bioplastics MAGAZINE 04/2016

ISSN 1862-5258

July/August

04 | 2016

Highlights Blow Moulding | 12 Toys | 22 Basics

bioplastics

MAGAZINE

Vol. 11

Additives | 38

2 countries

... is read in 9

GO GREEN. STAY WARM. Dealing more responsibly with resources will contribute to save our environment for the following generations. Hugo Frosch is aware of this responsibility and has worked from the very beginning to develop products which have a positive ecological balance.

The result: 50 % less material is used for the production of Hugo Frosch’s eco hot water bottles compared to conventional hot water bottles, and energy savings of about 60 % are thereby achieved. Additionally the technically innovative and patented eco hot water bottle is produced from over 90 % renewable resources.

Inside and outside organic: The eco hot water bottles mainly consist of polyethylene based on sugarcane and contain no plasticizers (phthalates), furthermore they are inserted in organic cotton covers from certified organic farming (kbA).

www.hugo-frosch.de

Editorial

dear readers Summer has finally arrived – and about time, as well! Most of us in Northern Europe waited long enough for it to come this year. And now, to top it off, the August issue of bioplastics MAGAZINE has now also arrived.

July/August

ISSN 1862-5258

We seem to have hit the jackpot when we chose Toys as the first highlight of this issue. I must admit that I was overwhelmed, when I saw the number of articles contributed on this topic. Next to packaging, toys are apparently becoming the second biggest area of application for bioplastics, as parents increasingly recognize the benefits of natural based products, free of phthalates, BPA and the like. What is more, they also seem willing to pay a little extra for toys that are better for their offspring and that are produced more sustainably.

Highlights

04 | 2016

Blow Moulding | 12 Toys | 22 Basics Additives | 38

MAGAZINE

bioplastics

The topic of the Basics section in this issue is Additives. Most plastics, whether biobased or made from oil, need to be compounded with additives before being processed into final parts. Additives for bioplastics are an important area of development, especially in view of such sensitive and important applications as toys and packaging.

Vol. 11

The second highlight topic is Blow Moulding or Bottle Applications, where we report on a new development that I saw at Chinaplas this spring for the first time. The application is one that you would normally not expect: a bottle made from WPC.

It’s also time to look ahead to October of this year. The K-Show, the world’s biggest trade fair for the plastics and rubber industry, is being held in Düsseldorf, Germany from 19 to 26 October. In our next issue, we will provide a comprehensive preview, including a show guide complete with a floor plan.

Come and visit us in hall 7a, booth B10, where we will also celebrate a small Birthday Party for our 10th anniversary this year. Once again, we will also be organizing our Bioplastics Business Breakfasts at K’2016 from October 20 to 22. For more information and the complete programme, see pp 10 – 11.

Finally, I’d like to encourage all of you to submit proposals for the next Global Bioplastics Award (for details, see page 51). This year marks the 11th anniversary of the Bioplastics Oskar, which will be presented to the winner of the Award during the 11th European Bioplastics Conference on November 29th in Berlin, Germany.

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We hope to see you at the K-Show… until then, enjoy the summer – and of course, have a great time reading bioplastics MAGAZINE.

Sincerely yours

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Michael Thielen

bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/16] Vol. 11

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Content

Imprint

Blow Moulding

12 Bio-packaging of liquid dairy products 16 Blow moulding of WPC bottles 17 A new, cost-effective route to PEF

Events

04|2016 July / August

Polymedia Publisher GmbH Dammer Str. 112 41066 Mönchengladbach, Germany

Media Adviser

22 Toymakers are the vanguard of material

Samsales (German language) phone: +49(0)2161-6884467 fax: +49(0)2161 6884468 s.brangenberg@samsales.de

innovation

24 Bio-alternatives for soft PVC 26 PHA resins for toys

Chris Shaw (English language) Chris Shaw Media Ltd Media Sales Representative phone: +44 (0) 1270 522130 mobile: +44 (0) 7983 967471

28 Toys for a better future 30 Toys are not child’s play

Layout/Production

31 LEGO looks for sustainable alternatives

Ulrich Gewehr (Dr. Gupta Verlag) Max Godenrath (Dr. Gupta Verlag)

32 Cracking the Code of Durable Bioplastics

Print

for the Toy Market

Poligrāfijas grupa Mūkusala Ltd. 1004 Riga, Latvia

Materials

bioplastics MAGAZINE is printed on chlorine-free FSC certified paper.

Print run: 3,700 copies

36 BIO4 SELF

Additives

bioplastics magazine

38 Sneaky peaky creatures depriving

ISSN 1862-5258

biolastics!

bM is published 6 times a year.

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

Certification

40 Confidence is good - DIN geprüft is better

3 Editorial

Basics

5 News

42 Do Bioplastics need additives?

44 Definition of “Bioplastics”

Head Office

info@bioplasticsmagazine.com www.bioplasticsmagazine.com

Toys

10 Years Ago

Dr. Michael Thielen (MT) Karen Laird (KL) Samuel Brangenberg (SB)

phone: +49 (0)2161 6884469 fax: +49 (0)2161 6884468

10 Biobased Business Breakfast

Bioadditives?

Publisher / Editorial

18 Application News 46 Suppliers Guide 49 Event Calendar 50 Companies in this issue

bioplastics MAGAZINE is read in 92 countries.

Every effort is made to verify all Information published, but Polymedia Publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions or for any losses that may arise as a result. No items may be reproduced, copied or stored in any form, including electronic format, without the prior consent of the publisher. Opinions expressed in articies do not necessarily reflect those of Polymedia Publisher.

All articles appearing in bioplastics or on the website www.bioplasticsmagazine.com are strictly covered by copyright.

MAGAZINE,

bioplastics MAGAZINE welcomes contributions for publication. Submissions are accepted on the basis of full assignment of copyright to Polymedia Publisher GmbH unless otherwise agreed in advance and in writing. We reserve the right to edit items for reasons of space, clarity or legality. Please contact the editorial office via mt@bioplasticsmagazine.com.

The fact that product names may not be identified in our editorial as trade marks is not an indication that such names are not registered trade marks. bioplastics MAGAZINE tries to use British spelling. However, in articles based on information from the USA, American spelling may also be used.

Envelopes A part of this print run is mailed to the readers wrapped in bioplastic envelopes sponsored by Flexico Verpackungen Deutschland, Maropack GmbH & Co. KG, and Neemann

Cover Photo: Patrick Foto / Shutterstock

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News

Development of

EU Parliament

Durable Bio-PBS

emphasises the role

Compounds

of bioplastics

A joint development programme on bio-based PBS (polybutylene succinate) compounds for injection moulding has been launched by Reverdia and Wageningen UR Food & Biobased Research. The new bio-PBS compounds will be durable and based on Biosuccinium™.

The industry association European Bioplastics welcomes the draft reports on the revised EU waste legislation by MEP Simona Bonafè, Rapporteur of the European Parliament’s Committee on the Environment, which was published in early June. The reports lay out the legal measures needed for a paradigm shift from a linear to a circular economy where waste is considered a valuable resource, and the transformation to a low-carbon bioeconomy, which uses resources more efficiently.

Development will focus on longevity, appearance and processing characteristics. Plastic product manufacturers such as RPC Promens and Teamplast will collaborate to validate the compounds in reusable horticultural crates and rigid food packaging with hinges.

The final compounds are expected to have an improved carbon footprint in comparison to polypropylene which is typically used for these applications.

“Raw material producers and manufacturers of the final products will test these new materials, ensuring that consumers will soon have bio-based and durable plastics in their hands,” said Lawrence Theunissen from Reverdia. “The whole value chain is involved in developing these materials.”

“An important objective of the project is to develop plastics from renewable raw materials with a much wider scope of applications, and thus a larger market potential,” added Karin Molenveld of Wageningen UR. MT www.reverdia.com | www.wageningenur.nl

New PLA filaments Plastic raw material supplier Gehr (Mannheim, Germany) is proud to offer professional 3D printing filaments made of renewable raw materials under the brand name FIL-A-GEHR PLA®.

FIL-A-GEHR PLA is made by NatureWorks and consists of high-quality Ingeo™ biopolymer. It stands out for its great dimensional stability, its very good layer adhesion, its optimal flow behaviour while printing and its high level of stiffness as well as its high elastic modulus. Longterm tests have shown that embrittlement on the coil does not occur. The PLA raw material is approved to comply with food contact and toy safety regulations.

Thanks to its low elongation and low shrinkage, FIL-AGEHR PLA® is extremely well-suited for printing precision parts and very large objects with high dimensional stability (e. g. moulds). Reduced energy consumption and low nozzle temperatures while printing are other advantageous properties of this material. Furthermore, it can be printed without a heated bed. www.gehr.de

“We welcome the strong and ambitious positions of Rapporteur Bonafè on encouraging better market conditions for renewable raw materials and promoting the use of bio-based materials in packaging,” says François de Bie, Chairman of European Bioplastics, “because it sends the right signals to our industry and investors in the bioeconomy”.

The report on the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive further asks the Commission to assess the feasibility of gradually replacing food packaging with biobased and/or biodegradable and compostable packaging solutions. “We hope that this will encourage Member States to recognise the benefits of, and create a level-playing field for, bio-based and/ or biodegradable products,” says de Bie. Furthermore, the report on the amendments to the Waste Framework Directive places particular emphasis on the definitions of bio-waste and recycling. It supports the inclusion of organic recycling (in the form of composting and anaerobic digestion of organic waste) in the definition of ‘recycling’ and suggests a future-oriented definition of bio-waste by taking into account ‘other materials with similar biodegradability and compostability properties’. “These amendments are essential to achieve higher recycling targets by making use of the enormous but yet untapped potential of organic waste and compostable products in Europe. The largest fraction of municipal waste (up to 50 %) in Europe is bio-waste, only 25 % of which are currently collected and recycled,” says de Bie. The report calls for a mandatory collection of bio-waste by 2020 supported by measures to increase the organic recycling of bio-waste to 65 % by 2025. The proposed amendments also foresee limiting the amount of residual municipal waste landfilled to 25 % by 2025 and to 5 % by 2030 .

“We welcome the connection that the report makes between the bioeconomy and the responsible use of non-fossil feedstock in packaging, and the strong focus on resource efficiency along the entire industrial production cycle, from bio-based materials and products, to collecting and recycling biowaste.” says Hasso von Pogrell, Managing Director of European Bioplastics. “On the basis of these reports, we will continue to discuss with the European Parliament and all other relevant stakeholders on how to ensure Europe can decouple the economy from fossil resources and move towards a circular economy,” von Pogrell concludes. A position paper on the EU Circular Economy Package can be found under the following link. MT http://bit.ly/1t8BpvD

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News

daily upated news at www.bioplasticsmagazine.com

New joint venture Carbiolice for bio-sourced and biodegradable plastic films From 1 January 2017 onwards, via its Energy Transition and Green Growth Law, France will enforce the use of bio-sourced and biodegradable plastics for fruit & vegetable bags (35,000 tons per year) and other films. The joint venture Carbiolice shall address this challenge in the long term by continuing to develop biolice by Limagrain Céréales Ingrédients (Riom, France) and industrialising technological innovation licenced by Carbios (Saint-Beauzire, France).

Carbiolice is the product of a partnership between Carbios’ innovative technology and Limagrain’s technical, industrial and commercial expertise acquired over more than 15 years in the bioplastics sector. Carbios is providing major innovation with its enzymatic technology. Limagrain Céréales Ingrédients is providing its expertise and existing production capacity for bioplastic granules, known under the brand name biolice. The SPI “Industrial Projects Company” investment fund, financed by the PIA Future Investments Programme and run by Bpifrance, will round off the financial partnership to support the expansion of industrial production.

The future company shall take over Limagrain Céréales Ingrédients’ bioplastics activity and progressively integrate the technological innovations licenced by Carbios over time. The granules will be used to produce bio-sourced and biodegradable plastic films for a variety of applications including green waste collection bags, mulch films, fruit & vegetable bags, industrial films and even mailing films. Theses biodegradable plastics will meet the increasingly stringent requirements defined by France’s energy transition law.

The future company will, in the long term, create 50 direct jobs and support one of the first green chemistry technologies currently under development and to be deployed on an industrial scale in France.

The contributions from industrial assets and licences result in a project total of EUR 29.5 million. The SPI fund will invest EUR 11 million over this period to ultimately reach a 37 % shareholding in Carbiolice. These investments will help to ensure activity growth by progressively acquiring additional industrial capacity. They will also help to support the industrial and commercial development of the new plastic materials derived from Carbios technology. MT www.lci.limagrain.com | www.carbios.fr

Novamont and Barbier Group to develop new home compostable bag for fruits and vegetables Italian bioplastics firm Novamont and French leading producer of plastic films Barbier Group announced today they have signed a partnership aimed at the development of a new kind of bioplastic lightweight bag for fruits and vegetables.

The new bag, to be marketed under the name Ma-Ter-Bio (the bag for planet Earth), will offer a more sustainable alternative to traditional non-biodegradable and non-compostable plastic packaging.

As required under French law, the new bag is plant based, suitable for home composting and obtained from locally sourced starch and sunflower oil. Ma-Ter-Bio is made with at least 35 %, up to over 50 %, renewable content from biomass.

The Barbier Group is the leading French producer of plastic films, and ranks as the sixth largest in Europe. The company sells polyethylene sheeting for agriculture and industry, as well as bags for the supermarket sector (for vegetables and fruits, waste collection, with soft handles). The Group has been developing products from both recycled and biodegradable/compostable materials for over 15 years. All its products are covered by the trademark “Guaranteed French Origin”.

Novamont is the pioneer company in the sector of biodegradable and compostable bioplastics from renewable sources.

Founded in 1989, it built its growth on the principles of the circular bioeconomy and the production of bioplastic materials that formed an alternative to traditional plastics from fossil sources. The Italybased bioplastics manufacturer of the Mater-Bi line of bioplastics is a global leader in this field, with an annual production capacity of 150,000 tons.

With marked prescience, Novamont opened its French subsidiary in 2006 to follow the developments relating to the new energy transition law more closely, as well as to monitor the local market as a whole. This has led to the signing of a partnership agreement with a French company, thus laying the basis for the supply of locally sourced materials. According to Novamont, this is a first step towards the creation of a production site on French soil. KL www.novamont.com

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News

Biobased glycol S2G BioChemicals Inc., a Vancouver, (Canada) based developer of sustainable chemical conversion technologies, has announced in mid June that the Company has successfully initiated commercial production of fossil-free, bio-based glycols at the Memphis (Tennessee, USA) site of the Company’s operating partner, Pennakem LLC. S2G’s proprietary, highly-efficient process was integrated into Pennakem’s existing chemical facility beginning in April 2016 and has produced industrial-grade sugar-based glycols from natural, non-food waste during a five-week scale-up campaign.

The bio-glycols will be used as a drop-in replacement for common petroleum-based chemicals currently used in a wide range of consumer and industrial products such as resins, PET/PEF plastic drink containers, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, coolants and antifreeze.

“The successful demonstration of S2G’s Bio-Glycol Process at scale validated the reliability and economic viability of our technology based on solid operational experience,” said Mark Kirby, President and Chief Executive Officer of S2G. “While glycol supply has long been dominated by oil and natural gas, S2G has proven our ability to provide natural, fossil-free glycols that challenge petrochemical glycols on both cost and performance.”

In addition, S2G achieved three significant customer-based milestones throughout the campaign. These included successful product evaluations by multiple industrial customers; the sale of bio-glycols to an industrial resin plant; and, the production of sample quantities of United States Pharmacopeia (USP) quality propylene glycol (PG) that has been reserved for select glycol customers who have expressed interest in sourcing high quality bio-glycols as a replacement for their petrochemical-derived sources.

“S2G bio-glycols have identical performance to petroleum-based materials, yet they generate far less greenhouse gas emissions,” said Jeff Plato, Director, Corporate and Business Development of S2G. “S2G looks forward to its products being integrated into the value chains of multi-national consumer and industrial product companies who want to curtail petrochemical-use and provide more sustainable products for their customers.”

“We are extremely impressed with the seamless integration of S2G’s innovative, high-yield bioconversion process into our existing chemical production infrastructure,” said Tom Waldman, President of Pennakem. “The combination of S2G’s innovative process and Pennakem’s 75 years of manufacturing expertise using biorenewable feedstocks will lower costs and could catalyze the demand for sustainably and economically produced bio-based glycols.”

S2G’s sugar-to-glycol technology is a simple, durable, and efficient process that utilizes low-cost renewable feedstocks to co-produce an economical supply of high value speciality chemicals and sustainable bio-glycols for use by consumer and industrial product manufacturers. MT www. s2gbiochem.com

Processing performance of bioplastics – A new database for manufacturing companies Embedded in the framework of a joint project of four partners, process data of bioplastics, which are available in the market, are clearly arranged as a new, freely accessible internet database. The database provides users an opportunity to address the two approaches concerning the processing of bioplastics, which arise either out of material properties or process techniques.

In the first case, the user has the knowledge of conventional materials but is looking for a bioplastic alternative, which can be a suitable substitute. Concerning the second case, the user can simulate the process technique by searching for the appropriate bioplastic that is suited for this process technique from the database.

For a quick orientation, the first material evaluation results for the database user are categorized by means of a traffic light system. If the user has made a pre-selection, he can now delve deeper into the subject by viewing the data collected during the project. The user can easily transfer the data in the form of reports, to his machine.

Derived from the focus of the project, the different processing characteristics such as blow moulding or demoulding behavior in the injection moulding process are being dealt with. The process data is based on scientific laboratory experiments as well as experimental setups from practice. They serve users as code of practice in the processing of bioplastics.

In addition to this database, a guideline was published. Both the database and the guideline are currently in German language. only. They will soon be also available in English.

This project is supported by the German Ministry of Food and Agricultur. MT www.biokunststoffe-verarbeiten.de

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News

Bio-based auto-parts from tequila by-products Ford Motor Company (Dearborn, Michigen, USA) is teaming up with Jose Cuervo® (Tlaquepaque, Mexico) to explore the use of the tequila producer’s agave plant byproduct to develop more sustainable bioplastics to employ in Ford vehicles.

Ford and Jose Cuervo are testing the bioplastic for use in vehicle interior and exterior components such as wiring harnesses, HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) units and storage bins. Initial assessments suggest the material holds great promise due to its durability and aesthetic qualities. Success in developing a sustainable composite could reduce vehicle weight and lower energy consumption, while paring the use of petrochemicals and the impact of vehicle production on the environment.

“At Ford, we aim to reduce our impact on the environment,” said Debbie Mielewski, Ford senior technical leader, sustainability research department.

“As a leader in the sustainability space, we are developing new technologies to efficiently employ discarded materials and fibers, while potentially reducing the use of petrochemicals and lightweighting our vehicles for desired fuel economy.”

The growth cycle of the agave plant is a minimum seven-year process. Once harvested, the heart of the plant is roasted, before grinding and extracting its juices for distillation. Jose Cuervo uses a portion of the remaining agave fibers as compost for its farms, and local artisans make crafts and agave paper from the remnants.

Now, as part of Jose Cuervo’s broader sustainability plan, the tequila maker is joining forces with the automaker to develop a new way to use its remnant fibers.

“Jose Cuervo is proud to be working with Ford to further develop our agave sustainability plan,” said Sonia Espinola, director of heritage for Cuervo Foundation and master

tequilera. “As the world’s No. 1-selling tequila, we could never have imagined that the hundreds of agave plants we were cultivating as a small family business would eventually multiply to millions. This collaboration brings two great companies together to develop innovative, earth-conscious materials.”

Like Ford Motor Company, Jose Cuervo is family-owned and operated. Founded in 1795, it has been making tequila for more than 220 years with the same experience, craftsmanship and recipes that have been handed down generation through generation.

The collaboration with Jose Cuervo is the latest example of Ford’s innovative approach to product and environmental stewardship through the use of biomaterials. Ford began researching the use of sustainable materials in its vehicles in 2000.

Today, the automaker uses eight sustainable-based materials in its vehicles including soy foam, castor oil, wheat straw, kenaf fiber, cellulose, wood, coconut fiber and rice hulls.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme, 5 billion tonnes of agricultural biomass waste is produced annually. A byproduct of agriculture, the supply of materials is abundant and often underutilized. Yet the materials can be relatively low cost, and can help manufacturers to offset the use of glass fibers and talc for more sustainable, lightweight products.

“There are about 180 kg of plastic on a typical car,” said Mielewski. “Our job is to find the right place for a green composite like this to help our impact on the planet. It is work that I’m really proud of, and it could have broad impact across numerous industries.” MT www.ford.com | www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN32wUwo2xc

10th Anniversary of bioplastics plant – EcoCortec Cortec® Corporation (St. Paul, Minnesota, USA) recently informed that one of the most advanced bioplastics manufacturers in Europe – EcoCortec® is celebrating its 10th anniversary. The project started in 2006 with greenfield investment by CroatianAmerican entrepreneur Boris Miksic. Today the plant has evolved in one of the most modern European manufacturers of environmentally safe films for corrosion protection. Continuous business growth is the result of innovative technology combined with high efficiency products and environmentally safe properties.

Only this year the company sales grew by 20,6 % compared to 2015 and during the past 10 years the manufacturer has tripled its production capacity. The plant exports more than 90 % of its assortment to countries of Europe, Asia and USA. In the past years EcoCortec® has been successfully participating in large European-funded projects. The company played a major role in international EUR 1,1 million worth Marine Clean Project – ’Marine debris removal preventing further litter entry’, sponsored by CIP Eco-Innovation Programme. Main goal of the project is preventing hazardous environmental impact of conventional plastic materials discarded at sea, as well as promoting sustainability and innovative technologies. Currently the company is negotiating a partnership in a new 2 million-euro project “PLAPAPER” within the Interreg Central Europe Programme. MT www.ecocortec.hr/en

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BASF extends its portfolio of innovative foam solutions with ecovio EA BASF is expanding its range of high performance foam products with ecovio EA, an expandable, closed-cell foam material which is biobased and certified compostable.

Largely biobased, it is made of BASF’s biodegradable polymer ecoflex and PLA, which is derived from corn or other sugar-generating plants such as manioc. This innovative patented particle foam offers properties similar to those of EPS and boasts outstanding energy absorption and very good resilience, even when subjected to multiple impact loads. This makes it particularly suitable for transport packaging applications, especially for high-value or delicate goods requiring a high level of impact resistance and robustness.

To produce ecovio EA, expandable granules are charged with the blowing agent pentane in an innovative process. This step enables trouble-free pre-expansion of the material on conventional EPS pre-expanders and subsequent moulding.

The granules are pre-expanded with the addition of steam to produce closed-cell beads with an adjustable minimum bulk density of 25 g/l. A short prefoaming time contributes to a low energy consumption in this production step.

The expanded granules can subsequently be processed into a variety of different moulded parts on existing EPS or EPP production machines – no conversions or modification of the production process required.

Its processing strongly resembles the processing of EPS. It is, however, necessary to adapt the process parameters. This is reflected in a shorter steaming time while the cycle time in the forming step remains overall the same. Due to a shrinkage rate of approximately 1.5 %, the mould geometries will need to be adapted. To ensure a very high quality of moulded part and dimensional stability it is advisable – similar to EPP

processing – to carry out component conditioning in a heating oven after the shaping.

Its lower rigidity – ecovio EA is somewhere between EPS and EPP when it comes to its energy absorbing capacity – make it perfect for use in the E&E sector, as well, in particular for heavy and delicate packaged goods such as washing machines or televisions that are easily damaged during transport. The material offers a minimum thermal conductivity of 0.034 W/ mK, and is therefore also outstandingly suited to all thermal insulation applications in the transport sector. ecovio EA helps to maintain the cold chain at all times for temperaturesensitive goods such as packaged vegetables, fruit, meat, frozen goods or even medicines, preventing spoilage.

Its inherent properties also allow storage at temperatures of up to 100 °C over a period of several hours, which means that Ecovio EA is also suitable for hot-melt adhesive applications.

And, while displaying good resistance to solvents such as acetone, as a certified compostable product, it contains no flame retardants.

BASF is currently developing an ecovio EA grade approved for food contact applications. The material is constantly durable under normal environmental conditions. Special conditions, as are found in industrial composting plants, are required to initiate the biological degradation process. In places where appropriate waste disposal channels are available through local composting plants, it is easy to dispose of the foam. The certified compostability means that it is possible to dispose of it along with leftover food waste – without needing to separate the materials beforehand.

Due to the high porosity and the specific surface area of the foam beads, ecovio EA degrades very quickly in industrial composting plants. Composting tests have shown that, for example, cubes of ecovio EA with an edge length of 5 cm and densities of 28 – 47 g/l break down within the space of five weeks to form water, CO2 and biomass. Prior to composting, the material can also be recycled in grades in customary recycling processes. MT www.basf.com

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Events

Bioplastics Business Breakfast At the World’s biggest trade show on plastics and rubber: K’2016 in Düsseldorf, Germany, bioplastics will certainly play an important role again.

On three days during the show from October 20 – 22, bioplastics MAGAZINE will host a Bioplastics Business Breakfast: From 8:00 am to 12:30 pm the delegates get the

chance to listen to and discuss high-class presentations and benefit from a unique networking opportunity. The trade fair opens at 10 am. Register soon to reserve your seat.

Admission starts at EUR 249.00. The conference fee includes a free ticket for K’2016 as well as free public transportation in the greater Düsseldorf area (except taxi).

www.bioplastics-breakfast.com Preliminary Programme Thursday, October 20, 2016 8:00-8:05 Welcome remarks Michael Thielen, bioplastics MAGAZINE 8:05-8:25 Market Development in Europe and Government Incentives Harald Kaeb, narocon 8:25-8:45 Evolutions in bioplastics packaging’ Caroli Buitenhuis, Biobased Packaging Innovations 8:45-9:05 Compostable laminates Patrick Gerritsen, bio4pac 9:05-9:25 BoPLA flexible film applications in food and non-food packaging Emanuela Bardi, Taghleef 9:25-9:35 Q&A 9:35-9:55 Mater-Bi: New developments in packaging applications Alberto Castellanza, Novamont 9:55-10:15 The latest INGEO packaging applications and developments Marc Vergauwen, NatureWorks (t.b.c.)

10:15-10:35 Newest compostable packaging solutions based on ecovio® Sven Wenigmann, BASF 10:35-10:45 Q&A 10:45-11:05 Coffee & Networking 11:05-11:25 Success stories in biodegradable plastics for packaging Chelo Escrig, AIMPLAS 11:25-11:45 Blow moulding of WPC for bottle applications Wonja (Jason) Lee, Doill ECOTEC 11:45-12:05 Enabling bioplastic packaging through application co-development Jo Kockelkoren, Reverdia Nikola Kocić, German Plastic Centre (SKZ) 12:05-12:25 Degradation of PLA during long-term storage 12:25-12:30 Q&A

Saturday, October 22, 2016 moderated by Kathryn Sheridan, Sustainability Consult 8:00-8:05 Welcome remarks 8:05-8:25 Current situation of bioplastics for durable applications in Europe 8:25-8:45 Bioplastics in ABS replacement markets/applications, incl. 3D printing 8:45-9:05 Durabio engineering bioplastics (t.b.c.)

9:05-9:25 Keep water safe – EcoPaXX in (drinking) water contact applications 9:25-9:35 Q&A 9:35-9:55 Bioplastics from side streams 9:55-10:15 Biobased materials for durable applications 10:15-10:35 Switching to biomaterials – an holistic approach 10:35-10:45 Q&A 10:45-11:05 Coffee & Networking 11:05-11:25 Sustainability without compromises - Sukano’s solutions and vision 11:25-11:45 Biobased TPE for innovative applications 11:45-12:05 Opportunities in durable PLA applications 12:05-12:25 Why bio-based? Forgotten and new answers 12:25-12:30 Q&A

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/16] Vol. 11

Michael Thielen, bioplastics MAGAZINE Francois de Bie, European Bioplastics Steve Davies, NatureWorks (t.b.c.)

Hugo Vuurens, Corbion Emmanuel Rapendy, Sulzer Chemtech Nikola Kocić, German Plastic Centre (SKZ) Björn Bermann, Fraunhofer ICT Remy Jongboom, Biotec

Jan Noordegraaf, Synbra (t.b.c.)

John Leung, Biosolutions Denisa Bellušová, IfBB Ramani Narayan, Michigan State University

Michael Thielen, bioplastics MAGAZINE Kristy Barbara Lange, European Bioplastics Frank Diodato, NatureWorks (t.b.c.)

N.N. Mitubishi Chemical (t.b.d.)

Caroline Mitterlehner, DSM Kate Parker, Scion Lena Scholz, Tecnaro Daniela Jahn, IfBB

Alessandra Funcia, Sukano Patrick Zimmermann, FKuR Bert Clymans, Corbion Michael Carus, nova-Institute

Subject to changes

Friday, October 21, 2016 8:00-8:05 Welcome remarks 8:05-8:25 Current situation of PLA in Europe 8:25-8:45 Latest INGEO developments (feedstock, resin grades, applications) 8:45-9:05 Innovations in PLA packaging 9:05-9:25 From bench to industrial scale 9:25-9:35 Q&A 9:35-9:55 Modification of PLA for extrusion applications 9:55-10:15 PLA modifications – new recipes make fit for new applications 10:15-10:35 Bioplast 900, what else?

10:35-10:45 Q&A 10:45-11:05 Coffee & Networking 11:05-11:25 An expanding update on BioFoam E-PLA foam applications (t.b.c.)

11:25-11:45 PLA foam coffee cup 11:45-12:05 Recycling of PLA in the Pre-Consumer sector 12:05-12:25 Messaging biodegradability-compostability – Do’s &Don’t’s 12:25-12:30 Q&A

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20. – 22.10.2016

Bioplastics in Packaging

Messe Düsseldorf, Germany

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Blow Moulding

Bio-packaging of liquid dairy products Definition of requirements and selection of materials

Environmental, economic, safety and regulatory

Reactive extrusion

Development of bottle packages for liquid dairy products

Development of pouches, lids and caps

Validation at pilot plant scale

Industrial scale up and product validation

Figure 1: BIOBOTTLE work scheme

T

he aim of the BIOBOTTLE project is to develop new biodegradable materials suitable to obtain plastic bottles and pouches for dairy products; probiotics, fresh milk and shakes. These packages do not need to be separated of the rest of the organic waste at the end of their short shelf-life.

The new packages keep the shelf-life of selected dairy products in comparison with traditional packages as well as fulfill different characteristics based on functional, microbiological, legal requirements for food contact applications in each case study.

In addition, the new materials are suitable to be processed by traditional plastic processing methods, such as blown film coextrusion, extrusion blow moulding and injection moulding to obtain pouches, bottles and caps, respectively. The materials are completely biodegradable under controlled composting conditions (ISO 14885-1:2005) and are harmless after biodegradation according to the Compostability Standard, EN 13432.

Market Data The worldwide output of plastics increases each year, but the management of plastic disposal has no satisfactory environmentally friendly solution at the moment because landfilling is still the first option in many countries [1].

As a consequence of this problem, there has been an increased interest in using alternative materials such as biodegradable bioplastics.

Nowadays, the European countries are the biggest consumer of milk products in the world, with an average of 219 kg per year (FAO, 2011). Therefore, the use of biomaterials to package dairy products is especially interesting for both dairy and plastic industries as well as for the endusers since the packages can be managed in composting conditions with the rest of the organic wastes.

Requirements of bio-packages Figure 2: Negative search for pathogenic bacteria

The requirements that the packages for dairy products must fulfil are shown in table 1.

According to these requirements, one of the main difficulties overcame by the researches of the project, was the thermal limitations of the commercial biodegradable materials, which showed thermal resistances around 65 ºC. The compounding process has been carried out using reactive extrusion technology, which lead to the development of different bio-compounds suitable to obtain the packages used in thermal treatments such as the sterilization or pasteurization processes that reach temperatures up to 90 – 95 ºC. The bio-compounds are different PLA based biopolyesters with renewable content between 20 and 45 %.

Figure 1 shows the development work in the BIOBOTTLE project.

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/16] Vol. 11

Blow Moulding

By: Pilar Diego, Chelo Escrig Extrusion Department AIMPLAS (Plastics Technology Center) Valencia, Spain

Partners

lab and pilot plant scale while the second period mostly concentrated on the industrial scale-up, product validation and environmental and economic studies, i. e.:

Seven companies and technological centers have worked with AIMPLAS, who has coordinated this project; VLB (Germany), OWS (Belgium), CNR (Italy), VIZELPAS, ESPAÇOPLAS (Portugal) and ALMUPLAS, ALJUAN (Spain).

Definition of requirements, material selection based on the biodegradable materials and additives and study of chemical modifications

About AIMPLAS

Evaluation of bio-compounds’ processability at pilot plant level considering the different manufacturing processes: Blown film extrusion and form-sealing packaging machine to obtain pouches, extrusion blow moulding for bottles and injection moulding for caps.

AIMPLAS is a Plastics Technology Center located in Valencia, Spain. It is a non-profit research association which has the objective of acting as a technological partner with companies in all sectors related to plastics, customizing integral and personalized solutions through the coordination of R&D&I projects and technological services.

Mode of operation

The scaling-up industrial processes according to the optimized parameters at pilot plant level and the optimization state to achieve the desired output (see figures)

The 2-year project was finished in May 2016. The first period of the project was mainly focused on the studies at

Full characterization and validation of the final industrial products to be used in the dairy applications defined

Table 1: Requirements of the packages for dairy products Package Type of contained product Shelf-life Thermal treatment Technology Package structure Additional requirements Barrier properties

Flexible pouches

Small bottle

Big bottles and caps

Fresh milk

Probiotic yogurt products

Fresh milk and shakes

4 – 7 days at < 8 °C

2 – 3 weeks at < 8 °C

2 – 3 weeks at < 8 °C

Pasteurization 72 – 75 °C, 15 – 40 s Blown film coextrusion

Pasteurization 72 – 75 °C, 15 – 40 s Extrusion blow moulding

Sterilization (bottle) 90 – 95 °C, 4 – 20 s Extrusion blow moulding and injection moulding

Multilayer (3 layers)

Monolayer

Monolayer

Withstand horizontal form sealing machine

Lid sealing

Lid sealing and caps

Not applicable

Not applicable

Not applicable

Table 2: Thermal and mechanical properties in pouches (MD=Machine Direction, TD= Transverse Direction) Standard

EN ISO 527-2: 2012

EN ISO 14477: 2004

Formulation

Reference LDPE

Bio 03-04

Direction

MD

TD

MD

TD

Stress at yield (MPa)

1.7 ± 0.1

1.4 ± 0.2

1.8 ± 0.2

1.1 ± 0.1

Elongation at yield (%)

16 ± 1

9 ± 0.9

32 ± 9

12 ± 1

Stress at break (MPa)

2.3 ± 0.2

2.1 ± 0.4

3.8 ± 1

2.6 ± 0.1

Elongation at break (%)

710 ± 120

1200 ± 150

620 ± 89

660 ± 35

Maximum Stress (MPa)

2.79 ± 0.16

4.67 ± 0.14

2.79 ± 0.16

4.67 ± 0.14

Penetration (mm)

1.6 ± 0.1

1.80 ± 0.04

1.6 ± 0.1

1.80 ± 0.04

Energy (mJ)

2.54 ± 0.17

4.72 ± 0.25

2.54 ± 0.17

4.72 ± 0.25

Thickness (microns) EN ISO 306 Vicat Temperature (ºC)

120

100

100 – 115

92 – 95

bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/16] Vol. 11

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Blow Moulding Standard

Test

Reference LDPE

Bio 02-06

Compression strength

No break

No break

Max. strength** (kg)

10,00 (0,1)

10,00 (0,1)

Impact resistance of 1.20 m freefall

No fracture

No fracture

Vicat temperature (ºC)

100 – 115

104 – 105

Internal procedure * EN ISO 306 Internal procedure EN ISO 306

(*) Maximum stress 10N (**) Standard deviation in brackets.

Regarding the functional characterization, the final products; pouches, small and big bottles and caps, fulfil all the requirements, including sterilization and pasteurization processes. Tables 2 – 5 show these results.

Table 4: Thermal and mechanical properties in big bottles Standard

Test

Internal procedure

Reference LDPE

Bio 02-06

Compression strength

No break

No break

Max. strength** (kg)

10,00 (0,1)

10,00 (0,1)

Impact resistance of 1.20 m freefall

No fracture

No fracture

Vicat temperature (ºC)

100 – 115

113 – 114

EN ISO 306 EN ISO 306

(*) Maximum stress 10N (**) Standard deviation in brackets.

Property Shore D

Standard

PP

Bio 16-07

EN ISO 868

69 – 72

69 – 72

The use of new biodegradable packaging does not affect the organoleptic properties of the evaluated dairy products. Except for unflavored low-fat yogurt, where a consumer panel revealed small differences between the new bio bottles and the reference bottles.

Biodegradability and Compostability

Figure 3: V isual presentation of the evolution of the biodegradation of pouch in comparison with the reference cellulose 100

The biodegradation under controlled composting conditions was successfully demonstrated for the different developed compounds (fig. 3) and they fulfil the requirements of material characteristics, biodegradation and compost quality according to EN 13432 (2000).

90 Biodegradation (%)

80 70 60 50 40

Cellulose Biocompound pouch Biocompound probiotic bottle Biocompound fresh milk bottle

30 20 10 0

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Time (days)

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/16] Vol. 11

50

55

60

65

70

75

80

The microbiological analysis (fig. 2) suggested that the new packages do not affect the development of bacterial and fungal populations naturally contained in pasteurized milk, or the growth of selected pathogenic strains, artificially inoculated in milk and yogurt. It also doesn’t affect the viability of lactic acid bacteria contained in yogurt. In addition, they do not release any significant substances in milk and yogurt stored inside affecting the product.

Therefore, the packages fulfill the microbiological requirements established by the product packers.

Regarding to the legal requirements based on the Overall Migration, the pouches and both bottles were tested and they do fulfil the requirements, according to European Commission Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 [2].

Table 5: Hardness of the materials for Caps

Hardness

Results Functional characterization

Table 3: Thermal and mechanical properties in small bottles

Internal procedure *

Environmental impact by studying the Life Cycle Assessment, evaluation of biodegradability and compostability of each product developed and their economic analysis

85

Pouches and caps can be concluded to be fully compostable in industrial processes and the OK compost logo and seedling logo were obtained from the certification institute

Blow Moulding Vinçotte (Belgium). The bottles did not show sufficient disintegration due to the necessary thickness that the bottles must maintain to fulfill the structural functionality.

Economic analysis The economic study revealed that producing newbiodegradable packages for dairy products is still not competitive in price with the existing packages due to the current price of biodegradable raw materials. Market studies predict a decrease in their price because of an increase in the global demand and production. Thus, biodegradable market trends foresee a positive scenario for the BIOBOTTLE packages commercialization in 5 years time.

Important is that the cost of the final product with the new biodegradable packages increases less than 10 % in the different packages developed.

Acknowledgement This project has received funding from the European Union´s Seventh Programme for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration (FP7 / 2007 – 2013) under grant agreement nº [606350]. www.biobottleproject.eu

References

Figure 4: D etailed barley and cress plant growth after an incubation period of 7 and 13 days respectively (from left to right): 50 % series of blank compost and test compost

[1] Plastics-The Facts 2015. An analysis of European plastic production, demand and waste data. PlasticsEurope (PEMRG) / Consultic.

[2] COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) No 10/2011of 14 January 2011on plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with food (https://www.fsai.ie/uploadedFiles/Reg10_2011.pdf)

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15

Blow Moulding

Blow molding of WPC bottles

A

bout two years ago, Wonjae (Jason) Lee, International Business Department Manager of Doill ECOTEC Co., Ltd. in Hwaseong (close to Seoul, Korea) washed his hair and saw his shampoo bottle. He wondered why shampoo bottles are only available from pure plastic? The company, Jason works for is known for WPC compounds and products (next to some other products).

So Jason just tried to make bottles from wood plastic compounds, as wood is just as familiar to people as is plastic.

Doill Ecotec produces about 10,000 tonnes of WPC compounds and products per year with 50 employees on a floorspace of 10,000 m². And Jason explained that the company is proud of the stable quality of their products. The range of finished products comprises extruded or injection moulded WPC decking board, pergola, fences, siding, sound-proof wall profiles, window profiles, WPC cutting board, WPC chairs, cosmetics containers, flower pots, ball point pens and other daily products. And now also bottles…

After about one year of development, the bottles could be presented at Chinaplas 2016 in Shanghai.

“Many visitors from all over the world were interested in the bottles, as well as journalists from plastic magazines,” Jason proudly told bioplastics MAGAZINE. Jason described one of the biggest challenges in the development phase was finding the optimal wood content: “If the wood content is too high,

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/16] Vol. 11

there are technical problems such as burnt spots or small holes in the bottles,” he said. “On the other hand, if it is too low, the final bottle is not as eco-friendly as it could be.” While too much wood content leads to lower cost it also leads to lower properties compared to pure plastic. In the end, after optimizing the wood content, process parameters such as screw speed (RPM), extruder – and mould temperatures etc. Jason was able to produce functional bottles.

The main advantage of WPC bottles is their lower need for conventional plastics.

And Doill Ecotec is only using waste wood flour, i.e. the saw dust from wood processing.

Today the company offers WPC bottles in all shapes, e.g. round, square and oval in sizes of 1 litre. 200ml and 500 ml are also already tried and tested. Volumes larger than 1 litre will also be possible, as Jason is optimistic enough to tell.

The first square shampoo bottles can already be found on supermarket shelves in Korea, and people can buy them via the internet. Currently Doill is discussing potential blow moulding applications with customers from the packaging and the cosmetics sector.

Jason Lee: “As Nike’s slogan Just do it I just did it. And I hope that many readers and plastic product manufacturers will develop many kinds of biobased plastic products. We should care for our earth and also resolve environment problems.” MT www.doillecotec.com

Blow Moulding

A new, cost-effective route to PEF

S

ince the US Department of Energy named 2,5-Furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) as one of the top 12 platform chemicals, it has been considered a holy grail for bioplastics, alongside its downstream polymer polyethylenefuranoate (PEF). However, the road has been bumpy and the main challenge is to find a process which allows price competitiveness with petro-based alternatives. Brand owners also need to get on board – Coca-Cola’s PlantBottle may replace all its petro-based bottles by 2020 as promised, but more brands need to make similar commitments.

However, we are one step closer to bringing FDCA and PEF to market. A hydrothermal processing (HTP) technology developed by Swiss biotechnology company AVA-CO2 yields substantial advantages over other technologies.

Other processes use highly-toxic methanol as a solvent in dehydrating fructose which must be eliminated by an extra, costly distillation and purification step. Methanol-based processes also immediately transform most of the 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (5HMF) into 5-MMF (Methoxymethylfurfural), which is inefficient and impacts negatively on yields. AVA-CO2’s process uses water as a solvent, meaning a less costly, more environmentallyfriendly process, which leads to better LCA results and significantly higher yields.

duction plants. The HTP technology now supports the main FDCA oxidation routes – biological, enzymatic, chemical and electro-chemical oxidation of 5-HMF to FDCA. This flexibility, in combination with AVA-CO2’s innovative process, will make a difference in the race to PEF. Compared to PET, PEF is a more sustainable option, with a 50 % less carbon footprint and better recyclability.

It also has many superior product characteristics – with higher tensile strength and improved gas barriers in oxygen, CO2 and moisture, PEF allows for energy savings and reductions in material use compared to PET. This leads to a longer shelf life, thereby reducing food waste.

Recent joint development announcements across the value chain show that PEF is regarded as an important strategic development. For AVA-CO2, a large-scale sugar-based production plant (LSPP) is already in the pipeline. Set to produce 30,000 tonnes/year of FDCA in a first phase, the LSPP will ramp up to 120,000 tonnes/ year of FDCA at full capacity. Set to come online in 2019/2020, a first round of financing for the plant has already been completed by AVACO2.

AVA-CO2 also recently announced a simple interface which allows a tailored use of different solvents, e.g. acetic acid, in existing FDCA oxidation processes. This solvent switch allows 5-HMF to be used as a drop-in for purified terephthalic acid (PTA) proGeneric bottle picture (not PEF) (Shutterstock, HSNphotography)

AVA-CO2 is in talks with industry leaders to develop new downstream chemistry pathways and exploit the potential of 5-HMF, FDCA and PEF. The LSPP will accelerate market development of 100 % sugar-based beverage and food packaging.

Through PEF, sugarbased chemicals and polymers for the mass market are just around the corner. MT www.ava-co2.com

bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/16] Vol. 11

17

Application News

Clear packaging from

New certified coffee-

Bio-PET 30

capsules

The company Seufert Transparente Verpackungen (Rodgau, Germany) can now offer a new material: BioPET. It allows producing resource-saving transparent packaging at nearly the same costs as traditional clear packaging. Seufert is working with Bio-PET film, which is partly manufactured from renewable resources. I.e. the 30 % by wt MEG (monoethylene glycol) is produced from sugar cane, while the 70 % by wt. terephthalic acid (PTA) are still made from petroleum. However, worldwide research into finding a plant based alternative for the PTA content is still ongoing. Bio-PET may be transformed into clear folding boxes, transparent sleeves and die cuts in the same way as standard PET.

Bonga Red Mountain: Wild coffee from Ethiopian rainforest project is now available in compostable coffee capsules / aluminum-free and biobased.

The company Original Food from Freiburg, Germany, has worked on a solution concerning the challenges of conventional aluminium capsules and is now prepared to launch the first certified compostable coffee capsule for the Nespresso-system.

The capsule is not only aluminum-free and biobased but also contains one of the best coffees in the world: Bonga Red Mountain wild coffee from the Ethiopian region of Kaffa.

For over 12 years, Original Food has been marketing this premium wild coffee as active contribution to the preservation of the decimated rainforest and has been leading the way in sustainability.

For this reason, it was only logical for the founder, Florian Hammerstein, to invest in the development of an environmental-compatible capsule.

“Premium wild coffee, such as Bonga Red Mountain, which is not only collected in a rainforest project in Ethiopia but also traded fair and processed environmentally friendly does not belong into a regular plastic capsule” argues Florian Hammerstein, founder and CEO of Original Food. “Even so, it is our aim to share this unique taste with fans of capsule machines and that is precisely why we have been researching for an ideal solution: the compostable coffee capsule.”

The benefits are clear. Thanks to using more renewable resources, less raw material derived from petroleum is needed. This is a subject consumers are attaching more and more importance to and which allows differentiation.

Using Bio-PET, brand owners may emphasis their position and attract attention to their products. For Seufert comparable “plant based materials, such as PLA, had one big drawback – price,“ as managing director Thomas Pfaff explains: “our packaging from Bio-PET is now available at nearly the same price as transparent packaging from traditional PET”. Until the end of the year, the German company has a special offer for those, who would like to try Bio-PET: CO2 emissions resulting from manufacturing of packaging from Bio-PET will be compensated through the carbon neutral scheme from natureOffice. For a couple of years, Seufert has been offering their customers carbon neutral printing in cooperation with natureOffice. This service will be free of charge for all users of Bio-PET until end of 2016.

With the new Bonga Red Mountain coffee capsule Original Food advocates a capsule that avoids the growing wastage: the capsule consists of a specially developed PLA based bioplastic on the basis of renewable resources such as corn or sugar cane. For the lid a very compacted paper is used.

In order to increase the aroma preservation, two capsules are packed in one compostable organic wrapping. Both the biodegradability of the entire capsule and the bioplastic wrapping are certified according to European standard DIN EN 13432. As evidence, the capsule is furthermore authorized to display the OK-compost sign as well as the Seedling by European Bioplastics. MT

Biobased PET is being transformed into transparent packaging solutions in the same way as the usual PET films: offset and screen printing, cutting, stamping and gluing are managed in house at Seufert’s. Another advantage – especially compared to other materials respecting the environment – is that Bio-PET can be recycled together with conventional PET. MT www.seufert.com www.originalfood.de

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Application News

New PLA tamper-evident seal yields cost savings for customers New Hampshire (USA) - based eatSafe, LLC, a global leader in tamper-evident seals for the packaging industry, has developed and launched ecoSafe, a shrink film designed to save money on packaging costs while being environmentally friendly. ecoSafe is a biodegradable PLA shrink film manufactured from sustainable, 100 % annually renewable plant sugars to create a proprietary polylactide polymer. It caters to a growing number of companies who wish to package their products in more environmentally responsible manner. ecoSafe material is far superior environmentally to oil-based PET, polyethylene, PVC and polypropylene films, which use 20 – 250 % more non-renewable energy during production and produce 4 – 6 times more greenhouse gases during their life cycle. ecoSafe can be composted in industrial facilities, or incinerated with no volatile compounds (VOCs) and low residue created during burning.

“Our customers tell us they are searching for more eco-friendly and greener-living packaging choices,” said Wayne Summerford, president of eatSafe. “ecoSafe fills that need, and works in traditionally more difficult applications like nested materials, shrink bundling, and multi-packing. We have had success not only with food manufacturers and contract packagers who are concerned about food safety, but also in the general packaging marketplace.” ecoSafe heat shrink film is roll stock and can be ordered in any width from 1 to 10 inches. It is designed to be utilized with the eatSafe Ringer, an automatic tamper-evident shrink banding machine. ecoSafe film is formed into a tamper-evident seal with an easy-open feature; no scissors are required and there are no sharp edges left after opening. A tamper-evident seal is required by the Food & Drug Administration on certain classes of products but is also widely used in the packaging industry due to its superior level of safety as compared to a simple tamper-resistant seal. ecoSafe’s customers report cost savings after making the switch from preform shrink bands to ecoSafe PLA roll stock applied with the eatSafe Ringer machine, says the company. Together, ecoSafe shrink film and the eatSafe Ringer machine replace the labor-intensive and costly existing technologies such as preform shrink bands, sleeves and safety stickers and labels. The savings are said to be primarily in labor, freight and inventory, but there is also a reduction in administrative and warehouse costs. “ecoSafe is much more environmentally-conscious than PET, PVC, polyethylene and polypropylene films,“ said Summerford.

“In addition, ecoSafe’s biobased PLA material consumes far less non-renewable energy during production than any other type of shrink film currently on the market.” KL/MT www.eatsafepackaging.com

PA 410 for automotive cooling systems Royal DSM, a global science-based company active in health, nutrition and materials, is extending its portfolio of high performance materials that answer the need in demanding automotive applications for hydrolysis resistance across a wide range of temperatures. The portfolio is targeted at numerous water-cooling related applications under the hood and includes a hydrolysis-resistant grade of its high performance bio-based polyamide, EcoPaXX. DSM’s extensive portfolio of materials based on bio-polyamides 410 (EcoPaXX®) are all inherently resistant to hydrolysis. One particular grade, EcoPaXX Q-HG6/7, is very well suited for applications such as expansion tanks that need to resist coolants at high temperatures. The lower density allows part weight to be cut by as much as 30 % compared with polyamide 66. A recentlydeveloped thin-walled “T” connector for a coolant hose in this grade has just been approved for use by a major German car manufacturer, and is scheduled to go into commercial production in the next few months.

The connector needs to withstand high internal pressures at temperatures of up to 135 °C—something that is not possible with PA66. “EcoPaXX offers strength and reliability even in critical areas like the weld lines (areas where different flow fronts merge) in complex designs,” says Thomas Selberdinger, Sales Manager Automotive, at DSM. MT www.dsm.com

bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/16] Vol. 11

19

Application News

FORMcard

www.formcard.co

Formcard is a project that was successfully funded on Kickstarter on the 6th December with over 2,000 backers and 816 % funding.

The product is a handy, pocket sized card of strong, meltable biopolastic that can be used to make, fix and modify virtually anything in everyday life. It just needs to be droped it in a cup of hot water and it’s ready to use. “Everyone should keep one in their wallet, toolbox or kitchen drawer so that it’s always around when you need to fix something,” says Peter Marigold, founder of Formcard.

FORMcards are instant. When they are cool, they are ready to use to fix things quickly in emergency situations, like when a handle breaks on a tool, or a button falls off the jacket. The material is strong like nylon, as the inventor states, so it can be used for long lasting solutions. When very hot the material sticks well to other plastics, which is good for repairing things, such as broken plastic toys, tools or anything you may think of.

FORMcards are reusable, so if you something does not fulfil the expectations or is no longer needed it can just be molten back down again. Great for making toys when the kids grow up.

The handy cards can be used anywhere where hot water is available. In a cafe to fix a broken umbrella, or around a campfire to fix a broken tent pole. The material can be used to make tool covers... fix plastic shovels... it’s even strong enough to make a basic wrench in an emergency!

FORMcards are made from a starch based bio-plastic that is totally non-toxic. Peter has worked closely with both the chemical company, the moulders and even the colorant suppliers to ensure this is the case, even to go as far as rejecting the easy use of universal pigments which contain styrenes in favour of powder pigments. “This is messier for us, but better for you and everyone else,“ as Peter points out. And he is proud that his FORMcards are produced entirely in the U.K. MT

Biobased Ring Binders At the United Soybean Board’s Biobased Stakeholders’ Dialogue held at the USDA headquarters Samsill Corporation presented its new Earth’s Choice Biobased ring binders.

The company from Fort Worth, Texas, USA, joined Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and an array of biobased stakeholders earlier this month in Washington, D.C. at the United Soybean Board’s Biobased Stakeholders’ Dialogue held at the USDA headquarters.

Samsill displayed its new Earth’s Choice Biobased ring binders. The company combined 100 % post-consumer recycled chipboard - with plastic containing 25 % of Green Polyethylene, a bioplastic made from sugarcane ethanol, a 100 % renewable source which promotes the reduction of greenhouse gasses. The finished product is at least 69 % bio-based (tested using ASTM D-6866) and is a USDA Certified Bio-based Product.

“At Samsill, we are committed to educating consumers and delivering new and unique biobased products to a wide range of consumer markets. We are excited to participate in the Biobased Stakeholder’s Dialogue and thank the United Soybean Board for hosting such an important event.” explained Drew Bowers, VP of Marketing at Samsill.

Earlier versions of the Earth’s Choice binder were marketed as “biodegradable with a polypropylene cover formulated to biodegrade in microbial landfill”. However, Drew recognized the downsides of using additive induced “landfill-degradable” plastics, which is a good approach. “We have always felt and still do that biobased i. e. the the origin of the raw material is more important to help us making a better sustainable product. Companies like Coca-Cola have done a great job marketing this feature and helping to educate consumers,” Drew said to bioplastics MAGAZINE MT www.samsill.com

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Application News

bio-PA for drinking water-contact applications Royal DSM (Heerlen, The Netherlands), is taking its EcoPaXX® polyamide into an important new market – drinking water contact applications. Use of this material offers a high-performance, lead-free option for applications such as faucet mixing valves.

The water management market is looking for high-performance polymers that are able to withstand the stringent requirements of hot-water contact, while still meeting all major drinking water approval schemes.

Legislation also has been driving replacement of metals in applications that involve direct contact with drinking water. Brass and other metals traditionally have been used for such applications as faucets, water-meter and boiler components.

Lead contamination in drinking water is a major concern worldwide, leading to more stringent regulation on lead limits in drinking water. This has driven the industry to look for alternatives, and engineering plastics such as EcoPaXX offer a completely lead-free solution, and fully comply with those regulations.

Leading industry players already are successfully using EcoPaXX Q-DWX10, a 50 % glass-fiber-reinforced polyamide 410, for faucet mixing valves because of its outstanding performance. This material enables the design of faucet mixing valves with lower risk of part failure and water leakage, a key focus for the industry.

Faucet mixing valves need to provide long-term durability and perform reliably when in contact with both warm (60 °C) and hot water (90 °C). EcoPaXX offers superior toughness, better hydrolysis resistance and dimensional stability than other polyamide-based materials. It not only is lead-free, but also yields improved torque and bending strength, even after extended exposure to boiling water. EcoPaXX absorbs 30 % less water and offers superior chemical resistance, which is especially important when in contact with chlorinated water. It has passed more than 1 million lifetime cycles testing in varying water temperatures, and fully complies with all major drinking water certifications, such as NSF61 and KTW. Externally validated by international lifecycle assessment experts, EcoPaXX base polymer is carbon-neutral from cradle to gate. Compared to polyphthalamide (PPA) resins with similar function, EcoPaXX compounds offer a 30 % lower carbon footprint. Additionally, the material shows excellent flow and processability, resulting in high weld-line strength, and can be processed like any other standard polyamide material.

Having recognized this trend, DSM is further extending its portfolio of specialty materials suitable for addressing the full spectrum of drinking water contact uses. The company already offers EcoPaXX and ForTii™ – inherently hydrolysis-resistant grades that are based on polyamides 410 and 4T, respectively. It also recently added Xytron™ PPS compounds, which are ideal when very high dimensional stability is needed.

“With the successful commercialization of EcoPaXX polyamide 410 in faucet mixing valves, DSM has proven its ability to offer solutions for highly critical drinking water contact applications,” says Caroline Mitterlehner, business responsible for the water management segment at DSM. “DSM is already active in many high-heat and water-contact applications in other industries, such as cooling-systems in automotive. We are now successfully translating this competence of resistance to hydrolytic environments into the drinking water contact market, where temperatures are lower, but required lifetimes are typically much longer.” www.dsm.com

Weatherproof jacket made from sugar The outdoor brand Bergans (Hokksund, Norway) recently marked a milestone in the outdoor clothing industry with the development of the first plant-based, technical weatherproof jacket – the Eidfjord.

The Eidfjord is a lightweight, technical, 3-layer waterproof breathable jacket using a new fabric called Ecodear™. Ecodear was a co-development project between Bergans and the Japanese company Toray. It’s a 30 % plant-based environmentally friendly polyester, designed to reduce the amount of petroleum-based materials used in apparel, and thus their overall carbon footprint.

The Ecodear is used on the outer layer of the jacket. The Ecodear fabric retains its highly technical performance due to the chemical structure of the Ecodear polyester being identical to conventionally produced polyester.

Another component is Toray’s well-known waterproof, windproof and highly breathable membrane Dermizax®.

Bergans developed Ecodear in partnership with Toray. It is made partly from molasses, a waste product of sugar production, and helps to reduce the amount of petroleum-based materials used in jacket production and their overall carbon footprint. As for the Eidfjord’s outdoor features, it was designed specifically for hiking and all-weather outdoor use, with an extended back, fixed hood customized for helmets, laser cut and welded seams, front pockets designed to not interfere with a pack’s hip belt, articulated elbows, long underarm zips for ventilation, and tailored cuffs with Velcro closure. MT www.bergans.com

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Toymakers are the vanguard of material innovation

T

h e r e may be no other product m a r k e t with more consumer choices than toys, hundreds of model trains, trucks and cars, are bidding for consumer attention. So, perhaps it’s not surprising that toymakers are continually striving to differentiate their toys from similar products on the shelf. One strategy for distinguishing toys from those of competitors is through material selection. This has led toymakers to become early adopters of alternatives to petroleum-based plastics.

Plastics are seemingly the ideal raw material for toys.

They’re relatively inexpensive, easy to clean, durable and can be molded into just about anything a child’s imagination is capable of cooking up. While wood, textiles and metals can no doubt still be found in an average toy box, these materials have largely been supplanted by the now-ubiquitous plastic toy. Teethers, rattlers, stack toys, play food and other early childhood toys especially are all reliably made from plastics these days.

But the mass production made feasible by the qualities above has created its own set of problems. As will surprise no one familiar with mass consumption and its green backlash, the products we make – plastics in this case – are prone to unintended consequences. Environmental degradation, exposure to harmful chemicals and the problem of waste plague all industries. But given the ubiquity of plastic toys in stores, classrooms and nurseries, the toy manufacturing industry faces the twin prospects of having a uniquely massive carbon footprint and the severest consequences for a vulnerable userbase if it neglects to make a change to more sustainable plastics.

These concerns have prompted toymakers to seek new options for using more sustainable plastics over petroleum-based incumbents. The following are some of the most promising spins on an old material, both from a sustainability and performance perspective, that toymakers are exploring with some success: Bio-based plastics like PLA, PHA and starch polymers made with renewable feedstocks instead of petroleum-based feedstock used in traditional plastics for toys that do not deplete our finite natural resources.

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Biocomposite plastics combine natural fibers or wood flour with recycled, biodegradable or biobased plastics to create durable weather-resistant toys.

Biodegradable plastics like PLA, PHA or compostable soft plastic elastomer can be used to make toys that can be returned to nature when their useful life has ended.

Why toymakers are on the lookout for more sustainable plastics A sort of symbolism plays into the exploration of alternative, sustainable plastic materials [1] for toys.

When toymakers break from petroleum-based feedstock for the toys, and instead explore more environmentallyfriendly raw materials, they signify an interest in what sort of planet their users will grow up to inherit.

Sustainable plastics, made with bio-based, biocomposite or biodegradable raw materials reflect a desire to preserve our planet’s natural resources and ensure their toys leave a legacy of innovation and care rather than waste and degradation. And, it turns out, what initially makes sense about toymakers exploring sustainable plastics makes even more when you think about what they’re subbing out in exchange.

Many of the chemicals used to give

Toys

By: Kevin Ireland Communications Manager Green Dot Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, USA

plastic their flexibility – plasticizers as they are known – have been shown to be endocrine disruptors [2] and linked to the development of tumors, birth defects and developmental disorders. Both the United States [3] and the European Union have had a ban on the use of certain types of phthalates for years. Especially for young children, there is a fear that chewing on or heating the toys can exacerbate the harmful effects of exposure to chemicals like phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA) and heavy metals. Removing these chemicals, as well as others like PVC, should be a major thrust for toymakers looking to avoid exposing children to potentially harmful substances during the important period of early childhood development.

Once toymakers begin exploring options for less toxic materials, they often also find an unexpected marriage between sustainability and performance. Starch-based plastics are ideal for scenting, allowing toymakers to create imaginative products, like Colorado toymaker, BeginAgain’s Scented Scoops ice cream play set. The toy is made with Green Dot’s Terratek® Flex, compostable elastomeric bioplastic. This starch-based material allowed the toymaker to use fragrances to create scoops that smell good enough to eat (cf bM 05/12, 05/14, 02/15.

Biocomposite materials, which utilize natural fibers such as wood pulp, flax, starch and hemp, can bring performance characteristics such as durability, natural feel and even buoyancy to the fore. Connecticut toymaker, Luke’s Toy Factory, chose to use Green Dot’s Terratek® WC, a wood-plastic composite made from reclaimed wood fibers and recycled plastic. The material provided the aesthetics of wood with the processing capabilities of plastic. The wood-plastic composite material was more weather resistant than wood or plastic alone and the parts could be colored when molded, avoiding the risk of splinters and peeling paint (cf. bM 05/14) There are many examples of toymakers using bioplastics and biocomposites as seen in this publication. These innovative materials give toymakers a degree of flexibility and chance for creativity that’s lacking with traditional plastic formulations. These alternatives to traditional oil-based plastics help to make their toys stand out in a crowded market place by distinguishing their products as safer, more durable and more sustainable. www.GreenDotPure.com.

G N I K N I H RE T S C I T S A L P mber 2016 29/30 Nove er Hotel Berlin Steigenberg

REGISTER NOW! For more information email: conference@european-bioplastics.org

[1] http://www.greendotpure.com/why-sustainable-plastics/ [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_disruptor [3] https://www.cpsc.gov/en/Business--Manufacturing/BusinessEducation/Business-Guidance/Phthalates-Information/ [4] http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-99-829_en.htm?locale=en

@EUBioplastics #eubpconf2016 www.conference.european-bioplastics.org bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/16] Vol. 11

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Bio-alternatives for soft PVC Bio-alternatives for plasticized vinyl chloride polymers

Introduction Table 1: Composition of PVC Bio-alternatives developed by SKZ Component

Content (wt.%)

Biopolymers (matrix)

57,0

Other polymers (elastic component)

5,0

Bio based plasticizer (softening agent)

19,5

Fillers (inorganic ingredients)

16,0

Additives (coupling agents, lubricants, etc.)

2,5

Vinyl chloride polymer (PVC) has grown to be one of the major plastics of the world and is the third most important polymer with regard to its production volume. For soft PVC (PVC-p) plasticizers from renewable resources have been developed and are increasingly used. Nevertheless, the petrochemical based PVC matrix mostly remains the same.

In cooperation of SKZ (Würzburg), Tecnaro (Islfeld), Schleich (Schwäbisch Gmünd) and Konrad Hornschuch (Weißbach, all Germany), sustainable alternative materials for PVC-p on the basis of renewable raw materials have been developed. To achieve this goal various bio based polymers were modified in a way that flexible materials with comparable characteristics to PVC-p were obtained. The materials are to be used predominantly for manufacturing of toys and table coverings.

Figure 1: Build-up of the compounding line used: 1 - Compounder; 2 - Solid dosage; 3 - Liquid dosage; 4 - Atmospheric degassing; 5 - Water bath; 6 - Conveyer belt; 7 - Pelletizer

Formulations and Process In the course of the project, different bio based compounds were developed, which can be used as alternative materials for PVC-p. These materials consist of commercially available (PHB-based) biopolymers, biobased plasticizers, inorganic fillers as well as different additives (see Table 1).

The compounds were prepared by melt mixing on a corotating twin-screw extruder Leistritz ZSE27Maxx (L = 1,188 mm and D = 27 mm). To be able to incorporate a large amount of plasticizer in the polymer matrix, a suitable screw configuration was designed. All components were dosed gravimetrically. The extruded strands were passed through a water bath and transported to pelletizer using a conveyer belt (see figure 1).

45

400

Material Properties

40

350

35

300

30

250

25

200

The test samples were cut from injection moulded plates. Weight loss after storage for 7 days at 70 °C as well as Shore D hardness and tensile properties according to DIN EN ISO 527 (Young’s modulus, tensile strength and elongation at break) were determined. The comparison of the bio based materials developed by SKZ with the standard PVC-p used for toys production is presented in figure 2 and 3.

20

150

15

24

Bio alternative 1

Bio alternative 2

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PVC-p

100

Young‘s modulus (MPa)

Hardness (Shore D)

Figure 2: Hardness and Young’s modulus of biobased materials developed by SKZ compared to standard PVC-p, used for the toys production.

After compounding, the pellets were air dried at 80 °C for 4 h in a Motan-Colortronic drying chamber, type Luxor 50 and injection moulded into plates 150 x 100 x 2 mm3 using a Battenfeld TM 1300 machine.

The biobased materials for toys manufacturing developed by SKZ show a lower hardness, a slightly higher Young’s modulus as well as considerably higher elongation at break compared to conventional PVC-p.

Toys

By: Nikola Kocić, Martin Bastian, Bernhard Ulmer, Marieluise Lang, Peter Heidemeyer German Plastics Center SKZ Dirk Schawaller, Michael Schweizer, Helmut Nägele Tecnaro GmbH

The project is conducted in the framework of the program “Biobased Polymers and Biobased Natural Fibre Reinforced Plastics” of the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture and financially supported via the Agency of Renewable Resources (FNR)..

Figure 4: Horse „Falabella“ made by Schleich GmbH using the biobased materials developed at SKZ

Frank Waiblinger Konrad Hornschuch AG

Figure 3: Elongation at break and tensile strength of biobased materials developed by SKZ compared to standard PVC-p, used for the toys production.

350

70

300

60

250

50

200

40

150

30

100

20

50

10

0

Bio alternative 1

Bio alternative 2

PVC-p

Tensile strength (MPa)

Based on the results obtained by SKZ, the upscaling trials were performed by Tecnaro GmbH. In scope of these trials, further biobased materials (special grades of Arboblend) with special consideration of the economic aspects were developed. The mechanical and thermal properties of the biobased materials obtained by Tecnaro are equal to that of the commercial PVC-p materials. Furthermore, the new biobased materials show better thermal resistance than PVC-p. The paintability as well as the paint adherence of the injection moulded toys made of Tecnaro’s biobased materials were examined and confirmed. As example, the demonstrator toy „Tigerjunges“ produced and painted by Schleich GmbH are shown in figure 5.

Bernd Kugler Schleich GmbH

Elongation at break (%)

A slightly lower tensile strength of the biobased materials can be compensated through adaptation of the part design. The amount of renewable raw materials (without filler) in the developed compounds is approx. 64 wt.%. The materials exhibit good processability regarding injection moulding with the processing temperature being 50 °C lower than that of PVC-p. This considerably reduces the energy consumption and the related production costs.

Additionally, toys made of biobased materials showed good results regarding coloring. The first demonstrator toy, the horse “Falabella”, was produced by Schleich GmbH and directly coloured under serial conditions. The result is presented in figure 4.

0

www.skz.de

Figure 5: „Tigerjunges“ made by Schleich GmbH using the bio based materials developed by Tecnaro GmbH

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PHA resins for toys

W

ithin just a few years it will be possible to give all children eco-sustainable, biodegradable safe toys free from toxic substances. In the future this will be normal but in order to make this future arrive as soon as possible researchers are developing new solutions based on biopolymers that are capable of replicating and improving the thermo-mechanical, functional and aesthetic properties of the plastics in use today.

“With our new Supertoys bioplastic, we think we can make a decisive contribution to the toys industry,” Marco Astorri, Chairman of Bio-on told bioplastics MAGAZINE. Bio‑on is an Italian company specialised in the development of biopolymers “100 % biodegradable in nature and made from renewable waste sources, without any competition with food supply chains”, as Marco said.

This new special grade called Minerv PHA Supertoys has been used for the first time in the manufacture of building bricks. “Consumers around the world are now aware that today’s plastic is not suitable for children,” explained Marco Astorri, “You only have to read the thousands of online forums to realise this enormous shift in opinion.

We know that these phenomena are unstoppable and it is precisely for this reason that we launched the Minerv PHA Supertoys project, which to date has no commercial goal and aims solely to demonstrate whether or not specific, eco-sustainable and completely biodegradable formulations can be created for making toys that are safe for children and the environment, without losing out on the end product’s functionality and aesthetic. This is very important for us: we want to introduce a new development methodology that places commercial and financial aspects on a secondary level, to be considered at a later stage, and focuses instead on the social aspect of the innovation.”

Based on the Minerv PHA biopolymer developed by Bio-on and already tested in dozens of applications, from automotive to design to biomedical, Supertoys is safe, hygienic and biodegradable, it meets and exceeds the provisions of the recent European Directive 2009/48/EC, known as the TSD (Toy Safety Directive), implemented into the standard international procedure for toy safety evaluation EN 71. The research project is open to all laboratories and companies around the world working on toy design and aims to create two types of bioplastic by the end of 2017: Minerv PHA Supertoys type “R”, rigid and strong, and Minerv PHA Supertoys type “F”, ductile and flexible.

To demonstrate the characteristics of this innovative material, LEGO®-style stacking bricks in different colours have been produced. “We chose this product,” explained Mario Astorri, who founded Bio-on in 2007, “because it is very hard to make. It has a tolerance of 2 thousandths of a millimetre and the fact that we have succeeded in guaranteeing such a high quality level gives us confidence

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Toys Buss Laboratory Kneader MX 30-22

for future developments.” Bio-on is currently in contact with almost all the major players in the plastic toys sector, but the first partner with whom it began a collaboration is Italeri (Calderara di Reno, Italy), a long-standing leader in the static scale modelling field that designs, produces and sells in over 50 countries around the world and has a catalogue of hundreds of pieces, from the humble soldier to the aircraft carrier, with highly complex moulds.

“We have always been very attentive in our choice of plastics,” said Gian Pietro Parmeggiani, who in 1962 founded Italeri near Bologna with Giuliano Malservisi, “and being able to create new models today with an eco-sustainable and completely natural material projects us towards the future. We feel involved in a journey, more than a simple business deal, that will bear fruit in the coming years.” One of the company’s reasons for collaborating with Bio-on on the development of this material was the strategic decision to win back the young and particularly the under 14s: an interesting challenge for a sector that seemed to have been abandoned by the young.

However, Italeri has succeeded in bringing 3,500 students from some twenty schools (between 11 and 18 years of age) from the Emilia Romagna region into a collaboration project with the Italian Ministry of Education to teach modelling technique. “In many schools around the world, there is a return to the manual activities lost through excessive use of computers and smartphones,” explains Parmeggiani, “with this project and through modelling, we want to show the usefulness of manual activities in education. To be able to do that in the future with Supertoys natural products will place us at the cutting-edge in the coming years and in general will give undisputed added value to our production, including that targeting adults.”

Buss Kneader Technology

Leading Compounding Technology for heat and shear sensitive plastics

Italeri’s technicians and Bio-on’s researchers are running dozens of tests thanks to the availability of the many different-sized moulds used for the 600 models, including military vehicles, helicopters, ships, trucks, cars and motorcycles, for an overall production of approximately 1,500 items. For now, Supertoys development is at the experimental stage and no criticality has been encountered.

For more than 60 years Buss Kneader technology

All of this began at the laboratories of Bio-on, which designed and patented the world’s first fully bio-based PHAs plastic (certified since 2014 by the United States Department of Agriculture – USDA) and 100 % naturally biodegradable in water and soil (certified since 2008 by Vinçotte) without the use of chemical solvents. This exceptional product is obtained through the natural fermentation of bacteria fed by by-products from the agricultural industry with no competition with food supply chains. Bio-on biopolymers have exceptional properties that adapt to the injection and extrusion methods currently in use in the plastic industry and can cover a vast range of strategic applications: biomedical, packaging, design, clothing, automotive… and now toys too. MT

> Uniform and controlled shear mixing

www.bio-on.it

has been the benchmark for continuous preparation of heat and shear sensitive compounds – a respectable track record that predestines this technology for processing biopolymers such as PLA and PHA.

> Extremely low temperature profile > Precise temperature control > High filler loadings

Buss AG Switzerland www.busscorp.com

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Toys for a better future

F

rom its early beginnings at the end of 2009, Bioserie was created with a vision: to bring customers high quality, well designed durable consumer goods allowing them to enjoy the benefits of advanced green materials technology. Cutting-edge, beautiful products with a clean conscience.

After years of research, during which the brand has fine tuned a unique mix of fully biobased materials based on PLA providing exceptionally good results in terms of heat resistance and durability, and successful releases of phone accessories products, the brand has embarked on a journey to bring young parents the future of toys since 2014. What best category to make a point than the start of it all!

Becoming a mom and dad is often a turning point in priorities. Consumption criteria, amongst others, are affected. As parents strive to build the best for their babies, they naturally question what products are made of. The majority of them, close or above 80 % depending on the geography where they live, are ready to go for organic, green or ethical labels whenever they can afford it, e. g. in the food and/or hygiene department. When it comes to durable goods, there is indeed a growing awareness about the dangers of certain plastic, and a similar readiness to go for more sustainable products.

Baby toys shelves are crowded with plastics. They look nice, with lots of fancy colors and shapes, yet one cannot but have read at least one article about the dangers of certain types of plastics.

The usual suspects and most regulated are BPA, Phthalathes and Styrenes, known for their endocrine disruption or antiandrogenic effects.

The problem is, it’s rather impossible to get the full scope of oil-based ingredients tested, and even if we could do so, the impact of exposure to this type of chemicals may not be immediate. That is, babies exposed to certain traditional plastics may not show any symptom for years, but the consequences of exposure to these petroleum-based chemicals may show up when they become teenagers or adults.

And that’s how Kaya Kaplancali, co-founder and COO of Hong Kong based Bioserie explains the development of their toy range: “Oil based plastics can contain potentially hazardous chemicals for human health, as suggested by numerous respectable studies published within the last two decades. Our Bioplastic products contain none of those hazardous petrochemicals. We hope to accelerate the recognition and adoption of bioplastic products by addressing the needs of consumers who are sensitive about the safety and toxicity of the products they buy for their children. In other words, inherent safety of bioplastics help us shine so it’s easier to tell our story to consumers who are not familiar with this new and innovative industry.”

Stephanie Triau, co-founder and CEO of Bioserie added: “As a parent, it’s very hard to know for sure that a product won’t have any negative health effects on your baby. The information on toy packages is either inadequate, too technical for a normal person to understand or at times misleading. This problem is eliminated with Bioserie’s use of plant-based materials that are naturally free of any harmful substances associated with oil-based plastics.”

Bioserie provides young parents with one of the safest alternatives for their little ones. Their products are actually the first ever baby toys to obtain a 100 % biobased certification from the USDA, which means they have been tested to contain no fossil carbon (ASTM 6866). That’s a guarantee for them that their babies won’t lick, bite or chew anything derived from petroleum.

What’s more, Bioserie’s baby toys are smartly made.

Bioserie’s founders are young parents and have had their

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own experience of what makes the success of a toy in the house. Basically, a toy that works is one that both the baby and the parents will pick from the shelf happily, and that won’t just sit there.

They found out three elements were key: color, versatility (the toy should be used in many ways and facilitate concept explorations) and convenience (the toy should ideally be easy to carry along, and should be washable in case it gets dirty).

Bioserie’s product range is catered to 0 to 2 years old. It aims at bringing down-to-earth play essentials to support young babies in their early discoveries and be their companions into toddlerhood. Designed with the support of infant development specialists, they are also super-easy to clean, even in a dishwasher at specified temperatures when necessary (a great feature for the home, and that also means the toys are easy to share with others – in pre-school/nurseries environments or within the family and friends circle).

Currently, five products are available.

Star teether – a simple star-shaped teether that’s easy to grasp, with dimples to soothe sore gums, available in green and orange; Dumbbell Rattle – already a best seller, this dumbbell shaped rattle is extremely well balanced and allows babies to experiment with sounds and develop their understanding of cause and effect as some rattling balls play hide and seek in the handle;

Germany, Austria, Scandinavia, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Spain, Portugal, Korea, Hong Kong, Australia, USA, Canada, Caribbean).

Being asked where they’d like to see the brand in five years, Kaya said: “We would like Bioserie to have a firm foothold on baby products market, worldwide. We would like to become a well-recognised durable consumer products brand and our sights are set on diversifying into other durable consumer product categories in the future.

It is particularly exciting to make a point that it is possible to develop and run a business that truly respects our planet and the health of its inhabitants.”

Sounds like toys are only the beginning! MT www.bioserie.com

Round Rattle – easy to pass from hand to hand, it’s another way to play with sounds and it’s easy to hang to anything around; Shape sorting and stacking cube – a new variation on the shape sorting concept that also allows to understand the concept of size as the pieces can go in or onto the cube that serves as a base.

2-in-1 Stacker – a toy with eight pieces and many ways of mounting, no right or wrong, a base that can wobble and stay stable, wins the attention of small and bigger kids around; These products have recently won a prestigious consumer award in the Netherlands, the newly created Green Awards of the Baby Innovation awards.

Last but not least, these baby toys are kind to the environment. Because they’re made from annually renewable materials, they do not deplete the planet from anything that can’t grow again. While oil-based plastic toys rely on increasingly scarce resources and in the process of being manufactured may cause between 2 – 7 times their own weight in greenhouse gases to be emitted into our atmosphere, Bioserie toys are made from plants and they contribute considerably less greenhouse gases during their whole production chain.

The brand’s founders feel upbeat about their line’s potential as they’ve signed distribution agreements in many countries accross the world (France, UK, the Netherlands,

Drive Innovation Become a Member Join university researchers and industry members to push the boundaries of renewable resources and establish new processes and products.

www.cb2.iastate.edu See us at K 2016 October 19-26, 2016 Düsseldorf, Germany

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Toys are not child’s play

A

nd there is no better way to experience this first hand than with visiting a toy fair and being overwhelmed by the abundance of ideas, innovations and markets presented there.

At these fairs you often find a green corner, packed with wooden toys. Unfortunately the love for educational toys and natural materials, that eco-conscious parents often have, is not always shared with the offspring, who rather prefers the shiny plastic stuff. Biobased plastics could help to bridge the gap here, but the reasons for their application in the field of toys are as diverse as are the resulting products.

Wooden toys have a very long history and wood still is the go to for toy designers when putting emphasis on sustainability. It is very durable and can handle rough jobs but of course there are limitations, for example when it comes to flexibility or water contact. Biobased plastics can soften the boundaries and open the way for these applications too, while maintaining the renewable platform.

A charming example for an innovative and young toy company is Tic Toys (Leipzig, Germany), from the beginning concentrating on the use of wood and paper. They started out reinventing classic games and toys, always with a new touch to it. For a new sporty field game, inspired by a hoop game from the 17th century, they were searching for the right material for the ring. It should be tough enough to get back to its ring shape even after a sharp hit onto a concrete floor and of course: be biobased. Together with TECNARO (Ilsfeld, Germany) an ARBOBLEND® grade was chosen and since 2013 their Tualoop® is on the market, with a growing fan base. It can be played in variations like field game, golf or throwing targets and is recommended for children from the age of 6 but soon became a fun sport for adults, too.

A different field in the realm of toys is pioneered by the young company Boxine (Düsseldorf, Germany), digital innovators revolutionizing the concept of radio play. Steered by microchips and enabled through WiFi and the cloud, little figurines – the Tonies® – trigger a little radio cube – the toniebox® – to reveal audio content, which can be custom made or readily purchased together with the figurines. This concept opens doors to many new possibilities that are still being explored. But this is not only a digital revolution – to put the cherry on the cake Boxine starts to make figurines from Arboblend bioplastics.

Children can really put their environment to the test. For products especially designed for children, like toys, material engineers and quality managers have to anticipate, model and standardize these tests. Apart from the European children’s toys directive EN 71 there is a multitude of quality standards to be met, specific to the kind of toy.

Toy bricks also started out as wooden toys, later being replaced by injection moulded alternatives (already with a short period where bioplastics were used) steadily improving quality and becoming the interlocking bricks now so common. The newly launched LUCKYS® Natural Bricks (by EckPack from Darmstadt, Germany) are made from a novel biobased Arboblend grade specially designed as an equal alternative to ABS. Once again it is young, innovative and agile companies leading the way (back) to the future. MT www.tecnaro.de | www.tictoys.de www.tonies.de | www.luckys4kids.com

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LEGO looks for sustainable alternatives In 1958, in Billund Denmark, Godtfred Kirk Kristiansen invented a simple system for clicking together small bricks, enabling decades of imaginative play for young and old in more than 140 countries. LEGO® bricks make a positive impact through creative play, but, the Lego Group wants to do more; They also want to leave a positive impact on the planet our children will inherit. [1] That is why Lego is seeking for solutions to use sustainable materials for all core products and packaging by 2030. The Danish company is investing about EUR 135 million to make this ambitious challenge a reality.

About a year ago Jørgen Vig Knudstorp, CEO and President of the Lego Group, said “We have already taken important steps to reduce our carbon footprint and leave a positive impact on the planet by reducing the packaging size, by introducing FSC certified packaging and through our investment in an offshore wind farm. Now we are accelerating our focus on materials.” [2] The investment includes the establishment of a Lego Sustainable Materials Centre at the Group’s headquarters in Billund, Denmark. In order to achieve the challenging goal “to find alternative materials”, the Lego Group announced to hire more than 100 specialists within the materials field during the coming years.

Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen (Lego-group owner) said “Our mission is to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow.

We believe that our main contribution to this is through the creative play experiences we provide to children. The investment announced is a testament to our continued ambition to leave a positive impact on the planet, which future generations will inherit. It is certainly in line with the mission of the Lego Group and in line with the motto of my grandfather and founder of the Lego Group, Ole Kirk Kristiansen: Only the best is good enough”.

With about 77,000 tonnes of petroleum-based plastics to make 60 billion bricks and other pieces for its sets in 2014 [3], finding new, innovative and more sustainable materials to make these parts would significantly reduce the Lego Group’s impact on the planet [1, 2].

Photo: Courtesy LEGO A/S

To achieve these goals, Lego is working with suppliers, universities and partners such as World Wildlife Fund to research, develop and implement sustainable raw materials for Lego products and packaging [1]. An example is the new collaboration with WWF that was agreed in spring 2015 and focuses on better assessing the overall sustainability and environmental impact of new bio-based materials for Lego elements and packaging [2].

Erin Simon, Deputy Director, Sustainability R&D at World Wildlife Fund said “WWF is excited to work with the Lego Group to help meet our shared conservation challenges. By sourcing materials responsibly, we’re also helping to protect the ecosystems that we all rely on. We’re excited to help the Lego Group on its journey to source all of their materials responsibly.” [1] However, according to Tim Guy Brooks, Vice President Environmental Sustainability at Lego, “it is vital that any new materials introduced must meet our current quality, safety and play standards. The solution may not be one size fits all.

We’re considering a mix of solutions that may include the use of plant-based plastics…” [1].

In a Wall Street Journal report [3] Brooks said they won’t rule out any possibilities in their search for alternatives, but Lego prefers that their new plastic be derived from waste materials, such as corn stalk or other agricultural waste “that doesn’t appear to serve any other purpose.” [3] Besides all environmental aspects, quality and functionality is really a challenge. Each Lego piece, whether basic blocks or the swiveling parts of figurines or technical components such as excavator shovels, must interlock with other pieces with unchanging precision [3]. “Making Legos is incredibly precise,” as Tim Guy Brooks pointed out, “we mold it to about four-thousandths of a millimeter,” The currently used ABS is “very durable, holds color really well…it even has a particular sound.” [3].

During Natureworks’ Innovation Takes Root conference in 2015, Allan Rasmussen (then Plastic & Innovation Manager at Lego) told bioplastics MAGAZINE, that the force to hold Lego bricks together must be big enough that they don’t fall apart by themselves. On the other hand, this force must be small enough for 2 – 3 year old kids to take them apart when they want to.

Finding alternative materials, for example biobased plastics “is the right thing to do for Lego—fossil fuels are a finite resource and we know that,” Tim Guy Brooks said [3]. MT www.lego.com [1] Brooks, T.G.: Building up to sustainability: Lego Group’s journey, blog-post at http://www.worldwildlife.org/blogs/on-balance/posts/building-up-tosustainability-Lego-group-s-journey (27 April 2016) [2] Trangbæk R.R.: Lego Group to invest 1 billion dkk boosting search for sustainable materials (http://www.lego.com/en-us/aboutus/newsroom/2015/june/sustainable-materials-centre) [3] Chao, L.: Lego Tries to Build a Better Brick, http://www.wsj.com/articles/ Lego-tries-to-build-a-better-brick-1436734774 (July 2015)

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Toys

Cracking the code of durable

O

ver the past 50 years, thermoplastics have largely replaced metal and wood as the preferred materials used for toy manufacturing. Amongst all commodity thermoplastics, ABS is one of the most commonly selected resins for high-end toy applications that demand long-term durability.

Although ABS has been developed, refined and optimized over several decades to meet the performance requirements of the toy market, it has remained a fully fossil fuel-based material and includes a number of additives that have been identified as potentially harmful to human health and the environment (as defined by California’s Proposition 65 [1]). And then, enter Solegear Bioplastic Technologies who has focused its attention on developing bioplastics with maximum bio-based content for high performance markets like toys and other ABS applications. The company’s most recent research and development has led to the successful development of a new generation of durable biopolymers with over 95% bio-based content and performance characteristics that make it a real contender as a bio-based replacement for ABS. ABS or Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene is a ter-polymer in which each of the three polymers brings unique characteristics on their own and also in synergy with one another. Acrylonitrile (A) delivers mainly hardness and gloss, butadiene (B) creates impact resistance, and styrene (S) brings heat resistance, gloss and lowers the overall material cost. There are also significant differences in the ratio of each polymer and additive used in ABS

Table 1: P roperties for Novadur 650 (Lanxess Engineering Chemistry, Styrenics Resins Asia Pacific - Product Range and Reference Data (2006).)

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Property

Testing methods

Values

Specific gravity

ISO 1183

1.04

Tensile strength at break (MPa)

ISO 527

33

Elongation at yield, at break (%)

ISO 527

20

Tensile modulus (MPa)

ISO 527

2,250

Flexural strength (MPa)

ISO 178

68

Flexural modulus (MPa)

ISO 178

2,200

Notched IZOD Impact 23 °C (KJ/m2)

ISO 180

22

Heat distortion Temperature 1.80 MPa (°C)

ISO 75

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formulations, depending on their end-market uses (such as water drainage tubing, interior and exterior automotive parts, computer and printer housings, electrical and electronics casings, toys, – to name just a few). Formulations designed for plastic toys are in the upper spectrum of all ABS formulations, as high-end toys are expected to retain their gloss, mechanical and chemical resistance, as well as show no significant signs of aging over time. This is quite important, as toys are well known to retain sentimental value and be passed down from generation to generation.

Bioplastic producers around world have grappled with the challenges of replicating the durability and synergistic properties of ABS using bio-based materials, but Canada’s Solegear Bioplastic Technologies embarked on this quest several years ago in response to demands from manufacturers for materials made with fewer chemicals of concern and more renewable resources. Earlier last year, the world-leading toy manufacturer, LEGO®, announced a longterm initiative to address the issue (cf. p. 31). The Danish company announced an investment of 1 billion DKK to boost search for more sustainable materials replacing ABS and others plastics by 2030 [2]. Similarly did Italy-based Bio-on Laboratories (cf. p. 26) who recently kicked off a contest to formulate products using their naturally biodegradable PHA. In late 2015 the “Minerv PHA Supertoys project was launched

by Bio-on Laboratories with no commercial goals” [3].

Figure 1: C omparison of properties of SGB XD1000, XD1010 and ABS Novadur 650 Tensile modulus (GPa) Heat deflection (°C)

Ultimate tensile strength (MPa)

Flexural modulus (GPa)

Elongation @ yield (%)

Flexural strength (MPa) Impact izod notched (J/m)

Elongation @ break (%) XD1000 XD1010 ABS

Toys

bioplastics for the toy market Adding to the challenges are the perceptions that bioplastics by their very nature are designed to be disposable. As a research model, Solegear focuses on developing bioplastic formulations using existing, readily available biopolymer building blocks and combining them with appropriate additives and fillers to meet certain performance characteristics, all the while maintaining the highest possible biobased content, no chemicals of concern and low CO2 footprints. In 2014 when Solegear turned its attention to developing a material replacement for a typical ABS used in toys like building bricks or figurines, the Company used the Lanxess Novadur™ 650 as the baseline reference material for targeted properties (see Table 1). A rigorous screening process was started that would deliver strong sustainability benefits, but also prioritize the long-time durability of the bioplastic material. An extradurable formulation was the main objective.

An ambitious Design of Experiments (DOE) plan was developed for a wide discovery phase that would combine a variety of biopolymers and polymers with some additives.

As expected, combinations of several different types of (bio) polymers delivered both miscible and non-miscible options.

Over 100 different formulations were individually compounded, molded and tested in laboratories using an iterative process.

With each iteration, biopolymers could be accepted or rejected to narrow the search based on targeted specifications. The formulations in development were all compounded using

twin-screw extruders; however, processing pellets into testing specimens, including tensile bars and molded parts, presented a somewhat different challenge.

Where needed, twin–screw reactive extrusion was the preferred method for compounding pellets of each formulation.

From these pellets, different testing bars were injected.

Tensile, flexural and IZOD impact were the principal properties evaluated according to ASTM standards. Regardless of academic or small-scale lab research throughout the process, scaling-up using industrial equipment is always extremely challenging. After successful lab-scale results, selected formulations were run and tested on a small industrial line, with only minor processing adjustments being made along the way. The final successful formulations have now been commercialized under the name of Traverse® XD1000 series.

The principal mechanical and thermal properties have been compared with those of Novadur® 650 as shown in Figure 1.

Traverse XD formulations deliver similar impact values, higher stiffness (rigidity) and an important increase in ductility (typically over 250% elongation at break vs approximately 20%). One particular formulation exceeded the expectations of the R&D team to deliver what has been affectionately nicknamed super tough, with high strength, high impact resistance and high ductility all combined. Some differences have been noted regarding shrinkage rate, which is slightly

By: Michel Labonté Solegear Bioplastic Technologies Inc. Vancouver, BC, Canada

Both photos provided for illustrative purposes only, not actual Solegear products bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/16] Vol. 11

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Toys lower (but constant) to that of ABS, and may cause an issue if there is no opportunity to adjust molds for parts assembled with very tight tolerances. However, normal industrial tolerances should accommodate most slight shrinkage differences. Specific density is also higher at 1.18 g/m³ compared to 1.04 g/m³ for ABS. However, the combination of high strength and rigidity means that some wall-thinning can be considered.

Testing bars, of course, are always injected under highly controlled conditions to obtain optimum properties, but injecting real parts is not always that simple. Injecting intricate parts with ribs, openings and other design features can always bring potential knit or welding lines issues where two material flows meet at a precise point in the part. In such cases, lower impact values can be encountered, especially with less miscible polymer-additive combinations. In fact, impact welding line resistance became a major focus of Solegear’s later-stage research to address conditions under which only 25 to 35% of the IZOD value was obtained. With further iterative testing and a number of modification to conditions at laboratory and semi-industrial scale, Solegear’s research team devised a proprietary solution that exceeded the Izod target value without scarifying other properties. An optimized and patent protected family of highly bio-based formulations has been created and added to the Solegear’s existing portfolio of durable bioplastics.

The Traverse XD family includes XD1000, an extremely high bio-based (98%) formulation with high mechanical resistance, ductility and high heat resistance. Traverse XD1010 delivers the super tough performance with slightly lower bio-based content (85%). For more cost-conscious applications, Traverse XD1020 is an entry level formulation with lower bio-based content (55%). All bio-based content has been independently tested using ASTM D6866 standards or ISO 16620.

After intense development in lab-scale and on small industrial compounding lines, Solegear’s XD formulations are commercially ready for production environments where specific parts and applications can be evaluated for processing stability and performance at full scale. Having met the most stringent demands within the toy industry itself, these formulations can be applicable to other high performance markets where stakeholders are thinking of making a significant breakthrough toward sustainability.

A new generation of extra durable bioplastics with high bio-based content to replace fossil fuels is no longer only in our imagination; it is becoming a reality for visionary companies who are ready to take the next big step towards a bio-based economy. www.solegear.ca

References: [1] N.N.: Proposition 65, Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 (http://oehha.ca.gov/proposition-65/law/proposition-65-law-andregulations) [2] http://www.lego.com/en-us/aboutus/news-room/2015/june/ sustainable-materials-centre [3] N.N.: PHA for safer toys, bioplastics MAGAZINE, issue 01/2016 [4] New PLA formulations to replace ABS, bioplastics MAGAZINE, Issue 03/2015

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Toys: latest news

Innovation award for Bioblo Bioblo a young startup – company fromTulln, Lower Austria, recently received the International Green Product Award. The product: Bioblo, a novel play and construction brick made from 100 % renewable resources that is meant to capture the imagination of young and old.

More than 400 submissions from 21 countries were judged by an international jury according to the criteria design, innovation and sustainability. At the end, the three young entrepreneurs from Tulln were in the lead as a newcomer in the category Kids. As justification for the top position, the innovative material, the unique design and the high educational value of Bioblo blocks were cited.

Bioblos are made of mixture of wood and 100% renewably sourced Green PE (by Braskem). The material is thus 100 % free of oil, CO2-neutral and fully recyclable.

The compound was developed at the Institute of Natural Materials Technology if the IFA Tulln (Department of Agrobiotechnology at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria) and sets new standards in the field of ecological toys. The compound consists of 60 % wood chips from local, PEFC certified forestry and either 40 % biobased Green-PE or recycled polypropylene from recycled beakers.

The plastic content is limited to the minimum necessary amount in order to fulfill the legal requirements on stability and water resistance. The TÜV certified colorant masterbatches are added directly during injection molding, which replaces a subsequent dyeing or painting, and eliminates the problems associated with such decoration methods (staining, chipping).

The design of Bioblos resembles a perforated honeycomb shape which is a resource-efficient but at the same time very stable and visually appealing design.

The size of the blocks is selected so that there are no swallowable small parts, and high towers can be built in a short time. Unlike wooden blocks are Bioblos washable and therefore suitable even for intensive and long time use (for example, in nurseries and schools). www.www.bioblo.com

Materials

BIO4SELF Biobased self-functionalised selfreinforced composite materials based on high performance nanofibrillar PLA fibres

T

he worldwide demand for replacing fossil-based raw materials for the production of polymers leads to a significant growth of bioplastics in terms of technological developments. However, existing drawbacks for certain bioplastics hinder exploring new fields of application. Polylactic acid (PLA) has proven itself as a potential thermoplastic polymer and a candidate in medical and injection moulding application. Though PLA shows good melt processability, the deployment in high performance applications is still a mile stone due to following drawbacks: Lower mechanical performance: The mechanical properties of PLA allow the uses in films, packaging, containers (bottles and cups) and medical applications but not enough to use PLA in high performance applications like composites, where filament properties are required equivalent to polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyamides (PA).

Limited durability: PLA is sensitive to the hydrolytic degradation, which is also a factor of temperature, moisture and pH value of the medium. In high performance applications with long lifetime, PLA has not yet been a primary choice.

Enhancement of mechanical properties and hydrolytic stability is still a challenge for PLA. The application of PLA in high performance applications demands improvement in stiffness, impact strength and product durability.

Approach

By: Thomas Köhler, Pavan Manvi, Christian Vierkötter, Klaus Vonberg, Thomas Gries Institut für Textiltechnik, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany Guy Buyle, Lien Van der Schueren Centexbel Textile Research Center, Gent, Belgium Gunnar Seide Maastricht University, Maastricht Sci Programme, Maastricht, Netherlands

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The BIO4SELF project aims for enhanced mechanical properties (stiffness, tensile strength, impact strength) and temperature resistance by reinforcing PLA with LCPs (Liquid Crystalline Polymer) via melt compounding process.

Furthermore, the durability of PLA based composites will be improved via incorporating well-chosen anti-hydrolysis agents. Further, inherent self-functionalization via photocatalytic polymers (self-cleaning properties), tailored microcapsules (self-healing) and deformation detection fibres (self-sensing) will be added. The potential of these new to be developed biobased composites will be proven in advanced prototypes for automotive and home appliances. Cost-efficient production of fully biobased composites meeting the demand for high technical performances and sustainability will be pursued by investigating the performances of new biobased materials in plastic manufacturing.

Figure 1 displays the production process and the advantages of a yarn based self-reinforced composite that will be investigated in this project. To meet the overall goals

Materials

there will be developments in each step of the process: incorporation of additives via melt compounding, filament melt spinning of additive incorporated low and high melting point PLA grades, commingling of PLA filaments with variable melting points, weaving commingled PLA yarns and consolidation via hot pressing process to produce composites.

The Institut für Textiltechnik of RWTH Aachen University (ITA) will contribute to the project in the development of composite intermediates. ITA will develop a process to combine the filament yarns with low and high melting point (for matrix and reinforcement respectively) by a commingling nozzle. The commingling nozzle has one or more additional openings in cross direction to the yarn path, through which compressed air passes into the yarn path. The compressed air creates turbulences that mix the filaments of both components to produce a hybrid yarn. Furthermore, a weaving process for these yarns will be developed. Composite test specimens will be produced

using hot pressing of the woven specimen and will be tested for its mechanical properties.

The BIO4SELF consortium is strongly industry driven, including five large enterprises and five SMEs. These are completed with three universities and three research centres. This way BIO4SELF covers all required expertise and infrastructure from academic, applied research and industry from 10 different EU countries.

Acknowledgement BIO4SELF is an H2020 project, meaning that it is cofunded by the European Union (grant of EUR 6.8 million).

It will last 40 months and started on March 1st, 2016. It is coordinated by Centexbel, the Belgian research centre for textiles and plastics. www.ita.rwth-aachen.de www.centexbel.be www.maastrichtuniversity.nl

Figure 1: Advantages of yarn based approach for the production of self-reinforced PLA composites

Compounding

Melt spinning

Commingling

Advantages of yarn based thermoplastic composites

• High stiffness and strength at low weight • Use of various textile fabrics possible • Multiple possibilities of function intregration on fibre level • Lower melt flow paths of matrix polymer compared to film stacking

Weaving

Consolidation

Advantages of self reinforced PLA composites

• Excellent impact properties • Lower density than glass or carbon fibre reinforced materials • High recyclability • No use of fossil-based polymers

bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/16] Vol. 11

37

Additives

Sneaky peaky creatures depriving bioplastics

The markets for biobased plastics are growing in virtually all parts of the world and one side effect of this growth is facing difficulties due to the activities of rodents and insects.

Humans are battling with pests since the anthropocene period. The rise of civilization led to the rise of technology that helps to live the life more easily.

However, pests like certain rodents and insects are making our life hard to live.

We don’t want to forget that in their natural habitats all species including rodents and insects are part of a natural equilibrium. However, within the scope of this article we look at rodents and insects that are ubiquitous also in our modern human habitats. They cause nuisance in our day to day life.

They don’t discriminate between a house, agriculture field, any size of business or any industrial plant. These pests pose a threat to our livelihood resulting into manifold destructions The numbers are interesting; 40 % of mammal species found on earth are rodents. Termite colonies eat nonstop, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This results in billions of dollars in damage every year.

Bioplastics are being used for a myriad of applications such as in the field of packaging, catering products, agriculture, horticulture, consumer electronics and automotive applications. And it seems, that certain rodents and insects particularly like biobased plastics. It is therefore not surprising that these uninvited guests cause a lot of damage to many applications made from biobased plastics such as wires, cables in the telecom, signaling, power supply, gas pipeline sector, agricultural films, automotive fuel lines, consumer appliances and various other applications.

Insects and rodents go hand in hand; the entry of termites paves the way for rodents. Talking about homes, offices, schools, factories, railways all these places have one thing in common which is the presence of some plastic element in that place. Insects like termites, red ants, raspberry ants, secrete a very potent formic acid.

This formic acid is capable of dissolving even the hardest of plastics.

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With rodents, their propensity to sharpen the two pairs of evergrowing incisors makes them gnaw at anything hard. During gnawing, the incisors grind against each other, wearing away the softer dentine, leaving the enamel edge as the blade of a chisel.

This ‘self-sharpening’ system is very effective and is one of the keys to the enormous success of rodents. They can survive in the worst possible conditions too. Their success is probably due to their small size, short breeding cycle, and ability to gnaw and eat a wide variety of foods.

Shutterstock, Smith1972)

B

iopolymers are derived from a living source. The first of two different types of biopolymer types is synthesized directly by an organism (examples are DNA, RNA, proteins, and polysaccharides). The second type is produced in a synthetic chemical reaction from biological reactants. The second type includes most of the biopolymers used to make biobased plastics.

The aromatic odour of plastics, the bright colour and their smooth texture, attract insects and animals towards them.

Currently used methods of dealing with these annoying rodents and insects are the use of extremely toxic and potentially dangerous rodenticides like Zinc phosphide, chlorophacinone and diphacinone, all of them posing a serious effect on human health as well.

That is why C-Tech Corporation from Mumbai, India, tried to go for an environment friendly solution. The company wanted to stop taking undue risks posed by the use of toxic rodenticides and opt for a better and greener solution which will be non-toxic and harmless to the non-target species. Combirepel™ is a nontoxic, non-hazardous, non- dangerous and environment friendly product developed and offered by C-Tech Corporation to repel rodents and insects, instead of killing them. The product is a result of smart technology and green chemistry. Combirepel is an additive to be blended in plastics and it is made from proprietary essential oils and vegetal extracts. When used with biodegradable and compostable plastics, it does not affect the compostability and does not leave any toxic or hazardous traces behind.

Thus it will be effective in keeping these creatures away from appliances, homes and cars. The product is available in form of masterbatches and can be blended into plastics in extrusion or injection moulding processes. It can also be applied to the surfaces in the form of liquid concentrate or lacquer solution.

Combirepel has a long shelf life and is compliant with RoHS, RoHS2, and REACH and is FIFRA exempted. C-Tech does not aim at disturbing the ecosystem designed by nature. The products is definitely an effective solution for controlling and managing the problems and threat posed by rodents and insects in all bioplastic applications.

C-Tech Corporation’s motto is “Live and let live” and they state they’d undertake all steps to live by it. www.ctechcorporation.com | www.rodrepel.com www.combirepel.com | www.termirepel.com

Market study on Bio-based Building Blocks and Polymers in the World

Capacities, Production and Applications: Status Quo and Trends towards 2020

Summer special: Buy the current market study and trend reports and get new market data for free in January 2017 Bio-based polymers: Worldwide production capacity will triple from 5.7 million tonnes in 2014 to nearly 17 million tonnes in 2020. The data show a 10% growth rate from 2012 to 2013 and even 11% from 2013 to 2014. However, growth rate is expected to decrease in 2015.

Consequence of the low oil price?

The new third edition of the well-known 500 page-market study and trend reports on “Bio-based Building Blocks and Polymers in the World – Capacities, Production and Applications: Status Quo and Trends Towards 2020” is available by now. It includes consistent data from the year 2012 to the latest data of 2014 and the recently published data from European Bioplastics, the association representing the interests of Europe’s bioplastics industry.

Bio-based drop-in PET and the new polymer PHA show the fastest rates of market growth.

Europe looses considerable shares in total production to Asia. The bio-based polymer turnover was about € 11 billion worldwide in 2014 compared to € 10 billion in 2013. http://bio-based.eu/markets The nova-Institute carried out this study in collaboration with renowned international experts from the field of bio-based building blocks and polymers. The study investigates every kind of bio-based polymer and, for the second time, several major building blocks produced around the world.

What makes this report unique?

■ The 500 page-market study contains

over 200 tables and figures, 96 company profiles and 11 exclusive trend reports written by international experts.

■ These market data on bio-based building blocks and polymers are the main source of the European Bioplastics market data.

■ In addition to market data, the report offers a complete and in-depth overview of the bio-based economy, from policy to standards & norms, from brand strategies to environmental assessment and many more.

■ A comprehensive short version (24 pages) is available for free at http://bio-based.eu/markets

To whom is the report addressed?

■ The whole polymer value chain:

agro-industry, feedstock suppliers, chemical industry (petro-based and bio-based), global consumer industries and brands owners ■ Investors ■ Associations and decision makers

million t/a

Bio-based polymers: Evolution of worldwide production capacities from 2011 to 2020 20 actual data

forecast

15

10

2% of total polymer capacity, €11 billion turnover

5

2011

©

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

Epoxies

PUR

CA

PET

PTT

PEF

EPDM

PE

PBS

PBAT

PA

PHA

Starch Blends

PLA

-Institut.eu | 2015

2020

Full study available at www.bio-based.eu/markets

Content of the full report This 500 page-report presents the findings of nova-Institute’s market study, which is made up of three parts: “market data”, “trend reports” and “company profiles” and contains over 200 tables and figures.

The “market data” section presents market data about total production capacities and the main application fields for selected bio-based polymers worldwide (status quo in 2011, 2013 and 2014, trends and investments towards 2020). This part not only covers bio-based polymers, but also investigates the current biobased building block platforms.

The “trend reports” section contains a total of eleven independent articles by leading experts

in the field of bio-based polymers. These trend reports cover in detail every important trend in the worldwide bio-based building block and polymer market.

The final “company profiles” section includes 96 company profiles with specific data including locations, bio-based building blocks and polymers, feedstocks and production capacities (actual data for 2011, 2013 and 2014 and forecasts for 2020). The profiles also encompass basic information on the companies (joint ventures, partnerships, technology and bio-based products). A company index by biobased building blocks and polymers, with list of acronyms, follows.

Buy the most comprehensive trend report on bio-based polymers – and if you are not satisfied, give it back!

Order the full report The full report can be ordered for 3,000 € plus VAT and the short version of the report can be downloaded for free at: www.bio-based.eu/markets

Contact Dipl.-Ing. Florence Aeschelmann +49 (0) 22 33 / 48 14-48 florence.aeschelmann@nova-institut.de

Certification

Confidence is Good – “DIN-Geprüft” is better!

Additives for compostable products with certificate and international certification mark now with revised certification scheme

By: Lukas Willhauck DIN CERTCO Gesellschaft für Konformitätsbewertung

DIN CERTCO / TÜV Rheinland certification mark DIN-Geprüft

D

IN CERTCO / TÜV Rheinland – provides its now revised specific certification scheme for additives which is based on DIN EN 13432 and if applicable in connection with ASTM D 6400, ASTM D 6868, DIN EN 14995, DIN SPEC 1165 (CEN/TR 15822), NF T 51-800, ISO 17088, ISO 18606, AS 4736 and/or AS 5810 standards.

this way, the customer receives an added value, which he can take into consideration in deciding on his purchase.

New are the standards NF T 51-800 (French standard), ASTM D 6868 and DIN SPEC 1165.

Laboratory testing of biodegradability

This certification is the additive module of the DIN Certco/ TÜV Rheinland certification system, which enables the certification and international quality labeling of biodegradable, industrial compostable, home compostable and biodegradable in soil products in a modular system which is based on one another. This helps to save time and money and to use a quality labelling system from a single source.

An infrared transmission spectrum

Included in this certification scheme are printing inks, inorganic pigments, organic dyes, master batches and other biodegradable additives (e. g. glues, coatings, and processing aids) Manufacturers or providers of additives can effectively show that their products are suitable for composting with a certificate and well known internationally accepted certification mark of an independent and accredited third party certification body.

The certification process for products made of compostable materials can be simplified and speeded up through the use of additives that have been certified by DIN Certco.

In conjunction with the General Terms and Conditions of DIN Certco, the certification scheme forms the basis for suppliers of biodegradable and non-biodegradable additives to mark their products with the Certification Mark DIN-Geprüft.

The Certification Mark DIN-Geprüft (= DIN tested) creates consumer confidence, in the way that an independent, neutral and competent body has carefully examined and assessed the product on the basis of the test criteria. Third-party monitoring further ensures that the quality of the product is maintained also during the on-going production process. In

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The following tests can be applied to prove the additives’ biological harmlessness and sufficient biodegradability: Chemical test on heavy metal and halogen content

Ecotoxicological tests on plant and/or earth worm toxicity

The exact scope of testing depends on the composition of the additive and on the requested standards for certification.

All certificate holders can be viewed on the daily up-dated website of DIN Certco. www.dincertco.de

Market study on

The consumption of biodegradable and compostable plastic products in Europe 2015 and 2020 A comprehensive market research report including consumption figures by polymer and application types

FIRST MARKET STUDY ON CONSUMPTION OF COMPOSTABLE PLASTIC PRODUCTS PREDICTS DEMAND GROWTH nova-Institute publishes the first comprehensive market study on the consumption of biodegradable and compostable plastic products in Europe 2015 and 2020: 100,000 tonnes in 2015, market demand could grow to beyond 300,000 tonnes in 2020.

Compostable plastic bags dominate the market for biodegradable plastics in Europe.

They not only carry goods and biowaste but also the hopes of the bioplastics industry for huge markets in years to come. The legal framework and composting infrastructure of EU member states were found to be either the bottleneck or the key driver for market development. These are some of the main findings by the expert team at nova-Institute who researched the European market demand for biodegradable polymers by country as well as application, and analysed framework conditions in detail. The market of compostable and biodegradable plastic products grew to 100,000 tonnes in 2015, and could grow to beyond 300,000 tonnes in 2020 – if the legal framework were to be set more favourably.

The full report contains more than 300 slides of: ■ Market and company data by

geography, application and polymer.

Consumption of Biodegradable Plastic Products

by Application in the European Union, 100,000 tonnes in 2015 in per cent

7%

products.

analysis.

Scope of the report ■ Compostable or biodegradable polymer

types: PLA, (Co-)Polyesters (PBAT, PBS(X), PLA-Copolyester Compounds, Starch-Copolyester Compounds, Others: PHA, compostable Cellophane films.

■ Applications: Biowaste bags, shopping bags, flexible packaging, rigid packaging, disposable tableware, coated paper/ board, agri-/horti-/aquaculture/Forestry equipment, consumer goods, fibre-based products, technical equipment.

■ Geographical coverage: Austria (AT)/ Germany(DE)/Switzerland (CH), Belgium (BE)/the Netherlands (NL), France (FR), Italy (IT), Sweden/Norway/Denmark/ Finland (N-EU), Spain (ES), United Kingdom/Ireland (UK-IE).

Packaging Consumer Goods Other Uses

68% ©

– Institut.eu | 2016

Structure of the full report 1 2 3 4 a. b. c.

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organic waste management.

■ EU & Member States policy review and

Bags (all types)

21%

■ Case studies on popular and promising ■ A special feature on biodegradability and

4%

a. b. c.

6 a. b.

7 8

Introduction Summary & key findings Production capacity data – Overview Market data 2015 By polymer type (incl. company data) By geography: EU and national markets By application Political landscape: Policies and legislation EU level Member States Special trend report: Bagislation Market scenarios 2020 Market trends Case studies Special feature: Standards – Labels – Claims Conclusions & Recommendations

A summary is available for free download: www.bio-based.eu/markets The full study is available for 3,500 € at www.bio-based.eu/biodegradable_market_ study The market study has more than 300 PowerPoint® slides of well-structured market and company data, case studies and a feature on biodegradation and composting.

Authors Harald Kaeb (narocon, lead) Florence Aeschelmann, Lara Dammer and Michael Carus (nova-Institute)

Contact Dipl.-Ing. Florence Aeschelmann +49 (0) 22 33 / 48 14-48 florence.aeschelmann@nova-institut.de

Order the full report The full report can be ordered for 3,500 € plus VAT and the short version of the report can be downloaded for free at: www.bio-based.eu/markets

Basics

Do biopolymers need additives? „Plastics without additives are not viable“. This pithy phrase opens the “Plastics Additives Handbook” which is a reference book in this field. Therefore, there should be reasons for this valuation.

When talking about plastics people normally think about a well-designed serviceable material, e. g. a plastic bag, a detergent container or – from an industrial point of view – a sealable food container, a heat resistant engine block cover or an impact resistant smart phone housing. What we don´t keep in mind is that the raw material, based on polymerised monomers, as obtained from (bio)chemical reactors is not a plastic. These synthetic materials have inherent properties, based on their atomic linkages, molecular structures and the associated interactions between the chains. This applies to fossil based polymers as well as to biobased polymers.

Therefore, as an example, polyethylene will always be softer than a polyester like PET due to fewer interactions between the chains. However, the inherent mechanical properties of materials are only one side of the medal. Synthetic polymers alone are, in general, not a processable plastic. Processable means that the materials must not stick at the surfaces of the plastic processing machinery, must have the right viscosity and melt strength for molding and should not be changed in their molecular structure as a result of thermomechanical treatment.

Therefore, additives reducing stick and slip effects, tailoring melt flow and strength as well as stabilisers are a must in processing. PVC, independent of the source (fossil or biobased), is an outstanding example for heat stabilisation.

Due to self-catalyzed mechanisms which eliminate hydrogen chloride from PVC well below processing temperatures, resulting in a coloured material, heat stabilisers are needed to interrupt the catalytic cycles. Often, the viscosity of the raw material is too high leading to increased shear energy input.

Plasticisers may then be needed. Moreover, due to production conditions, water (even in small quantities like moisture of the surrounding atmosphere adsorbed on the material) and oxygen can degrade the material by chemical reactions. This process may be slow at ambient temperature, but not in thermoplastic processing. Depending on atmospheric humidity and material dryness, polyesters especially need a sophisticated temperature control and additivation to maintain molecular weight and structure and therefore properties.

Let us now move one step further, from processing to use.

Will we have a serviceable plastic after being able to control the processing using appropriate additives? Not at all! The materials will become exposed to the environment and a serviceable plastic material should not be susceptible to rapid degradation caused by ultraviolet and visible radiation, oxidation or hydrolysis. Therefore, several classes of additives have been developed which intervene in the underlying polymer-type depending molecular processes.

Furthermore, a serviceable plastic should have the right morphology which should not change during usage. This is very important for semi-crystalline polymers like PE, PP, PET and PLA as well as for blends, which comprise a large market share in the field of biobased plastics. Therefore nucleating additives and clarifiers as well as compatibilisers have been developed.

Permeability of gases through a PLA/PHBV (3:1) blend film (100 µm)

Permeability of gases through a PLA/PHBV (3:1) blend film (100 µm)

18

110 Compatibiliser (reducing surface tension) Reactive compatibilisation PLA/PHBV stat. blockcopolymer

100

14

90

12

80

10

70

8

60

6

50

4

40

2

30

0

H2O 23 °C, 85 % humidity

N2

O2 23 °C, 0 % humidity

CO2

O2 and CO2 / cm3m-2d-1bar-1

H2O / gm-2d-1 and N2 / cm3m-2d-1bar-1

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/16] Vol. 11

Original white

20

Specific synthesis of the compatibilizer (PLA/PHBV stat Blockcopolymer) gives (slightly) better results than general types of commercialised surface reducing agents

42

Yellowing due to sunlight from window

Example for poor UV-stabilizer

Basics

Bioadditives?

By: Rodion Kopitzky Fraunhofer UMSICHT Oberhausen Germany

Last but not least, there are product depending requirements which are independent of the selected material-type like toughness, strength, elasticity, color, flame retardance, electrostatic behavior and so on. Nevertheless, cost is also an important factor.

Fillers and reinforcing agents, plasticisers and impact modifiers, antifogging additives and whitening agents, pigments and dyes, antistatic and antimicrobial additives and so on can be used for tailoring the overall properties to get a serviceable plastic.

To make the right choice of additives, which can a) influence each other and b) may have opposite effects on properties is often a difficult task for a developer.

To focus on biobased plastics, there are in principle, no particularities concerning additives. If the biobased polymer is a drop-in material like biobased PE, formulations with additives can be transferred directly.

In the case of starch, appropriate plasticisers must be chosen to get thermoplastic starch. Figuratively it is the same as choosing the right plasticiser for PVC depending on the overall requirements. PLA is known to be susceptible to water to some degree. Therefore scavengers or chain extenders which react with water or with the polyester degradation product can be used. The molecular chemical basis of these additives is the same for fossil and biobased polyesters and sometimes the commercialised products only have different names. Concerning reactive additives like chain extenders, there may be differences between fossil and biobased plastics. But this is due to the processing conditions which alter the kinetics of the reactive process. A branching chain extender like glycidyl based polyepoxides (Joncryl™) reacts very quickly at 280 °C, the processing temperature of PET, but much slower at 190 °C, the processing temperature of most polyesters in biobased formulations. Therefore, not all additive types are transferable to other formulations when changing the polymer and polymer-type specific additives have to be used or developed. This is evident in the field of reactive compatibilisers for fiber filled plastics or in blends. These additives must be designed according to the molecular basis of the components and the polymer-type depending on mechanisms of compatibilisation.

Do bioplastics need additives? Yes they do! Do they need Bio-Additives? Summing up the previous paragraphs the reason for an additive should not be the material basis but rather the achievable overall properties of the final plastic material formulation.

Additives based on vegetable oils or fatty acids, for example, have been used as plasticisers and lubricants for fossil based polymers for several decades. The coplasticiser and acid scavenger epoxidised fatty acid ester is, on a volume basis, one of the biggest additives, used predominately with PVC.

From a sustainable point of view biobased additives often have an advantage in short use application like packaging, due to low carbon footprint (if the footprint is not destroyed by inefficient energy use during production, due to lower production amounts). Biobased additives can also raise the biobased carbon content in blends with biobased and fossil based polymeric components. In respect to regulations (using the term bio or biobased or biodegradable) they may be a must. However, the terms biodegradation and biobased should not be confused. Additives disregarding their material basis should not have an effect on the degradation process. An acid scavenger like the above mentioned epoxy would be contraproductive for use with PLA in short use applications because it will decelerate the first step of biodegradation.

Nowadays, due to the discussion of the raw material basis beyond fossil resources and the industrial availability of new building blocks like succinic acid, new additives are under development or are in the market entrance phase. Long term development of the biorefinery concept to provide new biobased chemicals might even initiate the synthesis of special additives like the UV-absorbers on a biobased basis in sufficient amount and at acceptable costs. Nevertheless, until then, competitive cost will be a critical factor in many cases. www.umsicht.fraunhofer.de

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Bio4pak-adv-BioPlastick-Magazine105x148_5.indd 1

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43

18-05-16 11:04

10 years ago

new series

Published in bioplastics MAGAZINE 10 YEARS AGO Basics

“Basically, the information in the article is still true today. However, the bioplastics market has diversified and developed enormously over the past ten years with new innovative materials and a broader spectrum of end-of-life-options.

Today, we define bioplastics as plastics that are bio-based, biodegradable, or both.”, says Constance Ißbrücker, Head of Environmental Affairs at European Bioplastics, the successor organization of the former IBAW.

Basics This series is to be continu ed. Topics in the coming issues are listed below.

Bioplastics magazine encourages its readers to contribute their knowled ge for the coming “Basics ” features.

life Fig 1: Ideal closed loop products cycle of biodegradable (courtesy of IBAW)

s” Definition of “Bioplastic beginning: To say it right from the astics” A clear definition of “biopl by all upon d agree be that would does parties involved worldwide stics biopla h thoug not exist. Even a first magazine will try to make Our draft. a lating step by formu this draft readers’ comments on lead may and me welco are always in one of to an updated definition the coming issues.

The idea of bioplastics

nature‘s bioplastics is taken from The basic idea behind of organic than 100 billion tonnes cycle. Worldwide, more nthesis. Most every year by photosy material is generated proded back into the starting of it is subsequently convert s. This water, by micro-organism ucts, carbon dioxide and often made for bioplastics, that are cycle is the role model ural ls obtained from agricult materia raw ble from renewa other adable plastics (or certain production. When biodegr they can be served their purpose, products in general) have ics are bioplast which for g method composted - a recyclin

26

bioplastics [06/01] Vol.

es difficult ...

On one hand, in view of limited crude oil resourc es and rising prices, the aspect of sustainability, and therefore also the use of RRM, is becoming increasingly more important. So even materia ls that are only partly based on RRM can be a useful approach, especially when properties are achieved, that cannot be achieved with materials based 100% on RRM. But what should be the minimum percentage of RRM for such a material to be called a bioplastic?

of a definition ...

which can ade plastics (polymers) Bioplastics are man-m technolohed plastics processing be processed by establis film extrumoulding, blown or cast gies such as injection n etc. and which are extrusio g, mouldin blow sion, ls (RRM) or renewable raw materia A) based on (annually) B) biodegradable.

read the original from 2006: bit.ly/2ah4zES

Here the definition becom

highly suited [1].

This leads to a first try

1

Annually renewable raw materials are plants like maize/ corn, rapeseed or soy from which, e.g. starch or edible oils can be harvested, which in turn can then be convert ed into thermoplastic polymer s. The biodegradabilit y is defined by different standards, in Europe, for example by the EN 13432 standard. Product s that are candidates to be classified as biodegradable or compostable have to be certified by independent entities and then receive an appropr iate logo (see page X for an example) Both aspects of being based on renewable sources and being bio-degradable have been fulfilled for most of the so-called bioplastics that are already commercially available. However, there are also materials availabl e that are, for example, biodegradable, but based on crude oil, or even blends or other combinations of polymer s that are partly made of RRM and partly of crude oil. Other materials are based on (or even only partly based on) renewa ble sources, but are not biodegr adable. These are for example polyamides (11 or 6.9) based on castor-oil or tallow, polyesters containing bio-bas ed 1,3-propane-diol, polyprop ylene with wood fibre fillers, polyethylene-starch blends or polyurethanes with polyols based on sugar or fatty acids.

On the other hand, if a polymer is based on renewable sources, should it necessa rily have to also be biodegr adable? If such a materia l is incinerated, for example , with exploitation of the energy stored within it, there is a neutral effect on the climate . The amount of carbon dioxide emitted during incinera tion is less or equal to the CO2 that was absorbed by the plant during its growth.

A completely different group of materials are so-called oxo-degradable polymer s, sometimes referred to as oxobiodegradables. These materials, based on polyethy lene (from fossile resources), but containing additive s to promote degradation of the material, are a content ious issue, as they pose several concern s regarding safety and eco-

Bio-degradation What is degradation?

What about degradation in water, in soil, elsewhe re?

What is composting?

What happens in an industrial composting plant, what happens in home composting?

Do we have enough agricul tural space to grow “bioplastics” How much space is needed to produce one kg or one tonne of bioplastics?

What about the growing need for agricultural space for other bio-bas ed products like bio-fuel s and chemicals based on renewable sources?

Further topics Definition of “sustainability” How is maize/corn convert ed into PLA? How do bacteria make PHA? How is PHA made from switchgrass?

How is starch converted into plastics?

etc.

toxicity. The so-called “oxo-biodegradable” polyethy lene (PE) products may fragmen t into very small particle s after exposure to UV light or dry heat. PE is howeve r still to a large extent resistant to biodegradation after fragmen tation, and there is therefor e potential of high persiste ncy in the environment and bioaccumulation of liberate d regulated metals and PE fragmen ts in organisms due to the slow process. None of the oxo-degradable polymer products has ever been proved to fulfil the EN 13432 standar d.

They seem to be outside the range of the bioplast ics class, although some of their protagonists may like to see them included [2].

A lot of open questio ns. Any comments or opinions are welcome and should be address ed to editor@bioplasticsmaga zine.com.

References: [1] www.ibaw.org [2] Position paper on “Degrad able” PE Shopping Bags, IBAW, Berlin, publishe d June 6, 2005

bioplastics [06/01] Vol.

1

27

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mistr www.co2-che

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/16] Vol. 11

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BioPBS™ is available in various grades, which can be applied in a wide range of end use applications ranking from paper packaging, flexible packaging, agricultural film, and injection molding. It provides non-process changing solution to achieve better results in your manufacturing needs, retains the same material quality, and can be processed in existing machine as good as conventional material. In comparison with other bioplastics, BioPBS™ is excellent heat properties both heat sealability and heat resistance up to 100 °C. In addition to those benefits, it is only few compostable polymers complying with food contact of U.S.FCN NO.1574, EU 10/2011 and JHOSPA.

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For more information

: +66 (2) 2 140 3555 / info@pttmcc.com PTTMCC Biochem MCPP Germany GmbH : +49 (0) 152 018 920 51 / frank.steinbrecher@mcpp-europe.com : +33 (0) 6 07 22 25 32 / fabien.resweber@mcpp-europe.com MCPP France SAS PTT MCC Biochem Co., Ltd. A Joint Venture Company of PTT and Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation 555/2 Energy Complex Tower, Building B, 14th Floor, Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand

T: +66 (0) 2 140 3555 I F: +66(0) 2 140 3556 I www.pttmcc.com

Suppliers Guide 1. Raw Materials

AGRANA Starch Bioplastics Conrathstraße 7 A-3950 Gmuend, Austria technical.starch@agrana.com www.agrana.com

Jincheng, Lin‘an, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311300, P.R. China China contact: Grace Jin mobile: 0086 135 7578 9843 Grace@xinfupharm.com Europe contact(Belgium): Susan Zhang mobile: 0032 478 991619 zxh0612@hotmail.com www.xinfupharm.com 1.1 bio based monomers

Showa Denko Europe GmbH Konrad-Zuse-Platz 4 81829 Munich, Germany Tel.: +49 89 93996226 www.showa-denko.com support@sde.de

Simply contact:

Tel.: +49 2161 6884467 suppguide@bioplasticsmagazine.com Stay permanently listed in the Suppliers Guide with your company logo and contact information.

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

For Example:

Corbion Purac Arkelsedijk 46, P.O. Box 21 4200 AA Gorinchem The Netherlands Tel.: +31 (0)183 695 695 Fax: +31 (0)183 695 604 www.corbion.com/bioplastics bioplastics@corbion.com

PTT MCC Biochem Co., Ltd. info@pttmcc.com / www.pttmcc.com Tel: +66(0) 2 140-3563 MCPP Germany GmbH +49 (0) 152-018 920 51 frank.steinbrecher@mcpp-europe.com MCPP France SAS +33 (0) 6 07 22 25 32 fabien.resweber@mcpp-europe.com

Kingfa Sci. & Tech. Co., Ltd. No.33 Kefeng Rd, Sc. City, Guangzhou Hi-Tech Ind. Development Zone, Guangdong, P.R. China. 510663 Tel: +86 (0)20 6622 1696 info@ecopond.com.cn www.ecopond.com.cn FLEX-162 Biodeg. Blown Film Resin!

Bio-873 4-Star Inj. Bio-Based Resin!

FKuR Kunststoff GmbH Siemensring 79 D - 47 877 Willich Tel. +49 2154 9251-0 Tel.: +49 2154 9251-51 sales@fkur.com www.fkur.com

GRAFE-Group Waldecker Straße 21, 99444 Blankenhain, Germany Tel. +49 36459 45 0 www.grafe.com

39 mm

62 136 Lestrem, France Tel.: + 33 (0) 3 21 63 36 00 www.roquette-performance-plastics.com Polymedia Publisher GmbH Dammer Str. 112 41066 Mönchengladbach Germany Tel. +49 2161 664864 Fax +49 2161 631045 info@bioplasticsmagazine.com www.bioplasticsmagazine.com

Sample Charge: 39mm x 6,00 € = 234,00 € per entry/per issue

1.2 compounds DuPont de Nemours International S.A. 2 chemin du Pavillon 1218 - Le Grand Saconnex Switzerland Tel.: +41 22 171 51 11 Fax: +41 22 580 22 45 API S.p.A. www.renewable.dupont.com Via Dante Alighieri, 27 www.plastics.dupont.com 36065 Mussolente (VI), Italy Telephone +39 0424 579711 www.apiplastic.com www.apinatbio.com

Sample Charge for one year: 6 issues x 234,00 EUR = 1,404.00 € The entry in our Suppliers Guide is bookable for one year (6 issues) and extends automatically if it’s not canceled three month before expiry.

www.facebook.com www.issuu.com www.twitter.com www.youtube.com

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/16] Vol. 11

Tel: +86 351-8689356 Fax: +86 351-8689718 www.ecoworld.jinhuigroup.com ecoworldsales@jinhuigroup.com

Evonik Industries AG Paul Baumann Straße 1 45772 Marl, Germany Tel +49 2365 49-4717 evonik-hp@evonik.com www.vestamid-terra.com www.evonik.com

BIO-FED Branch of AKRO-PLASTIC GmbH BioCampus Cologne Nattermannallee 1 50829 Cologne, Germany Tel.: +49 221 88 88 94-00 info@bio-fed.com www.bio-fed.com

Green Dot Bioplastics 226 Broadway | PO Box #142 Cottonwood Falls, KS 66845, USA Tel.: +1 620-273-8919 info@greendotholdings.com www.greendotpure.com

NUREL Engineering Polymers Ctra. Barcelona, km 329 50016 Zaragoza, Spain Tel: +34 976 465 579 inzea@samca.com www.inzea-biopolymers.com

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

Suppliers Guide 1.3 PLA

Shenzhen Esun Ind. Co;Ltd www.brightcn.net www.esun.en.alibaba.com bright@brightcn.net Tel: +86-755-2603 1978

1.6 masterbatches

6.2 Laboratory Equipment

GRAFE-Group Waldecker Straße 21, 99444 Blankenhain, Germany Tel. +49 36459 45 0 www.grafe.com

MODA: Biodegradability Analyzer SAIDA FDS INC. 143-10 Isshiki, Yaizu, Shizuoka,Japan Tel:+81-54-624-6260 Info2@moda.vg www.saidagroup.jp

JIANGSU SUPLA BIOPLASTICS CO., LTD. Tel: +86 527 88278888 WeChat: supla-168 supla@supla-bioplastics.cn www.supla-bioplastics.cn 1.4 starch-based bioplastics

BIOTEC Biologische Naturverpackungen Werner-Heisenberg-Strasse 32 46446 Emmerich/Germany Tel.: +49 (0) 2822 – 92510 info@biotec.de www.biotec.de

Grabio Greentech Corporation Tel: +886-3-598-6496 No. 91, Guangfu N. Rd., Hsinchu Industrial Park,Hukou Township, Hsinchu County 30351, Taiwan sales@grabio.com.tw www.grabio.com.tw

Metabolix, Inc. Bio-based and biodegradable resins and performance additives 21 Erie Street Cambridge, MA 02139, USA US +1-617-583-1700 DE +49 (0) 221 / 88 88 94 00 www.metabolix.com info@metabolix.com

7. Plant engineering

EREMA Engineering Recycling Maschinen und Anlagen GmbH Unterfeldstrasse 3 4052 Ansfelden, AUSTRIA Phone: +43 (0) 732 / 3190-0 Natur-Tec® - Northern Technologies Fax: +43 (0) 732 / 3190-23 4201 Woodland Road erema@erema.at Circle Pines, MN 55014 USA www.erema.at Tel. +1 763.404.8700 Fax +1 763.225.6645 2. Additives/Secondary raw materials info@natur-tec.com www.natur-tec.com PolyOne Avenue Melville Wilson, 2 Zoning de la Fagne 5330 Assesse Belgium Tel.: + 32 83 660 211 www.polyone.com

GRAFE-Group Waldecker Straße 21, 99444 Blankenhain, Germany Tel. +49 36459 45 0 www.grafe.com 3. Semi finished products

NOVAMONT S.p.A. Via Fauser , 8 28100 Novara - ITALIA Fax +39.0321.699.601 Tel. +39.0321.699.611 www.novamont.com

3.1 films

Uhde Inventa-Fischer GmbH Holzhauser Strasse 157–159 D-13509 Berlin Tel. +49 30 43 567 5 Fax +49 30 43 567 699 sales.de@uhde-inventa-fischer.com Uhde Inventa-Fischer AG Via Innovativa 31, CH-7013 Domat/Ems Tel. +41 81 632 63 11 Fax +41 81 632 74 03 sales.ch@uhde-inventa-fischer.com www.uhde-inventa-fischer.com 9. Services

1.5 PHA

TianAn Biopolymer No. 68 Dagang 6th Rd, Beilun, Ningbo, China, 315800 Tel. +86-57 48 68 62 50 2 Fax +86-57 48 68 77 98 0 enquiry@tianan-enmat.com www.tianan-enmat.com

Minima Technology Co., Ltd. Esmy Huang, Marketing Manager No.33. Yichang E. Rd., Taipin City, Taichung County 411, Taiwan (R.O.C.) Tel. +886(4)2277 6888 Fax +883(4)2277 6989 Mobil +886(0)982-829988 esmy@minima-tech.com Skype esmy325 www.minima-tech.com

Infiana Germany GmbH & Co. KG Zweibrückenstraße 15-25 91301 Forchheim Tel. +49-9191 81-0 Fax +49-9191 81-212 www.infiana.com

President Packaging Ind., Corp.

PLA Paper Hot Cup manufacture In Taiwan, www.ppi.com.tw Tel.: +886-6-570-4066 ext.5531 Fax: +886-6-570-4077 sales@ppi.com.tw 6. Equipment 6.1 Machinery & Molds

Osterfelder Str. 3 46047 Oberhausen Tel.: +49 (0)208 8598 1227 Fax: +49 (0)208 8598 1424 thomas.wodke@umsicht.fhg.de www.umsicht.fraunhofer.de

4. Bioplastics products

Bio4Pack GmbH D-48419 Rheine, Germany Tel.: +49 (0) 5975 955 94 57 info@bio4pack.com www.bio4pack.com

Buss AG Hohenrainstrasse 10 4133 Pratteln / Switzerland Tel.: +41 61 825 66 00 Fax: +41 61 825 68 58 info@busscorp.com www.busscorp.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

Institut für Kunststofftechnik Universität Stuttgart Böblinger Straße 70 70199 Stuttgart Tel +49 711/685-62814 Linda.Goebel@ikt.uni-stuttgart.de www.ikt.uni-stuttgart.de

narocon Dr. Harald Kaeb Tel.: +49 30-28096930 kaeb@narocon.de www.narocon.de

bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/16] Vol. 11

47

Suppliers Guide Simply contact:

9. Services (continued)

Tel.: +49 2161 6884467 Michigan State University Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science Professor Ramani Narayan East Lansing MI 48824, USA Tel. +1 517 719 7163 narayan@msu.edu

10.2 Universities

10.3 Other Institutions

IfBB – Institute for Bioplastics and Biocomposites University of Applied Sciences and Arts Hanover Faculty II – Mechanical and Bioprocess Engineering Heisterbergallee 12 30453 Hannover, Germany Tel.: +49 5 11 / 92 96 - 22 69 Fax: +49 5 11 / 92 96 - 99 - 22 69 lisa.mundzeck@fh-hannover.de http://www.ifbb-hannover.de/

Bioplastics Consulting Tel. +49 2161 664864 info@polymediaconsult.com 10. Institutions 10.1 Associations

suppguide@bioplasticsmagazine.com Stay permanently listed in the Suppliers Guide with your company logo and contact information.

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

For Example:

Polymedia Publisher GmbH Dammer Str. 112 41066 Mönchengladbach Germany Tel. +49 2161 664864 Fax +49 2161 631045 info@bioplasticsmagazine.com www.bioplasticsmagazine.com

Biobased Packaging Innovations Caroli Buitenhuis IJburglaan 836 1087 EM Amsterdam The Netherlands Tel.: +31 6-24216733 http://www.biobasedpackaging.nl

39 mm

nova-Institut GmbH Chemiepark Knapsack Industriestrasse 300 50354 Huerth, Germany Tel.: +49(0)2233-48-14 40 E-Mail: contact@nova-institut.de www.biobased.eu

European Bioplastics e.V. Marienstr. 19/20 10117 Berlin, Germany Tel. +49 30 284 82 350 Fax +49 30 284 84 359 info@european-bioplastics.org www.european-bioplastics.org

Sample Charge:

BPI - The Biodegradable Products Institute 331 West 57th Street, Suite 415 New York, NY 10019, USA Tel. +1-888-274-5646 info@bpiworld.org

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Sample Charge for one year: 6 issues x 234,00 EUR = 1,404.00 € The entry in our Suppliers Guide is bookable for one year (6 issues) and extends automatically if it’s not canceled three month before expiry.

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