2008-01

ISSN 1862-5258

bioplastics

magazine

Vol. 3

Special editorial Focus: End of life options Foam

Situation in UK | 21 Recycling of bioplastics | 24

01 | 2008

Editorial

dear readers Now, as bioplastics MAGAZINE enters its third year, we are increasing the pace. After two issues in 2006 and four issues last year, we plan to publish six issues a year from now on. These six issues will not be exactly every two moths but rather connected to certain events. For example, issue 03/2008 will be published right before the interpack exhibition in Düsseldorf.

Six issues a year also means that we encourage all of you to contribute articles about your latest developments, about the situation in your country, or you can even contribute to the ‘Basics‘ section, or the glossary, if you have good and helpful explanations.

One of the editorial focuses in this issue is ‘foamed bioplastics’. The other focus is on ‘end-of-life scenarios’. Here I can‘t repeat often enough my (and not only my) opinion that composting is not the only and ‘non-plus-ultra’ end-of-life option. We should always look at reuse and recycling opportunities first, and then thoroughly evaluate all possible options, including incineration with energy recovery.

Another topic that we will cover in more depth from now on is LCA. There are already a number of companies that have developed full Life Cycle Analyses. We will publish extracts from some of them in the coming issues.

ISSN 1862-5258

We hope you enjoy reading the first issue in 2008 and we look forward to your comments.

Special editor ial Focus: End of life opt ions Foam

01 | 2008

Michael Thielen

bioplastics

MAGAZINE

Vol. 3

Publisher

Situation in UK | 21 Recycling of bio plastics | 24

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/08] Vol. 3

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/08] Vol. 3

Mater-Bi Foams,innovative, functional and compostable 08 Polyethylene - Bio-Polyethylene

From farmer to foamer 10

Politics

Odor free Polyurethane with renewable content 12 Bioplastics boom in the UK

PLA foams for packaging applications 14

Glossary

Cover: ronen/iStockphoto

Editorial News Suppliers Guide Events

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.

Not to be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher

bioplastics MAGAZINE is read in more than 80 countries.

bioplastics magazine is published 6 times in 2008.

This publication is sent to qualified subscribers (149 Euro for 6 issues).

bioplastics magazine ISSN 1862-5258

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Biopolymers - a discussion on ‘End of Life’ options

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Recycling of Bioplastics

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Impressum Content

03

05

32

34

January 01|2008 Materials

26

16

Basics

30

Global market for biodegradable polymers rk - According to a new technical market research report, Biodegradable Polymers (PLS025C) from BCC Research, Wellesley, Massachusetts, USA the global market for biodegradable polymers reached 246,000 tonnes in 2007. This is expected to increase to over 546,000 tonnes by 2012, a compound average annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.3%.

The market is broken down into applications of compost bags, loose-fill packaging, and other packaging, including medical/hygiene products, agricultural and paper coatings and miscellaneous (see table, in metric tonnes).

Growth rates are very high because the base volumes of biodegradable polymers are still relatively low compared to petrochemical-based variants. The ‘average’ growth rate for loose-fill packaging is mainly attributable to two factors: lack of an effective infrastructure for disposal, and the popularity of air-filled plastics and other materials for cushioning in packages.

The biodegradable polymer market, although commercial for over 20 years, is still very early in its product life cycle.

This market is still beset with several major problems, the most important of which are relatively high prices and lack of an infrastructure for effective composting-an extremely

Application

2006

News

CARG% 2012 2007-2012

2007

Compost Bags

78,636

Loose-Fill Packaging

69,091

73,636

97,273

5.7

Other Packaging (1)

23,182

36,818 105,454

23.4

25,455

77,727

25.0

245,909 546,818

17.3

Miscellaneous (2) Total

15,000 185,909

110,000 266,363

19.4

(1) includes medical/hygiene products, agricultural, paper coatings, etc.

(2) unidentified biodegradable polymers.

critical aspect for biodegradable polymer market success.

The North American biodegradable polymer market has not progressed as rapidly as in Europe, and Asia but is now beginning to show its potential. The major drivers for the U.S. market are mandated legislation and prospective increases in landfill pricing-none of which are foreseen within the next 5 years, although recent increases in petroleumbased plastics have rekindled interest in biodegradable polymers.

The complete report can be ordered for $ 4,250 from BCC Research www.bccresearch.com

Green protection for sensitive goods KTM Industries, Inc., Lansing, Michigan, USA manufactures and sells Green Cell Foam, a natural, biobased material used in protective packaging for industrial and consumer applications that is biodegradable and compostable (ASTM D-6400).

Originally developed at Michigan State University, KTM’s one-step, environmentally friendly extrusion process uses non-GM, high-amylose cornstarch to produce a resilient and flexible foam comparable to EPE foams in price and performance. Green Cell Foam provides unparalleled convenience at time of disposal by offering the choice of biodegrading, composting, dissolving in a sink, recycling with corrugate or sea disposal (MARPOL compliant). Green Cell Foam has been used in the market for over six years in packaging for automotive/truck/aircraft glass and parts

by Volvo, Toyota and Honeywell. It is naturally anti-static, therefore perfect for electronics packaging, selected by Sony, Delphi and others.

In 2007, the British Ministry of Defence specified Green Cell Foam to protect fragile and sensitive items during transit. New Green Cell Foam-based packaging has been developed and recently released to the market including wine shippers and insulated shipping coolers, both of which have

passed rigorous testing for effectiveness.

“With the rapid acceleration of web-based commerce and the growing global economy, Green Cell Foam is an effective way to protect goods while keeping fossil fuel-based packaging materials out of landfills, thus minimizing the environmental impact from the sheer volume of packages shipped,” says Tim Colonnese, KTM’s President and CEO. KTM also produces and sells Magic Nuudles, a natural building material made from cornstarch. Magic Nuudles is a safe, fun product sold to toy, school and craft retailers worldwide for over ten years.

www.greencellfoam.com www.magicnuudles.com

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/08] Vol. 3

DSM invests in ‘green’ polymers from CO2 rk - DSM Venturing, Heerlen, The Netherlands, the corporate venturing unit of Royal DSM N.V., recently announced that it has made an investment in Novomer Inc..

Novomer, Ithaca, New York, USA is developing a technology platform to use carbon dioxide and other renewable materials to produce performance polymers, plastics and other chemicals (see pM 04/2007).

In addition to the investment DSM and Novomer also intend to sign a cooperation agreement. Both the investment and cooperation agreement will support DSM’s ambitions to develop bio-based performance polymers to meet customers’ growing needs for improved materials performance and environmental benefits at competitive costs.

Furthermore, the cooperation is in line in with DSM’s increased focus on exploiting synergy between its Life Sciences and Material Sciences activities. The investment in Novomer was the 8th last year for DSM Venturing. In the recent review of Vision 2010, DSM announced that the budget for venturing has been increased to up to 200 million Euro over the period until 2012.

Babette Pettersen, Vice President New Business Development for DSM’s Performance Materials cluster: “Novomer’s synthetic catalyst chemistry approach to manufacturing offers great promise for DSM to build on our strengths in both Material Sciences and Life Sciences to accelerate the development of customized, cost-effective bio-based performance materials. The cooperation with Novomer offers DSM a valuable partnership for further developments in the field, which will be broadly applicable to both existing and potential new DSM businesses.”

“Our relationship with DSM Venturing represents an important validation of Novomer’s technology. DSM gives us a major partner in the chemical industry with critical expertise in high-volume production and access to global markets,” said Charles Hamilton, president of Novomer. “In addition, our organizations share a real commitment to sustainability and innovative technology.”

www.dsmventuring.com www.novomer.com

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/08] Vol. 3

Swiss chocolate at Marks & Spencer packed with Plantic rk - Last December the British retailer Marks & Spencer has introduced a new chocolate box for its swiss chocolate assortment.

The new packaging material is produced by the Australian company Plantic Technologies from non-GM corn starch. The Plantic® material meets the compostable and homecompostable European standards (EN 13432) and since recently holds the AIB-Vinçotte certification ‘OK Biodegradable Soil’.

The launch of biobased chocolate packaging evolved from the retailer’s own medium term sustainability ‘Plan A‘, a 200 million £ ‘eco plan‘. Marks & Spencer aims to become carbon neutral by 2012 and increase the use of sustainably sourced packaging materials.

The realization under the assumption that there will be no Plan B is intended to demonstrate the company’s ambition to create higher lifestyle based on ethical trading by using e.g. environmentally friendly materials in packaging. www.marksandspencer.com, www.plantic.com.au

(Photo: Nokia)

News

Nokia phone with bio cover At Nokia World 2007, the company from Espoo, Finland introduced their Nokia 3110 Evolve Bio-Covers Environment-Friendly Phone. This phone is the environment-friendly version of the 3110 Classic. It uses “bio-covers” made from more than 50% renewable material, which replace the normal thermoplastic materials used on other phones. The 3110 Evolve will also come in a smaller package made of 60% recycled materials and with a new efficient charger that (according to Nokia) uses 94% less energy than Energy Star requires. www.nokia.com

News

PLA-TPO blend for foam-applications PLA attracted much attention as carbon neutral thermoplastic material with a wide variety of possible applications. Japanese chemical manufacturer Toray now has developed a new class of physically cross-linked foams based on alloys of PLA and thermoplastic Polyolefins (TPO). This new class of technical foams will be available 2008 under Toray’s brand for eco-friendly PLA products Ecodear®.

Utilizing Toray‘s unique nano-alloy technology, PLA and TPO can now be blended successfully. Furthermore, Toray has developed a special cross-linking technology which allows PLA to be cross-linked uniformly. These technologies, together with Toray’s four decades of expertise in the manufacturing of foam products, created a new class of foam materials with excellent properties.

The surface appearance and technical characteristics of Ecodear foams are comparable to conventional physically cross-linked materials. Ecodear foams can be thermoformed using various moulding processes giving them a wide variety of possible applications, mainly in the field of Automotive Interior Trim, but also with other demanding industrial applications.

Toray has already introduced its Ecodear line of PLA products with its fiber, resin and film businesses. The company believes the material’s entry into the field of technical foams will add momentum to its environment-friendly advanced materials business. Toray aims to contribute to improving global environment through promotion of research and development of environmentconscious products as well as development and expansion of its business with focus on “environment, safety and amenity,” as the company stated. www.toray.com

Harvest Collection™ full line of biodegradable and compostable foodservice ware of Genpak, LLC, NY, is made exclusively with Cereplast resin (Photo: Genpak)

Cereplast expands bioplastic production capacity rk - Cereplast, Inc., Hawthorne, California, USA recently announced the location of a new facility that will add 227,000 tonnes a year to Cereplast’s bio-plastic resin production capacity when the site is fully developed by early 2010. Operations will start at the site in January 2008. In early 2010 Cereplast will employ up to 200 fulltime staff and be the world’s largest bio-plastic resin production facility as the company reported. Production will start in an existing industrial building that is situated in Seymour, Indiana, USA on approx. 50,000 m² . Cereplast is planning to have additional buildings completed by early 2009.

“After a long search we decided to settle down in Indiana for this project where we have easy access to our raw materials allowing us to reduce the carbon footprint of our operations by reducing transportation lines,” said Frederic Scheer, CEO and President of Cereplast.

“As our industry grows, we find the need for flexible manufacturing solutions that allow us to meet both the current and future demand for bio-plastics,” said Scheer.

“The new Indiana facility allows us to expand capacity immediately, and will enable us to keep pace with future growth. We have seen a very positive response to the introduction of the Cereplast Hybrids Resins™ and we believe they will become mainstream plastics.” www.cereplast.com.

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/08] Vol. 3

Foam

Mater-Bi Foams, innovative, functional and compostable.

Article contributed by Stefano Facco New Business Development Manager Novamont S.p.A., Novara, Italy

M

ater-Bi foams have been used for many years in a number of different applications, such as for fillers, sheets and blocks, for protective industrial packaging and for thermoformed trays for consumer food packaging.

Industrial packaging (e.g. sheets and blocks) is based on a closed cell starch-based structure. It is a robust and resilient real alternative to PS, PU and PP. Densities range on average from 10 to 100 kg/m続, and the dynamic cushioning properties (G factor) are comparable to those of PE foam.

Loose fillers are based on a similar cell structure to the one described above; they are considered a real alternative to traditional PS loose fill packaging. Resistance and cushioning properties comply with the needs of packaging for products such as pharmaceuticals, laboratory equipment, consumer goods etc. The fillers are water soluble antistatic and resilient.

Recently Novamont, together with Sirap Gema, a leading Italian company operating in packaging and insulation systems, has developed a new non (water) soluble packaging solution (Ekofoam), ideal for packaging fresh produce (fruit, vegetables, etc).

The expanded sheets/punnets are produced on tandem or single screw foam lines with annular dies. By introducing expanding agents (gas) into the polymer it is possible to obtain a cellular structure, reducing the final density of the sheet. The characteristics of these closed cell structure materials are as follows: Density from 80 to 120 g/l, thickness from 1,5 mm up to 8 mm, and with mechanical properties comparable to expanded polyolefins.

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/08] Vol. 3

Foam

The thermoformed punnet has very high protective properties (cushioning effect) and good resilience. It is approved for contact with foodstuffs, resistant to oils and water, and of course compostable in accordance with EN 13432.

The specific use for packaging of fresh produce is driven by different factors: The protection and integrity of the skin is of utmost importance for the shelf life of the goods, especially when the produce is at its optimum maturity. Studies have demonstrated that in the USA almost 35% of the packaged produce deteriorates due to damaged skin (source: AIPE) Last year different trials were carried out in the UK in order to compare the cushioning effect of different punnets (XPS, rigid, EPP, board, paper pulp etc). Different aspects were evaluated, such as the side impact, base impact, rubbing and cracking , which can dramatically influence the shelf life of a product. The results clearly showed that Mater Bi / Ekofoam punnets meet the highest standard requirements for such applications. The produce is better protected from damage, which dramatically increases the final quality. Furthermore, no negative influence was registered even at high humidity levels.

These new materials are perfectly suitable for use in sustainable and compostable produce packaging.

They fully meet the technical requirements offered by standard commercial materials, but in addition offer the possibility of composting, either at the end of their planned life, or in cases where goods have passed their expiry date and need to be organically treated. www.novamont.com

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/08] Vol. 3

Foam

From farmer to foamer All the comforts of foam

Article contributed by Bill Brady, Corporate Affairs, Cargill Inc., Minneapolis, MN, USA

A

re you sitting down? Chances are – whether you’re parked on an office chair, a sofa or your bed – you’re resting on a piece of polyurethane foam. Polyurethane is just another modern miracle that makes our life easier though we hardly notice it.

It is the material of choice when manufacturers look for performance and environmental responsibility in foams.

A key component of polyurethane – making up about 70% of its content – are polyols, made until recently exclusively from petroleum. That has started to change, thanks to advances in bio-based polyol production by companies like Cargill, the international provider of food and agricultural products and services.

Sales of Cargill’s BiOH™ brand of soybean-based polyols are surging as polyurethane users look to diversify their supply chains and ‘green up’ their product lines. These formula changes mark the first steps away from complete reliance on petro chemicals in the $20 billion global polyurethanes industry.

A polyurethane primer

Laboratory Technologist Matt Caldwell at work in Cargill‘s BiOH polyols Research & Development Lab.

A polyurethane is any complex polymer resulting from the reaction of a polyol with an isocyanate. The original chemistry behind urethanes dates back to 1849. Today’s polyurethane formulations cover a wide range of stiffness, hardness and densities, but in general can be broken into three broad categories:  Flexible Foams. They provide the comfortable ride in automotive seating, the restful night’s sleep in bedding and the warm and inviting atmosphere in furniture. This is by far the biggest category.  Rigid Foams, are used for insulation and a variety of other applications in construction and refrigeration.

They provide the certainty your drink will stay cool inside a refrigerator or picnic cooler or your house will be warmer while using less energy.  Coatings, adhesives, sealants and elastomers, known collectively as the CASE market.

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/08] Vol. 3

Foam

Jack Dai, senior application development en gineer in Cargill‘s BiOH polyols Research & Development Lab, examines a fresh piece of polyurethane foam made with BiOH polyols.

Until recently, the abundance and relatively low cost of petroleum derivatives encouraged rapid proliferation of petroleum-based polyols to make polyurethanes.

But the sheer scale of the petroleum industry today means that capacity increases cannot be done in small increments. The industry seems to either spend in a big way or doesn’t spend much at all. In recent years it has been the latter, leading to product shortages and price escalations, which have been exacerbated by natural disasters like Katrina and Rita.

“This supply uncertainty and price instability opened the door for alternatives,” said Ricardo DeGenova, technical manager for Cargill’s BiOH business. “Cargill took the challenge to develop competitive options based on natural feedstocks such as soybeans.

We chose first to tackle flexible foams, the bigger and more technically challenging of the market segments.

As Frank Sinatra might have put it, “if Cargill could make it there, it could make it anywhere!”

Smelling out a biobased solution Leveraging the company’s extensive knowledge of oilseeds processing with innovative chemistry, Cargill managed to overcome the technical challenges that in the past had prevented their competitors from introducing biobased polyols in flexible foams: quality inconsistency, a burnt-popcorn odor and discoloration of the foam. Just how it overcomes these obstacles is proprietary, but the Cargill team was able to race from concept to commercial sales in only 26 months, lining up an impressive list of customers that include foam suppliers to the biggest names in furniture, bedding and automotive.

“In addition to becoming the leading biobased polyol player in North America, we are seeing great commercial traction in Europe,” said Yusuf Wazirzada, business manager of Cargill’s BiOH product line. “We are well on our way to building a global business.”

petroleum and natural gas are more volatile than in the past. A more responsible yet high quality feedstock that simultaneously allows manufacturers to diversify raw material sources is proving to be a ‘two-fer’ too good to pass up.

What makes Cargill uniquely qualified to serve this market? Start with the fact that the $88 billion privately held company has more than 140 years of accumulated agricultural know-how. This gives it a big advantage in creating solutions from things that grow.

Moreover, unlike its petrochemical competitors, Cargill will not be cannibalizing its existing products in developing renewably based chemistries. Thus Cargill has the right incentives to be a long-term supplier to the industry and with the ability to reliably handle global demand.

Cargill’s first generation of BiOH products is considered a first step in a journey that will lead to increasingly higher levels of biobased polyols in foams, and an increasingly wider variety of polyurethane applications beyond foam on the horizon. Such commitment is manifested in Cargill’s significant capital investments, including a new Polyols Research & Development Center inaugurated in the U.S. last July. The facility has full capabilities for product synthesis, analytical chemistry, application development and foam production prototyping.

These capabilities will significantly enhance the company’s ability to quickly bring new products and applications to market. “There is no other bio-based polyol supplier with comparable capability to connect the farmer to the foamer, as Ricardo DeGenova puts it.

www.cargill.com www.BiOH.com

This development comes at a time when the industry landscape is changing. Both the price and supply of

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11

Soy beans

Foam

Odor free Polyurethane Yet another two suppliers offer

T

he Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Michigan, USA recently introduced RENUVA™ Renewable Resource Technology, a proprietary process that helps polyurethane manufacturers make products that are performance-based and reduce the impact on the environment. Distinct in the chemical industry, RENUVA technology is used to produce bio-based polyols with high renewable content in the finished product with performance that rivals petroleum-based polyols.

Dow’s work on natural oil-based polyols, which began in the early 1990s, culminates with this next-generation technology, producing bio-based polyols that are virtually odor-free and can be customized to deliver enhanced performance benefits in a broad array of applications.

Polyols made with RENUVA technology will help manufacturers of commercial and consumer products in the furniture and bedding, automotive, carpet and CASE (coatings, adhesives, sealants and elastomers) markets to more effectively differentiate themselves and meet their customers’ growing demand for finished products that are both high quality and environmentally sound.

“Dow Polyurethane’s leadership in the development of renewable resource technology is yet another example of how our Performance businesses continue to create value for customers as well as long-term growth opportunities for the Company,” says Doug Warner, global business director for Dow Polyols. “For Dow, RENUVA technology provides an opportunity to decrease dependence on petroleum-based feedstocks. For our customers, it allows them to create ‘green’ products that contain high levels of renewable content while at the same time delivering the performance their customers want.”

According to life cycle analysis, RENUVA technology uses up to 60 % fewer fossil fuel resources than conventional polyol technology. Polyols based on RENUVA tech-

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nology are designed not to have the odor that plagued previous generations of bio-based polyols, which has been a significant obstacle to commercial acceptance.

Dow’s proprietary process, which reacts the brokendown and functionalized soybean oil molecule with traditional polyurethane components, creates natural oilbased polyols with consistent performance.

“We’ve applied our 50-year expertise in polyurethane chemistry to engineer the natural oil-based polyol’s molecular structure and address the root cause of performance issues associated with other bio-based polyols,” says Erin O’Driscoll, business development manager, Dow Polyurethanes. “In the past, higher levels of renewable content were synonymous with unpleasant odor. Our natural oil-based polyols boast enhanced environmental profile without the typical odor problems.

We are also working with our customers to design natural oil-based polyols based on their particular performance needs in end-use applications.

“Polyol solutions based on RENUVA technology support Dow’s strategy to grow and develop differentiated, tailor-made performance products that promote our customers’ success while reducing environmental impact through technical innovation and industry collaboration,” O’Driscoll says.

Commercial quantities of natural oil-based polyols are available now. Dow’s market development capabilities in Houston, Texas, will serve North America, Latin America and Europe with the ability to expand production to meet demand. Initial offerings are from soybean oil, but Dow will continue to invest in exploring other vegetable oil options for polyols. www.dowrenuva.com.

Castor oil

DMC

O

O

PO/EO

OH

O

O

PO/EO

OH

O

O

PO/EO

OH

Foam

O

DMC: Double-metal cyanide catalysis

O

Neutral No saponification No formation of the ring of ricinoleic acid Low in odors

O O

Odor!

Castor oil polyols: Synthesis with DMC (BASF patent) (Picture: Elastogran)

Castor oil seeds, (Photo: Elastogran)

O

with renewable content polyols with biobased content

E

lastogran GmbH, Lemförde, Germany (a company of the BASF Group) too recently launched a new polyol on the basis of a renewable raw material. Lupranol® BALANCE 50 is made of castor oil and offers the decisive advantage that, as a so-called dropin, it can replace conventional polyols directly without a change to the formulation. At the same time, a large portion of biomass is incorporated into the finished product. Polyetherols constitute the main component of polyurethane flexible foams. One possible application is mattresses (see pM 04/2007).

Polyetherols are manufactured through the polyaddition of propylene and/or ethylene oxide to higher-functional alcohols such as glycerine. Normally, this polyaddition is carried out under alkaline conditions with potassium hydroxide serving as the catalyst. Following the polymerization, the polyol then has to be neutralized in another step by adding acid.

For quite some time now, the polyurethane developers at Elastogran have been studying a new class of catalysts, the so-called double-metal cyanide (DMC) catalysts. They are far more reactive than potassium hydroxide. Just the slightest traces of this catalyst are already sufficient to trigger the reaction between castor oil and ethylene or propylene oxide. The decisive advantage lies in the fact that the catalyst is neutral, preventing saponification of the oil, so that no odor-intense by-products are formed such as, for instance, the ring of ricinoleic acid. Experiments to date aimed at making use of renewable raw materials in the production of polyols using alkaline catalysts did not meet with success, primarily due to this odor problem.

formulations, which allows customers to change over to the renewable product quickly and cost-effectively.

Like all of Elastogran‘s flexible foam polyols, Lupranol BALANCE is provided with an amine-free antioxidant package.

Good mechanical properties with excellent certification rating Many requirements are made of polyurethanes in objects of daily use. In addition to high mechanical strength, ageing resistance and breathability, it is also important for the material to earn product classifications such as ‘tested for harmful substances’ and ‘Oeko-Tex’. The limit value as set forth in the German ‘LGA tested for harmful substances’ test certificate for mattresses is 500 µg/m³ in measurements taken over the course of seven days.

This testing revealed the outstanding value of less than 10 µg/m³ for the polyol-generated levels from a flexible slabstock foam on the basis of Lupranol BALANCE 50.

The evaluation of the odor of the foam after storage in a test chamber yielded a value of 2.1, likewise an excellent result. These measurements were made by the Industrial Institute of the State of Bavaria (LGA), Germany, in a chamber test for mattresses employing a combination of gas chromatography and mass spectrometry that is capable of detecting even minute quantities. And when it came to the mechanical values of this foam made of the new polyol, the good properties of the standard variant were matched. www.elastogran.de

The new polyol can be foamed analogously to standard flexible slabstock foam polyols. There is practically no need to make changes to the existing slabstock foam

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Foam

PLA foams for packaging applications Article contributed by Cesare Vannini, Packaging System R&D Coopbox Europe SpA, Reggio Emilia, Italy

F

oams are very common material structures. Wood has a foam structure, bones are also foams, bread is a foam, and many other natural materials are foams. Why? The reason is clear: a foam is a simple way to obtain a structure with good mechanical properties and low weight. The prime property of foam is weight reduction. This characteristic is very important in packaging applications where foams are used to produce trays, cups, containers, boxes, etc. In all of these products the weight reduction is between 30 and 50% compared with alternative rigid materials.

Many retailers have stated their intention to reduce the total amount of packaging used in their stores, and so a foam seems the right solution for rigid food packaging applications, independently of the plastic material selected.

Coopbox is a major producer of foam food packaging, and has developed this activity within the growing retail industry as a privileged partner at national and European level for the production of polystyrene trays.

Today Coopbox, by focusing on the clients‘ needs and on service and product innovation, has developed a deep understanding of fresh food packaging systems with different materials: PS, PET, and recently PLA. Each of these different polymers permits us to produce packaging systems with specific characteristics:  NATURALBOX® with PLA: packaging systems using only renewable resource that comply with European standard EN13432 for compostable packaging.  DRYMAX® PS: an open cell foam structure for absorbing liquid in fresh meat and fish packaging  AERPACK® PS: foam barrier trays for fresh meat and fish  DOT®: crystallised PET foam for heat resistant containers in ready meals packaging All of these different materials are processed on a tandem extruder using different physical foaming gases such as nitrogen or butane, depending on the required behaviour of the final package. Specific tooling design and modifications are necessary, especially for low melt strength materials such as PET or PLA where the semicrystalline properties require perfect temperature control to avoid the formation of gels during the extrusion process.

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Foam

An interesting additional performance characteristic of ‘open-cell‘ foamed trays is the possibility to absorb liquids. The open-cell structure allows the foam to absorb the liquids released by certain foods such as meat or fish, thus maintaining the pack in a clean condition and increasing the aesthetics and freshness of the food. This innovation, introduced at the beginning of the 1990s, completely changed fresh meat packaging because a tray with absorbent properties avoids the use of traditional absorption pads.

Coopbox is working to improve the performance of the Naturalbox PLA tray to obtain an absorption performance comparable with traditional XPS absorbent trays.

The barrier properties of PLA are somewhere between PET and PP, two of the standard materials used to pack fresh meat in a protective atmosphere.

The most recent innovation from Coopbox is foamed Naturalbox PLA trays, top-sealed with PLA-film. This is another example of the successful application of biodegradable materials for fresh meat packaging in a protective atmosphere.

Naturalbox trays are made of foamed NatureWorks® PLA, laminated with PLA film to guarantee airtight sealing. The top film is standard PLA, or is coated with SiOx to guarantee a better barrier performance. The complete packaging system is perfectly water and humidity resistant, with good mechanical properties. The top film is highly transparent and (unless coated with SiOx) offers natural antifog properties.

If the packaged meat has a significant drip loss a biodegradable absorbent pad can be placed inside the trays to absorb the liquid that is released and maintain the pack in a clean condition. www.coopbox.it

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15

Politics

Bioplastics boom in the UK Article contributed by Andy Sweetman Market Development Manager Innovia Films Ltd, Cumbria, UK

W

hilst the first examples of biodegradable and compostable packaging started to appear on UK supermarket shelves as far back as 2001, there has been a very marked increase over the past two years, with most of the UK’s major retailers introducing certified compostable packaging, generally starting with either Organic Fresh Produce applications or other short shelf-life products such as the classic British triangle-shaped sandwich!.

Traditionally the UK has been behind much of the rest of Europe in many aspects of waste management, so how is it that the UK is now seen by many as a major driving force behind the introduction of compostable and renewable packaging?

Market Drivers Three years ago virtually nobody had heard the expression ‘Carbon footprint’, but suddenly Climate Change is understood by many to be one of the principal challenges, perhaps even the greatest challenge that the human-race will face going forward.

Media focus on the environment, both written and audio-visual, has increased dramatically, and packaging in particular has a major ‘image problem’.

Now its war on packaging! screamed the front page of the Independent newspaper in April last year. The Daily Mail, Daily Express and Sun newspapers have all dedicated pages and pages last year to examples of ‘unnecessary’ or ‘over’ packaging in the UK supermarkets. Environmental Pressure groups have targeted the same subject, and even that long-standing British institution the Women’s Institute, normally better known for organising local fundraising events, talks and cream-teas, have been running a national anti-packaging campaign to great effect over recent months…

Packaging has three major problems in this regard:  Producers, food packers and the retail chains understand that packaging reduces waste, increases shelf-life, aids transportation and ensures product identification. But consumers don’t… All they see is too much of it, something which they feel is designed to sell the product rather than protect it, and then as soon as they remove it, its just rubbish!  There are undoubtedly examples of over-packaging in the market. How can one justify four pears being packed with individual stickers on each pear, a foam thermoformed base, transparent thermoformed lid, the whole pack then shrinkwrapped, and finally additional labels on the front and base of the pack? …and yet this pack can be found on the shelves of a major UK retailer…  Visible volume. Plastic packaging only represents some 5% by weight of household waste, but it looks to consumers like there’s so much more…

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Politics

The Recycling Revolution Compared to the leading mainland European countries, The UK’s recycling rates are poor. However the UK is in the midst of a recycling revolution.

Household recycling stood at a pitiful 7% in 1997!

By 2006/07 however, it has reached 31%, and the leading local authorities are now recycling over 50%.

Moreover, far from resenting the idea of sorting their rubbish for recycling, the majority of UK consumers are embracing the concept. For example, Until three years ago, the city of Carlisle had no ‘kerbside recycling’ scheme. Step by step they have introduced kerbside collection of householder sorted recyclable waste so that by the summer of 2007 the following was in place for alternate weekly collection:  All rigid plastic containers & bottles  Paper  Metals  Garden waste  Cartonboard  Glass Not surprisingly Carlisle is now one of the ‘leading lights’ in UK recycling reaching 52% recycling of household waste this year…

Driven by the need to meet increasingly stringent recycling and composting targets, most of the local authorities in the UK now operate separate collections of garden waste. Whilst the dominant collection receptacle for garden waste is wheeled-bins, a growing number of local authorities provide residents with compostable sacks either instead of bins or as a supplementary service.

The area of biowaste management which is seeing the greatest level of growth in recent times is separate food waste collection. There are now nearly 50 different food waste schemes running across the UK most of which are proving very popular. However, the major limiting factor for food waste schemes is the ‘yuk‘ factor whereby residents stop using the service as soon as their bins start to smell – in some areas participation is as low as 25%. The most successful schemes, where participation can be as high as 90%, all avoid this ‘yuk‘ factor by providing residents with annual supplies of compostable kitchen caddy liners.

For example, South Shropshire District Council not only provide compostable bags for food waste and gar-

den waste but a partnership of local traders has also switched to using Mater-Bi® compostable carrier bags which are clearly branded and fully accepted for their food waste collection scheme.

The Retailer and Packers’ role The majority of UK retailers met in London in 2005 to agree an action plan to reduce packaging waste, leading to the so-called Courtauld agreement (named after the Courtauld gallery, where the meeting took place).

Since then a steadily increasing number of well-known brand-owners have also signed up to the scheme. (See the Wrap website for further details).

Fundamentally the British tend to shop in supermarkets or other large well-established retailers. The 13 original signatories of the Courtauld commitment represented >90% of the UK Grocery market! They are therefore a potentially huge driving force for positive change, and the UK retail market is extremely dynamic and fast-moving.

Whilst the Courtauld commitment largely seeks to reduce unnecessary packaging and waste, a number of retailers have gone a step further, by switching suitable product lines to compostable and/or renewable packaging materials.

Different retail chains have taken different approaches as illustrated by two of the companies driving the move: Sainsbury’s have put the accent on compostable materials and in particular materials known to be suitable for home-composting. They have started with a strong focus in the organic Fresh Produce arena.

Flow-wrapping of whole produce such as tomatoes, peppers, courgettes is most likely to use a tray made from sugar-cane wrapped in Innovia’s NatureFlex™ film. Heavier products such as apples or carrots, requiring high seal strength and or tear-resistance are typically packed using film blown from Novamont’s

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17

Politics Mater-Bi starch-based material. These packs now show the famous ‘Seedling’ logo, with conversion carried out by printers such as Natura A.S.P. Packaging, Amcor Flexibles & Paragon Flexibles.

Marks and Spencer, who have gained prominence in the whole environmental debate through the introduction of their ‘Plan A’ scheme, (whereby they aim to be carbon neutral by 2012, and for no packaging to landfill before that date) have focused more on the drive for sustainability & renewability rather than compostability. Materials such as metallised NatureFlex (twistwrap & board lamination applications) and transparent PLA (flexible film in sandwich box windows, and rigid trays for delicatessen products such as prepared salads) can be found in store at M&S. Other retailers have followed with similar introductions and Morrisons, Tesco, Waitrose & Co-op have all introduced their first product lines. All indications are that further retail lines will follow in 2008.

Increasing technical capabilities Until 2007 most Bioplastics applications in the UK were either rigid trays, unprinted or simple motifs on singleweb flexible films. 2007 saw the introduction of higher levels of specification. For instance the starch based films, which typically provide only limited levels of transparency are now printed with much more developed graphic designs.

Late 2007 saw a major technical breakthrough with the launch of Jordan’s organic Muesli and Granola lines. Converted by Alcan Packaging these packs use a ‘bio-laminate’ structure. A reverse-printed transparent NatureFlex film replaces conventional PET or OPP films for the outer ply which provides heat-resistance, barrier and dimensional stability properties. A film manufactured from Mater Bi is laminated to the NatureFlex and replaces the conventional PE film used on the inside of the pack. This film provides the required mechanical strength, tear-resistance and integral sealing properties. The structure is expected shortly to become the first certified compostable laminate solution in the market and earned Alcan the 2007 Bioplastics award for best packaging application.

Marrying the properties of two totally different materials is standard practice in flexible packaging today, but this is the first example of its use on a branded product in a ‘bio’ format. Looking to the future, such concepts should allow biomaterials to extend their use beyond the short-shelf life & fresh produce categories into a much wider range of applications, in the UK and beyond...

(Note: All figures quoted are from the Defra website)

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/08] Vol. 3

www.innoviafilms.com www.wrap.org.uk www.defra.gov.uk

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19

End of life

Recycled bioplastic film

Recycling of Bioplastics

W

hen talking about end-of-life options for bioplastics, composting is very often the first solution to be mentioned. And even with the increased discussion of incineration and energy recovery as being perhaps a better solution, we should not forget that re-use and recycling are end-of-life options, or steps in an end-of-life scenario that should be exploited wherever possible.

And recycling of bioplastics materials is possible, albeit not always easy. bioplastics MAGAZINE spoke with Klaus Feichtinger, General Manager at EREMA Engineering Recycling Maschinen und Anlagen Ges.m.b.H. in Ansfelden, Austria.

bM: Mr. Feichtinger, Erema is world renowned for its recycling technology for conventional thermoplastics. But what about bioplastics?

Feichtinger: We have indeed extensive experience with bioplastics, both from laboratory tests and from real recycling tasks with customers. These include blown films, cast films and even BO (biaxially oriented) films made of modified starch, PLA, or fossil-based biodegradable polymers. We have tested, for example, quite a few different Mater-Bi films, Ecoflex films and different mixtures. bM: What kind of machinery was applied to carry out these recyling tasks?

Klaus Feic htinger

Feichtinger: Basically our existing machines can be used without modifications. However, temperature and pressure conditions have to be adapted to the requirements of the different materials. For films without printing we suggest the Classic Erema System with cutter/ compactor, and single screw extruder without degassing. bM: But many films used today are printed ...

Feichtinger: For films with extensive printing a different degassing screw design has to be chosen. For good degassing a sufficient pressure gradient is needed. On the other hand the screw design has to meet the temperature requirements in order to to avoid thermal degradation. Also important in this respect is the type of pigment carrier used in the printing inks. Many known

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End of life

carriers need higher temperatures in the recycling step, so for better recyclability the choice of pigments also might be important. bM: What about the recycling of PLA? Feichtinger: In the field of PLA our current experience basically covers two applications. The first is BO-PLA (bioriented PLA films). The edge trim, where the stretching clips are attached to the film, is thick enough to be directly fed back into the extruder. The slitter waste (cut off the final film), however is very thin, so that it cannot be fed directly into an extruder. Here our Classic Erema can be applied. There is, for example, one big production line for BO-PLA in France which is a modified BOPP line. The Classic Erema that was initially supplied for the BO-PP production was later slightly modified to process BO-PLA with adapted process parameters. bM: And the second field of PLA applications ... ?

Feichtinger: ... is cast film, for instance for thermoforming applications such as blister or clamshell packaging, or drinking cups. At 150 to 1000 µm this film is rather thick. The in-house production waste that has to be recycled is, for example, startup-waste, slitter waste or scrap webs. This waste material, be it PP, PS, ... PLA or whatever is used, is usually ground and fed back into the extruder.

Now the trend is generally towards thinner wall thickenesses. If these thinner films are reground the bulk density decreases and the variation in bulk density increases which makes it diffcult to feed it back into the extruder. This thin-walled secondary material should be regranulated in an intermediate step in order to increase the bulk density.

Our VACUREMA process however is ideal for the recycling of PET as well as PLA material. Great variations in bulk densitiy can be processed and, thanks to the applied vacuum, even without pre-drying and pre-crystallization. bM: I assume that everything you just said about cast film and thermoformed applications is also true for PLA bottles?

Feichtinger: Today I don‘t even think about PLA bottles. Even in the range of a few ppm, PLA would contaminate the PET recycling stream. We are happy that PVC is almost ‘extinct’ - at least in Europe. And now PLA ... bM: But if one day enough PLA bottles can be collected ...

Feichtinger: If once there are enough PLA bottles and these are collected totally separately, the same recycling technology as mentioned before could be applied to PLA bottles. But until a significant critical mass can be reached for an economical PLA recycling I have the greatest concerns about PLA bottles and their potential to contaminate the PET recycling stream. Maybe a different end-of-life option for PLA bottles should be used, such as composting where possible, or incineration with energy recovery. bM: Thank you very much, Mr. Feichtinger. www.erema.at

bM: And what kind of equipment is used here?

Feichtinger: Well, PLA as well as PET is hygroscopic, which means it absorbs moisture. If a single screw extruder is used for recycling, these materials have to be pre-dried and pre-crystallized, which is difficult for PLA with its low glass transition temperature. Drying needs a long time and the material becomes sticky.

Recycling with a twin-srew extruder still needs predrying. Especially with lower wall thicknesses the twin screw process also becomes more and more difficult due to the bulk density.

VACUREMA

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End of life

Biopolymers - a discussion Defining the problems

Land-fill Composting

Recycling Biopolymer product

Incineration

???

Bio-gases

Article contributed by Hans-Josef Endres, Department of Bio Process Engineering University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Hanover, Germany Andrea Siebert, Scientific assistant, Department of Bio-Process Engineering, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Hanover, Germany Ann-Sophie Kitzler, Quality assurance and control Achilles Papierveredelung Celle GmbH

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/08] Vol. 3

In recent years there has been a steadily increasing market demand for biopolymers as alternative packaging materials. In parallel with the volatile but also steadily increasing price of crude oil there is a growing environmental awareness among politicians and consumers. With the general trend towards organically grown food and the use of natural and organic ingredients in personal care products it is also important to be aware of the way these products are packaged, and of the consumer‘s desire for a totally ecologicallyfriendly product. However, for an objective evaluation of the ecological potential of biopolymer packaging materials there are points to consider other than the simple use of biogenous polymers and/or the energy expended in its manufacture. When developing a life cycle analysis the potential for ecologically-friendly disposal of the material is also a decisive factor. Until now it was always compostability that was uppermost in the mind when considering biopolymer packaging materials. However a certificate of compostability does not automatically mean ecologically and economically satisfactory disposal of the biopolymer or the products based upon it. The example of PLA bottles in the PET recycling stream shows how, in general, a different approach to the end-of-life options needs to be taken for biopolymers. In many cases technical questions, such as that of recycling, have still not been fully answered, or the infrastructure for disposal of biopolymers is still inadequate.

Therefore in this article we shall carry out a fundamental review of the different technical end-of-life options for biopolymers. Using the situation in Germany as an example we will look at the legislative framework, where the possibilities for the disposal of biopolymers are still given only rudimentary consideration.

Recycling When considering the different end-of-life options the first thing that springs to mind is classic recycling.

End of life

on „End of Life“ options There is, however, limited experience available in the field of thermoplastic biopolymers. Nevertheless similar problems to those encountered in the recycling of conventional thermoplastic materials can be expected.

Because of their generally lower thermo-mechanical and chemical resistance we can assume an increased level of ‘downcycling’. Polymers such as PLA, for example, during recycling, exhibit a clear molecular breakdown. Furthermore there is a lack of compatibility between different types of biopolymer, and in particular in combination with conventional polymers.

Recent research points to a ‘contamination’ of established reclamation processes, such as the significant negative impact that small amounts of PLA have on the properties of PET recyclate when it finds its way into the recycling process.

Composting An alternative to classic recycling (although only for suitably certified materials) is composting. Most certificates however cover only the suitability of the material for industrial composting. This cannot be compared to complete biodegradability in a home compost heap. This means that all the certified compostable biopolymers available up until now on the market, after thorough investigation, exhibit good primary and secondary breakdown under industrial composting conditions, but there is often a lack of suitable composting facilities and infrastructure.

The need for a separate collection, sorting and transport system presents a logistical, economic and, principally, an ecological problem because of the additional energy that has to be expended in transportation, thus having a negative impact on the overall eco-balance of biopolymers. It follows that composting is a sensible option only where, in addition to the extra expense with no technical benefits, it also offers an additional functional advantage such as is offered by agricultural film (e.g. mulch film), which the farmer does not have to collect or dispose of after use. It is simply ploughed in.

In Germany for example certified compostable biopolymers are given preferential treatment with respect to waste disposal taxes. Until 2012 they are exempt from the German packaging ordinance, which means a saving of about 1.5 Euros per kilogram in ‘Green Dot’ packaging waste taxes.

On the other side, there is in Germany legislation approving the use of fertilisers ‘produced only from biologically degradable products from renewable resources and waste materials generated during their manufacture’. This currently means that most biopolymers, despite their certified compostabilty, cannot be put into an industrial composting plant because input is restricted to materials that are 100% bio-based. A modification of the relevant fertiliser legislation is currently under discussion but there is no concrete conclusion in sight.

Incineration Incineration of biopolymers appears to be a much more reasonable option. In addition to the energy recovery there is the advantage that biopolymers are almost CO2 neutral when they are burnt. During combustion a carbon atom produces exactly the same amount of CO2 as during composting, but incineration has an added benefit, whereas composting mainly represents added expense.

The ‘bio-compatible composition’ of biopolymers also means that they have less potential to produce noxious substances in the combustion gases. However it is important that the use of possibly unknown biopolymer additives is taken into due consideration, especially in view of the increased future development of biopolymer materials.

However, at the moment we have almost no practical experience of the combustion behaviour of biopolymers, such as their calorific value, ash softening, emissions etc. It can however be assumed that with biopolymers the high heteroatom content, in particular oxygen in place of carbon, will lead to an optimised

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End of life Primary raw materials (Plants, iron ore, petroleum)

 The redistribution or conversion of matter (mixing, wear, emission, waste…) as well as the energy created, are taken into account when considering entropy generation over a full life-cycle.

Energy, sources of energy (water power, petroleum)

Information

Production material (steel, plastics, ceramics)

A

Re

Land fill

is

 The higher the entropy efficiency the higher the sustainability

Raw material (iron, ethylene, cellulose, starch,...)

cy cli

ng

E

Manufacturing (buildings, machines, components, packaging, products)

In this way biopolymers can also partially substitute biofuels after their ‘first life’ and create a higher added value from agriculture raw materials.

Bio-gas production Until now there has been almost no consideration of the production of biogas as a way of disposing of biopolymers. Based on the fact that a normal biogas plant produces gas in several stages under anaerobic conditions using organic substrates, an efficient biogas production from compostable biopolymers seems quite possible. Alongside the energy reclamation when the biogas is burned there is the added advantage of joint disposal of the packaging and its food contents. Any food products that have passed their expiry date, rejects, or excess production, can be processed together with their packaging and without the expense of mechanical separation. But once again no real practical figures have been obtained regarding the conversion of compostable biopolymers in a biogas plant (e.g. temperature, pH value, micro-organisms present, degradation behaviour under anaerobic, aquatic conditions…) or the relevant process parameters (e.g. density of material flow, dwell time, gas

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Waste, Scrap

W V

reaction rate of combustion but at the same time to a reduction in calorific value similar to that seen in petrochemical plastics. The calorific value will however probably be well above that of wood and below that of petroleum.

Composting

ion

i

lys ro

E

ΔS Σ i=A

erat

Benefits

Py

=

CO2

Incin

 Entropy efficiency = benefits obtained/entropy production

K

Wear, Failure

G Consumption

composition or yield).

In Germany the production of biogas and its subsequent conversion to electrical energy is supported by the so-called Renewable Energy Act (EEG). If, alongside farmyard slurry, only materials coming from renewable resources are used as a co-substrate the producer receives an additional bonus of about 6 Euro Cents per kWh of electrical power produced from the biogas. In addition to investigating the technical feasibility of using biopolymers it will also be necessary to ascertain how, in the future, biopolymers containing varying levels of renewable resources will be assessed.

Land-fill Finally, the last of the disposal options, i.e. ‘simple’ dumping in a landfill site, must be considered. Following the latest waste disposal legislation in Germany household waste may only be deposited in a landfill site when the percentage of dry organic substances is less than 5% by weight. In addition the biological activity in a land-fill site which produces environmentally damaging gases by anaerobic decomposition, including that from biopolymers, is a negative factor. It is, depending on the landfill structure, possible to render the methane gas harmless by burning it, and to use the energy so generated, but the longer the dwell time in the dump the lower the methane content becomes and so this is an economical solution only in the early stages.

End of life The outlook In an ecological evaluation of the different end-oflife options the most sustainable solution should be the most favourable from an ecological point of view.

Because not only the energy expended during material manufacture and during its use must be considered, but also the redistribution and/or conversion of matter, in particular during disposal, the scientific concept of entropy efficiency may be used to determine the sustainability of a material, product or process.

Greenhouse effect

The use of fossil resources for energy production and as industrial raw materials inevitably leads to a redistribution or conversion of matter and a devaluation of the resources of our planet, with less and less useful forms of energy or materials being available. Only in this way can we explain how on the one hand we complain about global warming and the greenhouse effect, and on the other hand we have an energy supply problem. We cannot really make use of the heat energy building up in the atmosphere.

Emission of CO2 CO2

Irreversible enhancement of entropy

Heat

Combustion of petrochemicals

Put simply, entropy is the measure of the irreversibility of a product or process. That means that only in ideal, totally reversible processes is no entropy generated. In reality a certain entropy is generated by every conversion process.

Thus, maximum sustainability of a product or process means the lowest possible entropy generation over the total life cycle, together with maximum benefit to the user.

By using natural synthesis less energy is often used for the production of biopolymers than for conventional plastics. Biopolymers however not only have higher entropy efficiency on the input side: by optimising the disposal process their entropy efficiency can be further enhanced. An example may be when a compostable waste disposal bag or a resorbable implant offers an additional benefit after its principal use, or when, after reuse and/or recycling, the material is incinerated to produce CO2-neutral energy. On the other hand automatic recourse to composting or land-fill does often not lead to benefit cascading but only to additional expenditure, i.e. additional entropy generation without benefit.

Entropy

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

Processes

Biopolymers, because of the use of bio-based raw materials, have a higher sustainability than conventional polymers not only on the raw material side but even at the end of their life through intelligent application of the various disposal options. In conclusion we can therefore reasonably assume that biopolymers will represent a new class of materials in a plastics market that is demanding ever more sustainability, in particular with regard to future applications. www.bv.fh-hannover.de, www.achilles-apv.de

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Basics

Polyethylene History and outlook

Rigid toy made of polyethylene

P

olyethylene is a plastic material that has been known for more than 100 years. It is found in millions of applications from simple film, through containers, to toys or technical components such as plastic fuel tanks for cars. Polyethylene was discovered by the chemist Hans von Pechmann in 1898. In 1933 polyethylene was successfully produced, at a pressure of 1400 bar and a temperature of 170 °C, at the ICI laboratories. For a large scale industrial process these conditions were, however, difficult to produce and were highly energy intensive.

In 1953 polymer chemistry saw a major breakthrough. The chemists Karl Ziegler and Giulio Natta succeeded in synthesising polyethylene from ethene (also called ethylene) at normal pressure using catalysts.

The establishment of this process led to the introduction of large scale polyethylene synthesis and the use of polyethylene as a mass market material. In 1963 they were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in recognition of this achievement.

Polyethylene has been used industrially in huge quantities since 1953, principally for gas and water pipelines, cable insulation and as a packaging material, such as shrink packaging film. Polyethylene and polypropylene opened up the age of plastics. Polyethylene today is the most widely used plastic material in the world, with about a 30% market share.

Karl Ziegler was born in 1898 and studied chemistry in Marburg. He graduated in 1923. Major stages in his academic career were at the Universities of Frankfurt, Heidelberg, Halle and Chicago. From 1943 he was head of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Coal Research (today the Max Planck Institute in Mülheim) where he devoted his energies to research into the combination of organic compounds with metals.

From 1948 to 1969 Ziegler taught, as an honorary professor, at the RWTH technical college in Aachen.

(Photo: dpa)

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The basis of the polyethylene polymer chain is ethene (ethylene), which is a highly flammable gas. The synthesis of ethene was originally carried out by the dehydrogenation of pure alcohol (ethanol). Today‘s technically relevant processes are the cracking of natural gas and higher hydrocarbons. These technologies are based on fossil resources whose availability is limited and which are subject to major price fluctuations. According to estimates there is enough crude petroleum to last for another 40 years at current demand rates. This shows a clear need for the development of polyethylene based on renewable resources. With the introduction of the Kyoto Protocol on February 6th 2005 the industrial nations committed themselves to a reduction of greenhouse gases and the avoidance of carbon dioxide emissions. The protocol also envisages the scavenging and conversion of carbon dioxide by green vegetation.

Ethanol (pure alcohol) is seen, in the search for alternative sources for the synthesis of ethene, as a possibility based on regenerative bio-mass. The production of „bio-ethanol“ from renewable resources is achieved by the enzymatic conversion of starch and cellulose. For years bio-ethanol has been used as a biogenous fuel for cars. It therefore seems logical that to use bioethanol as the basis for synthesising polyethylene by the polymerisation of bio-ethene.

Basics

and Bio-Polyethylene

by Dr Thomas Isenburg

The current annual production level of bio-ethanol is some 35 to 40 million tonnes. The basis for the synthesis is sugar cane, maize starch, wheat starch and sugar beet. By catalytic extraction of water bio-ethene can be obtained from bio-ethanol. At the moment the majority of the ethanol so produced is used as motor fuel. It is however theoretically possible to produce 20 % of the world demand for ethylene using the process described above.

During the 1980s the French chemicals company Rhodia set up and operated a plant for the production of ethene from ethanol in Sao Paulo, Brazil. After the withdrawal of the government bio-ethanol subsidy, and the low petroleum prices that the world was enjoying at that time, the plant was closed down. During this period there was a good deal of work done on the development of a catalyst; work which could be used today as the basis of further research.

In Brazil ethanol is currently sold at about 330 to 350 US Dollars per tonne. This leads to ethene production costs in the order of 700 Dollars per tonne. The price of ethene obtained from fossil resources fluctuates enormously. In 2003, when crude oil was 28 Dollars a barrel, the price of ethene was between 500 and 600 Dollars per tonne. By 2005 (with crude oil at 54 Dollars a barrel) the price of ethene had rapidly grown to over 900 Dollars per tonne. Today, with crude oil at 90 Dollars a barrel, the price of ethene is over 1100 Dollars per tonne. Brazil, as one of the world‘s major sugar producers, has a considerable interest in producing bio-ethylene via the synthesis of sugar-based bio-ethanol. The first plants are in the planning stage but none is so far in operation. The Brazilian ethanol price is something of a special case which is related not so much to the particularly attractive conditions for purchasing cane sugar, but more to general production cost levels in that country. In Europe and the USA the production costs for bio-ethanol are about double those in Brazil. This effectively means that bio-ethanol will only be competitive when crude oil reaches 120 Dollars a barrel.

Giulio Natta was born in 1903 in Imperia, Italy, and from 1933 to 1935 was professor of chemistry at the University of Pavia. From 1936 to 1938 he was director of the Institute for Industrial Chemistry at the Turin Polytechnic and from 1938 was director of the Institute for Industrial Chemistry at the Milan Polytechnic.

(Photo: dpa)

Packaging applications made of polyethylene

Ethanol can be transported by sea. Ethylene is highly reactive (a flammable, explosive gas) and can only be transported via a pipeline. Companies in Brazil can therefore use their competitive advantage mainly at the polymer level, and for products made from the polymer. Because Europe is a leading chemical industry location, with a high level of exports of downstream products, it is nevertheless not unreasonable to consider producing bio-ethylene in Europe despite the generally higher costs. If the carbon dioxide problem is also included in the equation ethylene from renewable resources offers an added bonus.

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/08] Vol. 3

Basics Glossary Blend

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.

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)

Mixture of plastics, polymer alloy of at least two microscopically dispersed and molecularly distributed base polymers.

Cellophane Clear film on the basis of à cellulose.

Cellulose Polymeric molecule with very high molecular weight (biopolymer, monomer is à Glucose), industrial production from wood or cotton, to manufacture paper, plastics and fibres.

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

Compostable Plastics Plastics that are biodegradable under ‘composting’ conditions: specified humidity, temperature, à microorganisms and timefame. Several national and international standards exist for clearer definitions, for example EN 14995 Plastics - Evaluation of compostability - Test scheme and specifications [bM 02/2006 p. 34f, bM 01/2007 p38].

Composting

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

Amyloseacetat Linear polymeric glucose-chains are called à amylose.

If this compound is treated with ethan acid one product is amylacetat. The hydroxyl group is connected with the organic acid fragment.

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

Biodegradable Plastics Biodegradable Plastics are plastics that are completely assimilated by the à microorganisms present a defined environment as food for their energy. The carbon of the plastic must completely be converted into 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].

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A solid waste management technique that uses natural process to convert organic materials to CO2, water and humus through the action of à microorganisms [bM 03/2007].

Copolymer Plastic composed of different monomers.

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

Gelatine Translucent brittle solid substance, colorless or slightly yellow, nearly tasteless and odorless, extracted from the collagen inside animals‘ connective tissue.

Glucose Monosaccharide (or simple sugar). G. is the most important carbohydrate (sugar) in biology. G. is formed by photosynthesis or hydrolyse of many carbohydrates e. g. starch.

Basics Glossary Humus

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 synthesised 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 [01/08] Vol. 3

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Suppliers Guide

Simply contact:

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

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

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

1. Raw Materials

1.3 PLA

1.1 bio based monomers

1.4 starch-based bioplastics

2. Additives / Secondary raw materials

Wiedmer AG - PLASTIC SOLUTIONS Du Pont de Nemours International S.A. 8752 Näfels - Am Linthli 2 Du Pont de Nemours International S.A. 2, Chemin du Pavillon, PO Box 50 SWITZERLAND 2, Chemin du Pavillon, PO Box 50 CH 1218 Le Grand Saconnex, Phone: ++41(0) 55 618 44 99 CH 1218 Le Grand Saconnex, Geneva, Switzerland Fax: ++41(0) 55 618 44 98 Geneva, Switzerland BIOTEC Biologische Phone: + 41(0) 22 717 5176 www.wiedmer-plastic.com 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 4.1 trays www.packaging.dupont.com Germany Tel.: +49 2822 92510 3. Semi finished products 5. Traders 1.2 compounds Fax: +49 2822 51840 info@biotec.de 3.1 films 5.1 wholesale www.biotec.de 6. Machinery & Molds

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

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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

PolyOne Avenue Melville Wilson, 2 Zoning de la Fagne 5330 Assesse Belgium Tel.: + 32 83 660 211 info.color@polyone.com www.polyone.com

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

FAS Converting Machinery AB O Zinkgatan 1/ Box 1503 27100 Ystad, Sweden Tel.: +46 411 69260 www.fasconverting.com

Molds, Change Parts and Turnkey Solutions for the PET/Bioplastic Container Industry 284 Pinebush Road Cambridge Ontario Canada N1T 1Z6 Tel.: +1 519 624 9720 Fax: +1 519 624 9721 info@hallink.com www.hallink.com

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

Düsseldorf, Germany 24 – 30 April 2008 www.interpack.com

Messe Düsseldorf GmbH Postfach 10 10 06 D-40001 Düsseldorf Germany Tel. +49(0)2 11/45 60-01 Fax +49(0)2 11/45 60-6 68 www.messe-duesseldorf.de

Companies in this issue Company Achilles Papierveredelung Alcan Packaging Amcor Flexibles BASF BCC Research BioFach (Messe Nürnberg) Biopearls bioplastics24.com Biotec Cargill Cereplast Co-op Coopbox Italia Defra Dow Polyurethane DSM DuPont Earth First Elastogran Erema Fachhochschule Hannover FAS Converting FKuR Genpak Hallink Innovia interpack (Messe Düsseldorf) Jordan‘s KTM Maag Marks & Spencer Morrisons natura Natura A.S.P. Packaging NatureWorks Nokia Novamont Novomer Paragon Flexibles Plantic Plantic Plastic Suppliers plasticker Polyone Sainsbury‘s SIG Corpoplast Sirap Gema Sukano Tesco Toray Transmare Uhde Inventa Fischer Waitrose Wiedmer Wrap

Editorial 22 18 18 13 5

10 7 18 14 18 12 6 13 20 22 7 16 18 5 6,18 18 18 15 6 8 6 18 6

17 8 18 7 18 17

Events Advert

19 32 29 32

32 32 2 32 32 32 32 33

Bioplastics in automotive applications

02/08 03/08 04/08 05/08 06/08

Natural fibre Composites

Basics: Logos: ‘Biobase‘ Logos

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www.biofach.de/en/

March 3-4, 2008 3rd International Seminar on Biodegradable Polymers Valencia, Spain http://www.azom.com/details.asp?newsID=7345

March, 5-6, 2008 Bio polymers in applications of films German with simultaneous translation into English Festung Marienberg, Würzburg, Germany www.innoform-coaching.de

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March, 12, 2008 Alternative Bioproduct Uses for Biomass Feedstocks in the Biorefinery Process Brussels Expo, Brussels, Belgium www.greenpowerconferences.com

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

Next issues:

www.amiplastics.com

February 21-24, 2008 biofach World Organic Trade Fair Fairgrounds Nuremberg, Germany

Next Issue

Topics:

February, 18-20, 2008 Agricultural Film 2008 Fira Palace Hotel, Barcelona, Spain

March 2008 April 2008 June 2008 September 2008 November 2008

April 1-2, 2008 Third World Congress, Wood Plastic Composites Crowne Plaza, San Diego California, USA www.executive-conference.com/conferences/wpc08.php

April 1-3, 2008 JEC Composites Paris including biobasesd polymers and natural fibers Paris, France www.jeccomposites.com

April 22-23, 2008 „Connecting comPETence“: PETnology Europe 2008 Düsseldorf/Neuss , Germany, prior to Interpack http://www.petnology.com

April 24-30, 2008 Interpack - 2008 and here: Bioplastics in Packaging The interpack 2008 Group Exhibition Düsseldorf, Germany www.european-bioplastics.org www.interpack.com

meet bioplastics MAGAZINE here June 18-19, 2008 7th Global WPC and Natural Fibre Composites Congress and Exhibition Kongress Palais, Stadthalle, Kassel, Germany www.wpc-nfk.de