2007-04 by bioplastics MAGAZINE

ISSN 1862-5258

Vol. 2 magazine

bioplastics

Special editorial Focus: Biodegradable bags

Review K2007 D端sseldorf | 8 Logos, Part 6 | 36

04 | 2007

Don’t worry, the raw material for Ecovio® is renewable.

Ecovio ®, a biodegradable plastic from the PlasticsPlusTM 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 V AT I O N

RELIABILITY

PA R T N E R S H I P

DIVERSITY

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.

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.

ISSN 1862-5258

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‘. :

Special editorial Focus Biodegradable bags

04 | 2007

Michael Thielen

Review K2007 Düsseldorf | 8 Logos, Part 6 | 36

bioplastics

MAGAZINE

Vol. 2

Publisher

bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/07] Vol. 2

Compostable shopping carrier bags 20

Biobags: In-line production is the future 21

bioplastics MAGAZINE tries to use British spelling. However, in articles based on information from the USA, American spelling may also be used.

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.

World‘s first biodegradable zipper bag

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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).

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Bioplastics Awards 2007

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Impressum Content

December 04|2007 Materials

Lactide Monomers for the production of PLA

Oriented films continue their successful run – even with PLA

From Waste 2 Gold: Making bioplastic products from biomass waste streams

Biopolymers as an option for sustainability – Quo vadis?

Letter to the Editor 22

Processing

From Science & Research 28

Opinion

Mailbox

Basics

Logos Part 6

Glossary

News

Sustainability a key criterion for DuPont’s Packaging Award

Potential growth for Australian bioproducts

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.

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.

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.

‘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.

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.

“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

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. www.packaging.dupont.com www.greenblue.org

bioplastics MAGAZINE [07/04] Vol. 2

Photo: RacingThePlanet Limited (www.racingtheplanet.com)

News

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 CO2 emissions, considerably reducing environmental impact.

Novomer raises $6.6 million to bring novel ‘eco-plastics‘ to market

Meredian Inc. announced acquisition of PHA technology from Procter & Gamble

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.

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.

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 CO2 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 CO2 to make biodegradable aliphatic polycarbonates. www.novomer.com

www.novamont.com www.4deserts/thelastdesert/

bioplastics MAGAZINE [07/04] Vol. 2

“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

News

New study on ‘Nanohybrid’ PHB 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

bioplastics MAGAZINE [07/04] Vol. 2

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.

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. 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.

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

BiostrengthTM, 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.

Flexible PU-foam with 100% biobased polyol

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.

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.biotec.de

bioplastics MAGAZINE [07/04] Vol. 2

www.mcpu.mitsui-chem.co.jp

J.C. Grubisisch

Review

PLA - cast and biaxially oriented film equipment

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.

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 bioplastics MAGAZINE [07/04] Vol. 2

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.

Elastogran: matress

www.vtt.fi

bioplastics MAGAZINE [07/04] Vol. 2

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

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

Review

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

BioLog: product examples

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-3130/80/50-1000. The series is available as mono or coex line for up to 7 layers. www.reifenhauser.com

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

Review

PLA sheet material with better impact properties

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

bioplastics MAGAZINE [07/04] Vol. 2

Photo: Bayer

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.

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

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 Mio¯n® 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 SSB02/03 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, CO2 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-SmartTM hot runner system for PLA

Masterbatches 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.

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.

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

www.vanettimaster.com

www.dme.net

bioplastics MAGAZINE [07/04] Vol. 2

Review

2nd European Bioplastics Conference in Disneyland Paris 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.

Dr. Harald Käb

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

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Review

360 bioplastics experts 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 60Â°C and is not deployable for several applications. According to a manufacturer, PLA composed from D- and Llactic acid shall be heat resistant up to 175Â°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

26 exhibitors 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. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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

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Review

Bioplastics Awards 2007

he second Bioplastics Awards took place together with the ninth Bioplastics conference in Cologne, Germany, on December 5th. 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.

Nominees & Winners Category

Nominees & Winners

Best Innovation in Bioplastics

Braskem, Brazil (Polyethylene from ethanol derived from sugar cane) Dow Polyurethanes, USA (Renuva range of bio-derived polyols, derived from vegetable oils)

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.

Merquinsa Mercados Quimicos, Spain (Pearlthane ECO TPUs, with 40 – 49% renewable contents) Teijin, Japan (BioFront PLA fibres with a melting point of 210°C) Best Bioplastics Processor

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

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)

Best Bioplastics Application – Packaging

Alcan Packaging, Ireland (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)

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s: Eur o

pean P la

stics N ews

Review

Category

Nominees & Winners

Best Bioplastics 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)

Best Bioplastics 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)

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)

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)

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

Best Bioplastics 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) Alcan Packaging, Ireland (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)

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

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.)

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Shopping bags, that dissolve in hot water  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. Figure 1: degradation in soil after 3 months

eadquartered 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

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 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

Zipper-Bio bag

Paperflex-Bio; paper plus bioplastic film

World‘s first biodegradable zipper bag

orapack, 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

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fter 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.

Article contributed by Christian Garaffa, Marketing Department, Project Manager Waste Management Area.

Factors like an intensive communication to the consumers and the introduction of reusable bags â&#x20AC;&#x153;for lifeâ&#x20AC;? 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?

www.novamont.com

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.

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Article contributed by Jonas Hellström, Marketing & After Sales Manager, FAS Converting Machinery AB, Ystad, Sweden

Biobags: in-line production is the future

he 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.

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

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,

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Materials

Article contributed by Hans van der Pol, Marketing Manager, PURAC biochem BV, Gorinchem, the Netherlands

o 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 PURACâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 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.

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Lactide Monomers for the production of PLA 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 PURACâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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

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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

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ractically 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:

Processing

Photo: Treofan

 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.

Oriented films continue their successful run – even with PLA

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®

Article contributed by Christian Aigner, Marketing Manager, Brückner Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG, Siegsdorf, Germany

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Processing °C 1 : 2.0 - 3.5 1 : 3.0 - 5.0

Sequential BO stretching line - TDO inlet

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.

Typical temperatures during BOPLA process

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

1.687 mm Castfilm 1.567 mm MD Film

Neck-in 80 mm Neck-in 120 mm Clip Range 30 mm

7. 435 mm

6.600 mm

Edge trim 150 mm

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BOPLA (2,2 x 6,0)

4616

180

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

4110

220 180

Processing

5155

CF-PLA

3510

180

120

3050

3000 90 70

100 53

52 17 MD

Tensile Strength [N/mm²]

6 TD

Elongation at Break [%]

Mechanical

E-Modulus [N/mm²]

Properties

Improvement of mechanical properties by biaxial stretching 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.

Sequential BO streching line - Winder 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 dra matically 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

bioplastics MAGAZINE [07/04] Vol. 2

Reactor contents transfer

From Science & Research

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

ew 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

bioplastics MAGAZINE [07/04] Vol. 2

From Science & Research 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).

Bacteria with PHA

“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.

Biodegradable pots

“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

bioplastics MAGAZINE [07/04] Vol. 2

From Science & Research

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.

bioplastics MAGAZINE [07/04] Vol. 2

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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 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Quo vadis?

ustainability 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.

bioplastics MAGAZINE [07/04] Vol. 2

Opinion Life-cycle: Oil-based polymers Exploration

Refinery

Net CO Use

Collection

Recycling

Incineration

with energy recovery

Life-cycle: Biopolymers Growth

Processing

Use

Collection

Recycling

No significant difference between polymers ďż˝ Net CO 2 production (+) Overall target: CO 2 reduction by process optimization

Incineration

with energy recovery

0 Figure 1: CO2 balance comparison of oil-based polymers and biopolymers.

Legend: + : CO2 production and release to the atmosphere (emission), - : CO2 elimination of plants during growth (photosynthesis), 0 : CO2 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, Cibaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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 CO2 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 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 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

bioplastics MAGAZINE [07/04] Vol. 2

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 Cibaâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;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

bioplastics MAGAZINE [07/04] Vol. 2

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

bioplastics MAGAZINE [07/04] Vol. 2

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?

n 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“

European Bioplastics

compostable bioplastic products according to EN 13432, ASTM D 6400, ISO 17088

DIN-Certco (D), The Composting Association (UK), Keurmerk Instituut (NL), Cobro (PL). (others to follow)

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

compostable products according to ASTM D 6400 (Compostable Plastics) or ASTM D6868 (Compostable Packaging)

BPI

USA, Canada

(bM 01/2006)

The “Compostable” logo of BPI (bM 02/2006)

The “OK Compost” logo (bM 01/2007)

The Finnish Apple (bM 02/2007)

The Norwegian Apple (bM 02/2007)

www.europeanbioplastics.org

Biodegradable Products Institute, USA www.bpiworld.org Vinçotte, Belgium www.vincotte.com

Finnish Solid Waste Association, FSWA www.jly.fi

Avfall Norge (Waste Management Norway, formerly NRF) www.avfallnorge.no

“GreenPla” logo Japan

Japan BioPlastics Association(JBPA)

(bM 03/2007)

www.jbpaweb.net

bioplastics MAGAZINE [07/04] Vol. 2

compostable bioplastic Vinçotte, Belgium packaging according to EN 13432

Belgium, France

mainly for compostaFinnish Solid Waste ble biowaste bags, Association, FSWA certified in line with EN 13432

Finnland

mainly for compostaAvfall Norge ble biowaste bags, (Waste Management certified in line with EN Norway, formerly NRF) 13432

Norway

Biodegradability according to Japanese and international standards such as ISO 14851, 14852, 14855

Japan

Japan BioPlastics Association (JBPA)

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)

Basics Glossary 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

Compost

Polymeric branched starch molecule with very high molecular weight (biopolymer, monomer is à Glucose).

A soil conditioning material of decomposing organic matter which provides nutrients and enhances soil structure.

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.

Compostable Plastics

Polymeric non-branched starch molecule with high molecular weight (biopolymer, monomer is à Glucose).

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].

Biodegradable Plastics

Composting

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 CO2.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].

A solid waste management technique that uses natural process to convert organic materials to CO2, water and humus through the action of à microorganisms.

Blend

Biochemical reactions controlled by à microorganisms or enyzmes (e.g. the transformation of sugar into lactic acid).

Amylose

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.

Copolymer Plastic composed of different monomers.

Fermentation

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.

bioplastics MAGAZINE [07/04] Vol. 2

Basics Glossary Humus

Sorbitol

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.

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 .

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.

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.

bioplastics MAGAZINE [07/04] Vol. 2

Simply contact:

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

Suppliers Guide

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1. Raw Materials

1.3 PLA

1.1 bio based monomers

1.4 starch-based bioplastics

2. Additives / Secondary raw materials

Du Pont de Nemours International S.A. Du Pont de Nemours International S.A. 2, Chemin du Pavillon, PO Box 50 2, Chemin du Pavillon, PO Box 50 CH 1218 Le Grand Saconnex, CH 1218 Le Grand Saconnex, Geneva, Switzerland Geneva, Switzerland BIOTEC Biologische Phone: + 41(0) 22 717 5176 Phone: + 41(0) 22 717 5176 Naturverpackungen GmbH & Co. KG Fax: + 41(0) 22 580 2360 Fax: + 41(0) 22 580 2360 Werner-Heisenberg-Straße 32 thomas.philipon@che.dupont.com thomas.philipon@che.dupont.com 46446 Emmerich www.packaging.dupont.com www.packaging.dupont.com Germany Tel.: +49 2822 92510 3. Semi finished products 1.2 compounds Fax: +49 2822 51840 info@biotec.de 3.1 films www.biotec.de

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

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

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

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

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

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 3.1.1 cellulose based films

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

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

Maag GmbH Leckingser Straße 12 58640 Iserlohn Germany Tel.: + 49 2371 9779-30 Fax: + 49 2371 9779-97 shonke@maag.de www.maag.de

INNOVIA FILMS LTD Wigton Cumbria CA7 9BG England Contact: Andy Sweetman Tel.: +44 16973 41549 Fax: +44 16973 41452 andy.sweetman@innoviafilms.com www.innoviafilms.com

4. Bioplastics products

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 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

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

bioplastics MAGAZINE [07/03] Vol. 2

Companies in this issue Company Afvall Norge Alcan Packaging Amcor Flexibles Arkema BASF Bayer Material Science Biobag International Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) BioLog Bioplastics24 Biostarch Biotec Braskem Brückner Ciba Clubbioplastique Cobro Coopbox Europe Cornell University, Ithaca, New York) Cortec Crystalsev Delhaize DIN Certco D-M-E Dow Du Pont de Nemours Elastogran ETH Zürich European Bioplastics European Plastics News Excellent Packaging & Supply FAS Converting Machinery Finnish Solid Waste Assiciation (FSWA) FkuR Forapack Gehr Greenblue Hallink Huhtamaki Innovia Films Japan BioPlastics Association (JBPA) Jemaco Kareline Keurmerk Instituut Leoplast Maag Meredian Merquinsa Mercados Quimicos Mitsubishi Plastics

Editorial 36 16 16 8,17 9 12 21 36 11 31 18 8 9,16 9, 25 32 14 36 16 7 31 10 17 36 13 10,13, 16 5, 12 10,17 33 14 16 17 21 36

Advert

39 19 10 5 39 7 39 36 21 11 36 16 39

Company Mitsui Chemicals natura Natureworks NEC Corporation nova Institut Novamont Novomer Pira International Plantic Technologies Plasticker Plasticsuppliers PolyOne Procter & Gamble Purac R.O.J. Jongboom Holding B.V., Biopearls Reifenhäuser Reimelt Henschel MischSysteme Rondol Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) Sainsbury’s Supermarkets SAM-A C&I Scion Sidaplax SIG Corpoplast SIG Plasmax Sistec Sphere Stanelco Sukano Products Tejin The Composting Association Timberland Toray Industries Transmare Compounding Treofan Treofan Germany Uhde Inventa-Fischer Vanetti Materbatches Veriplast Vinçotte Vitasheet VTT Technical Research Center Wal-Mart Wiedmer WIP

6 16 8

Next Issue For the next issue of bioplastics MAGAZINE (among others) the following subjects are scheduled:

Topics:

Basics:

Next issues:

Foamed bioplastics

Sustainability

End of life options

Logos (7)

01/08 02/08 03/08 04/08 05/08

bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/07] Vol. 2

January 2008 March 2008 April 2008 June 2008 September 2008

Editorial 8

Advert 39,43

35 17 7 6, 17, 20 6 33

39 31 39 39 6 22 39 11 11 13 5 17 11 28 13 13 13 8 8

39 39

39 16 36 13 9 39 16 39 39 13 39 36 12 10 17 16 17

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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

bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/07] Vol. 2

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; Industriestraße 55 - 57

• Fruit and vegetable packaging • Waste management (including the MaxAir system) • Shopping bags (including our popular ‘happy bag’)

48432 Rheine

Te l . : + 4 9 ( 0 ) 5 9 7 5 / 3 0 3 - 5 7

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. Fax. : +49 (0)5975/303-42

www.naturapackaging.com

Email : info@naturapackaging.com

A real sign of sustainable development.

There is such a thing as genuinely sustainable development. Since 1989, Novamont researchers have been working on an ambitious project that combines the chemical industry, agriculture and the environment: “Living Chemistry for Quality of Life”. Its objective has been to create products 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. Mater-Bi ®: certified and recommended biodegradability and compostability.

Living Chemistry for Quality of Life. www.novamont.com