />
Economically competitive<br />
Secure supply with raw materials<br />
at a reasonable price<br />
Not yet (except for specific<br />
properties)<br />
Competing for food, animal<br />
feed and bioenergy<br />
Not yet<br />
Competition with bioenergy<br />
and traditional industrial<br />
material use<br />
By-products from<br />
agriculture and forestry<br />
If the by-products have no markets<br />
yet, this means an extra yield<br />
Very low, because of the<br />
methodology of LCA<br />
Depending on the content<br />
of the by-product<br />
Not yet, but close<br />
Still a huge potential for<br />
inefficiently used by-products, or<br />
even those not used at all<br />
Direct competition with food and feed Yes No No<br />
Indirect competition to food and feed Yes – on land use No<br />
Emergency reserve for food and feed Yes No No<br />
Feedstock for Bio-based<br />
Plastics and Composites<br />
(source: nova-Institute)<br />
Second Generation<br />
Lignocellulose<br />
Saccharification<br />
First Generation<br />
Sugar Starch Plant Oil<br />
Natural<br />
Rubber<br />
feedstock<br />
Natural<br />
Fibres<br />
Wood<br />
Timber<br />
Byproducts<br />
Lignin<br />
Wood Plastics<br />
Composites<br />
for example<br />
bagasse<br />
Natural Fibres<br />
Reinforced<br />
Plastics<br />
Compressionmoulded<br />
parts<br />
Biobased Plastics<br />
thermoplastics or thermosets<br />
biodegradable or permanent<br />
Elastomers<br />
biomaterials<br />
Carbon Fibre<br />
44 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6
Opinion<br />
The table shows in a clear way that there is no easy answer.<br />
Are second generation feedstocks really a better solution?<br />
To answer this question on a solid scientific base nova will<br />
conduct a multi-client study in 2012/2013: What is the best<br />
sustainable feedstock to generate fermentable sugar?<br />
Interested companies and associations can still join the<br />
advisory board.<br />
Non-food discussion<br />
Forced by the public discussion during the food crisis in<br />
2008 politics and industry gave a very simple answer to the<br />
potential food versus industry conflict: Industry should only<br />
use non-food crops as feedstock.<br />
From our point of view the question of food versus non-food<br />
crops for industry is itself oversimplified and misleading. The<br />
real questions and conflict are different:<br />
• Question 1: Are there - in the EU, in the member states<br />
or in the region – free agricultural areas left, which are<br />
not necessary for food and animal feed, domestic use and<br />
export? If yes (and in many regions the answer is yes),<br />
continue:<br />
• Question 2 (the real question): How can we use these free<br />
areas for industry with the highest resource efficiency and<br />
the highest climate protection?<br />
• In many cases food crops will best fulfil these criteria -<br />
just because they have been specially cultivated to produce<br />
maximum yields over many, many years and all logistics<br />
are established.<br />
• Food crops for industry can also serve as an emergency<br />
reserve for food and feed supply – second generation<br />
lignocellulose cannot! This is exactly what is happening<br />
this year in Brazil. The Brazilian government has reduced<br />
the bioethanol fuel quota to save sugar for the demanding<br />
food and feed market.<br />
So ‘No food crops for industry’ can lead to a misallocation<br />
of agriculture resources. We need a comprehensive concept<br />
for feedstock for food, feed, industrial material use and<br />
bioenergy.<br />
The amount of land needed to grow<br />
feedstock for bio-based plastics -<br />
How much is needed, and how much will<br />
be needed in the future?<br />
Both answers to the above questions show how the<br />
agricultural area is used today. Most of the arable land is<br />
used for animal feed (69%), followed by food (17%), material<br />
use (7%, including bio-based plastics) and finally bioenergy<br />
(3.5%). The data on biomass in tonnes look slightly different<br />
and the main reasons are different yields per hectare<br />
for different crops, dedicated to certain applications. For<br />
example cotton, the leading crop for industrial material use,<br />
has considerably lower yields than most of the energy crops.<br />
Using the recent data from Prof. Endres (FH Hannover)<br />
and European Bioplastics, today (2010) about 724,000 tonnes<br />
of bio-based plastics are produced, and this will increase to<br />
1.71 million tonnes by 2015. According to a rough average<br />
estimation 2.5 tonnes of bio-based plastics can be produced<br />
per hectare and per year. This means that crops for bio-based<br />
plastics were grown on 290,000 hectares (0.02% of global<br />
arable land) in 2010 and will be grown on 684,000 hectares<br />
(0.05%) in 2015.<br />
To substitute all 250 million tonnes of plastics in the world<br />
with bio-based plastics will demand 100 million hectares<br />
or 7% of the global arable land. This will only happen when<br />
crude oil is really scarce and very expensive. Then solar<br />
and wind energy will also be taking over the energy sector,<br />
including bioenergy, so these arable areas will be set free for<br />
bio-based chemicals and plastics.<br />
Global land use for food production and renewable resources 2008<br />
(source: nova-Institute)<br />
Use of harvested agricultural biomass worldwide (2008)<br />
(source: nova-Institute)<br />
Total land area<br />
world wide<br />
13.4 bn. ha<br />
cities, residental area,<br />
0.2<br />
road and rail<br />
Arable land<br />
world wide<br />
5.0 bn. ha<br />
Cropland<br />
world wide<br />
1,500 mn. ha<br />
Total biomass ca.<br />
10 billion tonnes<br />
Biomass for<br />
industrial material<br />
use 4,3 %<br />
Biomass for energy<br />
use 3,7 %<br />
waste land (deserts,<br />
mountains, ...)<br />
4.3<br />
3.55<br />
pastures<br />
260<br />
Food<br />
18 %<br />
Food<br />
forest<br />
3.9<br />
1.030<br />
Feed<br />
agricultural<br />
area<br />
5.0<br />
1.45<br />
cropland<br />
today<br />
55<br />
100<br />
Bioenergy<br />
Material use<br />
74 %<br />
Feed<br />
in bn. ha<br />
in bn. ha<br />
in mn. ha<br />
Allocation of biomass to production target (main product).<br />
Respective amounts include raw materials and by products,<br />
even if their use fall into a different category.<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6 45
Opinion<br />
Is there enough land for food, animal feed,<br />
bioenergy and industrial material use,<br />
including bio-based plastics?<br />
Due to increasing demand for food and animal feed, and<br />
also bioenergy and industrial material use, the crucial<br />
question is how to increase the biomass production – in<br />
a sustainable way. But how to increase the agricultural<br />
feedstock worldwide?<br />
1. Increasing the yields<br />
The tremendous potential for increasing yields in the<br />
developing countries is hindered by lack of technology and<br />
infrastructure, unfavourable agricultural policies such as<br />
no access to credits, an insufficient transmission of price<br />
incentives, poorly enforced land rights.<br />
2. Expansion of arable land<br />
Some 0.6 (nova 2008) to 1.6 billion (FAO 2009) hectares<br />
could be added to the current 1.4 billion hectares of crop<br />
land (excluding forests, urban areas, protected areas). The<br />
figure shows that even in the year 2020 more than 200<br />
million hectares of free arable land will be available.<br />
The solution to points 1 and 2 are: Political reforms and<br />
huge investment in agro-technologies. Compared to these<br />
potentials, the impact of GMO on the increase of biomass<br />
production will stay low.<br />
On the other hand there is also a huge potential for saving<br />
biomass:<br />
• To switch from meat to vegetarian food would set free a<br />
huge amount of arable land for other uses. To get proteins<br />
from cattle demands 40 to 50 times the biomass input<br />
compared with proteins obtained from wheat or soya.<br />
• To reduce food losses will also set free huge amounts of<br />
arable land: The results of a recent study showed that<br />
roughly one-third of food produced for human consumption<br />
is lost or wasted globally, which amounts to about 1.3 billion<br />
tonnes per year.<br />
• Finally solar energy, which will be fully competitive in 10 to<br />
15 years, is 40 to 50 times more land efficient compared<br />
with bioenergy (and biofuels) and also will mainly use non<br />
arable land. This will also release huge areas of arable<br />
land, today used by bioenergy.<br />
So the conclusion is, yes, there is enough feedstock – but<br />
… due to the results of different nova studies, there will be<br />
only enough feedstock for industrial material use including<br />
bio-based plastics, if:<br />
• we are able to activate strongly the potentially free areas<br />
(0.6 – 1.6 billion hectares) for agriculture and to increase<br />
the productivity in developing countries - that means huge<br />
investment and political reforms,<br />
• we switch to more vegetarian food and also reduce losses<br />
in the food chain,<br />
• we switch from bioenergy to solar and wind energy and<br />
significantly increase the use of solar and wind energy,<br />
• we establish a new policy for equal support of bioenergy<br />
and industrial material use based on their efficiency,<br />
GHG reduction/hectare and employment/hectare (‘level<br />
playing field’ – for more information please look at<br />
www.bio-based.eu/policy/en).<br />
Otherwise ‘Food & Feed First’, high subsidies for bioenergy<br />
and increasing population and meat consumption could<br />
mean: No feedstock left for high-volume industrial material<br />
use, bio-based chemistry and bio-based plastics.<br />
Summary<br />
In principle there are sufficient and sustainable biomass<br />
resources available for food, animal feed, bioenergy and<br />
industrial material use, including bio-based plastics but<br />
we should change and optimize the biomass allocation and<br />
therefore the political framework. And we should invest in<br />
agriculture, and, not forgetting political reforms in the rural<br />
areas of the world, optimizing our food habits to sustainability<br />
and switching from bioenergy to solar energy – to secure a<br />
sufficient and sustainable supply of biomass for bio-based<br />
products also for the next 100 years and further.<br />
www.nova-institute.eu<br />
Available<br />
rainfed<br />
arable land<br />
(cropland)*<br />
3.300<br />
100<br />
Residential area;<br />
road and rail (ca. 3%)<br />
1.500<br />
Cropland<br />
today<br />
800<br />
Potential<br />
forest land<br />
570<br />
‘Free’ agricultural area in 2006 and the global demand of area 2020<br />
(source: nova-Institute)<br />
‘Free’<br />
agricultural<br />
area in<br />
2006**<br />
570<br />
year 2006 year 2020<br />
The global demand on land use in 2020:<br />
➊ Increasing demand of food per capita due to an<br />
increase in purchasing power (more meat, ...)<br />
➋ Increasing demand of food due to<br />
population growth<br />
➌ Residential area, road and rail<br />
➍ Biofuel in the most important Biofuel countries***<br />
ca. 96 mn. ha<br />
ca. 64 mn. ha<br />
ca. 32 mn. ha<br />
ca. 18 mn. ha<br />
∑ 210 mn. ha<br />
➊<br />
➋<br />
➌<br />
➍<br />
in mn. ha<br />
in mn. ha<br />
330<br />
Protected area (ca. 10%)<br />
in mn. ha<br />
* FAO 2000 indicates a potential of 4.2 bn. ha<br />
** De facto parts of the ‘free’ crop lands could be considerably disadvantageous<br />
in terms of natural recources or market access<br />
*** The calculation is based on OECD-FAO 2007: It is assured that most of the recourses are from<br />
the demand region; yield increase of 1/%a, extrapolation of production from 2006 to 2020<br />
46 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6
BIOADIMIDE TM IN BIOPLASTICS.<br />
EXPANDING THE PERFORMANCE OF BIO-POLYESTER.<br />
2011<br />
B E S T<br />
P R A C T I C E S<br />
AWA R D<br />
Global Bioplastics Additives<br />
New Product Innovation Award<br />
Whatever is beautiful. Whatever is meaningful. Whatever brings you happiness.<br />
May it be yours this holiday season and throughout the coming year.<br />
Whatever requirements move your world:<br />
We will move them with you.<br />
www.rheinchemie.com<br />
www.bioadimide.com
Personality<br />
Photo:<br />
European<br />
Bioplastics<br />
bM: What is your educational background?<br />
JW: At the university I studied chemistry and then started<br />
to work for Henkel. I did my PhD in polymer chemistry later,<br />
whilst I was already working in the industry.<br />
bM: What is your professional function today?<br />
JW: I’m the Head of materials at the NNFCC, the UK’s<br />
National Centre for Biorenewable energy, fuels and materials.<br />
And materials here cover all renewable materials including<br />
plastics, fibres, composites, wood etc.<br />
bM: How did you ‘come to’ bioplastics?<br />
John Williams<br />
JW: I came to bioplastics when I worked in R&D on adhesives<br />
and surface coatings. In the early 1990’s I worked on a Joint<br />
Venture with Zeneca on ‘Biopol’, a PHA-resin, which indeed<br />
reached the supermarket shelves in form of a Wella shampoo<br />
bottle. That’s how I came across bioplastics and ever since I<br />
have dabbled with it.<br />
bM: When were you born?<br />
JW: I was born in September 1961 in Widnes, a<br />
small town in what was then Lancashire, in the UK.<br />
bM: Where do you live today and how long have you<br />
lived there?<br />
JW: Today I live right in the middle of the historic<br />
city of York and we moved there about 5 months ago.<br />
Before that I lived on a farm in Lincolnshire.<br />
iBIB 2012<br />
International Business Directory for Innovative<br />
Bio-based Plastics and Composites<br />
Pictures: nova-Institut, Sainsbury’s, Proganic<br />
www.bio-based.eu/iBIB<br />
Book now: www.bio-based.eu/iBIB<br />
For the 2 nd time worldwide:<br />
An entire overview of all suppliers of bio-based plastics and composites!<br />
In spring 2012 iBIB 2012 the second international directory of major suppliers of biobased<br />
plastics and composites will be published. Becoming an iBIB 2012 participant will<br />
enable you to reach about 20,000 potential industrial clients from all over the world.<br />
The print version will be distributed by the publishers and partners at trade fairs,<br />
exhibitions and conferences worldwide<br />
The PDF-version will be distributed widely by email and websides<br />
Online-database with detailed index to reach your supplier in a target oriented way<br />
iBIB 2012 : 250 pages – 100 companies, associations, R&D – 20 countries<br />
Book your page(s) now at: www.bio-based.eu/iBIB<br />
Deadline: 15 th January 2012 – Publication Date: 14 th March 2012<br />
bM: What do you consider more important: ‘biobased’ or<br />
‘biodegradable’?<br />
JW: Biobased. Biodegradability is a function of a material<br />
that you might require or you might not. Biobased is the basis<br />
for the whole bioeconomy process.<br />
bM: What has been your biggest achievement (in terms of<br />
bioplastics) so far?<br />
JW: I think it’s raising awareness of the materials, their<br />
properties, their markets and the sustainability issues and<br />
providing the context for their growth.<br />
bM: What are your biggest challenges for the future?<br />
JW: The biggest challenge, I think, is the next step. To<br />
convince the main players to more rapidly adopt more of these<br />
materials.<br />
bM: What is your family status?<br />
JW: I have two daughters, 17 and 19 years old from my first<br />
marriage. I have a new partner, Sandra and actually we are<br />
going to get married next year.<br />
bM: What is your favorite movie?<br />
I like ‘Spy Game’, with Robert Redford and Brad Pitt from<br />
2001.<br />
bM: What is your favorite book?<br />
JW: I have a lot of books on military history but my favourite<br />
fiction stories are espionage like,‘Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy’. It<br />
is a British spy novel by John le Carré from the mid Seventies.<br />
bM: What is your favorite (or your next) vacation location?<br />
JW: I love to go to Turkey, but next we go to South Africa.<br />
bM: What do you eat for breakfast on a Sunday?<br />
JW: Bacon-sandwich and coffee…the bacon has to be nice<br />
and crispy!<br />
bM: What is your ‘slogan’?<br />
In cooperation with<br />
Publisher<br />
JW: One of my favourites is:<br />
“You only live once, but if you work it right, once is enough”<br />
nova-Institute GmbH | Chemiepark Knapsack | Industriestrasse 300 | D-50354 Hürth<br />
48 Dominik bioplastics Vogt MAGAZINE | Phone: [06/11] +49 (0)2233 Vol. 64814 – 49 | dominik.vogt@nova-institut.de
Basics<br />
Glossary 2.0<br />
In bioplastics MAGAZINE again and again<br />
the same expressions appear that some of our readers<br />
might (not yet) be familiar with. This glossary shall help<br />
with these terms and shall help avoid repeated explanations<br />
Bioplastics (as defined by European Bioplastics<br />
e.V.) is a term used to define two different<br />
kinds of plastics:<br />
a. Plastics based on renewable resources (the<br />
focus is the origin of the raw material used)<br />
b. → Biodegradable and compostable plastics<br />
according to EN13432 or similar standards<br />
(the focus is the compostability of the final<br />
product; biodegradable and compostable<br />
plastics can be based on renewable (biobased)<br />
and/or non-renewable (fossil) resources).<br />
Bioplastics may be<br />
- based on renewable resources and biodegradable;<br />
- based on renewable resources but not be<br />
biodegradable; and<br />
- based on fossil resources and biodegradable.<br />
Aerobic - anaerobic | aerobic = in the presence<br />
of oxygen (e.g. in composting) | anaerobic<br />
= without oxygen being present (e.g. in<br />
biogasification, anaerobic digestion)<br />
[bM 06/09]<br />
Amorphous | non-crystalline, glassy with unordered<br />
lattice<br />
Amylopectin | Polymeric branched starch<br />
molecule with very high molecular weight (biopolymer,<br />
monomer is → Glucose)<br />
[bM 05/09]<br />
Amylose | Polymeric non-branched starch<br />
molecule with high molecular weight (biopolymer,<br />
monomer is → Glucose) [bM 05/09]<br />
Biodegradable Plastics | Biodegradable<br />
Plastics are plastics that are completely assimilated<br />
by the → microorganisms present a<br />
defined environment as food for their energy.<br />
The carbon of the plastic must completely be<br />
converted into CO 2<br />
during the microbial process.<br />
For an official definition, please refer to<br />
the standards e.g. ISO or in Europe: EN 14995<br />
Plastics- Evaluation of compostability - Test<br />
scheme and specifications.<br />
[bM 02/06, bM 01/07]<br />
Blend | Mixture of plastics, polymer alloy of at<br />
least two microscopically dispersed and molecularly<br />
distributed base polymers.<br />
Bisphenol-A (BPA) | Monomer used to produce<br />
different polymers. BPA is said to cause<br />
health problems, due to the fact that is behaves<br />
like a hormone. Therefore it is banned<br />
for use in children’s products in many countries.<br />
updated<br />
such as ‘PLA (Polylactide)‘ in various articles.<br />
Readers who would like to suggest better or other explanations to be added to the list, please contact the editor.<br />
[*: bM ... refers to more comprehensive article previously published in bioplastics MAGAZINE)<br />
BPI | Biodegradable Products Institute, a notfor-profit<br />
association. Through their innovative<br />
compostable label program, BPI educates<br />
manufacturers, legislators and consumers<br />
about the importance of scientifically based<br />
standards for compostable materials which<br />
biodegrade in large composting facilities.<br />
Carbon neutral | Carbon neutral describes<br />
a product or process that has a negligible<br />
impact on total atmospheric CO 2<br />
levels. For<br />
example, carbon neutrality means that any<br />
CO 2<br />
released when a plant decomposes or<br />
is burnt is offset by an equal amount of CO 2<br />
absorbed by the plant through photosynthesis<br />
when it is growing.<br />
Catalyst | substance that enables and accelerates<br />
a chemical reaction<br />
Cellophane | Clear film on the basis of → cellulose.<br />
Cellulose | Polymeric molecule with very high<br />
molecular weight (biopolymer, monomer is<br />
→ Glucose), industrial production from wood<br />
or cotton, to manufacture paper, plastics and<br />
fibres.<br />
CEN | Comité Européen de Normalisation<br />
(European organisation for standardization)<br />
Compost | A soil conditioning material of decomposing<br />
organic matter which provides nutrients<br />
and enhances soil structure.<br />
[bM 06/08, 02/09]<br />
Compostable Plastics | Plastics that are biodegradable<br />
under ‘composting’ conditions:<br />
specified humidity, temperature, → microorganisms<br />
and timefame. Several national<br />
and international standards exist for clearer<br />
definitions, for example EN 14995 Plastics -<br />
Evaluation of compostability - Test scheme<br />
and specifications.<br />
[bM 02/06, bM 01/07]<br />
Composting | A solid waste management<br />
technique that uses natural process to convert<br />
organic materials to CO 2<br />
, water and humus<br />
through the action of → microorganisms.<br />
When talking about composting of bioplastics,<br />
usually industrial composting in a managed<br />
composting plant is meant [bM 03/07]<br />
Compound | plastic mixture from different<br />
raw materials (polymer and additives)<br />
[bM 04/10)<br />
Copolymer | Plastic composed of different<br />
monomers.<br />
Cradle-to-Gate | Describes the system<br />
boundaries of an environmental →Life Cycle<br />
Assessment (LCA) which covers all activities<br />
from the ‘cradle’ (i.e., the extraction of raw<br />
materials, agricultural activities and forestry)<br />
up to the factory gate<br />
Cradle-to-Cradle | (sometimes abbreviated<br />
as C2C): Is an expression which communicates<br />
the concept of a closed-cycle economy,<br />
in which waste is used as raw material<br />
(‘waste equals food’). Cradle-to-Cradle is not<br />
a term that is typically used in →LCA studies.<br />
Cradle-to-Grave | Describes the system<br />
boundaries of a full →Life Cycle Assessment<br />
from manufacture (‘cradle’) to use phase and<br />
disposal phase (‘grave’).<br />
Crystalline | Plastic with regularly arranged<br />
molecules in a lattice structure<br />
Density | Quotient from mass and volume of<br />
a material, also referred to as specific weight<br />
DIN | Deutsches Institut für Normung (German<br />
organisation for standardization)<br />
DIN-CERTCO | independant certifying organisation<br />
for the assessment on the conformity<br />
of bioplastics<br />
Dispersing | fine distribution of non-miscible<br />
liquids into a homogeneous, stable mixture<br />
Elastomers | rigid, but under force flexible<br />
and elastically formable plastics with rubbery<br />
properties<br />
EN 13432 | European standard for the assessment<br />
of the → compostability of plastic<br />
packaging products<br />
Energy recovery | recovery and exploitation<br />
of the energy potential in (plastic) waste for<br />
the production of electricity or heat in waste<br />
incineration pants (waste-to-energy)<br />
Enzymes | proteins that catalyze chemical<br />
reactions<br />
Ethylen | colour- and odourless gas, made<br />
e.g. from, Naphtha (petroleum) by cracking,<br />
monomer of the polymer polyethylene (PE)<br />
European Bioplastics e.V. | The industry association<br />
representing the interests of Europe’s<br />
thriving bioplastics’ industry. Founded<br />
in Germany in 1993 as IBAW, European Bioplastics<br />
today represents the interests of over<br />
70 member companies throughout the European<br />
Union. With members from the agricultural<br />
feedstock, chemical and plastics industries,<br />
as well as industrial users and recycling<br />
companies, European Bioplastics serves as<br />
both a contact platform and catalyst for advancing<br />
the aims of the growing bioplastics<br />
industry.<br />
Extrusion | process used to create plastic<br />
profiles (or sheet) of a fixed cross-section<br />
consisting of mixing, melting, homogenising<br />
and shaping of the plastic.<br />
Fermentation | Biochemical reactions controlled<br />
by → microorganisms or enyzmes (e.g.<br />
the transformation of sugar into lactic acid).<br />
FSC | Forest Stewardship Council. FSC is an<br />
independent, non-governmental, not-forprofit<br />
organization established to promote the<br />
responsible and sustainable management of<br />
the world’s forests.<br />
Gelatine | Translucent brittle solid substance,<br />
colorless or slightly yellow, nearly tasteless<br />
and odorless, extracted from the collagen inside<br />
animals‘ connective tissue.<br />
50 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6
Basics<br />
Glucose | Monosaccharide (or simple sugar).<br />
G. is the most important carbohydrate (sugar)<br />
in biology. G. is formed by photosynthesis or<br />
hydrolyse of many carbohydrates e. g. starch.<br />
Granulate, granules | small plastic particles<br />
(3-4 millimetres), a form in which plastic is<br />
sold and fed into machines, easy to handle<br />
and dose.<br />
Humus | In agriculture, ‘humus’ is often used<br />
simply to mean mature → compost, or natural<br />
compost extracted from a forest or other<br />
spontaneous source for use to amend soil.<br />
Hydrophilic | Property: ‘water-friendly’, soluble<br />
in water or other polar solvents (e.g. used<br />
in conjunction with a plastic which is not water<br />
resistant and weather proof or that absorbs<br />
water such as Polyamide (PA).<br />
Hydrophobic | Property: ‘water-resistant’, not<br />
soluble in water (e.g. a plastic which is water<br />
resistant and weather proof, or that does not<br />
absorb any water such as Polyethylene (PE)<br />
or Polypropylene (PP).<br />
IBAW | → European Bioplastics<br />
Integral Foam | foam with a compact skin and<br />
porous core and a transition zone in between.<br />
ISO | International Organization for Standardization<br />
JBPA | Japan Bioplastics Association<br />
LCA | Life Cycle Assessment (sometimes also<br />
referred to as life cycle analysis, ecobalance,<br />
and → cradle-to-grave analysis) is the investigation<br />
and valuation of the environmental<br />
impacts of a given product or service caused.<br />
[bM 01/09]<br />
Microorganism | Living organisms of microscopic<br />
size, such as bacteria, funghi or yeast.<br />
Molecule | group of at least two atoms held<br />
together by covalent chemical bonds.<br />
Monomer | molecules that are linked by polymerization<br />
to form chains of molecules and<br />
then plastics<br />
Mulch film | Foil to cover bottom of farmland<br />
PBS | Polybutylene succinate, a 100% biodegradable<br />
polymer, made from (e.g. bio-BDO)<br />
and succinic acid, which can also be produced<br />
biobased.<br />
PC | Polycarbonate, thermoplastic polyester,<br />
petroleum based, used for e.g. baby bottles<br />
or CDs. Criticized for its BPA (→ Bisphenol-A)<br />
content.<br />
PCL | Polycaprolactone, a synthetic (fossil<br />
based), biodegradable bioplastic, e.g. used as<br />
a blend component.<br />
PE | Polyethylene, thermoplastic polymerised<br />
from ethylene. Can be made from renewable<br />
resources (sugar cane via bio-ethanol)<br />
[bM 05/10]<br />
PET | Polyethylenterephthalate, transparent<br />
polyester used for bottles and film<br />
PGA | Polyglycolic acid or Polyglycolide is a<br />
biodegradable, thermoplastic polymer and<br />
the simplest linear, aliphatic polyester. Besides<br />
ist use in the biomedical field, PGA has<br />
been introduced as a barrier resin [bM 03/09]<br />
PHA | Polyhydroxyalkanoates are linear polyesters<br />
produced in nature by bacterial fermentation<br />
of sugar or lipids. The most common<br />
type of PHA is → PHB.<br />
PHB | Polyhydroxybutyrate (better poly-3-hydroxybutyrate),<br />
is a polyhydroxyalkanoate<br />
(PHA), a polymer belonging to the polyesters<br />
class. PHB is produced by micro-organisms<br />
apparently in response to conditions of physiological<br />
stress. The polymer is primarily a<br />
product of carbon assimilation (from glucose<br />
or starch) and is employed by micro-organisms<br />
as a form of energy storage molecule to<br />
be metabolized when other common energy<br />
sources are not available. PHB has properties<br />
similar to those of PP, however it is stiffer and<br />
more brittle.<br />
PHBH | Polyhydroxy butyrate hexanoate (better<br />
poly 3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate)<br />
is a polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA),<br />
Like other biopolymers from the family of the<br />
polyhydroxyalkanoates PHBH is produced by<br />
microorganisms in the fermentation process,<br />
where it is accumulated in the microorganism’s<br />
body for nutrition. The main features of<br />
PHBH are its excellent biodegradability, combined<br />
with a high degree of hydrolysis and<br />
heat stability.<br />
[bM 03/09, 01/10, 03/11]<br />
PLA | Polylactide or Polylactic Acid (PLA) is a<br />
biodegradable, thermoplastic, linear aliphatic<br />
polyester from lactic acid. Lactic acid is made<br />
from dextrose by fermentation. Bacterial fermentation<br />
is used to produce lactic acid from<br />
corn starch, cane sugar or other sources.<br />
However, lactic acid cannot be directly polymerized<br />
to a useful product, because each polymerization<br />
reaction generates one molecule<br />
of water, the presence of which degrades the<br />
forming polymer chain to the point that only<br />
very low molecular weights are observed.<br />
Instead, lactic acid is oligomerized and then<br />
catalytically dimerized to make the cyclic lactide<br />
monomer. Although dimerization also<br />
generates water, it can be separated prior to<br />
polymerization. PLA of high molecular weight<br />
is produced from the lactide monomer by<br />
ring-opening polymerization using a catalyst.<br />
This mechanism does not generate additional<br />
water, and hence, a wide range of molecular<br />
weights are accessible.<br />
[bM 01/09]<br />
Plastics | Materials with large molecular<br />
chains of natural or fossil raw materials, produced<br />
by chemical or biochemical reactions.<br />
Renewable Resources | agricultural raw materials,<br />
which are not used as food or feed, but<br />
as raw material for industrial products or to<br />
generate energy<br />
Saccharins or carbohydrates | Saccharins or<br />
carbohydrates are name for the sugar-family.<br />
Saccharins are monomer or polymer sugar<br />
units. For example, there are known mono-,<br />
di- and polysaccharose. → glucose is a monosaccarin.<br />
They are important for the diet and<br />
produced biology in plants.<br />
Semi-finished products | plastic in form of<br />
sheet, film, rods or the like to be further processed<br />
into finshed products<br />
Sorbitol | Sugar alcohol, obtained by reduction<br />
of glucose changing the aldehyde group<br />
to an additional hydroxyl group. S. is used as<br />
a plasticiser for bioplastics based on starch.<br />
Starch | Natural polymer (carbohydrate)<br />
consisting of → amylose and → amylopectin,<br />
gained from maize, potatoes, wheat, tapioca<br />
etc. When glucose is connected to polymerchains<br />
in definite way the result (product) is<br />
called starch. Each molecule is based on 300<br />
-12000-glucose units. Depending on the connection,<br />
there are two types → amylose and →<br />
amylopectin known.<br />
[bM 05/09]<br />
Starch derivate | Starch derivates are based<br />
on the chemical structure of → starch. The<br />
chemical structure can be changed by introducing<br />
new functional groups without changing<br />
the → starch polymer. The product has<br />
different chemical qualities. Mostly the hydrophilic<br />
character is not the same.<br />
Starch-ester | One characteristic of every<br />
starch-chain is a free hydroxyl group. When<br />
every hydroxyl group is connect with ethan<br />
acid one product is starch-ester with different<br />
chemical properties.<br />
Starch propionate and starch butyrate |<br />
Starch propionate and starch butyrate can be<br />
synthesised by treating the → starch with propane<br />
or butanic acid. The product structure<br />
is still based on → starch. Every based → glucose<br />
fragment is connected with a propionate<br />
or butyrate ester group. The product is more<br />
hydrophobic than → starch.<br />
Sustainable | An attempt to provide the best<br />
outcomes for the human and natural environments<br />
both now and into the indefinite future.<br />
One of the most often cited definitions of sustainability<br />
is the one created by the Brundtland<br />
Commission, led by the former Norwegian<br />
Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland.<br />
The Brundtland Commission defined sustainable<br />
development as development that ‘meets<br />
the needs of the present without compromising<br />
the ability of future generations to meet<br />
their own needs.’ Sustainability relates to the<br />
continuity of economic, social, institutional<br />
and environmental aspects of human society,<br />
as well as the non-human environment).<br />
Sustainability | (as defined by European<br />
Bioplastics e.V.) has three dimensions: economic,<br />
social and environmental. This has<br />
been known as “the triple bottom line of<br />
sustainability”. This means that sustainable<br />
development involves the simultaneous pursuit<br />
of economic prosperity, environmental<br />
protection and social equity. In other words,<br />
businesses have to expand their responsibility<br />
to include these environmental and social<br />
dimensions. Sustainability is about making<br />
products useful to markets and, at the same<br />
time, having societal benefits and lower environmental<br />
impact than the alternatives currently<br />
available. It also implies a commitment<br />
to continuous improvement that should result<br />
in a further reduction of the environmental<br />
footprint of today’s products, processes and<br />
raw materials used.<br />
Thermoplastics | Plastics which soften or<br />
melt when heated and solidify when cooled<br />
(solid at room temperature).<br />
Thermoplastic Starch | (TPS) → starch that<br />
was modified (cooked, complexed) to make it<br />
a plastic resin<br />
Thermoset | Plastics (resins) which do not<br />
soften or melt when heated. Examples are<br />
epoxy resins or unsaturated polyester resins.<br />
WPC | Wood Plastic Composite. Composite<br />
materials made of wood fiber/flour and plastics<br />
(mostly polypropylene).<br />
Yard Waste | Grass clippings, leaves, trimmings,<br />
garden residue.<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6 51
Event Calendar<br />
Event Calendar<br />
You can meet us!<br />
Please contact us in<br />
advance by e-mail.<br />
Feb. 06-08, 2012<br />
The 2012 Packaging Conference<br />
OARIA Resort at CityCenter, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.<br />
www.thepackagingconference.com/<br />
Feb. 20-22, 2012<br />
Innovation Takes Root 2012<br />
Omni ChampionsGate Resort in Orlando, Florida, USA.<br />
www.innovationtakesroot.com<br />
Feb.28-29, 2012<br />
Solpack 1.0<br />
Munich, Germany<br />
www.solpack.de<br />
March 13-14, 2012<br />
World Biofuels Markets<br />
Rotterdam, The Netherlands<br />
www.worldbiofuelsmarkets.com<br />
March 14-15, 2012<br />
5th International Congress on Bio-based Plastics<br />
and Composites<br />
Cologne, Germany<br />
www.biowerkstoff-kongress.de<br />
March 20-22, 2012<br />
Green Polymer Chemistry<br />
Maritim Hotel, Cologne, Germany<br />
www.amiplastics.com<br />
March 27-30, 2012<br />
BioPlastek 2012<br />
Westin Arlington Gateway, Arlington, VA, USA<br />
http://bioplastek.com<br />
March 29-30, 2012<br />
Sus Pack 2012<br />
Conference on Sustainable Packaging<br />
Cologne, Germany<br />
www.suspack.eu<br />
April 1-5, 2012<br />
NPE 2012<br />
Orlando, USA<br />
www.npe.org<br />
April 18-21, 2012<br />
Chinaplas 2012<br />
Shanghai, China<br />
www.chinaplasonline.com<br />
visit bioplastics MAGAZINE<br />
at booth 58047<br />
19-20 April 2012<br />
2 nd Congress on biodegradable polymer packaging<br />
Sala Aurea, Camera di Commercio, Parma (Italy)<br />
www.biopolpack.unipr.it.<br />
23-24 April, 2012<br />
Biopolymer World Congress<br />
NH Laguna Palace Hotel, Mestre-Venice (Italy)<br />
www.biopolymerworld.com<br />
March 26-27, 2012<br />
EcoPack Systems<br />
Cologne, Germany<br />
www.ecopack-conference.com/<br />
May 8-9, 2012<br />
Bioplastics Compounding & Processing<br />
The Hilton Downtown Miami, Miami, Florida, USA<br />
www.amiplastics-na.com<br />
May 9-10, 2012<br />
5. BioKunststoffe<br />
Hannover, Germany<br />
www.hanser-tagungen.de/<br />
May 15-16, 2012<br />
2 nd PLA World Congress<br />
presented by bioplastics MAGAZINE<br />
Holiday Inn City Center, Munich Germany<br />
www.pla-world-congress.com<br />
May 16-18, 2012<br />
SPE Bioplastic Materials Conference<br />
Renaissance Seattle Hotel, Seattle, Washington USA<br />
www.4spe.org<br />
June 13-15, 2012<br />
BioPlastics: The Re-Invention of Plastics<br />
Hilton - Downtown, San Francisco, USA<br />
www.BioPlastix.com<br />
June 19-20, 2012<br />
Biobased materials<br />
WPC, Natural Fibre and other innovative<br />
Composites Congress<br />
Fellbach, near Stuttgart, Germany<br />
www.nfc-congress.com<br />
Oct. 2-4, 2012<br />
BioPlastics – The Re-Invention of Plastics<br />
Caesars Palace Hotel, Las Vegas, USA<br />
www.InnoPlastSolutions.com<br />
52 bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/11] Vol. 6
A Collaborative Biopolymers Forum<br />
for the Global Ingeo Community<br />
February 20 - 22, 2012<br />
Orlando, FL<br />
Omni Orlando Resort<br />
www.omniorlandoresort.com<br />
www.innovationtakesroot.com<br />
Global companies collaborate and share successful Ingeo <br />
products and applications at Innovation Takes Root 2012<br />
Stonyfield Farm and other major international corporations will present how<br />
they have successfully incorporated Ingeo bio-based products into their<br />
brands at the collaborative, biennial biopolymers forum.<br />
The conference will include unique presentations and exhibitions for<br />
companies actively pursuing Ingeo applications and those desiring to learn<br />
more about this growing class of biopolymers. Company representatives will<br />
also discuss how they envision sustainable practices to change business in<br />
the future.<br />
Sessions include:<br />
• Advances in Ingeo Packaging Films<br />
• Ingeo in Fibers and Non-Wovens<br />
• Expanding Ingeo Applications in<br />
Durable Products<br />
• Growth of Ingeo Lactides and<br />
Lactide Derivatives<br />
• Just added! Emerging Markets<br />
and Technologies<br />
• Driving Economics to Sustainable<br />
Commercialization<br />
• Opportunities in Food Service and<br />
Food Packaging<br />
• Legislative and Regulatory Issues<br />
Who should attend?<br />
• Academia<br />
• Brands<br />
• Editors & Journalists<br />
• Green Marketers<br />
• Packaging Professionals<br />
• Process Engineers<br />
• Product Designers<br />
• Product & Process Developers<br />
• Researchers<br />
• Retailers<br />
• Sustainability Managers<br />
Exhibitor & sponsorship<br />
opportunities available<br />
Contact: Andy Ziadi<br />
Tel. 952-562-3303 /<br />
Toll free. 855-562-3300<br />
andrea_ziadi@natureworksllc.com<br />
Innovation Takes Root 2012<br />
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Suppliers Guide<br />
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the field of bioplastics.<br />
For Example:<br />
1. Raw Materials<br />
Showa Denko Europe GmbH<br />
Konrad-Zuse-Platz 4<br />
81829 Munich, Germany<br />
Tel.: +49 89 93996226<br />
www.showa-denko.com<br />
support@sde.de<br />
FKuR Kunststoff GmbH<br />
Siemensring 79<br />
D - 47 877 Willich<br />
Tel. +49 2154 9251-0<br />
Tel.: +49 2154 9251-51<br />
sales@fkur.com<br />
www.fkur.com<br />
PSM Bioplastic NA<br />
Chicago, USA<br />
www.psmna.com<br />
+1-630-393-0012<br />
50<br />
10<br />
60<br />
20 70<br />
30 80<br />
39<br />
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110<br />
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150<br />
160<br />
170<br />
180<br />
190<br />
200<br />
210<br />
220<br />
230<br />
240<br />
250<br />
260<br />
270<br />
39 mm<br />
Polymedia Publisher GmbH<br />
Dammer Str. 112<br />
41066 Mönchengladbach<br />
Germany<br />
Tel. +49 2161 664864<br />
Fax +49 2161 631045<br />
info@bioplasticsmagazine.com<br />
www.bioplasticsmagazine.com<br />
Sample Charge:<br />
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The entry in our Suppliers Guide is<br />
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extends automatically if it’s not canceled<br />
three month before expiry.<br />
www.facebook.com<br />
www.issuu.com<br />
www.twitter.com<br />
www.youtube.com<br />
DuPont de Nemours International S.A.<br />
2 chemin du Pavillon<br />
1218 - Le Grand Saconnex<br />
Switzerland<br />
Tel.: +41 22 171 51 11<br />
Fax: +41 22 580 22 45<br />
plastics@dupont.com<br />
www.renewable.dupont.com<br />
www.plastics.dupont.com<br />
Zhejiang Hangzhou Xinfu<br />
Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd<br />
Tel.: +86 13809644115<br />
www.xinfupharm.com<br />
johnleung@xinfupharm.com<br />
1.1 bio based monomers<br />
PURAC division<br />
Arkelsedijk 46, P.O. Box 21<br />
4200 AA Gorinchem -<br />
The Netherlands<br />
Tel.: +31 (0)183 695 695<br />
Fax: +31 (0)183 695 604<br />
www.purac.com<br />
PLA@purac.com<br />
1.2 compounds<br />
API S.p.A.<br />
Via Dante Alighieri, 27<br />
36065 Mussolente (VI), Italy<br />
Telephone +39 0424 579711<br />
www.apiplastic.com<br />
www.apinatbio.com<br />
www.cereplast.com<br />
US:<br />
Tel: +1 310.615.1900<br />
Fax +1 310.615.9800<br />
Sales@cereplast.com<br />
Europe:<br />
Tel: +49 1763 2131899<br />
weckey@cereplast.com<br />
Kingfa Sci. & Tech. Co., Ltd.<br />
Gaotang Industrial Zone, Tianhe,<br />
Guangzhou, P.R.China.<br />
Tel: +86 (0)20 87215915<br />
Fax: +86 (0)20 87037111<br />
info@ecopond.com.cn<br />
www.ecopond.com.cn<br />
FLEX-262/162 Biodegradable<br />
Blown Film Resin!<br />
Natur-Tec ® - Northern Technologies<br />
4201 Woodland Road<br />
Circle Pines, MN 55014 USA<br />
Tel. +1 763.225.6600<br />
Fax +1 763.225.6645<br />
info@natur-tec.com<br />
www.natur-tec.com<br />
Transmare Compounding B.V.<br />
Ringweg 7, 6045 JL<br />
Roermond, The Netherlands<br />
Tel. +31 475 345 900<br />
Fax +31 475 345 910<br />
info@transmare.nl<br />
www.compounding.nl<br />
1.3 PLA<br />
Shenzhen Brightchina Ind. Co;Ltd<br />
www.brightcn.net<br />
www.esun.en.alibaba.com<br />
bright@brightcn.net<br />
Tel: +86-755-2603 1978<br />
1.4 starch-based bioplastics<br />
Limagrain Céréales Ingrédients<br />
ZAC „Les Portes de Riom“ - BP 173<br />
63204 Riom Cedex - France<br />
Tel. +33 (0)4 73 67 17 00<br />
Fax +33 (0)4 73 67 17 10<br />
www.biolice.com<br />
Jean-Pierre Le Flanchec<br />
3 rue Scheffer<br />
75116 Paris cedex, France<br />
Tel: +33 (0)1 53 65 23 00<br />
Fax: +33 (0)1 53 65 81 99<br />
biosphere@biosphere.eu<br />
www.biosphere.eu<br />
Grace Biotech Corporation<br />
Tel: +886-3-598-6496<br />
No. 91, Guangfu N. Rd., Hsinchu<br />
Industrial Park,Hukou Township,<br />
Hsinchu County 30351, Taiwan<br />
sales@grace-bio.com.tw<br />
www.grace-bio.com.tw<br />
1.5 PHA<br />
Division of A&O FilmPAC Ltd<br />
7 Osier Way, Warrington Road<br />
GB-Olney/Bucks.<br />
MK46 5FP<br />
Tel.: +44 1234 714 477<br />
Fax: +44 1234 713 221<br />
sales@aandofilmpac.com<br />
www.bioresins.eu<br />
Telles, Metabolix – ADM joint venture<br />
650 Suffolk Street, Suite 100<br />
Lowell, MA 01854 USA<br />
Tel. +1-97 85 13 18 00<br />
Fax +1-97 85 13 18 86<br />
www.mirelplastics.com<br />
Tianan Biologic<br />
No. 68 Dagang 6th Rd,<br />
Beilun, Ningbo, China, 315800<br />
Tel. +86-57 48 68 62 50 2<br />
Fax +86-57 48 68 77 98 0<br />
enquiry@tianan-enmat.com<br />
www.tianan-enmat.com<br />
54 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6
Suppliers Guide<br />
2. Additives/Secondary raw materials<br />
4. Bioplastics products<br />
Arkema Inc.<br />
Functional Additives-Biostrength<br />
900 First Avenue<br />
King of Prussia, PA/USA 19406<br />
Contact: Connie Lo,<br />
Commercial Development Mgr.<br />
Tel: 610.878.6931<br />
connie.lo@arkema.com<br />
www.impactmodifiers.com<br />
Sukano AG<br />
Chaltenbodenstrasse 23<br />
CH-8834 Schindellegi<br />
Tel. +41 44 787 57 77<br />
Fax +41 44 787 57 78<br />
www.sukano.com<br />
3. Semi finished products<br />
3.1 films<br />
Taghleef Industries SpA, Italy<br />
Via E. Fermi, 46<br />
33058 San Giorgio di Nogaro (UD)<br />
Contact Frank Ernst<br />
Tel. +49 2402 7096989<br />
Mobile +49 160 4756573<br />
frank.ernst@ti-films.com<br />
www.ti-films.com<br />
alesco GmbH & Co. KG<br />
Schönthaler Str. 55-59<br />
D-52379 Langerwehe<br />
Sales Germany: +49 2423 402 110<br />
Sales Belgium: +32 9 2260 165<br />
Sales Netherlands: +31 20 5037 710<br />
info@alesco.net | www.alesco.net<br />
3.1.1 cellulose based films<br />
The HallStar Company<br />
120 S. Riverside Plaza, Ste. 1620<br />
Chicago, IL 60606, USA<br />
+1 312 385 4494<br />
dmarshall@hallstar.com<br />
www.hallstar.com/hallgreen<br />
Rhein Chemie Rheinau GmbH<br />
Duesseldorfer Strasse 23-27<br />
68219 Mannheim, Germany<br />
Phone: +49 (0)621-8907-233<br />
Fax: +49 (0)621-8907-8233<br />
bioadimide.eu@rheinchemie.com<br />
www.bioadimide.com<br />
Huhtamaki Forchheim<br />
Sonja Haug<br />
Zweibrückenstraße 15-25<br />
91301 Forchheim<br />
Tel. +49-9191 81203<br />
Fax +49-9191 811203<br />
www.huhtamaki-films.com<br />
www.earthfirstpla.com<br />
www.sidaplax.com<br />
www.plasticsuppliers.com<br />
Sidaplax UK : +44 (1) 604 76 66 99<br />
Sidaplax Belgium: +32 9 210 80 10<br />
Plastic Suppliers: +1 866 378 4178<br />
INNOVIA FILMS LTD<br />
Wigton<br />
Cumbria CA7 9BG<br />
England<br />
Contact: Andy Sweetman<br />
Tel. +44 16973 41549<br />
Fax +44 16973 41452<br />
andy.sweetman@innoviafilms.com<br />
www.innoviafilms.com<br />
Postbus 26<br />
7480 AA Haaksbergen<br />
The Netherlands<br />
Tel.: +31 616 121 843<br />
info@bio4pack.com<br />
www.bio4pack.com<br />
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6 55
Suppliers Guide<br />
6. Equipment<br />
8. Ancillary equipment<br />
6.1 Machinery & Molds<br />
9. Services<br />
Cortec® Corporation<br />
4119 White Bear Parkway<br />
St. Paul, MN 55110<br />
Tel. +1 800.426.7832<br />
Fax 651-429-1122<br />
info@cortecvci.com<br />
www.cortecvci.com<br />
FAS Converting Machinery AB<br />
O Zinkgatan 1/ Box 1503<br />
27100 Ystad, Sweden<br />
Tel.: +46 411 69260<br />
www.fasconverting.com<br />
Osterfelder Str. 3<br />
46047 Oberhausen<br />
Tel.: +49 (0)2861 8598 1227<br />
Fax: +49 (0)2861 8598 1424<br />
thomas.wodke@umsicht.fhg.de<br />
www.umsicht.fraunhofer.de<br />
European Bioplastics e.V.<br />
Marienstr. 19/20<br />
10117 Berlin, Germany<br />
Tel. +49 30 284 82 350<br />
Fax +49 30 284 84 359<br />
info@european-bioplastics.org<br />
www.european-bioplastics.org<br />
10.2 Universities<br />
Eco Cortec®<br />
31 300 Beli Manastir<br />
Bele Bartoka 29<br />
Croatia, MB: 1891782<br />
Tel. +385 31 705 011<br />
Fax +385 31 705 012<br />
info@ecocortec.hr<br />
www.ecocortec.hr<br />
Molds, Change Parts and Turnkey<br />
Solutions for the PET/Bioplastic<br />
Container Industry<br />
284 Pinebush Road<br />
Cambridge Ontario<br />
Canada N1T 1Z6<br />
Tel. +1 519 624 9720<br />
Fax +1 519 624 9721<br />
info@hallink.com<br />
www.hallink.com<br />
Institut für Kunststofftechnik<br />
Universität Stuttgart<br />
Böblinger Straße 70<br />
70199 Stuttgart<br />
Tel +49 711/685-62814<br />
Linda.Goebel@ikt.uni-stuttgart.de<br />
www.ikt.uni-stuttgart.de<br />
Michigan State University<br />
Department of Chemical<br />
Engineering & Materials Science<br />
Professor Ramani Narayan<br />
East Lansing MI 48824, USA<br />
Tel. +1 517 719 7163<br />
narayan@msu.edu<br />
Minima Technology Co., Ltd.<br />
Esmy Huang, Marketing Manager<br />
No.33. Yichang E. Rd., Taipin City,<br />
Taichung County<br />
411, Taiwan (R.O.C.)<br />
Tel. +886(4)2277 6888<br />
Fax +883(4)2277 6989<br />
Mobil +886(0)982-829988<br />
esmy@minima-tech.com<br />
Skype esmy325<br />
www.minima-tech.com<br />
NOVAMONT S.p.A.<br />
Via Fauser , 8<br />
28100 Novara - ITALIA<br />
Fax +39.0321.699.601<br />
Tel. +39.0321.699.611<br />
www.novamont.com<br />
Roll-o-Matic A/S<br />
Petersmindevej 23<br />
5000 Odense C, Denmark<br />
Tel. + 45 66 11 16 18<br />
Fax + 45 66 14 32 78<br />
rom@roll-o-matic.com<br />
www.roll-o-matic.com<br />
MANN+HUMMEL ProTec GmbH<br />
Stubenwald-Allee 9<br />
64625 Bensheim, Deutschland<br />
Tel. +49 6251 77061 0<br />
Fax +49 6251 77061 510<br />
info@mh-protec.com<br />
www.mh-protec.com<br />
6.2 Laboratory Equipment<br />
narocon<br />
Dr. Harald Kaeb<br />
Tel.: +49 30-28096930<br />
kaeb@narocon.de<br />
www.narocon.de<br />
nova-Institut GmbH<br />
Chemiepark Knapsack<br />
Industriestrasse 300<br />
50354 Huerth, Germany<br />
Tel.: +49(0)2233-48-14 40<br />
Fax: +49(0)2233-48-14 5<br />
Bioplastics Consulting<br />
Tel. +49 2161 664864<br />
info@polymediaconsult.com<br />
University of Applied Sciences<br />
Faculty II, Department<br />
of Bioprocess Engineering<br />
Heisterbergallee 12<br />
30453 Hannover, Germany<br />
Tel. +49 (0)511-9296-2212<br />
Fax +49 (0)511-9296-2210<br />
hans-josef.endres@fh-hannover.de<br />
www.fakultaet2.fh-hannover.de<br />
WEI MON INDUSTRY CO., LTD.<br />
2F, No.57, Singjhong Rd.,<br />
Neihu District,<br />
Taipei City 114, Taiwan, R.O.C.<br />
Tel. + 886 - 2 - 27953131<br />
Fax + 886 - 2 - 27919966<br />
sales@weimon.com.tw<br />
www.plandpaper.com<br />
President Packaging Ind., Corp.<br />
PLA Paper Hot Cup manufacture<br />
In Taiwan, www.ppi.com.tw<br />
Tel.: +886-6-570-4066 ext.5531<br />
Fax: +886-6-570-4077<br />
sales@ppi.com.tw<br />
MODA : Biodegradability Analyzer<br />
Saida FDS Incorporated<br />
3-6-6 Sakae-cho, Yaizu,<br />
Shizuoka, Japan<br />
Tel : +81-90-6803-4041<br />
info@saidagroup.jp<br />
www.saidagroup.jp<br />
7. Plant engineering<br />
Uhde Inventa-Fischer GmbH<br />
Holzhauser Str. 157 - 159<br />
13509 Berlin, Germany<br />
Tel. +49 (0)30 43567 5<br />
Fax +49 (0)30 43567 699<br />
sales.de@thyssenkrupp.com<br />
www.uhde-inventa-fischer.com<br />
10. Institutions<br />
10.1 Associations<br />
BPI - The Biodegradable<br />
Products Institute<br />
331 West 57th Street, Suite 415<br />
New York, NY 10019, USA<br />
Tel. +1-888-274-5646<br />
info@bpiworld.org<br />
56 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6
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Companies in this issue<br />
Company Editorial Advert Company Editorial Advert<br />
A & O FilmPAC 55<br />
ACMA GD 21<br />
Adsale (Chinplas) 41<br />
Ajax Amsterdam 9<br />
Alesco 56<br />
API 55<br />
Arkema 56<br />
BASF 23, 29<br />
Bio On 8<br />
Bio4Life 20<br />
Bio4Pack 18 56<br />
Biosphere 55<br />
BPI 57<br />
Braskem 5, 6, 9 35<br />
Brückner 21<br />
Carle Montanari 21<br />
Celabor 41<br />
Centroplast 34<br />
Cereplast 55<br />
Cobro 41<br />
Constantia Topepal 21<br />
Cortec 37, 57<br />
Danone 3, 10, 11<br />
Deutsches Kunststoff-Institut (DKI) 40<br />
DSM 11<br />
Du Pont 55<br />
Ecomann 49<br />
ecoplus 40<br />
Eosta 18<br />
European Bioplastics 10, 11 57<br />
European Plastics News 10<br />
FAS Converting 57<br />
FH Hannover 7 57<br />
FH Hannover (IfBB) 7<br />
FKuR 5, 14, 38 2, 55<br />
Flexico 36<br />
Fraunhofer IVV 26<br />
Fraunhofer UMSICHT 26 57<br />
Fujitsu 38<br />
Goglio Cofibox 34<br />
Grace biotec 55<br />
Hallink 57<br />
HallStar 56<br />
Henkel 7, 48<br />
Huhtamaki 56<br />
ICEA 24<br />
IKT Uni Stuttgart 57<br />
Innovia Films 32, 37 25, 56<br />
Institut Nationale des Sciences Apliquées 40<br />
Institute of Bioplastics & Biocomposites 7<br />
Iowa State University 8<br />
Kingfa 55<br />
Lanxess 6<br />
Limagrain 55<br />
Logotape 20<br />
Lower Austrian Plastics Cluster 40<br />
Mann+Hummel 57<br />
Maropack 21<br />
McCain 16<br />
Michigan State University 57<br />
Minima 57<br />
Naku 42<br />
narocon 28 57<br />
NatureWorks 5, 6, 34 53<br />
Natur-Tec 55<br />
NNFCC 48<br />
Norres 36<br />
nova-Institut 44 57<br />
Novamont 22, 24 57, 60<br />
Plastic Suppliers 56<br />
President Pck. 57<br />
PSM 55<br />
PTT Chemical 5<br />
Purac 37<br />
PURAC 37, 55<br />
Rhein Chemie 47, 56<br />
Roll-o-matic 57<br />
Saida 57<br />
Sant‘Anna 34<br />
Sappi Fine papers 37<br />
SFV Verpackungen 21<br />
Shenzhen Brightchina 55<br />
Showa Denko 55<br />
Slovenian Tool and Development Centre 40<br />
SPI (NPE) 12<br />
Sukano 56<br />
Synbra Technology 9<br />
Taghleef Industries 18, 20 56<br />
Tecnaro 7<br />
Telles 55, 59<br />
Tianan Biologic 55<br />
Transmare 55<br />
Uhde Inventa-Fischer 38, 57<br />
Umbra Olii 16<br />
USDA 8<br />
Wei Mon 43, 57<br />
Wuhan Huali (PSM) 27<br />
Xinfu 55<br />
Editorial Planner 2012<br />
Issue Month pub-date deadline Editorial Focus (1) Editorial Focus (2) Basics Event / Fair<br />
01/2012 Jan/Feb 06.02.12 06.01.12 ed.<br />
20.01.12 ad.<br />
Automotive Foam PLA NPE 2012 (Preview)<br />
02/2012 Mar/Apr 02.04.12 02.03.12 ed.<br />
16.03.12 ad.<br />
03/2012 May/Jun 04.06.12 04.05.12 ed.<br />
18.05.12 ad.<br />
04/2012 Jul/Aug 06.08.12 06.07.12 ed.<br />
20.07.12 ad.<br />
Rigid Packaging Additives /<br />
Masterbatches<br />
Injection Moulding<br />
Bioplastics from Waste<br />
streams<br />
Natural Fibre<br />
composites<br />
Blow moulding<br />
Thermoforming<br />
Castor Oil for<br />
Bioplastics<br />
Bioplastics from<br />
Protein<br />
Chinaplas (Preview)<br />
NPE 2012 (Review)<br />
Chinaplas (Review)<br />
Subject to changes<br />
58 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/11] Vol. 6
A real sign<br />
of sustainable<br />
development.<br />
There is such a thing as genuinely sustainable development.<br />
Since 1989, Novamont researchers have been working<br />
on an ambitious project that combines the chemical industry,<br />
agriculture and the environment: “Living Chemistry for<br />
Quality of Life”. Its objective has been to create products<br />
with a low environmental impact. The result of Novamont’s innovative<br />
research is the new bioplastic Mater-Bi ® .<br />
Mater-Bi ® is a family of materials, completely biodegradable and compostable<br />
which contain renewable raw materials such as starch and vegetable oil derivates.<br />
Mater-Bi ® performs like traditional plastics but it saves energy, contributes<br />
to reducing the greenhouse effect and at the end of its life cycle, it closes<br />
the loop by changing into fertile humus. Everyone’s dream has become a reality.<br />
Living Chemistry for Quality of Life.<br />
www.novamont.com<br />
Inventor of the year 2007<br />
Mater-Bi ® : certified biodegradable and compostable.