bioplasticsMAGAZINE_0704

ioplastics magazine Vol. 2 ISSN 1862-5258 

Special editorial Focus: 

Biodegradable bags 

Review K2007 

Düsseldorf | 8 

Logos, Part 6 | 36 

04 | 2007

Don’t worry, 

the raw material for Ecovio ® 

is renewable. 

Ecovio ® , a biodegradable plastic from the PlasticsPlus TM product line, 

is keeping up with the times when it comes to plastic bags and food 

packaging. Ecovio ® is made of corn starch, a renewable raw material, 

and it has properties like HD-PE, which translates into a double plus 

point for you. Films made of Ecovio ® are water-resistant, very strong 

and degrade completely in composting facilities within just a few weeks. 

www.ecovio.com 

I N N O VAT I O N R E L I A B I L I T Y PA R T N E R S H I P D I V E R S I T Y

Editorial 

dear readers 

Probably the most exciting event in the world of plastics processing and 

applications is the K-exhibition, which takes place every three years. 

This year, at the end of October, about 242,000 visitors from more than 

100 countries came to the exhibition in Düsseldorf, Germany. 3,130 

exhibitors presented their products, services and innovations, and 

bioplastics were a part – albeit a small part – of that mega event. 

More than 3,000 copies of bioplastics MAGAZINE were picked up from 

our booth in hall 7 by interested visitors. We were pleased to meet so 

many of you personally, and talk about so many different topics. We 

were really quite reluctant to leave the booth from time to time, but we 

too wanted to see the more than 40 companies exhibiting products such 

as resins, additives, machines and services related to bioplastics. 

But it was not only K‘2007 that caught our attention this fall. There was 

the 2nd European Bioplastics Conference in Paris and the Bioplastics 

Event in Cologne where the 2nd Bioplastics Awards were made to the 

innovative and well-deserving winners. And there were in fact many 

other bioplastics / biopackaging / bioresin events that our editorial 

team simply could not attend, but I am sure that these too made a 

significant contribution to disseminating information and promoting 

networking between the delegates. 

As well as many other topics from the bioplastics world, the markets, 

science, politics and so on, the special editorial focus in this issue of 

bioplastics MAGAZINE is ‘bags‘. 

I hope you enjoy reading this last issue of 2007. From 

2008 we will publish six issues per year and we look 

forward to your comments, editorial contributions and 

more exciting events where we can meet with you. 

Special editorial Focus: 

Biodegradable bags 

04 | 2007 

bioplastics MAGAZINE Vol. 2 ISSN 1862-5258 

Michael Thielen 

Publisher 

Review K2007 

Düsseldorf | 8 

Logos, Part 6 | 36 

bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/07] Vol. 2

Content 

Editorial 03 

News 05 

Suppliers Guide 39 

Events 42 

December 04|2007 

Review 

K’2007 Review 08 

2nd European Bioplastics Conference 14 

Bioplastics Awards 2007 16 

Special 

Shopping bags, that dissolve in hot water 18 

World‘s first biodegradable zipper bag 19 

Compostable shopping carrier bags 20 

Biobags: In-line production is the future 21 

Materials 

Lactide Monomers for the production of PLA 22 

Processing 

Oriented films continue their 25 

successful run – even with PLA 

From Science & Research 

From Waste 2 Gold: Making bioplastic 28 

products from biomass waste streams 

Opinion 

Biopolymers as an option for 32 

sustainability – Quo vadis? 

Mailbox 

Letter to the Editor 35 

Basics 

Logos Part 6 36 

Glossary 37 

Impressum 

Publisher / Editorial 

Dr. Michael Thielen 

Samuel Brangenberg 

Dr. Thomas Isenburg, Contributing Editor 

Layout/Production 

Mark Speckenbach, Jörg Neufert 

Head Office 

Polymedia Publisher GmbH 

Hackesstr. 99 

41066 Mönchengladbach, Germany 

phone: +49 (0)2161 664864 

fax: +49 (0)2161 631045 

info@bioplasticsmagazine.com 

www.bioplasticsmagazine.com 

Media Adviser 

Elke Schulte, Katrin Stein 

phone: +49(0)2359-2996-0 

fax: +49(0)2359-2996-10 

es@bioplasticsmagazine.com 

Print 

Tölkes Druck + Medien GmbH 

Höffgeshofweg 12 

47807 Krefeld, Germany 

Print run: 4,000 copies 

bioplastics magazine 

ISSN 1862-5258 

bioplastics magazine is published 

4 times in 2007 and 6 times a year from 2008. 

This publication is sent to qualified 

subscribers (149 Euro for 6 issues). 

bioplastics MAGAZINE is read 

in more than 80 countries. 

Not to be reproduced in any form 

without permission from the publisher 

The fact that product names may not 

be identified in our editorial as trade 

marks is not an indication that such 

names are not registered trade marks. 

bioplastics MAGAZINE tries to use British 

spelling. However, in articles based on 

information from the USA, American 

spelling may also be used. 


News 

Sustainability a key 

criterion for DuPont’s 

Packaging Award 

DuPont has announced that the packaging industry’s longest running, 

independently judged global innovation awards program has 

added a special emphasis on sustainability. Innovation in the journey 

toward sustainable packaging will now be a key consideration in addition 

to innovation in delivering quality packaging solutions. 

DuPont, being one of the first companies to publicly establish environmental 

goals 17 years ago, has broadened its sustainability commitments 

beyond internal footprint reduction to include market-driven 

targets for both revenue and research and development investment, as 

stated by the company. The goals are tied directly to business growth, 

specifically to the development of safer and environmentally improved 

new products for key global markets. 

The call for entries for the 20th DuPont Awards competition (closing 

Jan 31, 2008) was announced at the Sustainable Packaging Forum in 

Pittsburgh, Pa., by William F. Weber, vice president, DuPont Packaging. 

“Today there are strong drivers toward sustainable packaging including 

increasing consumer awareness, pull from brand owners and retailers, 

legislation and other factors. As a global leader in packaging materials 

and technologies, DuPont is working with customers on science-based 

packaging innovations that address consumer demands for performance 

and sustainability,” Weber said. 

“DuPont is committed to creating shareholder and societal value 

while reducing the environmental footprint in our value chains,” he 

continued. “Consistent with this commitment, the DuPont Packaging 

Awards now will honor materials, processing, technology and service 

achievements that demonstrate progress toward sustainability, while 

also meeting important market requirements for enhanced performance 

such as improved freshness, convenience and shelf appeal,” Weber 

said. 

A prestigious international jury panel contributed to the evaluation 

criteria for the 20th DuPont Packaging Awards. Factors such as innovation, 

enhanced performance, responsible sourcing, clean production 

and effective recovery will be considered in selecting the winners. As it 

was the case in the previous years also; the usage of a DuPont material, 

technology, process or service is not required for eligibility. 

In a collaboration to showcase packaging solutions that implement 

sustainability, information about entries in this year’s DuPont Awards 

will be posted online at the GreenBlue/Sustainable Packaging Coalition 

Design Library to be launched in early 2008. Capturing the innovations 

represented among these entries will support best practices throughout 

the packaging industry. GreenBlue is a nonprofit institute committed 

to sustainability by design and is home to the Sustainable Packaging 

Coalition, an industry working group recognized as the definitive 

resource for credible information about packaging sustainability. 

Potential growth 

for Australian 

bioproducts 

A range of biologically-based products, 

such as biodegradable plastics and packaging 

materials produced from plants instead 

of petroleum, offer new opportunities for 

Australian farmers. 

‘Biobased Products – Opportunities for 

Australian agricultural industries‘ is one of 

four new reports from the Rural Industries 

Research and Development Corporation 

(RIRDC) presenting a picture of the current 

status and future prospects for Australia’s 

biofuels and biobased product industries. 

The reports examine a range of issues relevant 

to government and policy-makers, the 

biofuels industry, the agricultural and livestock 

industries, scientists and consumers. 

“Research into the development of Australia’s 

biofuel and bioproducts industries 

has become an integral part of determining 

and securing our nation’s energy future,” 

said RIRDC Chair Mary Boydell. “We are 

particularly keen to identify new biobased 

industries that will complement, rather 

than compete with, food production,” she 

said. “There … are … products like plastics 

that are heavily reliant on petroleum. This 

research identifies potential replacements 

for fossil fuels with agricultural products 

like sugar, soybeans, woody crops and corn 

starch,” Ms Boydell added. 

www.rirdc.gov.au 

www.packaging.dupont.com 

www.greenblue.org 


News 

Photo: RacingThePlanet Limited (www.racingtheplanet.com) 

Novamont supported antarctic 

marathon runner 

The Italian marathon runner Francesco Galanzino joined six other athletes in 

crossing the coldest landmass in the world, racing over 250 km in temperatures 

ranging from -10 C° to -30°C. Starting out by sea from Argentina, they crossed 

the Southern Polar ice cap in 5 days, from 21 November to 1 December, 2007. 

Galanzino, wherever possible, replaced traditional plastics with biodegradable 

and compostable plastics. Novamont provided him with kits of single-use 

Mater-Bi tableware as well as sorted collection refuse bags. This allowed all 

refuse to be returned to Italy for intelligent disposal. Every kg of organic matter 

which is properly initiated in compositing allows for a saving of about 250gr in 

CO 2 

emissions, considerably reducing environmental impact. 

www.novamont.com 

www.4deserts/thelastdesert/ 

Novomer raises 

$6.6 million to bring 

novel ‘eco-plastics‘ 

to market 

Novomer Inc., a Cornell University spin-off founded 

in 2004, announced that it has raised US-$6.6 

million in series A funding. Physic Ventures co-led 

the financing in partnership with Flagship Ventures. 

The company is today pioneering a family of highperformance, 

biodegradable plastics, polymers and 

other chemicals from renewable substances such 

as carbon dioxide. 

Founded in 2004, Novomer’s technology is based 

on the discoveries of Professor Geoffrey Coates and 

his research group at Cornell University. Coates is 

an internationally recognized pioneer in the field of 

polymer science and a leading innovator in the increasingly 

vital arena of sustainable materials. 

The national trade magazine of the American 

Chemical Society wrote about Novomer‘s pioneering 

work: “Geoffrey W. Coates and his group at Cornell 

University have spent a decade developing catalysts 

to incorporate CO 2 

into polymers. Two successes, 

building on work by other groups dating back to the 

late 1960s, are β-diiminate zinc acetate and salen 

cobalt carboxylate complexes. These catalysts promote 

alternating copolymerization of various epoxides 

with CO 2 

to make biodegradable aliphatic polycarbonates. 

www.novomer.com 

Meredian Inc. announced 

acquisition of PHA 

technology from Procter 

& Gamble 

Meredian, Inc. a privately held corporation from Georgia, USA, 

announced the acquisition of an extensive intellectual property 

portfolio from The Procter & Gamble Company relating to Polyhydroxyalkanoate 

(PHA) technology. Procter & Gamble developed the 

technology through more than a decade of research, resulting in a 

highly functional and cost effective material, which will now be produced 

commercially by Meredian, Inc. 

“We are very pleased and excited to bring leading-edge, green 

technology to the marketplace,“ said S. Blake Lindsey, President of 

Meredian, Inc. “Meredian biopolymers combined with our existing 

DaniMer and Seluma biopolymers will enable us to provide synergies 

within these technology platforms and will result in one of the 

world‘s most versatile biopolymer product lines.“ 

Harry Coleman, director of P&G‘s External Business Development 

adds, “As part of our open innovation strategy, P&G was seeking an 

enthusiastic company that could efficiently commercialize our intellectual 

property on polymers. We selected Meredian because of 

their dedication to biopolymers and strong ability to take our development 

work to the next level - delivering products to the market. 

We look forward to future collaboration with Meredian in this area.“ 

Meredian expects to begin construction in 2008 on the first of four 

planned production facilities; the first will be located in the Southeastern 

United States. Meredian plans to produce over 600 million 

pounds of biopolymers annually. 

www.meredianpha.com 


New study on 

‘Nanohybrid’ PHB 

News 

In its November issue ACS‘ Biomacromolecules, a bi-monthly 

journal, published a study on the development of a new biodegradable 

‘nanohybrid’ plastic, based on PHB (polyhydroxybutyrate). In 

this study, Pralay Maiti, Carl A. Batt, and Emmanuel P. Giannelis 

(all from the Department of Material Science and Engineering or 

the Department of Food Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New 

York) compared the strength and biodegradation rates of a ‘hybrid‘ 

of PHB which contains ‘nanoclays‘ (nanoparticles of clay) to 

‘conventional‘ PHB. It was observed that the modified PHB showed 

increased mechanical and thermal properties and decomposed 

faster than regular PHB. The biodegradation rate of the nanohybrid 

PHB is enhanced significantly in the presence of nanoclay. In 

about seven weeks the material decomposed almost completely, 

whereas the rate of biodegradation is quite slow in pristine PHB, as 

the researchers discovered. 

http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/sample.cgi/bomaf6/ 

2007/8/i11/html/bm700500t.html 

Biggest European 

WPC Congress 

After the great success of the First German WPC Congress in 

2005 (WPC=Wood-Plastic-Composites) the organiser, nova-Institut 

from Hürth, Germany, arranged the Second German WPC Congress 

on 4th and 5th of December 2007 in Cologne. About 350 participants 

from 24 countries saw presentations that were simultaneously 

translated into English. 30 companies showed their innovations in 

the accompanying exhibtion. Among the highlights of the event was 

the first WPC Innovations award and the introduction of a ‘certificate 

of quality‘ by the Association of the German Wood-Based Panels 

Industries (VHI). Even though the matrix in WPCs is still mainly 

made of polypropylene, an increasing number of developments also 

cover the use of biobased polymers as matrix components. 

www.wpc-kongress.de 

www.vhi.de 

Bio-coated paper 

cup range launched 

by Huhtamaki 

Huhtamaki‘s range of single-use BioWare cups, 

plates, containers and cutlery is now being completed 

with bio-coated paper cups for hot and cold 

drinks. The BioWare paper cup range is the first 

complete bio-coated paper hot and cold cup range 

launched in Europe, as the company stated. The 

bio-coating allows the paper cups to be composted 

in industrial composting facilities. Fibers for the paper 

cups come from sustainably managed forests 

and can be traced back to their origin. The cartonboard 

material has Forestry Stewardship Council‘s 

(FSC) chain of custody certificate. 

BioWare paper cups are as strong and rigid as 

conventional Huhtamaki heavy board cups. The 

complete range of hot and cold cups include cup 

sizes from 100ml to 500ml, making this range suitable 

for different beverages and drink sizes. Excellent 

customized printing and promotional options, 

but also attractive BioWare stock design with ‘compostable’ 

printing, are available. 

Designed to fulfill the needs of various foodservice 

operators, BioWare products work in uses 

ranging from outdoor festivals and mass events to 

catering and daily food and beverage service. By using 

BioWare, restaurants and event organizers can 

combine the waste stream for packaging and food. 

www.huhtamaki.com 


Review 

show 

review 

K‘2007 the world‘s number 1 plastics and rubber fair 

In the last issue, we reported about the bioplastics related exhibits of a 

large number of companies, to be presented at K‘2007 in Düsseldorf Germany, 

from October 24 to 31, 2007. Together with this review, we try to give 

our readers a most complete overview about what K‘2007 offered in terms 

of bioplastics materials, machinery and applications. 

Arkema: Pebax Rnew 

Arkema unveiled 

latest innovations 

Well known for its many years of experience 

with Rilsan ® Polymaide 11 made from castor 

oil (see bM 01/2007) Arkema, Paris, France 

presented three new technical polymers produced 

from renewable raw materials. Pebax ® 

Rnew, a first range of thermoplastic elastomers 

based on the chemistry of polyamide 11 

produced from castor oil, offers properties 

such as lightweight, flex fatigue resistance 

and elasticity return, over a wide temperature 

range. 

Biostrength TM , an innovative impact modifier 

for biodegradable PLA allows converters 

to process the biobased resins using conventional 

equipment. These additives also impart 

to this new polymer made from renewable raw 

materials the necessary mechanical, optical 

and aesthetic properties to fulfill the requirements 

of the main intended markets. 

Also from 100% renewable raw materials 

is Platamid ® Rnew, a new concept for thermoplastic 

hotmelt adhesives. A new grade 

has been developed to fulfill two new market 

needs: reduced emissions as per standard 

VDA 278, and eco-design by using raw materials 

from 100% renewable raw materials. 

The power of nature 

BIOPLAST GmbH from Emmerich, Germany, a subsidiary of the Sphere 

Group and Stanelco plc, presented BIOPLAST ® , a new generation of thermoplastic 

and completely biodegradable materials. Its range of five major 

products covers a wide number of rigid and flexible product applications. 

BIOTEC‘s expertise lies in the know-how regarding blending and modifying 

such resins to special compounds and blends, concentrates and 

masterbatches. The materials are certified in accordance with DIN EN ISO 

9001:2000 and DIN EN ISO 14001:2004. This certification is audited by an 

independent certification agency annually. 

www.biotec.de 

Hishiecolo pipes, which 

return to soil 

Biodegradable plastic pipes and fittings from raw materials such as PLA 

were presented by Mitsubishi Plastics Inc from Hiratsuka-City, Japan. The 

pipes offer the same strength and impact properties as Mitsubishi‘s vinyl 

chloride ‚Hishi Pipes‘, but they biodegrade and undergo hydrolysis from 

water and microbes living in the natural world. Potential applications are 

temporary pipes for short term use, pipes where retrieval is difficult and 

pipes in areas where the natural environment is a concern (rainwater 

ducts, etc.). Mitsubishi expect a variety of other uses to appear. 

www.mpl.co.jp 

Flexible PU-foam with 

100% biobased polyol 

Mitsui Chemicals Polyurethanes from Nagaura, Japan presented flexible 

polyurethane foams with a polyol component made from 100% castor 

oil. The final polyurethane contains 70% polyol and 30% isocyanate. The 

main feature of this polyurethane foam is its low resilience property, which 

makes it ideal for use in pillows. Other polyurethane foams with a biobased 

content are rigid foams for insulation purposes. In these materials 

the polyol consists of 30% renewable raw materials. 

www.arkema.com 

www.mcpu.mitsui-chem.co.jp 


J.C. Grubisisch 

No 

rainforest to be cut for 

sugarcane production? 

bioplastics MAGAZINE reported about BRASKEM and the new 

bio-polyethylene based on ethanol from sugarcane in the last 

issue. However, once in a while people express their concerns 

about rainforests being uprooted for new agricultural space to 

grow sugarcane that is needed for the production of bio-ethanol. 

In a press conference at K‘2007, J.C. Grubisich, CEO of Braskem 

stated that in Brasil the rainforests are in the north of the vast 

country, whereas the sugarcane plantations are in the southeast. 

In addition, land and climate in the north – the rainforest 

area - isn’t appropriate for sugarcane production. At least for 

the time being, bio-ethanol production from sugarcane does not 

threaten the brasilian rainforests. 

www.braskem.com.br 

PLA Nanoalloy 

Toray Industries, Inc. presented a Polylactic Acid Nanoally 

with improved properties. A small amount of high performance 

polymer is finely dispersed at nanometer scale in PLA building 

a network structure. The new materials reach impact and heat 

resistance properties above those of PET, PS and even HI-PS. 

Potential applications are for example mobile phone charger or 

PC housings. Earlier this year Toray announced that it has successfully 

developed a plant fiber-reinforced PLA plastic with improved 

heat resistance, rigidity and moldability by compounding 

cellulose-based plant fibers with PLA. Able to withstand heat 

up to 150°C, which is the highest level in the world for biomass 

plastics, the newly developed plastic has double the rigidity of 

existing PLA plastics and has achieved significant reduction in 

the time required for molding. 

PLA - cast and 

biaxially oriented 

film equipment 

Review 

Brückner Formtec GmbH and Brückner Maschinenbau 

GmbH & Co. KG presented their equipment for 

converting thermoplastics including PLA into films. 

bioplastics MAGAZINE reported about cast film lines 

from Brückner Formtec in issue 01/2007. BOPLA (biaxially 

oriented PLA) films can be produced on machinery 

from Brückner Mashcinenbau (see page 25 in 

this issue). 

www.brueckner.com 

BASF polyamide 6.10 

based on castor oil 

A material developed, produced and marketed by 

BASF over fifty years ago in the pioneering phase of 

engineering plastics is undergoing a renaissance. At 

K‘2007 BASF unveiled Ultramid ® BALANCE, a polyamide 

6.10. This is based to the extent of about 60% on 

sebacic acid, a renewable raw material derived from 

castor oil. 

In the K-show preview we already mentioned Ecovio 

L foam materials based on of Ecoflex and polylactic 

acid (PLA). Ecovio L Foam’s content of PLA amounts 

to more than 75% in weight. According to the standard 

ASTM D6866 it has a “biobased content” of more than 

75% as well. This number describes the amount of biobased 

carbon atoms. BASF is anticipating its first production-scale 

amounts by early 2008, so that Ecovio L 

Foam will be introduced into the market among select 

partners over the course of 2008. 

www.basf.com 

BASF: Eccovio L foam 

www.toray.com 

For details about the exhibits of the following companies, 

see bioplastics MAGAZINE issue 03/2007: 

A. Schulman GmbH 

Clariant International AG 

Biomer 

FkuR Kunststoff GmbH 

Fraunhofer Umsicht 

Grafe Advanced Polymers GmbH 

M-Base Engineering + Software GmbH 

Novamont S.p.A. 

PolyOne 

Telles (Metabolix) 

Roll-o-matic 

Sukano Products Ltd. 

FAS converting machinery see page 21 in this issue 


Review 

Dow and Crystalsev: 

Polyethylene from 

ethanol 

The Dow Chemical Company, the world‘s largest producer 

of polyethylene, and Crystalsev, one of Brazil‘s largest 

ethanol players presented their plans for a world-scale 

facility to manufacture polyethylene from sugar cane. 

The two companies will form a joint venture in Brazil to 

design and build the first integrated facility of its scale in 

the world. Start of production is expected for 2011 with a 

capacity of 350,000 metric tons. 

www.dow.com 

www.crystalsev.com.br. 

Transforming 

modified natural materials 

into innovative 

applications 

VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland has built 

up extensive knowledge in modifying and adding new 

functions to natural polymers—such as starch, cellulose, 

and wood fibres—over the past 10 years. This work 

has resulted in a number of sustainable processes and 

commercial products, such as starch derivates for tailoring 

the surface properties of paper, starch-based 

pigments, water-based and hot-melt glues, injection 

moulding materials, dispersion formulations into coatings 

and adhesives as well as coating and matrix materials 

for the controlled release of ingedients. 

Gehr: extruded rods 

First in the world 

extruded rods made of 

biopolymer 

The family owned company GEHR, which is located in Mannheim, 

Germany, has extruded what is most probably the world’s 

first ‘biological rod’. PLA-L is the name of this biopolymer. 

PLA-L consists of Polylactide (PLA) and Lignin (= wood). With 

PLA-L, the worldwide leading company for extruded thermoplastics 

(POM, PVC, PEEK, etc), further expands its product 

range in rods. PLA-L is available in the diameters from 10 to 

40mm. 

PLA-L is a thermoplastic material based on renewable, 

ecologically harmless and biodegradable raw materials. Under 

appropriate conditions it can be disposed of by either industrial 

composting or by climate-neutral incineration. PLA-L 

exhibits good mechanical properties that are similar to ABS. 

It shows a high stiffness (modulus of elasticity is 2740 MPa) 

and good impact strength. It also exhibits a good resistance to 

polar media such as acids, bases and solvents. It can be used 

in temperatures from - 30 °C to + 60 °C. 

„You can hardly imagine the variety of applications“, says 

Bernhard Grosskinsky, head of the technical department at 

GEHR. 

„Because of its advantages with regards to its biodegradability 

and consequent low environmental impact, it is very 

likely that PLA-L can be used in the toy and agricultural industry 

as well as in mechanical engineering and the medical 

industry.“ 

www.gehr.de 

Elastogran: matress 

www.vtt.fi 

Matress made of 

24% renewables 

Elastogran GmbH, a company of the BASF group presented 

Lupranol ® BALANCE. Through the application of a completely 

novel type of catalyst it has been possible for the first time to employ 

natural castor- oil in the production of low-emission flexible 

foam polyols. The new product is made up of 31% castor oil. A 

finished mattress made with Lupranol BALANCE contains up to 

24% by weight of castor oil, without impairing the performance 

of the foam. This very high percentage of renewable raw material 

in the finished product is a breakthrough in the realm of 

polyurethane base products. 

www.elastogran.de 

10 bioplastics MAGAZINE [07/04] Vol. 2

Biodegradable 

compound 

SAM-A C&I Corporation Ltd from Korea presented 

their advanced technology to improve physical properties, 

processability and chemical stability of biodegradable 

resins which have inherently fragile properties. 

SAM-A offers this by enhancing the compatibility of biodegradable 

resins, proper composition and development 

of additives based on many years of experience. SAM-A‘s 

biodegradable resins are composed of PLA and aliphatic 

polyester, environmentally friendly and biodegradable 

plastics and can replace traditional plastics because 

they offer excellent physical properties such as strength, 

heat stability and chemical resistance, as can be read in 

their K‘2007 brochure. 

www.samacni.co.kr 

3rd generation natural 

fibre composites 

At present Kareline Oy Ltd fom Joensuu, Finland say 

they have the widest range of bio-composites available 

in the market. These materials are based on PLA, but 

also natural fibre composites with a matrix of PP, PE, 

ABS, PS, POM are available. The natural fibre content 

varies between 20 to 55 wt-%. 

The reinforcing fibres used are wood-based cellulose 

fibres manufactured in the most ecologically advanced 

mills in the world. Wood raw material used in the process 

is environmentally certified. 

The Kareline ® composite granulates can be injection 

moulded in all standard thermoplastic injection moulding 

machines and tools. This material has already been 

in use all over the world in a wide variety of different 

machines and tools. 

www.kareline.fi 

Kareline: flexwood guitar 

Symphony in 

technology 

Reifenhäuser GmbH & Co. KG presented their machinery in 

Düsseldorf as well as in their premises in Troisdorf Germany. 

In the Technology Center in Troisdorf a premium 3-layer blown 

film line Filmtec 3-1700-IBC-RHS with IBC was shown among 

others. The flexible line concept with an excellent price/performance 

ratio features low-temperature screws and three 

REItorque extruders, so that the range of applications is completed 

by bio packaging. 

Processing of PLA material was be demonstrated on the 

high-performance thermoforming sheet line MIREX-W-3- 

130/80/50-1000. The series is available as mono or coex line 

for up to 7 layers. 

www.reifenhauser.com 

Review 

BioLog: product examples 

New compounding 

process for bioplastics 

BioLog GmbH from Queis, Germany have developed a new 

patented bioplastic based on starch, chitosan and polyester. 

It can be processed in film blowing (10-30 µm) e.g. for food 

packaging or in thicknesses of 30-200 µm for mulch films, 

bags, liners or covers. Monolayer as well as multilayer applications 

are possible. Furthermore extrusion blow moulding, 

thermoforming films, injection moulding applications such as 

planting pots, cups, cutlery etc. Foam applications for building 

industry and packaging applications round off the portfolio. 

In Düsseldorf, BioLog presented themselves at the booth of 

Reimelt Henschel MischSysteme GmbH from Kassel, Germany. 

They developed a new process for the compounding of 

BioLog material. A new screw design of the twin-screw extruder 

allows to process higher amounts of starch even with a 

higher moisture content. 

www.biolog-heppe.de 

www.reimelt-henschel.com 

bioplastics MAGAZINE [07/04] Vol. 2 11

Review 

PLA sheet material with 

better impact properties 

UK-based VitasheetGroup has developed a new range of biodegradable 

PLA based materials which offer greater impact resistance and 

improved processability — properties which are often challenging with 

PLA. 

ViForm Bio 9100 and ViPrint Bio 9100 offer the traditional benefits of 

PLA products — compostability, renewable resources origins, but have 

been modified so they will have a much better impact strength‚ improving 

overall durability of the material and affording excellent performance 

in die-cutting and folding. 

Biodegradable materials such as PLA are currently used in a number 

of applications ranging from food packaging to blisters, but until now 

have had little interest for producers of horticulture labels or cosmetic 

boxes due to issues with brittleness and folding ability. 

“What has traditionally limited the use of bio-degradable materials in 

certain applications has now become a thing of the past,“ says Stephane 

Jacquet, VitasheetGroup Business Manager for the Packaging and 

Graphic Arts sectors. 

ViForm Bio 9100 and ViPrint Bio 9100 are available in white and transparent 

and gauges ranging from 300 micron to 650 micron. 

www.vitasheetgroup.com 

DuPont expands portfolio of 

renewably sourced polymers 

With Sorona ® EP thermoplastic resins, Hytrel ® RS thermoplastic 

elastomers, Biomax ® RS packaging resins and Selar ® VP breathable 

films DuPont presented in Düsseldorf a number of new plastics based 

on renewable resources. 

A key ingredient in Sorona EP is Bio-PDO which is made by DuPont 

and Tate & Lyle. Bio-PDO will be used in the two glass-reinforced grades 

of Sorona EP that will initially be available. 

Hytrel RS incorporates Cerenol renewably sourced polyol made with 

Bio-PDO. Initial grades of Hytrel RS will have a renewable content range 

of 25-50%. 

Biomax RS 1001 is a renewably sourced polytrimethyl terephthalate 

(PTT) offering aimed at rigid packaging applications such as injection 

molded containers, caps and consumer items such as media cases 

where it would replace polypropylene. Initial applications are targeted 

for cosmetics, food and consumer goods packaging. Biomax RS 1001 

incorporates has a renewable content of 35% with Bio-PDO as the key 

ingredient. 

Selar VP is a renewably sourced breathable film, designed for use in 

applications where foods need to respire, such as fresh fish and produce. 

It is up to 40% renewably sourced with the incorporation of a vegetable 

based fatty acid. 

www.dupont.com 

The “green” 

challenge 

For high-potential applications – ranging 

from refrigerator insulation to imitation 

forest floors Bayer MaterialScience from 

Leverkusen, Germany has now developed 

polyols (as component for polyurethanes) 

based up to 70% by weight on renewable raw 

materials to help cut down emissions. 

Polyurethane all-foam mattresses are currently 

very much in vogue and their market 

share has been rising for years. However, consumers 

would be unwilling to accept compromises 

in performance or above all durability. 

Following extensive development work, experts 

from Bayer MaterialScience were able 

to raise the properties of the „green“ foams 

up to the same high level as standard products. 

At K 2007, Bayer MaterialScience also 

presented a molded-foam part typically used 

in car seats. The polyol used for this was also 

based largely on renewable raw materials. 

Another exhibit on display was a high-end 

refrigerator. The proportion of renewable raw 

materials it uses is double that of conventional 

polyurethane insulating foam systems. 

Walking or running on a soft surface provides 

a more comfortable underfoot sensation. 

An artificial forest floor that Bayer MaterialScience 

has produced by combining a 

viscoelastic flexible polyurethane foam with 

textile overlays and a soft pile offers this feeling 

for your own bathroom. An extremely high 

volume of a polyol based on modified vegetable 

oils is used in the formulation without 

producing any adverse effect on technical 

properties such as tensile strength and durability. 

www.bayer.com 

Photo: Bayer 


Timberland shoesoles 

with renewable content in 

the polyol component 

Dow Footwear Solutions announced during K‘2007 that it will supply its 

VORALAST Soling System with renewable content to The Timberland Company 

for the Miōn ® Spring 2008 line of outdoor footwear. Dow Footwear Solutions 

is a business unit recently launched by The Dow Chemical Company 

and is a leading provider of innovative solutions to the footwear industry 

worldwide. „We are very excited about our development partnership with 

Timberland that has used our VORALAST R series system with renewable 

polyol content to deliver both a durable, water resistant polyurethane sole 

and an advance in sustainability,” said Antonio Batistini, Research & Development 

Director for Dow Footwear Solutions. 

www.dowfootwear.com 

PLA bottle blowing 

machinery 

Stretch blow moulding machines for the production of PLA bottles are part 

of the scope of supply of Sistec srl. from Pordenone, Italy. Their models SSB- 

02/03 are the ideal solution, versatile and easy to use, as a spokesman said. 

Sistec presented themselves on the stand of MAG Plastic SA in Hall 13, right 

next to SIG Corpoplast from Hamburg, Germany. SIG‘s BLOMAX machine series 

were the first to produce the PLA bottles of Biota (USA) and Belu (UK). In 

addition, sister company SIG Plasmax offers barrier coating systems to apply 

an inner layer of SiOx (glass) to both, PLA and PET bottles for enhanced barrier 

properties against water vapour, CO 2 and Oxygen. 

www.sistec-pn.it, www.sig.biz 

10mm twinscrew 

compounder 

An ideal solution for compounding minimal 

amounts of test compositions, for example of 

sensitive materials or with nano materials, is 

the 10 mm twinscrew compounder of Rondol 

from Stone, UK. Non Invasive mixing allows 

rapid batch mixing at a selected degree of 

specific energy allowing totally enclosed high 

shear or low shear mixing. The twinscrew 

compounding technique meets the essential 

requirements of 

• High torque dispersive mixing with optimised 

screw profiles 

• The capability of adding measured quantities 

of nano materials to melt stream 

• The facility to process small quantities 

• A small equipment ‘footprint’ to allow 

bench top/clean room installation 

www.rondol.com 

Eco-Smart TM hot runner 

system for PLA 

D-M-E, a Milacron company introduced Eco-Smart hot runner systems, 

which are ideaI for processing “green“ plastic resins - proven successful with 

PLA. Eco-Smart Hot Runner Systems provide an ecological molding advantage. 

D-M-E is qualifying additional polymers as they become available. 

Key Advantages of Eco-Smart Hot Runner Systems: 

• Uninterrupted material flow path for reduced shear 

• Corrosion-resistant components 

• Front-removable heaters and thermocouples for easy system maintenance 

• Thermal isolation component design for improved performance 

• Superior thermal control from machine nozzle to moulded part surface 

Masterbatches 

for PLA 

Masterbatched for PLA were shown by 

VANETTI MASTERBATCHES from Marnate, 

Italy. The masterbatches for PLA granulate 

are particularly recommended for film extrusion. 

Continuous research in this field, in cooperation 

with University Politecnico Milano, 

Italy, will allow the range of masterbatches to 

be expanded in compliance with the standards 

requested in the various fields of application. 

Certification according to EN 13432 is expected 

for the end of this year. 

www.vanettimaster.com 

www.dme.net 


Review 

2 nd European Bioplastics 

Conference 

in Disneyland Paris 

Dr. Harald Käb 

The 2nd European Bioplastics Conference has proven to 

be the place to be in bioplastics industry. 360 bioplastics 

professionals from 29 countries met in Paris at the largest 

bioplastics event ever in Europe that was organised 

for the second time by the industry association European 

Bioplastics. 

Record attendance of delegates, speakers and exhibitors 

The number of delegates as well as the comprehensive 

exhibition showed the relevance of the promising industry. 

The delegates followed the presentations of 45 speakers 

about material novelties, biopackaging innovations, consumer 

insights, political frameworks to end of life options 

in alternating plenary and parallel sessions. 

The exhibition room, where 26 exhibiting companies 

showcased their latest products and developments, provided 

a unique environment for extended networking. 

Keynotes on bioplastics 

The first plenary session was opened by a welcome 

adress of Dr. Harald Käb, Chairman of European Bioplastics 

and Christophe Doukhi-de Boissoudy, Chairman of the 

French Clubbioplastiques. Käb introduced the challenges 

for the future bioplastics development: „Sufficient material 

supply will be a very basic parameter for the future 

of bioplastics. This can be achieved by utilising existing 

production capacities to the full, building up new production 

sites by known and yet unknown market players and 

broadening the scope of materials and material properties.“ 

Also waste management will play a crucial role as 

well as material developments. 

„The bioplastics industry is at a cutting edge. Fortunately, 

politics become more and more aware of the potential 

of reducing dependency on crude oil not only for fuels but 

also in material use of renewable ressources.“ The representative 

of the French Ministry of Agriculture, Julien 

Turienne, took up the thread and explained the French 

policies for bio-based products, which are motivated by 


Review 

360 bioplastics experts 26 exhibitors 

their advantages, i.e. the substitution of non renewable 

resources, the improvement of innovation and competitiveness 

and the preservation and creation of jobs in agriculture 

and agro-industry. Amongst the French actions 

are the proposal to prefer bioplastic bags regulated by law 

(which was rejected by the European Commission due to 

the free trade and packaging directive; France now works 

on transforming these measures in incentive measures, 

e.g. ecotax). 

Production capacities 

European Bioplastics estimates the global production 

capacities of bioplastics to sextuple until 2011. The shares 

of the three material classes synthetic/biodegradable, 

biobased/biodegradable and biobased/non-biodegradable 

are expected to change significantly towards biobased/ 

nonbiodegradable bioplastics. While their share is about 

12% in 2007 (of a total production capacity of 262.000 

tonnes/year), in 2011 the share of biobased/non-biodegradable 

bioplastics will be almost 40% of total capacity. 

The overall capacity will increase to 766.000 tonnes/year 

in 2009 to about 1.500.000 tonnes/year in 2011. 

European Bioplastics bases its estimations on publicly 

available announcements that have been published in the 

last months as well as on information gathered amongst 

their members. Provided a positive access to capital markets 

and thus investments production capacities can grow 

even faster. 

Material properties and material types 

To capture an even broader application range than today 

some bioplastics need to improve their material properties. 

Basically, this applies for barrier properties and heat 

resistance. Usual PLA softens at a temperature of about 

60°C and is not deployable for several applications. According 

to a manufacturer, PLA composed from D- and L- 

lactic acid shall be heat resistant up to 175°C. Thus, PLA 

will become applicable for e.g. micro-wave suitable products. 

According to several studies PLA bottles have a large 

growth potential. To capture more applications the barrier 

properties need improvement.The high permeability of 

water vapour for instance reduces the shelf-life. However, 

it is expected that new PLA types and barrier solutions will 

widen the scope of applications very soon. It is likely that 

new bioplastic materials and an increasing availability of 

bioplastics will accelerate product innovations. 

Waste management and bioplastics treatment 

Waste management will be a key success factor of bioplastics 

in two different ways. On the one hand, for compostable 

plastic products it is crucial to have composting 

infrastructures in place. That’s the reason why European 

Bioplastics advocates for a separate collection of organic 

and residual waste and for installing composting sites 

across Europe. In the EU, organic waste accounts for 

around 38% of municipal waste. This amounts to around 

120 million tonnes of organic waste per year, with the potential 

to obtain over 50 million tonnes of compost annually 

(in EU 25). 

On the other hand European Bioplastics is strongly supporting 

an adequate treatment of bioplastics given the 

quantities of the material. Organizing the most optimized 

waste management system is dependent on local infrastructures 

for collection and recycling, local and regional 

regulations, the total volume on the market available and 

the composition of waste streams. 

With both bioplastics and biopackaging in their infancy, 

the development of the market should not be delayed even 

though the most optimal recovery systems have often not 

been recognized by local authorities. The risks associated 

with existing recovery schemes should be monitored. 

These will be limited at this time given the relatively small 

volumes that currently enter the market. Once volumes 

reach a critical mass, waste management systems which 

make most sense from an environmental and economic 

point of view can be set up. Over time, recycling may be 

the best option for certain bioplastics, especially if a homogenous 

stream can be organized such as in place for 

plastic bottles. 

www.european-bioplastics.org 


Review 

Bioplastics Awards 2007 

The second Bioplastics Awards took place together 

with the ninth Bioplastics conference 

in Cologne, Germany, on December 5 th . Organised 

by European Plastics News, an audience of 

around 100 people attended the event to witness the 

recognition of some of the best bioplastics developments 

and applications. 

Launched in 2006, the Bioplastics Awards are intended 

to raise the profile of bioplastics, which, although 

a developing market, is still very much a niche. 

The result is that the sector’s achievements tend to be 

overshadowed by innovations in the mainstream packaging 

and plastics industries. 

The seven categories of the Bioplastics Awards intend 

to change all that, providing a platform to promote 

the innovative ideas that are driving the bioplastics 

market forward. 

EPN Editor and Conference manager, Chris Smith, 

said: “The 2007 Bioplastics Awards come at an important 

time for the bioplastics industry as we are seeing 

new and important developments not only in traditional 

compostable bioplastics but also in bio-sourced 

versions of traditional polymers, such as PE, PA, PU 

and TPEs. When this industry looks back in 10 years 

or so we might say that 2007 marked the beginning 

of a new renewable era in bioplastics production and 

application.” 

www.bpevent.com 

Nominees & Winners 

Category 

Best Innovation 

in Bioplastics 

Best Bioplastics 

Processor 


Application – 

Packaging 


Braskem, Brazil 

(Polyethylene from ethanol derived from 

sugar cane) 

Dow Polyurethanes, USA 

(Renuva range of bio-derived polyols, 

derived from vegetable oils) 

Merquinsa Mercados Quimicos, Spain 

(Pearlthane ECO TPUs, with 40 – 49% 

renewable contents) 

Teijin, Japan 

(BioFront PLA fibres with a melting point 

of 210°C) 

Amcor Flexibles, UK 

(heat sealable VFFS film using Mater-bi 

and much more) 

Leoplast, Italy 

(High quality PLA cases and packaging 

for the cosmetics industry) 

Treofan, Germany 

(Production of Biophan PLA films) 

Alcan Packaging, Ireland 

(Lamination of a range of fully compostable 

printed film products using PLA and 

Mater-bi) 


(first fully printable laminate of Natureflex 

cellulose and Mater-bi, which can be 

home composted) 

Amcor Flexibles, UK 

(heat sealable VFFS Mater-bi film for 

packaging of Sainsbury’s So Organic 

salad potato range) 

Coopbox Europe, Italy 

(Naturalbox PLA foamed PLA tray and 

capping film meat packaging system) 

Wiedmer AG, Switzerland 

(Compostable PCO28 closure in Mater-bi 

resin for packaging of still beverages) 


Photos: European Plastics News 

Review 

Category 


Category 



Application – 

Non-Packaging 

WIP, Italy 

(Lov’N range of biodegradable hypoallergenic 

sanitary pads, exploiting the 

breathability of Mater-bi to retain moisture 

and keep the skin dry while moisture 

is absorbed by three PLA Ingeo fibre 

filtering layers) 

Arkema, France 

(Use of Pebax Renew in the Wave Creation 

training shoe by Mizuno of Japan) 

Elastogran, Germany 

(Use of bio-derived polyurethane resins 

in the Elastocoast coastal erosion defence 

system) 

NEC Corporation, Japan 

(Use of kenaf fibre reinforced PLA in a 

mobile phone casing) 

Teijin, Japan 

(Use of BioFront heat resistant PLA 

fibres in automotive prototype seat 


Retailer 

Delhaize, Belgium 

(One of the longest standing supporters 

of bioplastics, Delhaize has used more 

than 7 million PLA salad packs over the 

past two years replacing more than 120 

tonnes of traditional plastics. This year 

it switched its single-use carrier bags 

to starch-based plastics, estimating it 

will use 100 tonnes of the resins over the 

first 12 months. The group is also working 

with its national retail association 

FEDIS and waste association Fost-Plus 

to develop suitable end-of-life options) 

Sainsbury’s Supermarkets, UK 

(The 2006 winner in this category, 

Sainsbury’s environmental packaging 

approach continues to set the standard 

in the UK retail sector) 

Wal-Mart, US 

(Not a company with the greatest record 

on sustainability, Wal-Mart’s conversion 

to sustainable thinking and launch of its 

environmental scorecard have has really 

kick-started interest in bioplastics in the 


Marketing 

Initiative 

Excellent Packaging & Supply, US 

(provides customers with assistance in 

selecting the right product for its needs, 

The company is also highly active in the 

US in promoting organised composting 

schemes, without which many biodegradable 

products make little sense) 


(Promotion of its fully customisable 

laminated packaging film materials) 

Novamont, Italy 

(Supply of two million sets of Mater-bi 

disposable tableware for the Loreto 

Agorà dei Giovani two-day eco-meeting 

in Italy, which was addressed by the 

Pope) 

Personal 

Contribution 

to Bioplastics 

NOTE: 

The Personal 

Contribution 

award is made 

by EPN alone. 

Martin K Patel 

(Martin Patel is not, perhaps, seen by 

many as part of the bioplastics industry, 

but the work he has been doing over the 

past 15 years in the techno-economic 

analysis of energy saving and emission 

reductions achievable through new and 

existing industrial biotechnologies is 

likely to become hugely important in the 

years to come.) 


Special 

Shopping bags, that 

dissolve in hot water 

Figure 1: degradation in soil after 3 months 

Headquartered Singapore, Biostarch Technology 

Pte Ltd was registered in 2004. However the Biostarch 

journey began with research in 1998. The 

technological process to produce the Biostarch biopolymer 

film was registered for international patent in 2005. 

The manufacturing headquarter is in Beijing, China. 

According to a company‘s spokesman, Biostarch offers 

a cost-effective, EN13432 certified, OK Compost mark approved, 

100% compostable biopolymer shopping bag solution 

and film for packaging. Biostarch products also meet 

the American ASTM-6400-99 Standard for Compostable 

Plastics and Australian AS4736-2006 Biodegradable 

Standard. 

Features 

The unique biodegradable and compostable nature of 

the Biostarch film is demonstrated by its ability to be dissolved 

in hot water. The rapid disintegration in a natural 

environment can be seen in fig. 1, showing a Biostarch 

bag before and after 3 months in the soil of an Australian 

garden. 

Other features include the following: 

• Comparable strength to conventional plastic bags 

• Made principally from the renewable resource corn 

starch 

• Does not contain the conventional plastic constituents 

such as polyethylene and polypropylene 

• Can be re-used (encouraged) 

• Ideally suited for dry goods but tolerates short term 

exposure to moisture. 

Shopping Bags 

For supermarkets, retail and department stores, 

Bio-starch Bags provide a variety of solutions: 

• Bio-Fresh bags on a roll, with perforation for easy 

separation. Ideal for fruit and vegetables. 

• Bio-Light, a lightweight bag for dry goods. 

• Bio-Mist, a lightweight bag for moist/refrigerated 

goods. 

• Bio-Multi, a heavy duty flexi loop bag for dry goods 

• Bio-Max, a grip hold bag ideal for retail outlets and 

department stores 

Film for Packaging and Plastic Converters 

Biostarch film is ideal for the packaging of dry goods 

and rolls are also available for plastic converters to 

manufacture bags to their own specifications. Biostarch 

film can be processed on conventional plastic bag 

manufacturing equipment with some adjustments. 

Biostarch‘s Vision 

Biostarch recognizes the environmental hazard 

caused by plastic bags and products. „We believe that 

government, business and environmental groups and 

individuals all need to work together to solve this problem,” 

says Dr. Jian Mao, CEO of Biostarch Technology. 

„Changes in patterns of behaviour are essential and 

the provision of certified biodegradable, 100% compostable 

biopolymer alternatives is mandatory,” he 

adds. Biostarch is excited to be able to be a part of the 

solution by offering a cost effective alternative to plastic 

bags and packaging and a more environmentally 

responsible alternative to paper bags. Together we can 

make a difference. 

www.biostarch.com 


Special 

Paperflex-Bio; paper plus bioplastic film 

Zipper-Bio bag 

World‘s first 

biodegradable zipper bag 

Forapack, an Italian flexible packaging films converter 

from Poggiofiorito, has expanded its product 

range of ready-made bags and pouches with a new 

series for food producers and retailers. The three product 

lines follow the approved design and application but 

are made completely of biodegradable and compostable 

material. 

The Bagflex-F-Bio line consists of bags and pouches 

made from a single web of bioplastic film, such as PLA, 

Materbi, Naturflex and the like. These bags are hot-wire 

sealed, and can be custom-printed and micro-perforated. 

The Bagflex-HS-Bio series of bags and pouches is made 

from a laminate composed of Kraft paper and a bioplastic 

film. They come in a wide range of options, e.g. with or 

without die-punched handle or custom-printed. The Kraft 

paper is available in white or havana colour. The bioplastic 

film can be PLA, Materbi or Natureflex, depending on the 

application. Organic adhesives are used between the two 

layers to allow for 100% biodegradability. In this respect, 

Forapack also carries out flexo printing in up to eight colours 

with water-based inks. As required the central film is 

produced opaque or transparent to show the contents. 

The Paperflex-Bio series of bags and pouches consists 

of a laminate of paper plus a bioplastic film, with or without 

a central „window“. In comparison with the abovementioned 

products Paperflex-Bio is produced in reels for 

automatic packaging machine applications. 

The Zipper-Bio bags are made of paper laminate plus 

biodegradable compostable plastic laminates. Its unique 

feature is the world‘s first re-closable zippers made of 

biodegradable plastic (a Forapack exclusive speciality), 

making the contents watertight and airtight. The applica- 

tion of the biodegradable zipper to a bag or pouch made 

of biodegradable compostable laminate is a Forapack patent. 

One of the latest developments is a PLA film with enhanced 

oxygen barrier properties to protect the contents 

from oxidation. It was developed in collaboration with 

an Italian barrier film producer. Barrier enhancement is 

obtained by applying a very thin layer of a special, highly 

transparent and food-grade lacquer onto the film surface. 

The barrier film is converted as a single web (Bagflex-F-Bio) 

or alternatively Forapack laminates it to paper 

(Bagflex-HS-Bio and Paperflex-Bio) resulting in a biodegradable 

laminate that ensures better protection for the 

product, and offers a longer shelf life. 

All mentioned products are being tested by independent 

laboratories and the results will show full comparability 

with the properties of fossil oil based plastic films, 

including conformity to food contact regulations, machineability, 

transparency, natural permeability, long shelflife 

and antifog properties. Beside ensuring the necessary 

hygiene and food protection, Forapack promises that the 

new packaging solutions to be a valid marketing tool and 

offer distributors, food producers and final consumers a 

number of additional features that rarely come with other 

packaging solutions. 

www.forapack.it 


Special 

Article contributed by Christian Garaffa, 

Marketing Department, Project Manager 

Waste Management Area. 

After Ireland, San Francisco and Oakland in California, 

Modbury in Britain, the debate on disposable 

carrier bags has recently moved to London. Many 

other countries and cities are looking to introduce or already 

have some form of ban, tax, levy or some voluntary 

agreement on throwaway shopping bags (e.g. France or 

Italy). 

The question is always the same: how to manage the 

environmental issue posed by non biodegradable carrier 

bags? The common logic permeating the different choices 

is always the one dictated by the waste hierarchy: prevent, 

reuse, recover, dispose of. 

Factors like an intensive communication to the consumers 

and the introduction of reusable bags “for life” 

which can be used for several times before they are finally 

thrown away or given back to the store, are an essential 

part of this schemes. 

Compostable shopping 

carrier bags: what is the 

logic for their contribution 

to the environment? 

How do compostable carrier bags place themselves into 

this picture? 


Compostable carriers can actually be a powerful aid to 

waste minimization and recovery policies especially there 

were organic waste collection schemes are to be set up 

or are already in place. In order for such schemes to be 

successful they must be hygienic for both consumer and 

collection crews and be as convenient as possible. The 

best way to ensure both these criteria is for consumers 

to line their kitchen caddy with a compostable liner which 

can then be tied and placed in the larger container. Using 

liners in this fashion not only keeps the system clean and 

hygienic from kitchen to collection to treatment facility, 

but by being simple to use, they also lead to higher levels 

of participation and subsequently greater amounts of food 

waste are recovered and less material is landfilled. 

A proper communication and the possibility for the 

householder to easily identify the compostable bags are 

completing the picture for this kind of schemes which are 

able to recover as much as 90% of the kitchen organics 

present in the household waste. 


Special 

Article contributed by Jonas Hellström, 

Marketing & After Sales Manager, 

FAS Converting Machinery AB, Ystad, Sweden 

Biobags: in-line 

production is the future 

The Scandinavian company BioBag International A/S, 

headquartered in Askim, Norway has great faith in 

the future. They have a long experience of making 

plastic bags and have used converting machines from FAS 

Converting Machinery AB, Ystad, Sweden for more than 15 

years. About three years ago BioBag International started 

to specialise in making plastic bags which are 100% biodegradable 

and compostable (according to standards such 

as EN 13432 or ASTM D6400) and which can be recycled or 

incinerated with a neutral greenhouse gas impact. Converting 

material from the Italian company Novamont into 

bags in-line on a machine from FAS is a very cost-effective 

way of making bags on a roll. 

”We believe in the future of this project”, says Jorn Johansen, 

president and CEO at BioBag International. Many 

people are becoming more aware of how important it is 

to take care of our Earth. BioBag International A/S has 

activities in 18 countries and the list of products is long. In 

Belgium for example, BioBag has a business arrangement 

with Jemaco nv. (also a customer of FAS), regarding the 

marketing and production of high quality bio-products. 

Jorn Johansen appreciates the quality of the machines 

and the good service from FAS, which fit well in this environmentally 

friendly future. 

Bag production in-line using the film blowing process 

is well known, and has been improved over the years by 

FAS, followed by other machine suppliers, as pointed out 

by Jonas Hellstrom, Marketing Manager at FAS. 

Especially with the combination of tensionless sealing 

and sealing from both sides, FAS perforation and sealing 

units are the ideal equipment to process biodegradable 

products. The FAS sealing system is one of the few that 

can handle a wide variety of film materials, e.g. all kinds 

of PE from HD to LD, recycled plastics and biodegradable 

materials, without any special adjustments required. 

In addition to the above-mentioned features, the FAS 

perforating and sealing units offer the benefits of constant 

or intermittent heating and adjustable seal pressure, 

which has proven to give many producers advantages 

when running different products on the same machine. 

The in-line process of film blowing and bag production 

brings a number of additional benefits, such as faster 

quality control of the plastic film, no capital locked up in 

storage for master rolls or floor space, and a better cash 

flow. And - thanks to converting a warm film which enables 

thick film to fold easily and the final winding to be 

easier – the final products often just look better. 

When it comes to total machine investment cost, an 

in-line set-up offers advantages over an off-line solution. 

One reason is a simpler blown film unit, as there is no 

need for a rotating head or winding equipment when running 

in-line. 

Other costs for a producer are the handling of master 

rolls and for the personnel needed to run the machines. 

In an in-line environment less operators are needed compared 

to an off-line set-up, which also provides financial 

benefits. 

As one of the biggest bag producers in Europe once 

said: “Produce this morning – deliver in the afternoon - 

and invoice tomorrow! That´s the key to success!”. 

www.fasconverting.se 


Materials 

Lactide 

Monomers 

for the 

production 

Article contributed by Hans van der Pol, Marketing Manager, 

PURAC biochem BV, Gorinchem, the Netherlands 

of PLA 

So far the focus for bioplastics developments has 

been in particular on the environmental and 

social elements. To make PLA sustainable on 

the long-term it is now crucial that the economic sustainability 

is secured. L- and D-lactide produced with 

PURAC technology in combination with PURAC’s value 

proposition for the value-chain members will allow 

PLA to become an attractive economic reality. 

Accelerating PLA potential 

Although many PLA applications have been developed 

over the last years, PLA is currently in short 

supply. In order for the bioplastics market to grow at 

the pace dictated by the customer demand, there is a 

need for a higher level of PLA supply. The main factors 

hampering the growth in supply are PLA product quality 

and the availability of an economically sustainable 

production technology as part of the PLA value-chain. 

The key factor in this chain is the technology to produce 

high purity, polymer grade, lactic acid with high 

carbohydrate efficiency – the core expertise of PURAC, 

whose technology has been optimized over decades. 

PLA for packaging applications was developed in the 

nineties but it is not until very recently that the value 

chain for PLA applications has been seriously expanded. 

The Kyoto protocol and the associated trading 

schemes for carbon dioxide certificates are providing 

companies with real incentives to reduce their carbon 

dioxide emissions by investing in more environmentally 

benign technologies and products. Bioplastics and 

bio-fuels are at the forefront of this trend. 

Market opportunities 

With improvements in PLA supply and quality as 

well as development of value added applications it is 

expected that the market for PLA can grow to a level 

of several hundreds of ktons over the next 10 years. 

The bioplastics industry is still in a very early stage of 

its development. Institutional, legal and policy framework 

conditions are adjusted continuously in order to 

stimulate a continuous growth of sustainable materials. 

The market for traditional polymers is over 250 

mio tons and growing. Many framework conditions for 

these traditional polymers actually act as barriers for 

the new polymers. The bioplastics industry has grown 

so far without the huge subsidies heaped upon bioethanol. 

The opportunities to capitalize on this are immense. 

The total consumption of biodegradable polymers 

stood at around 140 ktons in 2006, with packaging representing 

31% of the total consumption. The projected 

growth for PLA in this segment is estimated 23% 

per year. 

With improvements in technology, higher value added 

applications such as fibers and engineering plastics 

can be developed. Such higher value added applications 

are important to turn a bio-based economy into 

reality, as it will improve the economic sustainability of 

the value-proposition. 

Retailers and brand-owners recognize possibilities 

to capitalize on the sustainability trend by re-branding 

their image as an environmentally conscious company 


Materials 

by incorporating innovative bio-based packaging 

solutions into their product lines. This allows them 

to create additional added value to their customers, 

who are also becoming more environmentally 

conscious. 

The use of annually renewable resources as a 

feed-stock is the main driving force behind sustainable 

plastics in the 21st century. Biodegradability 

of PLA packaging materials is an advantage 

in those countries that have an industrial composting 

infrastructure in place. However, no material 

can find a sustainable position in the market without 

the right functional attributes. For many applications 

the biodegradability has no added value, 

and PLA is perfectly stable under normal use conditions. 

Added value 

The added value of PLA polymers comes in the 

first place from its unique combination of properties, 

such as very high optical clarity, good mechanical 

properties, gas and water barrier properties, 

etc.. These properties can be influenced 

and further improved or modified by value added 

polymer technologies, such as compounding, copolymerization, 

combining materials or films with 

different properties or applying nano-technologies. 

Properties that will need improvement to make the 

polymer applicable to high-end applications are 

its heat deformation temperature and its impact 

strength. For bottle applications for example the 

gas barrier properties needs improvement. 

PLA Value proposition 

Due to its strong technology position in lactic 

acid, moving one step further in the value-chain is 

a logical step for PURAC. This enables polymerand 

plastics producers to make the step into PLA 

bioplastics. PURAC itself has in-depth experience 

with PLA in the relatively small, but high value 

added market of medical-grade lactide monomers 

and polymers. 

The scale to economically produce lactide is 

much bigger than the scale to economically produce 

PLA. In PURAC’s concept, polymer producers 

will not need to invest in complex lactide technology, 

but can focus instead on their core expertise: 

adding value through the production of specialized 

PLA (co-)polymers. By allowing PLA producers to 


Materials 

invest in smaller scale plants, the efficiency of PLA 

production can be enhanced by focusing on dedicated 

grades for certain application areas. Further 

value can be added to these (co-) polymers by compounding 

them into plastics and using nano- and 

other technologies to improve the properties. 

PURAC allows polymer producers to add value 

in a revolutionary new way by offering two types 

of lactide (L-lactide and D-lactide). By combining 

these lactides in new and unconventional ways, the 

improvement of the PLA heat-stability – one of its 

key issues – can become a reality. 

PURAC will deploy a business model, where lactide 

is manufactured at an advantageous scale and 

offered as a premium quality, competitively positioned 

product to PLA producers. Based on this 

lactide monomer customers will be able produce 

superior quality polymer. This business concept allows 

medium size and starting PLA companies to 

be competitive in the PLA market. 

The production of lactide is integrated into the 

manufacturing of lactic acid and as such different 

grades will be either processed or marketed 

through PURAC’s global sales network. PURAC 

partners do not have to concern themselves with 

the production of lactic acid or lactide and hence 

will see a reduced risk profile for the investment, 

product management, logistics and warehousing 

and operation of facilities. 

Outlook 

The flexible production unit in PURAC production 

site in Spain will be used for lactide production 

for selected partners early 2008. This unit will 

be extended with the required steps to make high 

quality lactide shippable to selected customers all 

over the world. The investment path leads to the 

industrial scale availability of a lactide production 

unit in Thailand. 

Since the availability of D(-) lactid acid is essential 

for the highest PLA grades, PURAC’s lactic acid 

production unit in Spain is being revamped into a 

high quality D(-) production plant. The product will 

also become available as D-lactide for PDLA production. 

PURAC has commenced a focused application 

development effort to support customers in 

their use of lactide and D(-) products. 

www.purac.com 


Practically everybody uses them to protect sensitive 

goods – high-quality stretched plastics are 

undoubtedly the number one within the world of 

packaging material. More and more they are replacing 

paper, cardboard, tin foil and other materials. Upon applying 

a particular process, mono- or biaxial orientation, the 

films obtain a wealth of advantageous properties, due to a 

change in the morphology of the film’s molecular structure: 

• excellent mechanical properties, e.g. stiffness, tear, 

shock or puncture resistance 

• impermeability to moisture and water vapour 

• high resistance to oils, fats and solvents, as well as to 

heat and cold 

• dimensional stability and scratch resistance 

• attractive glossy appearance, thanks to brilliant surface 

quality and high transparency 

• excellent convertibility, printability and sealability. 

Packaging has become a key marketing tool at the point 

of sales. As a result, customers in supermarkets and 

stores are placing greater emphasis on attractive packaging. 

This leads to a greater demand for a variety of speciality 

films: 

• co-extruded multi-layer structures, up to 7 layers for 

ultra-high barrier 

• shrink film and sleeves for trendy, full body sleeves 

• ultra-high barrier film for lamination 

• bio-degradable films for environmental protection and 

sustainability 

• BOPA (bi-axially oriented Polyamide) film highly suitable 

for freezable and cookable (microwavable) packaging 

• mono-axial shrink films for bundles and labels 

Orientation methods 

The orientation methods applied to manufacture such 

films are the film blowing process and the tenter frame 

process. Blown film extrusion process is based on the 

principle of extruding a tube having a thickness that is 40 

– 50 times thicker than that of the film to be produced. 

As part of the tenter frame process, the cast film derived 

from plastic granulate by means of extrusion is stretched 

in longitudinal and transverse direction to attain the required 

film dimensions. This film is then processed either 

sequentially or simultaneously in order to obtain a very 

thin, high-rigid end film. Sequential lines first stretch the 

cast film in machine direction through a system of rollers. 

This stretching is achieved by different speeds between 

groups of rolls. Then the film enters the tenter, an ovenlike 

device, which uses two endless chains to grip and 

stretch the web in transverse direction on diverting rails. 

Simultaneous systems stretch the film in both directions 

at the same time. The limited yield and inflexibility 

of mechanical solutions led to the development of LISIM ® 

Oriented 

films continue 

their 

Processing 

successful 

run – even 

with PLA 

Article contributed by Christian Aigner, 

Marketing Manager, Brückner Maschinenbau 

GmbH & Co. KG, Siegsdorf, Germany 

Photo: Treofan 


Processing 

°C 

1 : 2.0 - 3.5 

1 : 3.0 - 5.0 

Sequential BO stretching line - TDO inlet 

Typical temperatures during BOPLA process 

technology, which uses linear motors driving clips without 

chain connections. This drive principle, also used on the 

“Transrapid” (Germany’s high-speed monorail train using 

magnetic levitation), allows a new level of freedom to be 

obtained when manufacturing high quality film in fast and 

extremely flexible production. 

Biodegradable oriented film is gaining great 

interest 

Excellent properties in stiffness, transparency, gloss, 

and dead-fold retention, combined with the environmental 

benefits clearly emphasize the breadth of its appeal for 

use in consumer packaging applications. 

• As an alternative to cellophane in: confectionery twist 

wrap, premium wrapping for flowers, toiletries and 

prestige gifts 

• Bags for compost and garden refuse, as well as agricultural 

mulch films to replace paper (when wet strength 

is required) 

• Multi-layer films for packaging uses, especially food 

• Lamination films where cellulose acetate can be replaced 

• Co-extruded structures with low temperature heat seal 

layers and/or flavor and aroma barriers where properties 

allow layer simplification or replacement of nylons 

• Shrink sleeve films and high modulus label films 

• Non-fogging films for fresh produce packaging 

Key performance indicators of Brückner’s stretching 

lines for biodegradable film 

Due to the fact that PLA resin is sensitive to humidity, 

special raw material handling and extrusion technology 

is needed. Particularly in the storage system, Brückner’s 

line layouts include silos with humidity protection. Resin 

dryers guarantee the resin’s low moisture content prior 

to extrusion. 

For the extrusion, Brückner utilizes their over ten year’s 

worth of experience in twin screw technology. Benefit: no 

additional material drying is needed. The special screw 

design creates uniform melt properties. Stainless steel 

melt pipes, polymer filters with short dwell times, static 

mixers and a three-layer adapter block designed for PLA 

are essential to the entire process. 

The pinning and stretching properties of PLA are very 

similar to the behavior of PET. Therefore, an electrostatic 

pinning device is needed to fix the extruded sheet to the 

chill roll. A shockless speed variation is realized with a 

drive motor concept, which assures a constant take off 

speed. A special roll design guarantees a temperature accuracy 

of ± 1 K (Kelvin) across the roll surface. 

The MDO (machine direction orienter) is equipped with 

the same drive technology. 

Special drive functions called MSD (MD soft drive system) 

assure a “scratch-free” surface of the MD stretched 

film. The elongation ratios in machine direction (MD) are 

in a range of 2 - 3.5. 

The stretching ratios within the transversal direction 

(TD) are around 3 to 5. The TDO (transversal direction orienter) 

is characterized by accurate and adjustable air distribution 

and a reliable chain track system. 

Stretching profile 

1.767 mm Die 

Neck-in 

80 mm 

Neck-in 

120 mm 

Clip Range 

30 mm 

7. 435 mm 

1.687 mm Castfilm 

1.567 mm MD Film 

6.600 mm 

Edge trim 150 mm 


CF-PLA 

BOPLA (2,2 x 6,0) 

s-BOPLA (4,5 x 5,2) 

220 

180 

3510 

4110 

5155 

4616 

Processing 

180 

180 

120 

3000 

3050 

90 

100 

70 

53 

52 

17 

6 

MD 

TD 

MD 

TD 

MD 

TD 

Tensile Strength 

[N/mm²] 

Elongation at Break 

[%] 

E-Modulus 

[N/mm²] 

Mechanical 

Properties 

Improvement of mechanical properties by biaxial stretching 

Sequential BO streching line - Winder 

The stretched film needs to be surface treated and the 

thickness gauge must be measured. Brückner’s stateof-the-art 

treatment systems and scanning devices combined 

with a ultra-fast die-bolt system guarantee highest 

surface properties and a constant gauge throughout the 

complete production. 

The winder winds up the final treated film on steel 

reels. 

Criteria like winding tension, roll profile, roll density and 

perfect roll build-up are essential for the further process 

steps. Technologies like LIWIND ® (winding technology with 

linear motors), tension control systems and winder oscillation 

systems are essential for perfect further processing. 

The output of such a state-of-the-art stretching line is 

1,300 kg/h, with the end film having a thickness range between 

15 and 50 µm. 

Unique technology center 

Brückner‘s experience in processing PLA using an orientation 

process is based on their worldwide unique technology 

center. 

The variety of stretching methods, ranging from monoaxial 

to sequential and simultaneous stretching, gave the 

possibility to run PLA in each production mode. 

Produced PLA film: 

• MOPLA (mono-axially oriented PLA) shrink film for 

sleeves applications 

• BOPLA (bi-axially oriented PLA) thin film 

• BOPLA thick film for thermoformapplications 

(190 – 350 µm) 

All produced film types displayed improved film properties 

after the stretching process. 

Considering that cast – PLA is brittle and inflexible the 

stretching process made the final film flexible, while at the 

same time improving its tensile strength and E-modulus. 

The final film exhibited excellent dead fold and twist 

wrap properties. 

The simultaneous stretching mode also presented 

amazing results. 

Sequentially, PLA can be processed with a MD ration of 

2.2 and a TD ration of 6.0. The main challenge in this line 

configuration is the maximum pinning speed. 

The use of simultaneous technology is completely 

changing the situation. Stretching ratios of 4.5 times 5.2 

are no longer a problem. Therefore, line output can be dramatically 

increased. In addition, film properties were better 

when compared to the sequential stretching process. 

• Mechanical properties 

• Sealing properties (by using a low sealing skin layer) 

• Adjustable shrink properties due to the special process 

• Better optical quality (no scratches, higher gloss) 

Overall, the PLA tests at Brückner’s technology center 

were surprisingly successful and they gained a lot of new 

experience and insight from these trials. The successful 

thermoform application tests for the thick film were carried 

out at Brückner’s new Group Company Kiefel GmbH 

in Freilassing, Germany. 

More PLA technology from Brückner Group 

Brückner Formtec, supplier of cast film and sheet extrusion 

lines, developed a process to produce PLA film 

and sheet for rigid packaging in a very cost effective way 

by increasing productivity through high outputs and high 

speeds. Highlights of the line concepts are: Twin screw 

extrusion for highest efficiency, outputs of up to 2,000 kg/ 

h, speeds of up to 75 m/min, thickness range from 250 µm 

up to 1,200 µm, proven pinning technology, especially suitable 

for inline processed high volume applications. 

www.brueckner.com 



Reactor contents transfer 

From Waste 2 Gold: Making 

bioplastic products from 

biomass waste streams 

Article contributed by Dr Alan Fernyhough, 

Unit Manager of the Bioplastics Engineering 

Group, Scion, Rotorua, New Zealand 

New Zealand is widely regarded as pristine and 

uncluttered. But the country has waste management 

challenges just like everywhere else. A large 

volume of these wastes arise from its prolific agricultural, 

forestry and horticultural sectors. Innovative research 

programmes aimed at turning these organic wastes into 

high-value bioplastic products are being run by Scion, a 

Crown Research Institute based in Rotorua, at the heart 

of New Zealand’s green hinterland. At Scion, teams working 

on wastewater and environmental (bio)technologies 

have come together with those working on biopolymers, 

and materials formulation and processing technologies to 

create a suite of technology options for converting wastes 

into bioplastic related products. The programmes include 

turning wastes into bioplastics, or into functional additives 

for use in bioplastics, or directly into processed bioplastics 

products. 

Dr Trevor Stuthridge is the leader of the ‘Waste 2 Gold‘ 

programme, an overarching framework developed by Scion 

for turning wastes into valuable products. He explains 

why this research is of vital interest to a nation focused on 

minimising waste: 

“New Zealanders landfill the equivalent of 872 kg of solid 

waste per year per person – one of the highest per capita 

rates in the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation 

and Development). Our primary industries contribute 

55% of this total; a major proportion is organic material 



which can generate methane, a potent greenhouse gas 

(GHG), and harmful leachates.” 

In a bid to help minimise GHG emissions, New Zealand 

has implemented a Waste Management Strategy that aims 

to see 95% of these industrial organic wastes re-directed 

from landfills by 2010. Dr Stuthridge believes that New 

Zealand’s primary sectors can best meet this challenge 

by actively exploiting the intrinsic worth of their organic 

wastes. 

“The only effective way to provide incentives for minimising 

liquid and solid wastes and redirecting organic 

material from landfills is to ensure that the resource has 

an economic value. The ‘Waste 2 Gold‘ initiative is proactively 

generating sustainable solutions, which will simultaneously 

help to increase revenues, reduce costs and add 

value to businesses,” he says. 

Carbon-rich industrial wastes, such as those from the 

pulp and paper, food processing, and biorefinery sectors 

are low cost, high volume feedstocks that are ideal 

for sustainable production of biopolymers, fine chemicals 

and biofuels. Microbial biotechnologies and chemical 

functionalisation technologies are under development by 

Scion scientists who are exploring ways of utilising these 

feedstocks. 

One project involves the use of mixed and/or pure cultures 

of bacteria that directly fix nitrogen from the atmosphere, 

allowing them to remediate carbon-rich wastes 

from these sources, without the need for additional costly 

chemicals, and convert the carbon into useful products. 

Dr Stuthridge explains that a novel function of these nitrogen-fixing 

bacteria is their ability to store excess carbon 

in the form of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs, >50% of 

dry cell mass). 

“We are exploiting this characteristic to produce biopolymers 

and biopolymer composites from industrial waste 

streams. Given that feedstock costs can comprise over 

60% of manufacturing costs, this type of process is expected 

to offer substantial economic advantages.” 

Nitrogen fixation processes produce very low ecological 

footprints since no supplemental nitrogen needs to 

be added to achieve microbial growth. This approach can 

give a 35% saving in operational costs over conventional 

bioconversion methods. In addition, very low nutrient final 

wastewater discharges are achieved, amounting to over 

90% reductions in nitrogen and phosphorus over conventional 

methods. Finally, these aerobic nitrogen fixation 

processes have a lower oxygen demand than normal systems, 

offering a 25% saving in aeration energy costs. 

“Of course, in the case of solid wastes, there is a requirement 

to make them more easily accessible for microbial 

bioconversion”, explains Dr Stuthridge. “Here, we 

are integrating proprietary green chemistry-based technologies 

that break down the solid organic material, such 

Bacteria with PHA 

Biodegradable pots 



as proteins, lipids and polymeric carbohydrates, into 

readily degradable feedstocks for the bacteria.” 

The ‘Waste 2 Gold‘ framework demands a multi-disciplinary 

approach, encompassing microbiology, bioprocess 

engineering, biomaterials chemistry, polymer 

engineering, and ecotoxicology. Advanced biomaterial 

engineering concepts also enhance these opportunities 

by taking the bioplastics from bacteria and integrating 

functional attributes, such as programmed degradation 

and biofunctional additives. 

The author of this article is leader of the Biomaterials 

Engineering Group and leads many of the bioplastic 

pro-duct developments at Scion. They are functionalising 

selected wastes, and mixing benign solid wastes 

from other sources (such as the horticultural, food 

processing and agricultural sectors), with renewableresourced-based 

plastics, and selected additives, to 

create a range of novel biopolymer products. These 

products include controlled-release fertilisers, biodegradable 

plant pots, panels, packaging materials, and 

other moulded plastic products. 

As future disposal options become more limited, these 

technologies will provide a viable alternative for not only 

reducing waste, but for utilising it as a valuable resource. 

Though the initial interest has been from commodity 

based product developments, we increasingly see greater 

interest in accessing functional attributes of particular 

pro-cessed or functionalised wastes in bioplastic products. 

This is leading to a range of advanced performance 

bioplastic product developments. 

Scion has taken this concept outside the lab to some 

leading New Zealand plastics processors and has also 

worked to directly involve those who generate much of 

New Zealand’s organic wastes. Scientists have conducted 

surveys to assess primary industry processing activities 

within New Zealand and to identify current waste production 

and disposal patterns. The surveys highlighted the 

availability of high-volume, good quality waste streams, 

with producers indicating a clear desire for better options 

to use this waste. 

This need led to the formation of a partnership between 

Scion and a number of major pulp and paper and horticultural 

producers and processors to explore opportunities 

for developing new products from these waste streams. 

This partnership exploits a ‘Waste 2 Gold‘ ‘hotspot’ based 

in the Bay of Plenty region, where significant volumes of 

the ideal raw materials are available to this programme. 

The fledgling regional initiative may be a model for extension 

into other sectors in New Zealand as scientists 

develop ways of making bio-derived plastics and biobased 

composites out of a range of organic wastes from 

kiwifruit to cow dung. 

“From a purely economic perspective, industrial 

wastes can no longer be considered ‘wastes’ but rather 

‘untapped resources’. While reducing the amount of 

waste generated is the first priority, even the most efficient 

manufacturing processes create surplus materials. 

The future sustainability of industrial production depends 

on the smart utilisation of these residues,” Dr Stuthridge 

concludes. 


Our Covergirl Maria says:“ I‘ve known 

about these biodegradable bags made 

from starch. But I like the idea that 

scientist try to make bioplastics even 

from waste.“ 

Week 1 

Week 2 

Week 3 

Week 4 

BIODEGRADATION PROCESS 

EcoWorks ® 

www.EcoFilm.com 

info@CortecVCI.com 

1-800-4-CORTEC 

St. Paul, MN 55110 USA 

© Cortec Corporation 2006 

70® 

100% 

Biodegradable EcoWorks 

Replacement for Plastic and Polyethylene 

Up to 70% Bio-based With 

Annually Renewable Resources 

From thick rigid plastic cards to fl exible protective wrap, 

EcoWorks ® 70 by Cortec ® Research Chemists offers universal, 

biodegradable replacement to traditional plastic 

and polyethylene films. This patent pending breakthrough 

meets ASTM D6400 and DIN V 54 900. EcoWorks ® 70 

does not contain polyethylene or starch but relies heavily 

on renewable, bio-based polyester from corn. 100% 

biodegradable, it turns into water and carbon dioxide in 

commercial composting.

Opinion 

Article contributed by 

Miriam Wehrli, Project Manager and 

Dr. Markus A. Meier, Head Market Platform Packaging 

Market Platform Packaging, Ciba Inc., Basel, Switzerland 

Biopolymers as an 

option for sustainability 

– Quo vadis? 

Sustainability has become the new buzzword 

in our modern and environmentally aware 

society. Government authorities, organizations 

and companies all over the world are increasingly 

coming up with initiatives to improve 

sustainable development while striking the right 

balance between environmental, social and economic 

concerns. 

Specifically relating to the packaging market, the 

focus is on reducing carbon footprint and in this 

regard, biopolymers are consistently in the spotlight. 

When compared to traditional plastics, these 

new types of emerging polymers bring numerous 

modified properties such as a higher water-vapor 

transmission rate (WVTR) and biodegradability. 

The latter, however, often leads to confusion and 

consumers too often do not know how to deal with 

this new feature, what makes them unsure of the 

real benefits of biopolymers. 

Do we need biodegradable polymers? 

Biodegradability is an attribute which is often 

associated on the one hand with environmental 

friendliness but on the other hand, also with 

instability of the polymer and low performance. 

Currently biodegradability is frequently used as a 

marketing tool, although not all aspects of biodegradability 

are known and therefore hardly foreseeable. 


Opinion 

Life-cycle: Oil-based polymers 

Net CO 2 

Exploration Refinery Use Collection 

Incineration 

with energy recovery 

0 

Recycling 

+ 

+ 

Life-cycle: Biopolymers 

Growth Processing Use Collection 

Incineration 

with energy recovery 

- 

Recycling 

+ 

0 

No significant difference between polymers 

Net CO 2 production (+) 

Overall target: CO 2 

reduction by process optimization 

Figure 1: CO 2 balance 

comparison of oil-based 

polymers and biopolymers. 

Legend: 

+ : CO 2 

production and release to the atmosphere (emission), 

- : CO 2 

elimination of plants during growth (photosynthesis), 

0 : CO 2 

neutral (overall no emission nor elimination) 

Already today we are confronted with headlines pointing 

at the rising prices for corn tortillas in Mexico due to 

increasing demand of bio-resources causing corn shortages. 

Feedstock and farmland for biopolymers are in 

competition with biofuels as well as land capacity which 

could be used to feed people. The benefits of biopolymers 

capable of being chemically recycled rather than composted 

are therefore obvious. Collecting industrial and 

post consumer waste of polylactic acid (PLA), for instance, 

and converting it back to lactic acid by depolymerization 

results again in a purified base material for the polylactic 

acid production. In doing so, corn production, corn wet 

milling and fermentation could be avoided and leading to 

an overall reduction of costs and energy consumption. 

Furthermore, when considering the high efforts presently 

made to improve the mechanical and technical properties 

of biopolymers, future biopolymer solutions will 

most probably end up losing the biodegradability at the 

expense of strength. In essence, the development of biobased 

polymers should target a polymer which is recyclable 

rather than biodegradable. 

Carbon footprint 

In this context, the main driver for biopolymers on the 

market turns out to be the fact that they are based on 

renewable raw materials. This is presumably linked with 

the increasing pressure to reduce the environmental impact 

of products and furthermore to comply with internal 

sustainability commitments. Biopolymer resin producers 

especially enhance their life cycle studies by purchasing 

renewable energy credits, but this option is certainly independent 

of the polymer produced. 

For the time being, Ciba’s market analysis in collaboration 

with Pira International and life cycle assessment 

(LCA) studies of biopolymers in cooperation with the Swiss 

Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich) show neither 

clear advantages nor disadvantages of biopolymers compared 

with traditional mineral oil based polymers. 

As processing, use, collection and even waste management 

(except composting) do so far not show significant 

difference and are comparable for all kind of polymers in 

terms of energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions, 

a fully greenhouse gas neutral option (from cradle-tograve) 

can only be achieved by using renewable resources. 

Even if 100% recycling could be feasible, traditional plastics 

would still need crude oil as a feedstock and therefore 

release net CO 2 to the atmosphere. 

So, the long-term vision for a sustainable solution 

points to biopolymers which are 100% recyclable. If this 

is considered not feasible, then at least incineration with 

heat recovery should be the option and not composting, in 

which, neither energy nor base material can be recovered 

(destroying value). 

Alternatives – biobased polyethylene (PE) 

Biopolymers like PLA and starch-based solutions still 

show performance drawbacks in end-use packaging applications 

compared with traditional polymers. While the 

higher WVTR of biopolymers could be a benefit for several 

fresh produce packaging applications, they then shortly 


Opinion 

reach their limits due to e.g. insufficient heat stability, 

brittleness and relatively low gas barriers for other 

applications. 

Alternatively, there are companies like Dow and 

Braskem planning to make polyethylene from sugar 

cane. The advantages of this approach are that PE is 

already fully established in the market and the properties 

for processing and applications are well known. 

Even the waste streams do already exist and there 

will be no issue of contamination, since the bio-based 

polymer is chemically identical with its oil-based analog. 

At least short- to mid-term, the bio-based PE could 

be a viable alternative to PLA and starch-based biopolymers 

and it remains to be seen which solution 

will win recognition long-term. 

Role of raw material suppliers 

Ciba continuously strives for superior performance 

and is committed to contribute to long-term sustainable 

development. Regarding biopolymers simply as 

a new type of polymer on the market, Ciba is committed 

to learn more about these new materials. The 

company is capitalizing on its expertise in polymers, 

colorants and additives to support the development 

of biopolymers by improving their technical performance 

through additives, focusing on testing compatibility 

with polymers and recycling rather than biodegradability. 

Beyond the interests in the embryonic biopolymer 

market, Ciba offers a wide range of sustainable solutions 

for plastics and paper/paperboard packaging. 

Consequently Ciba‘s contribution to sustainable 

packaging will not only concentrate on additives and 

colorants for biopolymers, but also include strength 

solutions which allow significant light-weighing of 

packaging as well as improvement of recycled resin 

performance. 

There will be no standard solution eliminating all 

present and future concerns. Rather, the point is to 

find individual ways to change general attitudes and 

develop technologies to balance environmental, economic 

and social aspects of sustainability in order to 

ensure the same quality of life also for future generations. 

www.ciba.com 


Mailbox 

! 

! 

Dear Editor, 

It is always with great interest that we read bioplastics MAGAZINE as 

it brings together a vital collection of news and views in bioplastics, an 

industry that we at NatureWorks LLC are deeply committed to. In a recent 

editorial in the 03/2007 issue it was suggested that availability in general 

of NatureWorks ® biopolymer is causing signs of hesitation in the market. 

This is an inaccurate statement and we feel this is an appropriate the time 

to bring greater clarity on our current manufacturing position. 

Due to the strong and unexpected market growth throughout 2006, 

NatureWorks channeled available biopolymer in a secure and strategic 

way to our existing partners by carefully mapping supply chains and material 

flows. At the same time we reported that NatureWorks LLC continued 

to increase production volume by de-bottlenecking production in our 

Blair, NE, facility and as a result we are able to secure all existing end 

user demands. Today we are also in a position to support and develop 

new opportunities, confirming the continued and robust market growth 

for NatureWorks biopolymer applications. 

In all of what we do, NatureWorks seeks to include our core values 

around sustainability and responsibility meaning that we are actively 

seeking and having dialogue with key stakeholders to make sure everyone’s 

effort follows the same approach. 

I think most people close to this industry are aware of our peer reviewed 

eco-profiles that have been updated and published recently to reflect key 

progress made in this field, as well as position papers laying out our response 

to issues such as feedstock sourcing, waste management and our 

overall environmental footprint. Our colleague, Erwin Vink, will elaborate 

on this in a paper that will be included in the next issue. 

As people around the globe are working to make us less dependent on 

fossil raw materials, the use of bioplastics contributes to this in a meaningful 

way and bio-packaging solutions are a valuable way to demonstrate 

this important evolution. 

We are more than happy to provide more details around any of these 

topics and we welcome innovative companies to bring their own responsible 

products to market and join the growing assortment of applications 

based on NatureWorks biopolymer and marketed as Ingeo innovations. 

These include not only a complete range of biopackaging solutions but 

also high value durable goods such as cosmetics and electronics, as well 

as a full range of Ingeo fiber applications. 

Please do not hesitate to contact us should you require further details. 

Regards, 

Mark Vergauwen – Commercial Director Europe, NatureWorks LLC 


Basics 

Logos Part 6: 

A number of products made from bioplastics are already on 

the market. Almost all of them are labelled with some kind of 

a logo that tells the consumer about the special character of 

the plastic material used. In this series of articles the logos 

and their background are introduced by bioplastics MAGAZINE. 

Here we address such questions as: What is the origin and 

history of a logo? What does it mean? Which type of legislation 

or regulation is it concerned with? 

In previous issues bioplastics MAGAZINE introduced six 

different logos that inform consumers about the biodagradability 

or compostability of packaging and other products 

made of bioplastics. 

Before we start a new series in 2008, where we introduce 

logos informing about the biobased origin of bioplastics products, 

we‘d like to summarize the compostable/biodegradable 

logos in the following table. 

But also in future issues, we will inform our readers about 

all modifications, consolidations or cooperations which might 

arise about the existing logos. 

Logo Name Association Meaning Certifying institute(s) Countries 

Compostability 

Mark, called 

„the Seedling“ 

(bM 01/2006) 

The “Compostable” 

logo of BPI 

(bM 02/2006) 

The “OK Compost” 

logo 

(bM 01/2007) 

European 

Bioplastics 

www.europeanbioplastics.org 

Biodegradable 

Products Institute, 

USA 

www.bpiworld.org 

Vinçotte, Belgium 

www.vincotte.com 

compostable bioplastic 

products according to 

EN 13432, ASTM 

D 6400, ISO 17088 

compostable products 

according to ASTM D 

6400 (Compostable 

Plastics) or ASTM 

D6868 (Compostable 

Packaging) 

compostable bioplastic 

packaging according to 

EN 13432 

DIN-Certco (D), 

The Composting 

Association (UK), 

Keurmerk Instituut (NL), 

Cobro (PL). 

(others to follow) 

BPI 

Vinçotte, Belgium 

Germany, Switzerland, the 

Netherlands, Poland and the 

United Kongdom. 

In Austria the label is used in 

model projects in Linz and St. 

Pölten. European Bioplastics 

promotes the use of product 

certification and the use of a 

unified label in Europe 

USA, Canada 

Belgium, France 

The Finnish Apple 

(bM 02/2007) 

Finnish Solid Waste 

Association, FSWA 

www.jly.fi 

mainly for compostable 

biowaste bags, 

certified in line with EN 

13432 

Finnish Solid Waste 

Association, FSWA 

Finnland 

The Norwegian 

Apple 

(bM 02/2007) 

Avfall Norge (Waste 

Management Norway, 

formerly NRF) 

www.avfallnorge.no 

mainly for compostable 

biowaste bags, 

certified in line with EN 

13432 

Avfall Norge 

(Waste Management 

Norway, formerly NRF) 

Norway 

“GreenPla” 

logo Japan 

(bM 03/2007) 

Japan BioPlastics 

Association(JBPA) 

www.jbpaweb.net 

Biodegradability according 

to Japanese 

and international 

standards such as ISO 

14851, 14852, 14855 

Japan BioPlastics 

Association (JBPA) 

Japan 


Basics Glossary 

Glossary 

Readers who know better explanations 

or who would like to suggest 

other explanations to be added 

to the list, please contact the editor. 

[*: bM ... refers to more comprehensive 

article previously published in 

bioplastics MAGAZINE) 

In bioplastics MAGAZINE again 

and again the same expressions 

appear that some of our readers 

might (not yet) be familiar with. 

This glossary shall help with 

these terms and shall help avoid 

repeated explanations such as 

„PLA (Polylactide)“ in various 

articles. 

Amylopectin 

Polymeric branched starch molecule with very high molecular 

weight (biopolymer, monomer is à Glucose). 

Amyloseacetat 

Linear polymeric glucose-chains are called à amylose. 

If this compound is treated with ethan acid one product is 

amylacetat. The hydroxyl group is connected with the organic 

acid fragment. 

Amylose 

Polymeric non-branched starch molecule with high molecular 

weight (biopolymer, monomer is à Glucose). 

Biodegradable Plastics 

Biodegradable Plastics are plastics that are completely 

assimilated by the à microorganisms present a defined environment 

as food for their energy. The carbon of the plastic 

must completely be converted into CO 2 

.during the microbial 

process. For an official definition, please refer to the standards 

e.g. ISO or in Europe: EN 14995 Plastics- Evaluation 

of compostability - Test scheme and specifications. [bM* 

02/2006 p. 34f, bM 01/2007 p38]. 

Blend 

Mixture of plastics, polymer alloy of at least two microscopically 

dispersed and molecularly distributed base polymers. 

Cellophane 

Clear film on the basis of à cellulose. 

Cellulose 

Polymeric molecule with very high molecular weight (biopolymer, 

monomer is à Glucose), industrial production 

from wood or cotton, to manufacture paper, plastics and 

fibres. 

Compost 

A soil conditioning material of decomposing organic 

matter which provides nutrients and enhances soil 

structure. 

Compostable Plastics 

Plastics that are biodegradable under “composting“ 

conditions: specified humidity, temperature, à microorganisms 

and timefame. Several national and international 

standards exist for clearer definitions, for example 

EN 14995 Plastics - Evaluation of compostability 

- Test scheme and specifications [bM 02/2006 p. 34f, bM 

01/2007 p38]. 

Composting 

A solid waste management technique that uses natural 

process to convert organic materials to CO 2 

, water 

and humus through the action of à microorganisms. 

Copolymer 

Plastic composed of different monomers. 

Fermentation 

Biochemical reactions controlled by à microorganisms 

or enyzmes (e.g. the transformation of sugar into 

lactic acid). 

Gelatine 

Translucent brittle solid substance, colorless or 

slightly yellow, nearly tasteless and odorless, extracted 

from the collagen inside animals‘ connective tissue. 

Glucose 

Monosaccharide (or simple sugar). G. is the most 

important carbohydrate (sugar) in biology. G. is formed 

by photosynthesis or hydrolyse of many carbohydrates 

e. g. starch. 


Basics Glossary 

Humus 

In agriculture, “humus“ is often used simply to mean 

mature à compost, or natural compost extracted from 

a forest or other spontaneous source for use to amend 

soil. 

Hydrophilic 

Property: “water-friendly“, soluble in water or other 

polar solvents (e.g. used in conjunction with a plastic 

which is not waterresistant and weatherproof or that 

absorbs water such as Polyamide (PA)). 

Hydrophobic 

Property: “water-resistant“, not soluble in water (e.g. 

a plastic which is waterresistant and weatherproof, or 

that does not absorb any water such as Polethylene (PE) 

or Polypropylene (PP)). 

Microorganism 

Living organisms of microscopic size, such as bacteria, 

funghi or yeast. 

PCL 

Polycaprolactone, a synthetic (fossil based), biodegradable 

bioplastic, e.g. used as a blend component. 

PHA 

Polyhydroxyalkanoates are linear polyesters produced 

in nature by bacterial fermentation of sugar or lipids. 

The most common type of PHA is à PHB. 

PHB 

Polyhydroxyl buteric acid (better poly-3-hydroxybutyrate), 

is a polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), a polymer belonging 

to the polyesters class. PHB is produced by micro-organisms 

apparently in response to conditions of 

physiological stress. The polymer is primarily a product 

of carbon assimilation (from glucose or starch) and is 

employed by micro-organisms as a form of energy storage 

molecule to be metabolized when other common 

energy sources are not available. PHB has properties 

similar to those of PP, however it is stiffer and more 

brittle. 

PLA 

Polylactide, a bioplastic made of polymerised lactic 

acid. 

Saccharins or carbohydrates 

Saccharins or carbohydrates are name for the sugar-family. 

Saccharins are monomer or polymer sugar 

units. For example, there are known mono-, di- and 

polysaccharose. à glucose is a monosaccarin. They are 

important for the diet and produced biology in plants. 

Sorbitol 

Sugar alcohol, obtained by reduction of glucose changing 

the aldehyde group to an additional hydroxyl group. S. is 

used as a plasticiser for bioplastics based on starch . 

Starch 

Natural polymer (carbohydrate) consisting of à amylose 

and à amylopectin, gained from maize, potatoes, wheat, 

tapioca etc. When glucose is connected to polymer-chains 

in definite way the result (product) is called starch. Each 

molecule is based on 300 -12000-glucose units. Depending 

on the connection, there are two types à amylose and 

à amylopectin known. 

Starch (-derivate) 

Starch (-derivates) are based on the chemical structure 

of à starch. The chemical structure can be changed by 

introducing new functional groups without changing the 

à starch polymer. The product has different chemical qualities. 

Mostly the hydrophilic character is not the same. 

Starch-ester 

One characteristic of every starch-chain is a free hydroxyl 

group. When every hydroxyl group is connect with ethan acid 

one product is starch-ester with different chemical properties. 

Starch propionate and starch butyrate 

Starch propionate and starch butyrate can be synthesis 

by treating the à starch with propane or butanic acid. The 

product structure is still based on à starch. Every based 

à glucose fragment is connected with a propionate or butyrate 

ester group. The product is more hydrophobic than 

à starch. 

Sustainable 

An attempt to provide the best outcomes for the human 

and natural environments both now and into the indefinite 

future. One of the most often cited definitions of sustainability 

is the one created by the Brundtland Commission, 

led by the former Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem 

Brundtland. The Brundtland Commission defined sustainable 

development as development that „meets the needs of 

the present without compromising the ability of future generations 

to meet their own needs.“ Sustainability relates to 

the continuity of economic, social, institutional and environmental 

aspects of human society, as well as the non-human 

environment). 

Thermoplastics 

Plastics which soften or melt when heated and solidify 

when cooled (solid at room temperature). 

Yard Waste 

Grass clippings, leaves, trimmings, garden residue. 


Simply contact: 

Tel.: +49-2359-2996-0 or suppguide@bioplasticsmagazine.com 

Suppliers Guide 

Stay permanently listed in the Suppliers Guide with your company logo and contact information. 

For only 6,– EUR per mm, per issue you can be present among top suppliers in the field of bioplastics. 

1. Raw Materials 

1.1 bio based monomers 

1.3 PLA 

1.4 starch-based bioplastics 

2. Additives / 

Secondary raw materials 

4. Bioplastics products 

Du Pont de Nemours International S.A. 

2, Chemin du Pavillon, PO Box 50 

CH 1218 Le Grand Saconnex, 

Geneva, Switzerland 

Phone: + 41(0) 22 717 5176 

Fax: + 41(0) 22 580 2360 

thomas.philipon@che.dupont.com 


1.2 compounds 

BIOTEC Biologische 

Naturverpackungen GmbH & Co. KG 

Werner-Heisenberg-Straße 32 

46446 Emmerich 

Germany 

Tel.: +49 2822 92510 

Fax: +49 2822 51840 

info@biotec.de 

www.biotec.de 

Du Pont de Nemours International S.A. 

2, Chemin du Pavillon, PO Box 50 

CH 1218 Le Grand Saconnex, 

Geneva, Switzerland 

Phone: + 41(0) 22 717 5176 

Fax: + 41(0) 22 580 2360 

thomas.philipon@che.dupont.com 


3. Semi finished products 

3.1 films 

natura Verpackungs GmbH 

Industriestr. 55 - 57 

48432 Rheine 

Tel.: +49 5975 303-57 

Fax: +49 5975 303-42 

info@naturapackaging.com 

www.naturapackagign.com 

Veriplast Holland BV 

Stadhoudersmolenweg 70 

NL - 7317 AW Apeldoorn 

www.veripure.eu 

Info@veripure.eu 

R.O.J. Jongboom Holding B.V. 

Biopearls 

Damstraat 28 

6671 AE Zetten 

The Netherlands 

Tel.: +31 488 451318 

Mob: +31 646104345 

info@biopearls.nl 

www.biopearls.nl 

BIOTEC Biologische 

Naturverpackungen GmbH & Co. KG 

Werner-Heisenberg-Straße 32 

46446 Emmerich 

Germany 

Tel.: +49 2822 92510 

Fax: +49 2822 51840 

info@biotec.de 

www.biotec.de 

Plantic Technologies GmbH 

Heinrich-Busold-Straße 50 

D-61169 Friedberg 

Germany 

Tel: +49 6031 6842 650 

Tel: +44 794 096 4681 (UK) 

Fax: +49 6031 6842 656 

info@plantic.eu 

www.plantic.eu 

1.5 PHA 

1.6 masterbatches 

PolyOne 

Avenue Melville Wilson, 2 

Zoning de la Fagne 

5330 Assesse 

Belgium 

Tel.: + 32 83 660 211 

info.color@polyone.com 

www.polyone.com 

Maag GmbH 

Leckingser Straße 12 

58640 Iserlohn 

Germany 

Tel.: + 49 2371 9779-30 

Fax: + 49 2371 9779-97 

shonke@maag.de 

www.maag.de 

Treofan Germany GmbH & Co. KG 

Am Prime Parc 17 

65479 Raunheim 

Tel +49 6142 200-0 

Fax +49 6142 200-3299 

www.biophanfilms.com 

www.earthfirstpla.com 

www.sidaplax.com 

www.plasticsuppliers.com 

Sidaplax UK : +44 (1) 604 76 66 99 

Sidaplax Belgium: +32 9 210 80 10 

Plastic Suppliers: +1 866 378 4178 

4.1 trays 

5. Traders 

5.1 wholesale 

6. Machinery & Molds 

Molds, Change Parts and Turnkey 

Solutions for the PET/Bioplastic 

Container Industry 

284 Pinebush Road 

Cambridge Ontario 

Canada N1T 1Z6 

Tel.: +1 519 624 9720 

Fax: +1 519 624 9721 

info@hallink.com 

www.hallink.com 

SIG Corpoplast GmbH & CO. KG 

Meiendorfer Str. 203 

22145 Hamburg, Germany 

Tel. +49-40-679-070 

Fax +49-40-679-07270 

sigcorpoplast@sig.biz 

www.sigcorpoplast.com 

7. Plant engineering 

FKuR Kunststoff GmbH 

Siemensring 79 

D - 47 877 Willich 

Tel.: +49 (0) 2154 9251-26 

Tel.: +49 (0) 2154 9251-51 

patrick.zimmermann@fkur.de 

www.fkur.de 

Transmare Compounding B.V. 

Ringweg 7, 6045 JL 

Roermond, The Netherlands 

Phone: +31 (0)475 345 900 

Fax: +31 (0)475 345 910 

info@transmare.nl 

www.compounding.nl 

Sukano Products Ltd. 

Chaltenbodenstrasse 23 

CH-8834 Schindellegi 

Phone +41 44 787 57 77 

Fax +41 44 787 57 78 

www.sukano.com 

1.7 reinforcing fibres/fillers 

made from RRM 

3.1.1 cellulose based films 

INNOVIA FILMS LTD 

Wigton 

Cumbria CA7 9BG 

England 

Contact: Andy Sweetman 

Tel.: +44 16973 41549 

Fax: +44 16973 41452 

andy.sweetman@innoviafilms.com 

www.innoviafilms.com 

Uhde Inventa-Fischer GmbH 

Holzhauser Str. 157 - 159 

13509 Berlin 

Germany 

Tel.: +49 (0)30 43567 5 

fax: +49 (0)30 43567 699 

sales.de@thyssenkrupp.com 

www.uhde-inventa-fischer.com 

8. Ancillary equipment 

9. Services 

10. Research institutes / 

Universities 


Companies in this issue 

Company Editorial Advert 

Afvall Norge 36 

Alcan Packaging 16 

Amcor Flexibles 16 

Arkema 8,17 

BASF 9 2 

Bayer Material Science 12 

Biobag International 21 

Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) 36 

BioLog 11 

Bioplastics24 31 

Biostarch 18 

Biotec 8 39 

Braskem 9,16 

Brückner 9, 25 

Ciba 32 

Clubbioplastique 14 

Cobro 36 

Coopbox Europe 16 

Cornell University, Ithaca, New York) 7 

Cortec 31 

Crystalsev 10 

Delhaize 17 

DIN Certco 36 

D-M-E 13 

Dow 10,13, 16 

Du Pont de Nemours 5, 12 39 

Elastogran 10,17 

ETH Zürich 33 

European Bioplastics 14 

European Plastics News 16 

Excellent Packaging & Supply 17 

FAS Converting Machinery 21 

Finnish Solid Waste Assiciation (FSWA) 36 

FkuR 39 

Forapack 19 

Gehr 10 

Greenblue 5 

Hallink 39 

Huhtamaki 7 

Innovia Films 39 

Japan BioPlastics Association (JBPA) 36 

Jemaco 21 

Kareline 11 

Keurmerk Instituut 36 

Leoplast 16 

Maag 39 

Meredian 6 

Merquinsa Mercados Quimicos 16 

Mitsubishi Plastics 8 

Company Editorial Advert 

Mitsui Chemicals 8 

natura 39,43 

Natureworks 35 

NEC Corporation 17 

nova Institut 7 

Novamont 6, 17, 20 44 

Novomer 6 

Pira International 33 

Plantic Technologies 39 

Plasticker 31 

Plasticsuppliers 39 

PolyOne 39 

Procter & Gamble 6 

Purac 22 

R.O.J. Jongboom Holding B.V., Biopearls 39 

Reifenhäuser 11 

Reimelt Henschel MischSysteme 11 

Rondol 13 

Rural Industries Research and Development 5 

Corporation (RIRDC) 

Sainsbury’s Supermarkets 17 

SAM-A C&I 11 

Scion 28 

Sidaplax 39 

SIG Corpoplast 13 39 

SIG Plasmax 13 

Sistec 13 

Sphere 8 

Stanelco 8 

Sukano Products 39 

Tejin 16 

The Composting Association 36 

Timberland 13 

Toray Industries 9 

Transmare Compounding 39 

Treofan 16 

Treofan Germany 39 

Uhde Inventa-Fischer 39 

Vanetti Materbatches 13 

Veriplast 39 

Vinçotte 36 

Vitasheet 12 

VTT Technical Research Center 10 

Wal-Mart 17 

Wiedmer 16 

WIP 17 

Next Issue 

For the next issue of bioplastics MAGAZINE 

(among others) the following subjects are scheduled: 

Topics: 

Foamed bioplastics 

End of life options 

Basics: 

Sustainability 

Logos (7) 

Next issues: 

01/08 January 2008 

02/08 March 2008 

03/08 April 2008 

04/08 June 2008 

05/08 September 2008 


Subscribe now and get the 

next six issues for € 149,–* 

Subscription 

please fill in the form and fax to +49-2161-631045 

or subscribe online at www.bioplasticsmagazine.com 

Mrs. 

Mr. 

Name: 

Title: 

First Name: 

Function: 

Company: 

Department: R&D Marketing / PR Project Dept. Purchasing Sales 

other: 

Address 

Street/No.: 

Town: 

ZIP (Postal Code): 

Country: 

Phone: 

Email: 

Fax: 

http://www. 

Kind of business or interest in the field „bioplastics“ 

University / Research / Science 

Institution / Association 

Raw material supplier 

PR / Marketing / Advertising agent 

Trade (Brand owner, Wholesale, Retail) 

Enduser 

Politics / Administration 

Converter (please specify, e.g. film blowing, injection molding, blow molding) 

Other (please specify) 

Why else would you be a „qualified“ reader? 

Creditcard information Amex Visa Mastercard 

I prefer to pay by money transfer 

No. of Employees 

Name on card: 

Card number: 

Expirations date: 

Amount approved: 

Signature: 

Verification code: 

0-5 

6-20 

21-100 

101-500 

500-1000 

more than 1000 

VAT-number (EU only, except Germany): 

An order confirmation or will be mailed to you soon. 

*offer valid until January 31, 2008 


Events 

Event-Calendar 

February, 18-20, 2008 

Agricultural Film 2008 

Fira Palace Hotel, Barcelona, Spain 

www.amiplastics.com 

March 3-4, 2008 

3rd International Seminar on Biodegradable Polymers 

Valencia, Spain 

http://www.azom.com/details.asp?newsID=7345 

April 1-3, 2008 

JEC Composites Paris 

including biobasesd polymers and natural fibers 

Paris, France 

www.jeccomposites.com 

April 22-23, 2008 

„Connecting comPETence“: PETnology Europe 2008 

Düsseldorf/Neuss , Germany, prior to Interpack 

http://www.petnology.com 

April 24-30, 2008 

Interpack - 2008 

and here: 

Bioplastics in Packaging 

The interpack 2008 Group Exhibition 

Düsseldorf, Germany 

www.european-bioplastics.org 

www.interpack.com 

meet bioplastics MAGAZINE here 

June 18-19, 2008 

7th Global WPC and Natural Fibre Composites 

Congress and Exhibition 

Kongress Palais, Stadthalle, Kassel, Germany 

www.wpc-nfk.de 


natura means 

business 

natura packaging develops and markets 

innovative, 100% biodegradable 

packaging solutions. Our Europewide 

activities can be divided into three main 

categories; 

• Fruit and vegetable packaging 

• Waste management 

(including the MaxAir system) 

• Shopping bags (including our 

popular ‘happy bag’) 

Let natura help you get the most 

out of your business. 

Call +49 (0)5975 30357 

or send an e-mail to 

info@naturapackaging.com. 

Industriestraße 55 - 57 48432 Rheine Tel. : +49 (0)5975/303-57 Fax. : +49 (0)5975/303-42 Email : info@naturapackaging.com 

w w w . n a t u r a p a c k a g i n g . c o m

A real sign 

of sustainable 

development. 

There is such a thing as genuinely sustainable development. 

Since 1989, Novamont researchers have been working 

on an ambitious project that combines the chemical 

industry, agriculture and the environment: “Living 

Chemistry for Quality of Life”. Its objective has been to 

create products that have a low environmental impact. 

The innovative result of Novamont’s research is the new 

bioplastic Mater-Bi ® .The Mater-Bi ® polymer comes from maize starch and 

other vegetable starches; it is completely biodegradable and compostable. 

Mater-Bi ® performs like plastic, but it saves energy, contributes to reducing 

the greenhouse effect, and at the end of its life cycle, it closes the loop by 

changing into fertile humus. Everyone’s dream has become a reality. 

Living Chemistry for Quality of Life. 


Mater-Bi ® : certified and recommended biodegradability and compostability.

bioplasticsMAGAZINE_0704

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?