bioplastics MAGAZINE 01-2016 by bioplastics MAGAZINE

01 | 2016

Basics

ISSN 1862-5258

Jan/Feb

Public Procurement | 34

May 2006

Highlights

bioplastics magazine Vol. 1

bioplastics

MAGAZINE

Vol. 11

Automotive | 12 Foam | 30

Top Talk: Interview with Helmut Tr aitler, VP Packaging of NestlĂŠ | 10

Editorial

dear readers Jan/Feb

01 | 2016

ISSN 1862-5

258

ISSN 1862-5258

Ten years of bioplastics MAGAZINE… whew – how the time has flown. I remember well how it all began. I first came into contact with bioplastics when I took on an assignment from IBAW (today European Bioplastics) to act as a PR-consultant for the “Innovationparc – bioplastics in packaging” at interpack 2005 in Düsseldorf. And, like so many other people, I was impressed. Throughout the summer after the trade fair, I couldn’t sleep, obsessed by the thought that bioplastics were the future – and that I wanted to be a part of it. I had been badly bitten by the bioplastics virus, you might say. So, I asked the experts “What’s the name of your industry’s trade journal? I want a subscription!” But there Basics Public Procurement | 34 was none... And that’s how it all started. This 10th anniversary also means a year in which we’re rolling out a few special projects:

Vol. 1 magazine bioplastics

Vol. 11 MAGAZINE

Of course, we’ll also have a booth at K’2016, the world’s number one trade show for the plastics and rubber industry in October in Düsseldorf, Germany. Here, we’re planning a celebration party with music, cool drinks and snacks – and you, faithful reader, are invited. More details will follow in a later issue of the magazine.

Automotive | 12 Foam | 30

bioplastics

First of all, we are promoting our new App for smartphones and tablets. The App itself is free of charge and can be downloaded from the Apple appstore and from the Android Google playstore. During our anniversary year, all our content can also be downloaded for free. This means that you can read bioplastics MAGAZINE and follow us on twitter on your mobile devices – wherever you are.

May 2006

Highlights

Top Talk: Interview with Helmut Trai VP Packagin tler, g of Nestlé | 10

Now, about the current issue: we’re kicking off the new year with highlights on automotive applications and on foam. In the Basics section, we discuss the possibilities and challenges of public procurement. Can government stimulate and support the use of bioplastics by mandating their purchase and use in products for the public sector? We’d also like to introduce a new series in which we’re marking our anniversary year with a blast from the past. Here we’ll be re-publishing interesting articles from the early years of bioplastics MAGAZINE. Apart from the cover, have a look at page 32.

www.twitter.com/bioplasticsmag

Lastly, we’d like to invite you again to our 4th PLA World Congress in Munich, Germany on May 25th and 26th. The Green Bag Conference, however, has regretfully had to be postponed to an as yet unknown date, due to insuperable challenges. For current news, be sure to check the latest reports, breaking news and daily news updates at www.bioplasticsmagazine.com. We hope you enjoy reading bioplastics MAGAZINE.

Like us on Facebook!

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Sincerely yours

Michael Thielen

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

Content

Imprint

01|2016

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

Jan / Feb

Head Office Polymedia Publisher GmbH Dammer Str. 112 41066 Mönchengladbach, Germany phone: +49 (0)2161 6884469 fax: +49 (0)2161 6884468

Automotive

info@bioplasticsmagazine.com www.bioplasticsmagazine.com

12 Lightweighting is key

Media Adviser Florian Junker phone: +49(0)2161-6884467 fax: +49(0)2161 6884468 junker@showju-systems.de

14 Carbon/Flax hybrid automotive roof 15 Smart bioplastics for automotive applications

16 Biocomposites in the automotive industry

Materials

Foam

18 The gluten solution 20 Making Levulinic Acid happen 24 Breakthrough platform technology for new building block

Opinion 26 Bioplastics industry struggling to meet expected demand

38 Biopolymers will weather the crash in petroleum prices

30 PLA foam expanding into new areas

Basics: Public Procurement

34 “The biobased office” for the procurement of the future

34 Mandatory Federal purchasing of biobased products

10 Years Ago

32 Polyamide from bio-amber

3 Editorial

42 Glossary

5 News

46 Suppliers Guide

22 Material News

49 Event Calendar

28 Application News

50 Companies in this issue

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

Layout/Production Ulrich Gewehr (Dr. Gupta Verlag) Max Godenrath (Dr. Gupta Verlag)

Print Poligrāfijas grupa Mūkusala Ltd. 1004 Riga, Latvia bioplastics MAGAZINE is printed on chlorine-free FSC certified paper. Total print run: 3,600 copies

bioplastics magazine ISSN 1862-5258 bM is published 6 times a year. This publication is sent to qualified subscribers (149 Euro for 6 issues). 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 articies appearing in bioplastics MAGAZINE, or on the website www. bioplasticsmagazine.com are strictly covered by copyright. 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

Erratum For mailing our last issue we used envelopes that were we no longer permitted to use, as the new company name is Coveris Flexibles Deutschland GmbH. We sincerely apologize for this mistake.

Cover Photo: Michael Thielen

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News

SPC published position paper against oxo-additives The Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC), Charlottesville, Virginia, USA, has released a formal position paper against biodegradability additives for petroleum-based plastics, which are marketed as enhancing the sustainability of plastic by rendering the material biodegradable. The SPC has evaluated the use of biodegradability additives for conventional petroleumbased plastics, and has found that these additives do not offer any sustainability advantage and they may actually result in more environmental harm. The position paper lists the following reasons for the stance against these additives: They don’t enable compostability, which is the meaningful indicator of a material’s ability to beneficially return nutrients to the environment. They are designed to compromise the durability of plastic and the additive manufacturers have not yet demonstrated an absence of adverse effects on recycling. The creation of a litter friendly material is a step in the wrong direction, particularly when the material may undergo extensive fragmentation and generation of micro-pollution before any biodegradation occurs. The biodegradation of petroleum-based plastics releases fossil carbon into the atmosphere, creating harmful greenhouse gas emissions. Concerning litter and micro-pollution, the position paper says: “Most additives are designed to fragment petroleum-based plastics into small pieces in order to make it sufficiently available to the microorganisms that perform biodegradation.” However, bioplastics MAGAZINE has been waiting for 10 years now for satisfactory, scientifically backed evidence that a complete biodegradation by microorganisms will happen, in whatever timeframe. The SPC paper continues that the “fragmented micropieces remain invisible to the naked eye, yet their effects as micro-litter can be detrimental. Beyond the well-documented environmental impacts of micro-pollution, the marketing of biodegradable petroleum-based plastics as being less detrimental to the environment may contribute to improper end-of-life disposal and pollution.” In her December 30, 2015 article at Plastics Today (bit.ly/1OM7BeC) Clare Goldsberry expresses that she doesn’t think “that most people want plastics to disappear. What we’d like to see disappear is the litter in our communities and in the world’s waterways. And that’s not a plastics problem – that’s a people problem. An additive that makes plastic litter degrade to fragments in 180 days is not exactly what I’d call a solution.” MT The complete SPC position paper can be downloaded for free from http://bit.ly/200Nv8U

Jumbo merger in the chemical industry DuPont (Wilmington, Delaware, USA) and The Dow Chemical Company (Midland, Michigan, USA) announced in mid December 2015 hat their boards of directors unanimously approved a definitive agreement under which the companies will combine in an all-stock merger of equals. The combined company will be named DowDuPont. The parties intend to subsequently pursue a separation of DowDuPont into three independent, publicly traded companies through tax-free spin-offs. This would occur as soon as feasible, which is expected to be 18 – 24 months following the closing of the merger, subject to regulatory and board approval. The companies will include a leading global pure-play Agriculture company; a leading global pure-play Material Science company; and a leading technology and innovation-driven Specialty Products company. Each of the businesses will have clear focus, an appropriate capital structure, a distinct and compelling investment thesis, scale advantages, and focused investments in innovation to better deliver superior solutions and choices for customers. It is expected that the well known biobased plastic products will be continued under the the newly to be created Material Science Company: This company will be a pure-play industrial leader, consisting of DuPont’s Performance Materials segment, as well as Dow’s Performance Plastics, Performance Materials and Chemicals, Infrastructure Solutions, and Consumer Solutions (excluding the Dow Electronic Materials business) operating segments. The combination of complementary capabilities will create a low-cost, innovation-driven leader that can provide customers in high-growth, high-value industry segments in packaging, transportation, and infrastructure solutions, among others with a broad and deep portfolio of costeffective offerings. Combined pro forma 2014 revenue for Material Science is approximately USD 51 billion. Upon completion of the transaction, Andrew N. Liveris, President, Chairman and CEO of Dow, will become Executive Chairman of the newly formed DowDuPont Board of Directors and Edward D. Breen, Chair and CEO of DuPont, will become Chief Executive Officer of DowDuPont. In these roles, both Liveris and Breen will report to the Board of Directors. In addition, when named, the chief financial officer will report to Breen. MT www.dupont.com | www.dow.com | www.dowdupontunlockingvalue.com

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

News

daily upated news at www.bioplasticsmagazine.com

Newlight, Innogas and FGV collaborate in Malaysia on biodegradable polymers from palm oil waste The world’s largest crude palm oil producer - Malaysia-based Felda Global Ventures Berhad – is collaborating with Newlight Technologies and Innogas Technologies on a project aimed at the development of biodegradable polymers from palm oil biomass waste in Malaysia. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the three companies late December 2015. The MoU will remain valid for six months or such extended period as will be agreed in writing by the parties FGV-Newlight-Innogas MoU. Based in California, Newlight Technologies has developed a carbon capture technology that combines air with methanebased greenhouse gas emissions to produce a thermoplastic material called AirCarbon. Innogas Technologies is a Malaysiabased consulting company specialized in process plant engineering and technology for chemical and renewable energy. FGV Group President and CEO Dato’ Mohd Emir Mavani Abdullah said as part of the company’s commitment to sustainability, it is always looking for innovative ways to manage its palm oil waste effectively. The collaborative sustainable biomass project is also aimed at diversifying and further developing the company’s new revenue streams, in line with a core pillar in its five-year transformation strategy of revenue enhancement. “This waste to wealth project will elevate the sustainability standards of the palm oil industries in Malaysia and the region as a whole, significantly reducing carbon emissions emitted,” said Dato Emir. “FGV is keen to partner with Newlight Technologies and Innogas Technologies through this MOU to bring the first cost effective technology in the world to produce biodegradable plastic by processing 100 % of bio-waste from our palm oil mills.” Newlight Technologies will convert biogas from FGV’s palm oil mills into AirCarbon thermoplastics. “Together, FGV and Newlight Technologies have the opportunity to make important economic and environmental progress, and we look forward to working together in this project,” said CEO Mark Herrema. The project will launch in Q2 2016. Construction of the first plant will take around 14 months and is slated to begin in Q4 2016. The partners plan to expand the project to ten palm oil mills over the next five years. Innogas Technologies CEO Denny Yeoh said; “Innogas Technologies holds an exclusive license for a patented state-of-the art technology to process ligno-cellulosic biomass material such as palm oil mill waste which generates a significant amount of biogas, compared to conventional technologies. “The Company will transfer this license to the joint-venture company, which will then have the exclusive use of this license in Malaysia.” KL www.feldaglobal.com

Anellotech brings 100 % biobased PET another step closer Anellotech, Pearl River, New York, USA, a sustainable technology company focused on producing cost-competitive renewable chemicals from non-food biomass, has announced that it has entered into the next phase of its strategic partnership with Osaka, Japan-based Suntory Holdings Limited, one of the world’s leading consumer beverage companies This marks a major milestone in making 100 % biobased polyester and biobased PET bottles a reality. The partnership, which began in 2012 under a collaboration agreement that has provided more than USD 15 million in funding to date, is focused on advancing the development and commercialization of cost-competitive 100 % biobased plastics for use in beverage bottles as part of Suntory’s commitment to sustainable business practices. Suntory currently uses 30 % plant-derived materials (sugar cane derived monoethylene glycol MEG) for their Mineral Water Suntory Tennensui brands and is pursuing the development of a 100 % biobottle through this partnership. Approximately 54 million tonnes of PET are manufactured globally each year. Despite strong industry demand, there is no commercially-available, biobased paraxylene, the key component needed to make terephthalic acid, und thus 100 % biobased polyethylene terephthalate (PET) for use in beverage bottles, on the market today. The Anellotech alliance with Suntory supports the development of bio-aromatics including bio-paraxylene. As an integral component in the biobased value chain, Anellotech’s proprietary thermal catalytic biomass conversion technology (Bio-TCat™) cost-competitively produces drop in green aromatics, including paraxylene and benzene, from non-food biomass. MT www.anellotech.com | www.suntory.com

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

News

BioAmber and Reverdia sign non assertion agreement

Bioplastic from biodiesel co-product glycerol

BioAmber Inc., which is headquartered in Montreal and Reverdia, the Netherlands-based joint venture between Royal DSM an d Roquette Frères, are both involved in the production and commercialization of bio-based succinic acid using their own unique proprietary yeast-based technologies.

An agreement signed today by Bio-on and S.E.C.I. S.p.A. (part of Gruppo Industriale Maccaferri Holding), will see Italy’s and the world’s first facility for the production of PHA bioplastics from a co-product from biodiesel production, namely glycerol.

Pursuant to the key provisions of this agreement, BioAmber will benefit from non-assertion covenants with respect to certain intellectual property rights of Reverdia in the field of bio-based succinic acid, in exchange for undisclosed financial consideration. Furthermore, the agreement provides comfort to both BioAmber and Reverdia to continue the implementation of their respective businesses using their own unique, proprietary yeast-based technologies.

The two companies will collaborate on the construction of a production site with an initial output of 5 thousand tonnes/year, scalable to 10 thousand tonnes/year.

“In today’s increasingly complex intellectual property environment, the conclusion of this agreement illustrates how two proactive companies operating in the same field can find a constructive solution that allows them to focus on the execution of their respective business plans rather than seeking confrontation and conflict,” said JF Huc, BioAmber’s Chief Executive Officer. “It allows BioAmber to eliminate the risk of litigation and uncertainty at a predictable cost,” he added. ”This Agreement demonstrates that Reverdia’s Biosuccinium™ low pH yeast technology is a leading technology in the field of bio-based succinic acid and that by working with partners in the industry, we will speed up the adoption of biobased materials and validate bio-based succinic acid as a key building block for the bio-based economy,” said Marcel Lubben, Reverdia’s President. “It is our belief that the yeastbased technologies have a significant competitive advantage over bacterial-based technologies for the production of biobased succinic acid,” he added. Both Marcel Lubben and Jean-Francois Huc believe that the market for succinic acid will benefit from having strong players able to deliver on the rapidly growing demand in bio-plastics, polyurethanes, solvents, coatings and other applications. KL

S.E.C.I. is investing EUR 55 million in the facility, which will be located at an Eridania Sadam (also part of Maccaferri Holding) site and will be the world’s most advanced plant producing PHAs biopolymers from glycerol. PHAs, or polyhydroxyalkanoates, are bioplastics that can replace a number of traditional polymers currently made with petrochemical processes using hydrocarbons. The PHAs developed by Bio-on guarantee the same thermo-mechanical properties with the advantage of being completely naturally biodegradable. “We are investing EUR 4 million in purchasing the license for this new technology developed by Bio-on,” says Eridania Sadam Chairman Massimo Maccaferri, “because this all-natural bioplastic represents a technological challenge that can contribute towards the growth of our group in the new “green” chemistry industry, with an ecocompatible and eco-sustainable approach”. “We will create Italy’s first PHAs production plant from glycerol with one of Europe’s most important industrial groups,” explains Marco Astorri, Chairman of Bio-on “We have granted the first technological license from glycerol in line with our expectations and will be entering into a new collaboration to develop the promising highperforming biopolymers business developed by Bio-on. and produced in Italy from glycerol by S.E.C.I.” KL www.maccaferri.it | www.bio-on.it

www.bio-amber.com | www.reverdia.com

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

Events

The world’s largest conference on biocomposites

rom 16 – 17 December 2015, the world’s largest conference on Wood-Plastic Composites (WPC) and Natural Fibre Composites (NFC) with more than 220 participants took place for the sixth time in Cologne, Germany. The conference was sponsored by Beologic, Corbion-Purac and Plasthill. Coperion sponsored the Wood and Natural Fibre Composite Award 2015.

The range of topics that addressed the whole variety of bio-composites was presented by top speakers from the industry and research. Construction and automotive are the biggest markets for WPC and NFC today, these materials offer huge replacement potential in plastics and composites if one looks at application fields beyond decking and automotive interior applications. Biobased raw materials lead to local added value through innovative production processes and products, but require a great amount of know-how for raw materials, processes, properties, recipes and application fields. The conference provided an up-todate picture of different technologies and most promising applications. Dr. Asta Partanen, project leader of the conference, gave the outline of “Status and Future Markets for Biobased Composites in Europe until 2020”. The presentation gave insight into the new market and trend report, which was published in June 2015: “Wood-Plastic Composites (WPC) and Natural Fibre Composites (NFC): European and Global Markets 2012 and Future Trends in Automotive and Construction”. According to the study the share of WPC and NFC in the total composite market – including glass, carbon, wood and Natural Fibre Composites – is already an impressive 15 %. The production volume of WPC was 260,000 t in the EU in 2012, for NFC 92,000 t. The full study can be downloaded at http://bio-based.eu/markets/. Ten years ago the WPC & NFC Conference started as First German WPC-Conference. Good reason for Dr. Hans Korte from Dr. Hans Korte Innovationberatung Holz & Fasern, Wismar, to summarize what happened in the technical development starting at the end of 1990s in the field of WPC. The German WPC market is continuously growing, as was reported by Dr. Peter Sauerwein from the “Association of the German Wood-Based Panel Industry (VHI)”. An analyses of commercially available European decking samples was presented by Dr. Andreas Haider from Wood K plus, Austria. Some products in the market show an overall better performance compared to 2008 – in particular regarding water absorbance and colour fading but also the mechanical properties. Dr. Wayne Song, WPCC (Wood-Plastic Composite Council of China) presented the latest market news and trends, especially in interior walls in the Chinese markets, that does not grow as much as

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

By: Asta Partanen and Michael Carus nova-Institute Hürth, Germany

was predicted by Chinese representatives in previous conferences. As every year, the Wood and Natural Fibre Composite Award was a highlight of the conference. The participants chose by far the natural fibre-reinforced, 100 % biobased coffin as their winner (Onora, s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands. Second highlight was the trend in WPC and NFC granulates. So far, also mainly small producers and traders were offering WPC and NFC granulates with a limited technical support and often missing data for simulations. But also this is changing since big global players are offering their new developed materials, such as PolyOne (see article on p. 12). Developments in the use of biobased polymers in the automotive industry were shown by a number of companies (see detailed report on p. 16f). Michael Carus, managing director of nova-Institute, summed up: “It was impressive to see the dynamic in the WPC and NFC sector: Improved bio-composite properties, a broad range of professional players and the penetration of new markets such as consumer goods. The participants enjoyed the high quality of the presentations and exhibition and meeting the who-is-who of the whole sector. Many reported excellent business opportunities.”

The award winning coffin in the left corner of the picture. See a more detailed report on this product in bioplastics MAGAZINE issue 06/2015, p 36. Information: All presentations are now available at http://bio-based.eu/proceedings. In order to keep track of the the growing trends in the market and high demand the next conference will be held by nova-Institute in Cologne in Autumn 2017.

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Events

bioplastics MAGAZINE presents: 3rd PLA World Congress

4th PLA World Congress 24 – 25 MAY 2016 MUNICH › GERMANY

The PLA World Congress in Munich/Germany, organised by bioplastics MAGAZINE › GERMANY 27 +conference 28 MAY 2014 MUNICH now for the 4th time, is the must-attend for everyone interested in PLA, its benefits, and challenges. The conference offers high class presentations from top individuals in the industry and also offers excellent networkung opportunities along with a table top exhibition. Please find below the preliminary programme. Find more details and register at the conference website www.pla-world-congress.com

4th PLA World Congress, preliminary programme Constance Ißbrücker, European Bioplastics

Keynote Speech: t.b.d.

Michael Carus, nova-Institute

The role of PLA in the Bio-based Economy

Mariagiovanna Vetere, NatureWorks

Ingeo – developing new applications in a circular economy perspective

Patrick Zimmermann, FKuR

t.b.d.

Björn Bergmann, Fraunhofer ICT

InnoREX: European project reveals processing options for intensified PLA production

Udo Mühlbauer, Uhde Inventa-Fischer

New features of Uhde Inventa-Fischer’s PLAneo® process

Vittorio Bortolon, Plantura Italia

Plantura, ecofriendly automotive biopolymer

Jan Henke, ISCC

Sustainable supply chains for PLA production

Amparo Verdú Solís, AIMPLAS

New PLA based fibres for automotive interior applications

Tanja Siebert, Fraunhofer IVV

Present and potential future recycling of PLA waste – Chances and opportunities

Daniel Ganz, Sukano

Sustainability without compromises – Discover a toolbox of solutions for PLA

Hugo Vuurens, Corbion Purac

Latest application innovations in PLA bioplastics

Ramani Narayan, Michigan State University

Understanding the PLA molecule – From stereochemistry to applicability

Jan Noordegraaf, Synbra

An expanding update on BioFoam E-PLA foam applications

Bert Lagrain, KU Leuven

PLA: a perfect marriage between bio- and chemical technology

Gerald Schennink, Wageningen UR

PLA for durable applications comparing PLA hybrids with nucleated PLA (t.b.c.)

Panel discussion: t.b.d.

PLA market development: chances, obstacle and challenges (t.b.c.)

Call for papers is still open. Please send your abstract to mt@bioplasticsmagazine.com

Info See a video-clip of the 3rd PLA World Conference 2014 at https://youtu.be/5o-6Ej7Q0_0

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

4th PLA World Congress 24 – 25 MAY 2016 MUNICH › GERMANY

PLA

is a versatile bioplastics raw material from renewable resources. It is being used for films and rigid packaging, for fibres in woven and non-woven applications. Automotive industry and consumer electronics are thoroughly investigating and even already applying PLA. New methods of polymerizing, compounding or blending of PLA have broadened the range of properties and thus the range of possible applications. That‘s why bioplastics MAGAZINE is now organizing the 4th PLA World Congress on:

24 – 25 May 2016 in Munich / Germany Experts from all involved fields will share their knowledge and contribute to a comprehensive overview of today‘s opportunities and challenges and discuss the possibilities, limitations and future prospects of PLA for all kind of applications. Like the three congresses the 4th PLA World Congress will also offer excellent networking opportunities for all delegates and speakers as well as exhibitors of the table-top exhibition. The team of bioplastics MAGAZINE is looking forward to seeing you in Munich.

The conference will comprise high class presentations on

› Latest developments › Market overview

OUNT LY BIRD DISC

EAR

e benefit from th to w o n r te is g Re 9 of just EUR 79 Early Bird fee 899). (after Feb 28,

2016 it will be

› High temperature behaviour › Barrier issues › Additives / Colorants › Applications (film and rigid packaging, textile, automotive,electronics, toys, and many more) › Fibers, fabrics, textiles, nonwovens

www.pla-world-congress.com

› Reinforcements › End of life options (recycling,composting, incineration etc)

Gold Sponsor:

organized by

Automotive

Lightweighting is key Reaching lightweighting goals with new natural fiber reinforced solutions

Tensile strength 100 % 80 % Charpy unnotched

60 %

Tensile modulus

40 % 20 % 0%

Tensile elongation

Flexural modulus

Flexural strength Coupling Technologie 1

Coupling Technologie 2

Graph 1: Performance comparison between the two coupling technologies on Natural Engineered Fiber 1

anufacturers of semi-structural automotive applications now have the option to reduce part weight by 5 % or more, maintain mechanical performance, and even use more sustainable materials. A triad of developments makes this possible.

Automobile manufacturers need to improve their vehicles’ fuel efficiencies, as required by global regulations. Reducing a vehicle’s weight is one of the most direct ways to improve fuel efficiency. Not only do lower-weight vehicles use less fuel, but they also generate lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. For carmakers marketing their vehicles in Europe, failure to reach incremental CO2 limits imposed by the European Commission would force OEMs to pay a significant penalty of up to 95 € per gram of CO2 over the limit and for each new car sold. PolyOne recognized the challenges these new regulations placed on manufacturers in the automotive industry and set out to develop a solution that could meet the mechanical properties of parts made with short glass fiber reinforced polypropylene (GFR-PP), but with a density at least 5 % less than that of GFR-PP. The Company targeted more than 20 demanding automotive applications; many of these are large parts, such as instrument panel carriers and lighting systems, so a 5 – 10 % reduction in density could lead to significant overall weight reduction. A reduction of this magnitude is what automotive customers said was necessary for them to consider alternate materials to those already proven suitable for commercial use.

Graph 2: Comparison of reSound NF 40% natural fiber reinforced solution vs. ultimate target profile Specific gravity 100 % HDT B

80 %

Tensile strength at break

60 % 40 % 20 % HDT A

Tensile modulus

Charpy unnotched impact strength

Flexural strength at break Flexural modulus Ultimate target

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

Results

PolyOne’s search for a solution to the lightweighting challenge led to the development of a new natural fiber reinforced thermoplastic (NFR-TP) that supports lightweighting goals in the automotive and other industries, while also maintaining the necessary mechanical performance characteristics.

Develop a novel compounding process The Company is one of the world’s leading developers of thermoplastic compounds, with research and development experts at laboratories around the world. As the process to develop a lightweight replacement for GFR-PP began, the experts there recognized that a new type of compounding process showed promise for the manufacture of strong, stable compounds even with materials of different polarities. R&D teams at PolyOne had been working for two years to optimize the process, and believed this new compounding technology could be key to manufacturing NFR-TP solutions with excellent mechanical properties. It seemed a critical part of the solution to the long-recognized challenge of the ability of a non-polar thermoplastic material to couple with a polar reinforcing material.

Automotive This new compounding technology proved to be the first leg in the triad of developments that led to success.

Find the best fiber for the job When it comes to reinforcing polypropylene with natural fiber, many routes, variables, and choices can have a significant influence on the final solution:

By: Marc Mézailles Global Automotive Industry Manager, PolyOne Corporation Lyon, France

type of PP (homo- or copolymer) melt index type of reinforcing fiber coupling technology manufacturing process A design of experiment (DOE) helped reduce these input variables down to three: the type of fiber, coupling technology for the fiber and the PP, and manufacturing process (compound extrusion). PolyOne’s R&D experts already had developed what the researchers felt might be the best manufacturing process, but they needed to find the right materials. A PP homopolymer was determined to be the optimal matrix material with the appropriate melt index. So the best fiber for the applications targeted needed to be found, and a coupling technology to enable these fibers to bond well with the thermoplastic matrix material. Natural fibers made sense because of their low density; but to serve the automotive industry, fibers need to be available globally, with consistent sizing and quality. Testing of many types of natural fiber led to an engineered fiber, available globally as a modified product of an established wood fabrication industry. These fibers are supplied with consistent length and thickness, facilitating production of a compound with consistent properties – if the new compounding technology was able to evenly distribute the fibers throughout the matrix material, and helped create a powerful bond between fiber and matrix material.

A powerful bond The best fibers would be worth little if they could not be properly mixed into and bonded with the thermoplastic matrix. PolyOne’s search for solutions to these challenges led them to a coupling technology that forged the necessary bond, as seen in Graph 1. Coupling Technology 1 is an advanced technology while Coupling Technology 2 is a more classical technology. Coupling Technology 1 was tested on multiple fibers but ultimately PolyOne settled on the natural engineered fiber mentioned earlier. Testing began to determine whether the positive results seen in lab testing could be maintained at commercial scale. In addition, it needed to be investigated whether the new compounding process had an influence on the property profile at various reinforcing fiber amounts (30 % and 40 % in weight).

Photo 1: L ightweight and strong: Tests have proven the mechanical performance of parts molded from reSound NF natural fiber reinforced solutions.

The properties of the material manufactured on industrial scale machinery are very similar to the original target, and realize a density reduction versus short glass fiber alternatives of at least 5 % (Graph 2). The new formulations were named reSound™ NF natural fiber reinforced solutions; reSound is PolyOne’s brand name for formulations that contain 30 % or more of renewably resourced materials. u

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

Automotive Drop-in solution for your existing equipment and processes Injection molding of tensile bars and then larger parts (Photo 1) proved the mechanical performance and easy processability of reSound NF formulation. Like most natural fiber reinforced thermoplastics, reSound NF material should be processed at temperatures below 200 °C in order to maintain the integrity of the naturally-originating fibers. Using low temperatures also offers potential energy savings and short cooling times, providing an efficient yield for manufacturers. Further testing revealed that reSound NF material is compatible with and shows robust property retention when molded on machinery outfitted with the MuCell® foaming technology from Trexel. The retention is as robust as PP‑SGF for tensile properties, is even more robust for flexural properties, and clearly more stable for impact properties. The reSound NF solutions also are compatible with chemical foaming technologies, and exhibit strong bonding with selected thermoplastic elastomers, also found in PolyOne’s solutions portfolio. Separate trials also proved that customers could select a reSound NF concentrate, rather than a fully compounded formulation with a predetermined percentage of fiber loading, if they wanted to adjust final reinforcement levels vs. application needs. Finally, tests also were conducted to determine the recyclability of reSound NF material. Tensile bars were molded, reground, and molded again with the regrind material only. This was repeated three times.

These results show a very stable performance towards regrinding for reSound NF versus PP-SGF. It seems the limitation in the on-line re-introduction of reground PP-SGF into the manufacturing process does not apply to reSound NF material, which offers a potential “no scrap” process for manufacturers.

Time for a change Advanced material and manufacturing technologies have been combined to create reSound NF, a NFR-TP solution with a low specific gravity but offering excellent mechanical properties. Manufacturers can select reSound NF natural fiber reinforced solutions to reduce parts’ weights 5 – 10 % lower than ones made using comparable glass fiber formulations. Compared to other natural fiber reinforced solutions, reSound NF solutions offer mechanical property improvements of more than 20 % for tensile and flexural properties, 10 °C to 20 °C higher heat deflection temperature, and more than 50 % in impact strength. Customers can process reSound NF material on existing machinery and tooling at low injection molding temperatures, resulting in short cycle times. These new natural fiber reinforced polymer formulations enable automotive OEMs and their suppliers to meet goals for lightweighting, sustainability, production efficiency and performance. Customers from non-automotive industries that value lightweighting and sustainable solutions in technical applications can benefit from reSound NF formulations too. www.polyone.com

Carbon/Flax hybrid automotive roof

he CARBIO project has developed a carbon/flax hybrid automotive roof using Composite Evolution’s Biotex Flax material. The project, which involves Jaguar Land Rover, is developing novel carbon/flax hybrid composites to produce automotive structures with reduced weight, cost, environmental impact and improved noise, vibration and harshness (NVH).

The adoption of carbon fibre-epoxy composites to reduce vehicle weight is presenting significant challenges to the volume automotive industry. Compared to carbon, flax fibres are renewable, lower in cost, CO2 neutral and have excellent vibration damping properties. In addition, bio-epoxy resins based on cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) can offer enhanced toughness, damping and sustainability over synthetic epoxies. By creating a hybrid structure using flax-bioepoxy to replace some of the carbon, enhanced properties such as lower weight, cost, NVH and environmental impact can be gained. A 50/50 carbon/flax hybrid biocomposite, made from Biotex Flax supplied by Composites Evolution and prepregged by SHD Composite Materials, has significantly contributed to achieving the objectives of the project. With equal bending stiffness to carbon fibre, the hybrid biocomposite has: 15 % lower cost 7 % lower weight 58 % higher vibration damping The prototype roof, designed by Delta Motorsport and manufactured by KS Composites, was displayed at the Advanced Engineering show, last November in Birmingham, UK. The CARBIO project is part-funded by Innovate UK. The partners are Composites Evolution, SHD Composite Materials, KS Composites, Delta Motorsport, Jaguar Land Rover and Cranfield University. MT http://carbioproject.com

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

Automotive

Smart bioplastics for automotive applications By: Francesca Brunori Advanced Development Engine Systems Röchling Automotive Laives, Italy

Long term thermal stability was tested according to thermal cycle tests performed from -40 °C to 140 °C according to an OEM’s specification. When tested at temperatures as low as -30 °C, the material demonstrated an outstanding impact resistance for shockproof parts, showing that Plantura 30 % GF can offer values of up to 50 % higher Charpy impact strength compared to a PA6 GF+M30. The materials also exhibit excellent hydrolysis resistance.

öchling Automotive reports promising results on the development of automotive parts made of Plantura™ PLA based biopolymers.

Prototype filter boxes (cf. fig. 1) as well as interior parts were tested according to the OEM’s complete specifications, with very promising results

In collaboration with Plantura Italia Srl (Italy) and Corbion Purac (The Netherlands), Röchling Automotive is working towards greener products offering similar or enhanced technical functionality.

The use of Plantura for the air flaps (fig. 3) of an Active Grille Shutter (fig. 2) was investigated and the initial results bode well for the future. The injection molded Plantura component has a higher stiffness compared to the component produced with the standard material (PA6 GF30). Because of this, deflection is lower during use, which can be used to reduce air leakage. Moreover, thanks to the lower shrinkage of the material, it is also possible to reduce the deformation of the final component. Another big advantage to using Plantura for this application is that the dimensional stability will increase over the lifetime of the component, due to the fact that no humidity is absorbed. The scratch resistance behavior of PLA, an extremely important aspect when it comes to aesthetic components in general, and in this case for aesthetic Active Grille Shutters In particular, is well known and taken into consideration in the Plantura formulations.

Plantura has a CO2 equivalent emission of approximately 0.5 tonnes for each ton of produced raw material. This is around 70 % lower than PP, and close to 90 % less than PA6. There are currently four standard grades available that are suitable for low to medium demanding automotive underthe-hood applications and – using the glass fiber filled grade – in underbody applications. The talc filled standard grade, as well as natural fiber filled grades, are suitable for automotive interior applications. As these different standard grades, which boast a biocontent of up to 95 %, can be finetuned to meet specific customer needs and final application requirements, the material has already been used in series production in sectors other than the automotive market. The compounds can be processed and recycled with conventional plastics processing and recycling technologies. In comparison to standard PLA, Plantura showed significant improvements in thermal stability and chemical resistance.

Fig. 1: Filter box made of Plantura 30 % Wood Fibers

The continuous development of the material has led to higher, and increasingly interesting cost efficiency. With its significant contribution to an improved CO2 balance, Plantura could become an important concept in the automotive world. www.roechling.com

Fig. 2: Assembled Active Grille Shutter

Fig. 3: A ir flaps of Active Grille Shutter made of Plantura 30 % Glass Fiber reinforced

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

Automotive

Biocomposites in the automotive industry

he second biggest application sector for biocomposites is the automotive interior sector. The main application is the construction sector and third is consumer goods. At the world’s largest conference on Wood-Plastic Composites (WPC) and Natural Fibre Composites (NFC) with more than 220 participants in December 2015 in Cologne, Germany (see p. 8), one extended session informed about the latest status of biocomposites in the automotive industry.

By: Michael Carus and Asta Partanen Nova-Institute Hürth, Germany

Biocomposites contain wood or natural fibres or/and biobased polymers. So far, almost all biocomposites contain wood or natural fibres, but only a few using biobased polymers. Experts speak about Wood-Plastic Composites (WPC) and Natural Fibre Composites (NFC). Especially in the interior applications in middle and high class cars, NFC are well established and a growing market. The dominating technology is compression moulding, with a natural fibre nonwoven fleece. One of the leading experts is Werner Klusmeier (Yanfeng Europe Automotive Interior Systems (formerly JCI)) and speaker at the conference summarized: “There is a diversity of reasons for the use of natural fibres: Advantages in the ecological footprint, affordable production costs as well as good acoustic and mechanical properties. Furthermore, natural fibre reinforced plastics convince with their low weight. They enable savings in mass of up to 30 % – which is a decisive plus in times of lightweight construction. Natural fibre composites have been and are still further developed in terms of lightweight construction and strength. They have become integral parts of the automotive industry.”

“Nature 50 – long fibre” for injection moulding with a cold-press method. These long fibre pellets with more than 50 % hemp fibre content, polypropylene and additives are produced with pellet technology. They can be used for injection moulded parts with standard machines and standard tools as a substitution of PC/ABS with 20 % glass fibre content. Their fibre structure gives them a unique look and makes them suitable also for use outside the automotive industry. (courtesy HIB TRIM PART SOLUTIONS)

The combination of compression moulding and simultaneous back injection moulding can bring further weight reduction, as Tayfun Buzkan and Motoki Maekawa from Toyota Boshoku Europe demonstrated in their presentation. The material performance completely meets automotive requirements and reduces production time. Developments in the use of biobased polymers in the automotive industry were shown by Global Marketing Director bioplastics at Corbion Purac, François de Bie, together

Biocomposites with Natural Fibres, Wood Fibres and Recycled Cotton in the European Automotive Production in 2012

Biocomposites

Volume fibres in tonnes in 2012

Volume biocomposites in tonnes in 2012

Natural Fibre Composites

30,000

Processing technologies

Matrice

60,000

95 % compression moulding, 5 % injection moulding & others

55 % thermoplastics, 45 % thermosets Extrusion: 100 % thermoplastics, compression moulding: >90 % thermoset >90 % thermoset

Wood-Plastic Composites

30,000

60,000

45 % extrusion & thermoforming, 50 % compression moulding & others 5 % injection moulding

Recycled Cotton Reinforced Plastics

20,000

30,000

mainly compression moulding

Total

80,000

150,000

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

Automotive

with Francesca Brunori from Röchling Automotive. They presented their latest cooperation results on high heat PLA 100% biobased natural fibre filled compounds with injection and compression moulding. The material is ready to use and Röchling is already in contact with different OEMs (see also page 15). Experts expect a growth in injection moulding for WPC and NFC: So far, also mainly small producers and traders were offering WPC and NFC granulates with a limited technical support and often missing data for simulations. But also this is changing since big global players are offering their new developed materials: “Sustainable Light weighting Thermoplastic Solutions for Automotives” (see also page 12) was presented by Marc Mézailles from PolyOne Global Engineered Materials. This innovation from PolyOne breaks the conventional material property balance and opens the industrial use of natural fibres reinforced solutions in many demanding end applications and markets, including automotive, with a 5 to 10% light weighting potential vs. standard solutions. The material has a typical 30% fibre content, the fibre is an engineered industrial wood fibre, and a new coupling technology as well as a specific compounding process is used. PolyOne a first official OEM approval on a critical semi-structural application, and continues to be evaluated by several key OEMs and their Tier One suppliers. Today, as the last survey from nova-Institute showed, about 4 kg natural and wood fibres per vehicle in average are used European automotive production; but vehicles with considerably larger amounts of 20 kg natural and wood fibres have been successfully produced in series for years and could credit these amounts in the future.

This table is showing the main reason, why Natural Fibre Composites (NFC) are such an exciting material for the automotive industry NF compression moulded – superior lightweight properties Automotive interior parts

Area weight in g/m2

WPC – extruded and moulded

2,500

Injection moulded pure plastc or glass fibre reinforced plastics

>2,200

Compression moulded PP-NF

1,800

Compression moulded PP-NF with bonding agent MAPP

1,500

Compression moulded thermosets-NF Compression moulded thermosets-NF In development, production expected after 2018

1,400 – 1,500 800 – 1,000

Most experts expect a continuously growth in the use of WPC and especially NFC in the automotive industry because of the high light weight potential of these materials, the continuously improvement of technologies and properties and new professional players. The combination with biobased polymers to realize fully biobased biocomposites is just starting and could become an additional market for biobased polymers such as PLA or PBS. www.nova-institute.com

All figures and tables are teken from the study “Wood-Plastic Composites (WPC) and Natural Fibre Composites (NFC): European and Global Markets 2012 and Future Trends in Automotive and Construction“. The full study can be downloaded at http://bio-based.eu/markets

All presentations of the conference are now available at http://bio-based.eu/proceedings

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

Materials

The gluten solution

By Karen Laird

New TPVs derived from wheat gluten

hile gluten has got a lot of bad press over the past few years, there is still good news to report. Gluten, it turns out, can actually serve as the basis for a new type of biobased plastic material, say scientists at the KU Leuven in Belgium. These researchers are working on the development of a new type of thermoplastic vulcanisate – based on gluten. But what is gluten? Very simply put, is the seed storage protein in mature cereal seeds. More specifically, it is a protein composite, meaning it is a substance made up of several different proteins, in this case gliadin and a glutenin. The cross-linking of gliadin molecules and glutenin molecules creates the primary properties associated with gluten. According to Lien Telen, a postdoctoral researcher at KU Leuven who has spent the past five years exploring the the use of wheat gluten to produce thermoplastic elastomers, there are a number of aspects that make gluten an attractive starting point for novel biobased materials. In the first place, there is a lot of it: as a co-product of industrial gluten-starch separation or bioethanol production, gluten is available in Europe in quantities of up to 1 million tonnes on an annual basis. Only part of this gluten is used as a high-value bakery ingredient, while the excess is mostly used in animal feed.

melt processability of thermoplastic materials. The rubber particles are very small (a few µm) and will flow in the melt of the thermoplastic matrix making the entire material recyclable using standard thermoplastic polymer processing equipment such as extrusion and injection molding.” The gluten team is also working on improving the properties of the new TPVs, which, said Telen, “fall short on water-resistance, oil and chemical resistance and operational temperature range”. Yet what also sets gluten-based TPVs apart is the possibility of combining elastomeric behavior and biodegradability in a single material, a combination not seen in conventional oil-based TPVs. Depending on the thermoplastic component, the gluten TPV’s can be designed to be fully biodegradable. TPVs with a polyethylene or polyamide matrix are not completely biodegradable, as the matrix remains intact, making them unsuitable for composting.

Secondly, unlike most other proteinaceous resources, gluten contains high molar mass constituents and unique network forming properties, which means it can readily be converted into a variety of biobased materials. The development that has received the most attention of the gluten team at KU Leuven, said Telen, has been the glutenbased TPVs (TPV stands for thermoplastic vulcanizates). These new materials are colorable and can be processed on conventional processing equipment. Unlike the olefin-based rubbers in conventional TPVs, wheat gluten intrinsically crosslinks under the influence of heat, eliminating the need for an additional chemical crosslinker. Gluten-based TPVs combine the typical properties and functional performance of rubbers with the melt processability of thermoplastic polymers, resulting in recyclable materials. Telen explains: “The gluten TPV consists of (non-recyclable) crosslinked gluten particles within a thermoplastic matrix. The main advantage of these TPVs is that they have elastomeric characteristics at room temperature combined with the

“However, completely biodegradable and (home) compostable TPVs have also been developed using a biodegradable and (home) compostable matrix,” said Telen. Applications for these materials could include indoor soft touch materials, or functional biodegradation applications in the agricultural and horticultural sectors. Next to gluten-based TPVs, the researchers at KU Leuven are looking at other materials as well. “In the absence of a plasticizer, the heat induced crosslinking results in a glassy, rigid material with material properties comparable to Polystyrene (PS)”, said Telen. “Gluten composites: rigid gluten bioplastic reinforced with flax fibers are another focus. Research on these materials is ongoing and very promising.” http://chem.kuleuven.be

60 – 80 % biobased non biodegradable

100 % biobased biodegradable anaerobic

TPV

Tensile modulus (MPa)

333

197

265

494

Tensile elongation (%)

247

240

120

Tensile strength (MPa)

Shore D hardness

Melting temperature (°C)

129

118

125

140

Crystallization temperature (°C)

113

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

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

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

Bio-based polymers: Will the positive growth trend continue? 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 biobased 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

million t/a

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

forecast

2% of total polymer capacity, €11 billion turnover

2011

2012

2013

2014

2016

2017

2018

2019

Epoxies

PUR

PET

PTT

PEF

EPDM

PBS

PBAT

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

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

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

2015

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

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.

Materials

Making Levulinic Acid happen A new (?) building block not only for bioplastics

o. Levulinic acid (LA) is not exactly a new building block or better a new platform chemical. It has been known of since 1840. “Everybody knows the benefits of levulinic acid, but few are using it yet – because it has been too expensive so far”, Maxim Katinov, CEO of Caserta, Italy based GFBiochemicals told bioplastics MAGAZINE during a plant visit in early December. GFBiochemicals is the first and only company to produce levulinic acid at commercial scale directly from biomass. The 10,000 tonnes/annum commercial-scale production plant in Caserta started production in July 2015. The plant uses new and modified conversion, recovery and purification technology owned by GFBiochemicals. The company also has offices in Milan, Italy and Geleen, the Netherlands. In-house application and R&D is supported by a highly skilled and prolific management team with decades of experience in innovation, production and business development of biobased chemicals. “We have the best people and they are passionate about what they do”, as Maxim proudly told us. “Many of them left leading world renowned chemical companies in the Netherlands to join a startup“, he added. Levulinic acid is a biobased platform chemical with applications in the chemical and biofuel sectors. “Levulinic acid is an essential building block for a green future,” as Marcel van Berkel, CCO of GFBiochemicals pointed out. In 2004, the US Department of Energy (DoE) identified LA as one of the 12 most important platform chemicals [1].

Levulinic acid for affordable prices Fundamentally lower price ranges are now possible for derivatives using GFBiochemicals technology. “We don’t need outputs of 150,000 tonnes to be successful,” said Maxim Katinov. “We can do it economically with three, five or ten thousand tonnes. And so we can produce and deliver levulinic acid for prices the market can afford”. The current price level is at about USD 4 – 5 per kg, but this company is targeting substantially lower prices, “in the range of one Dollar, when

Pre-treatment

Reactor

Flash

we reach maturity and produce at large scale,” Marcel van Berkel commented.

Possible bioplastic applications Among the possible applications for LA we find quite a number of biopolymer-products or pre-products for bioplastics such as Me-BDO (Methyl butanediol for biobased polyesters or as building block for polyurethanes), Gamma valerolactone, an amino acid to make Nylons or specialty acrylates, DPA (Diphenolic acid to replace BPA, Bisphenol A, in Epoxies or Polycarbonate. BPA is cheaper but toxic), Co-nutrients during PHB production with metabolically engineered strains, and many more. Markets for levulinic acid and its derivatives include furthermore green solvents, coatings and resins, plasticizers, but also flavours and fragrances, personal care and pharmaceutical products, agrochemicals, fuel additives and biofuels.

LA from renewable resources Traditionally levulinic acid is produced from petroleum via butane/benzene. “The first biobased routes went through furfural and furfuryl alcohole”, said Aris de Rijke, Director Technology & Engineering. “We however, go a direct route from biomass in a continuous process. Today we are using industrial corn starch, but in the long run we aim at using wood waste or other cellulosic waste streams such as straw or bagasse”. And a share of the energy used to run the process comes from char, a by-product of the LA-production from biomass. All in all, levulinic acid is a product of which we can expect interesting developments. Or maybe even “the transition to a new economy”, as Maxim Kativov said. MT [1] www.nrel.gov/docs/fy04osti/35523.pdf www.gfbiochemicals.com

Energy recovery Proprietary technology

Cellulosic Biomass

Steam

Solid/liquid separatrion

Product recovery & concentration

Final purification

Biochar Steam

O HO

CH3 O

Levulinic acid

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

MARCH 30 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; APRIL 1, 2016

Orlando World Center Marriott

A Collaborative Biopolymers Forum for the Global Ingeo Community

@NatureWorks

#ITR2016

www.innovationtakesroot.com

Material news

New amorphous PHA

Biobased and

grades as performance

biodegradable

additives for PVC and PLA

thermoelastomers

Metabolix (Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA) is launching its new line of amorphous polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) grades to be used as performance additives for PVC and PLA. Production of the new materials is underway at a U.S. pilot plant and will ramp up to 270 tonnes (600,000 pounds) annual nameplate capacity during 2016. “The commercial launch of these new grades of amorphous PHA represents an important development for Metabolix as we advance our business strategy focused on specialty biopolymers,” said Johan van Walsem, Metabolix’s chief operating officer. “This expanded pilot capacity is strategic for us to support existing customers and opens new market development opportunities in our target application spaces.” Amorphous PHA (a-PHA) is a softer and more rubbery (low glass transition temperature or Tg) version of PHA that offers a fundamentally different performance profile from crystalline forms of PHA. Metabolix’s a-PHA is produced by fermentation and extracted using a patented solvent recovery process. The production process has been reviewed by EPA and recently cleared the Premanufacture Notice (PMN) requirement for new materials placed into commerce. Several certifications are pending on a-PHA as a biobased material and for the full range of biodegradation scenarios enabled when a-PHA is used alone or with other complementary materials. Metabolix plans to seek FDA clearance for a-PHA in food contact applications, which would further expand the range of PHA compositions available for use in food contact materials. Metabolix previously received FDA clearance for use of its semi-crystalline PHA grades in food contact applications. At low loading levels, a-PHA can serve as a process aid and performance modifier for PVC. It increases productivity during processing and enhances mechanical performance, with the potential to also deliver cost savings in PVC material systems. In highly filled composite systems, the use of a-PHA enables increased use of wood pulp, mineral fillers and PVC recyclate to replace virgin PVC and achieve improved mechanical properties. Metabolix is working closely with customers on a wide range of applications utilizing a-PHA as a modifier for PVC. These applications include a floor backing material that utilizes PVC recyclate, a highly-filled vinyl flooring system, wire and cable insulation, roofing membranes, PVC/wood polymer composites and other construction and building materials (see p. 23). Amorphous PHA also complements the bio-content and compostability profile of the biopolymer PLA while delivering significant improvements in mechanical properties such as increased toughness, strength and ductility. Based on these product advantages, Metabolix is working with customers interested in achieving better performance with PLA biopolymers. Many of these customers are focused on developing a-PHA-modified PLA materials for sustainable, bio-based, and compostable packaging solutions. In addition to conducting numerous trials for transparent packaging films, Metabolix is working with customers interested in a-PHA-modified PLA for thermoformed transparent clamshells used in food service and consumer packaging as well as a-PHA-modified PLA for non-wovens used in personal care applications. MT www.metabolix.com

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

erraVerdae BioWorks, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, an industrial biotechnology company developing advanced bioplastics and biomaterials from environmentally sustainable, single-carbon (C1) feedstocks, has announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership agreement with PolyFerm, Kingston, Ontario, Canada. PolyFerm is a biopolymer company that is focused on developing renewable and biodegradable alternatives to petrochemicalbased elastomers. The partnership expands TerraVerdae’s product and technology portfolio into the high growth market of biodegradable thermoelastomers. PolyFerm has developed the only line of biodegradable thermoelastomers in the industry made entirely from renewable feedstocks. PolyFerm’s product line, marketed as VersaMer™, is a medium-chain-length PHA material with enhanced elastomeric properties that can be engineered to multiple applications. This addresses a large unmet need within the biopolymer industry, with applications for adhesives and sealants, plastic additives, inks and toners, paints and coatings, and medical devices. “This strategic partnership allows us to offer our customers the most comprehensive product portfolio of high-value biodegradable polymers and opens up significant opportunities in new, highgrowth markets,” said William Bardosh, CEO and founder of TerraVerdae BioWorks. “ “With TerraVerdae, we have found an ideal partner to help us penetrate new markets with our high-performance polymer and elastomer products,” said Bruce Ramsay, Founder and CTO of PolyFerm Canada. “TerraVerdae’s demonstrated ability to scale up complex bioprocesses to meet the performance specifications demanded by industry is a great fit with our technology.” Elastomeric PHAs represent one of the most versatile classes of engineered materials for a number of commercial uses. These biodegradable materials combine the look, feel and elasticity of conventional thermoset rubber with improved processing efficiencies and are capable of withstanding large deformations while regaining their original shape. They also exhibit unique performance characteristics such as toughness, resilience, stretchability, and stiffness. KL www.polyfermcanada.com | www.terraverdae.com

Material news

PHA in PVC-WPC applications In a recent blog posted by Metabolix Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Communications, Lynne Brum, the use of Metabolix I6003 PHAs in WPC was touted as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;cost effective solution which imparts superior mechanical properties and process benefits in wood filled PVC building materials.â&#x20AC;? Wood fiber polymer composites (WPC), wrote Brum, are materials made by combining wood particles or other fibrous materials with polymer resins and additives to improve performance. WPCs, which require little maintenance have become popular replacements for solid wood. Common applications for these composites are in products such as decking, fences, railings and outdoor landscaping features. PVC is one of the key base polymers used in wood polymer composites for decking and railing systems. Miscibility between PVC and plasticizer is essential for good performance. PHA and PVC materials are highly miscible and moreover, have similar processing windows. Because of their miscibility with PVC, the PHA additives will not migrate out of the PVC and are easy to handle and process under the same conditions as PVC. Exploring the use of Metabolix I6003 PHAs in WPC, it was found that I6003, a multifunctional process aid, acted as an efficient fusion promoter, improved wood filler incorporation and dispersion, and significantly reduced torque in the extrude. Metabolix has worked with customers to develop new PVC-WPC formulations for decking and railing systems. Incorporating Metabolix PHA material into these formulations at a low loading level, made it possible to increase the proportion of wood flour used and at the same time to decrease the amount of PVC needed. The data generated by Metabolix showed that during processing, the addition of PHA, even at a low level, reduced torque and improved processing of the wood polymer composite material. For railing applications, the end-product also exhibited significantly improved mechanical properties and surface finish. This work demonstrates that PHA materials can offer significant performance benefits â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and consequently costs advantages, as well â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in PVC wood polymer composite systems. Brum said the company is looking forward to working with PVC wood polymer composite manufacturers to develop new solutions for decking and railing systems. KL www.metabolix.com | http://bit.ly/1Rsqp4w

SEEING POLYMERS WITH DIFFERENT EYES... Rubber and greenhouse effect Sulphenamides and network structure

P O LY U RE T HA N E S M A GA Z I NE I N T ER N AT I O N A L

tro

Inte

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

Materials

Breakthrough platform technology for new building block In mid-January, science and agricultural leaders DuPont Industrial Biosciences, Wilmington Delaware, USA and Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM), Chicago, Illinois, USA announced a new breakthrough process with the potential to expand the materials landscape in the 21st century with exciting and truly novel, high-performance renewable materials. The technology has applications in packaging, textiles, engineering plastics and many other industries.

generic bottle picture (no PTF)

The companies have developed a method for producing furan dicarboxylic methyl ester (FDME) from fructose. FDME is a high-purity derivative of furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), one of the 12 building blocks identified by the U.S. Department of Energy that can be converted into a number of high-value, biobased chemicals or materials that can deliver high performance in a number of applications. It has long been sought-after and researched, but has not yet been available at commercial scale and at reasonable cost. The new FDME technology is a more efficient and simple process than traditional conversion approaches and results in higher yields, lower energy usage and lower capital expenditures. This partnership brings together ADM’s world-leading expertise in fructose production, and carbohydrate chemistry with DuPont’s biotechnology, chemistry, materials and applications expertise, all backed by a strong joint intellectual-property portfolio. “This molecule is a game-changing platform technology. It will enable cost-efficient production of a variety of 100 % renewable, high-performance chemicals and polymers

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

with applications across a broad range of industries,” said Simon Herriott, global business director for biomaterials at DuPont. “ADM is an agribusiness powerhouse with strong technology development capabilities. They are the ideal partner with which to develop this new, renewable supply chain for FDME.” One of the first polymers under development utilizing FDME is polytrimethylene furandicarboxylate (PTF), a novel polyester also made from DuPont’s proprietary plant based Bio-PDO™ (1,3-propanediol). PTF is a 100 % renewable and recyclable polymer that, when used to make bottles and other beverage packages, substantially improves gas-barrier properties compared to other polyesters. This makes PTF a great choice for customers in the beverage p a c k a g i n g industry looking to improve the shelf life of their products. “We are excited about the potential FDME has to help our customers reach new markets and develop better-performing products, all made from sustainable, biobased starting materials,” said Kevin Moore, president, renewable chemicals at ADM. “With their strong leadership in the biomaterials industry, DuPont is a great partner that can help us bring this product to market for our customers.” ADM and DuPont are taking the initial step in the process of bringing FDME to market by moving forward on the scale-up phase of the project. The two companies are planning to build an integrated 60 tonnes/year demonstration plant in Decatur, Illinois, USA, which will provide potential customers with sufficient product quantities for testing and research. MT www.dupont.com | www.adm.com

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 DĂźsseldorf, Germany Hall 5, US Pavilion

Opinion

Bioplastics industry struggling to meet expected demand

vantium and Mitsui announced in December their plan to bring 100 % bio-based PEF (Polyethylene Furanoate) packaging to the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. This press release captures the importance of both partnerships and professional marketing in today’s bioplastic business. Today, bioplastics are generally sold at a premium compared to conventional plastics, and the current low prices of crude oil are not making the competition any easier. It is therefore of the utmost importance to build maximum exposure for the new products. The higher price of bioplastics for instance in packaging is compensated by added brand or product value. Major sports events are the candy shops for marketing professionals. The London Olympic Games in 2012 were broadcast to 220 different countries with over 3.6 billion viewers. The bioplastic industry has been able to get its fair share of the publicity. McDonald’s decided to use Novamont’s Mater-Bi bioplastic for the disposable foodservice packaging in their Olympic park restaurant during London Olympic Games. Rio 2016™ has published sustainability guidelines encouraging the use of biodegradable compostable packaging for fast food outlets, and recyclable bioplastics for other types of packaging. The choice of event for Avantium’s and Mitsui’s launch was an expected yet very smart move.

The market data of European Bioplastics forecasts that the production capacities of bioplastics will reach almost 8 million tonnes in 2019 with non-biodegradable bioplastics representing the major part of the growth. As a combined management consulting and engineering company we keep a tight eye on the development and realisation of investment projects. Today, we see some major challenges with the build-up of new bioplastic production. Much of the volume growth is counting on new bio-based PE, PET, PEF and PLA production. Braskem is still the only producer of sugar-based PE on the market with no announcements of new entrants. In addition, Mitsui decided to bury their bio-ethylene joint venture with Dow Chemical last October by selling all its shares of the company. On the positive side, SABIC launched a portfolio of renewable PE and PP in 2014 but the actual production volumes remain unknown. There is also an on-going debate whether these ISCC Plus certified renewable polyolefins can be marketed as bio-based products. The development of bio-based PET and PEF is going forward, but the production output is lagging behind

The Chasm

Along with the increasing media exposure, more and more brand owners are considering bioplastics as part of their sustainability programme. Shiseido plans to switch over 70 % of the polyethylene used in their domestic cosmetics containers from petroleum-based to bio-based by 2020. Procter & Gamble has announced replacing 25 % of their petroleum-based raw materials with renewable

materials in all products and packaging by 2020. Also the Swedish furniture giant IKEA is planning to have all plastics used in the company’s home furnishings made from 100 % renewable and/or recyclable materials with the same schedule as Shiseido and P&G. These global brands are considered to be innovators in the adoption curve of bioplastics. We at Pöyry believe this trend of brand owner targets will expand from innovators to early adopters in the next ten years. Will there be enough supply to meet these targets?

Innovators

Early adopters

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

Early majority

Late majority

Laggards

Opinion

By: Henna Poikolainen and Juulia Kuhlman Pöyry Management Consulting Vantaa, Finland

market projections. For instance, the largest biobased monoethylene glycol project to date – 500,000 t/a in Brazil by JBF Industries – has been put on hold and some sources expect it to be cancelled. There is a lot of activity in developing catalytic processes for bio-MEG but there will be little production available for P&G, IKEA and alike by 2020. The future supply looks more promising for PLA. Corbion succeeded in signing letters of intent for one-third of the 75,000 t/a capacity planned for their new facility in Thailand and decided to go forward with the investment. NatureWorks awarded the engineering contract of a new production plant in Southeast Asia to Jacobs back in 2013 but we are still waiting for news on the location. Press releases of new bioplastic projects paint a distorted picture of the supply volumes. Only few projects reach full capacity with the initially announced timing. New technologies, developing markets and exclusive partnerships make the bioplastics industry demanding, risky and timeconsuming to enter. Sustainable biomass sourcing with transparent traceability is a prerequisite for any collaboration with the major brand owners. Similarly to Corbion, many producers seek to secure major offtake of planned capacity prior to a final investment decision which prolongs time-tomarket. Project financing is rarely straightforward. Many bioplastics projects are risky investments even at high crude oil prices. It is challenging to convince investors of the profitability of capital intensive projects when the return on investment is dependent on a biopremium. The supply of bioplastics is expected to show double-digit growth for the next ten years, but the curve is unlikely to depict as exponential a growth as project announcements would indicate. Securing an adequate supply of bioplastics will be a major issue for the brands aiming to reach their targets by 2020. Most brands are unwilling to commit to a single supplier. There should be at least two or three certified suppliers to secure supply, but this is rarely the case in today’s bioplastic market. There is great variation in polymer grades and switching costs are still too high. Hence, bioplastic producers should not see new entrants as unwelcome competitors, but rather as a necessity for market formation. We foresee more and more partnerships with bioplastic producers and brand owners. Tight collaboration with brand owners can speed-up market entry and take the bioplastics industry to the next level. www.poyry.com

About the authors: Henna Poikolainen and Juulia Kuhlman are both consultants at Pöyry Management Consulting. Pöyry is one of the leading advisors to the world’s energy, forest and bio-based industries. In the past 5 years, the authors have been supporting clients e.g. in market entry, product portfolio and partnering strategies; in supply, demand and cost analyses; and in technology evaluation and pre-feasibility assessments. In 2015, Pöyry published a multiclient report “BioSight up to 2025” analysing the supply, demand and dynamics of the bio-based chemical business: www. poyry.com/biosight

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

Application News

New biobased

PHA for safer toys

sustainable eyewear

Italy-based Bio-on laboratories have created a new type of bioplastic, designed to make safe and eco-sustainable children’s toys. Dubbed Minerv PHA Supertoys, the new material has now been used for the first time for the manufacture of building bricks. Based on Bio-on’s biodegradable biopolymer (PHA), which has already been tested in applications ranging from automotive to design to biomedical, biobased Supertoys is safe, and hygienic, and it meets and exceeds the provisions of the recent European Directive 2009/48/ EC, known as the TDS (Toy Safety Directive), implemented into the standard international procedure for toy safety evaluation EN 71.

Eyewear company Charmant USA has announced the launch of Awear, a line of eco-friendly eyeglasses. Composed of recyclable plant-based biobased plastics, plus biodegradable demo lenses. Its inaugural collection of ergonomic eyewear was designed to be lightweight, fashion-forward and completely eco-friendly. The brand boasts an unyielding commitment to environmentally conscious practices, from design to production. All of the glasses’ frames and sun lenses are made with sustainable materials – the frames themselves are created from recyclable plant-based biobased polyamide. And since the bio-polyamide is made from a plant-based material, each ergonomically fitted frame boasts reduced carbon-dioxide emissions and water use compared with conventional eyewear. Production is another important factor for the company. The temple pieces for each pair of glasses (made of a biobased elastomer material) are hand-assembled, ultimately making the process more energy efficient. The frames are also designed with a high-chemical resistant material that eliminates the need for spray coating pieces, a factor that reduces overall water usage in production. Even the demo lenses are biobased and biodegradable and are made from PLA. “Awear is different and exceptional from any other eyewear collection,” Michele Ziss, director of product and marketing at Charmant, said in a statement. “The materials and production processes have distinctive properties and a unique story because they are environmentally friendly.” Aimed at style-conscious and environmentally savvy millennials, Awear debuts this month with seven optical frames and two styles of sunglasses for men and women. Yosuke Shimano, the collection’s lead designer, credited the vivacity of life in the landscapes that surround him for inspiring the range of translucent yet saturated colors. “It is with this concept, that Awear can make an equally bold style and eco-savvy statement,” the company added. KL www.awearcharmant.com

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

Bio-On has developed an exclusive process for the production of a family of PHA polymers from agricultural waste (including molasses and sugar cane and sugar beet syrups). Bio-On PHA is certified by Vincotte and by USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) as 100 % biobased and completely biodegradable. The Minerv PHA Supertoys project was launched by Bio-on with no commercial goal, aiming solely to demonstrate whether or not specific, eco-sustainable and completely biodegradable formulations could be created to manufacture child-safe, environmentally friendly toys, without compromising on the functionality or aesthetic appeal of the end product. “The presence of toxic substances in toys is still a very serious problem today,” says Bio-on S.p.A. Chairman Marco Astorri. “We are convinced that this new discovery can make a decisive contribution to the health of our children.” The first product chosen as the demonstrator for the new material was a LEGO®-style building bricks. Astorri explained that the company had chosen this product, because of the relative difficulty in producing it. “It has a tolerance of 2 µm and the fact that we have succeeded in guaranteeing such a high quality level gives us confidence for future developments,” he said. The research project is open to all laboratories and companies around the world working on toy design. The goal is to create two types of bioplastic by the end of 2017: Minerv PHA Supertoys type R, a rigid, strong grade, and Minerv PHA Supertoys type F, which will be ductile and flexible. KL/MT www.bio-on.it

Application News

New Ice-cream container At the SIGEP Exhibition in Rimini, Italy (23 – 27 January 2016) a new line of ice-cream containers made from BioFoam® has been introduced by the companies Erreme (Foligno, Italy) and Domogel (Costa di Mezzate, Italy). They are two of the leading producers of ice-cream packaging in Italy. The BioFoam containers are produced by Synprodo, Wijchen, The Netherlands. The ice containers are put into the market under the name Greeny and come in two models 500 ml and 1000 ml. The insulating properties of the containers keep the ice cool for several hours allowing the consumers to take it home for consumption. Assuming an external temperature of 25 °C, the temperature of the ice cream stored in a BioFoam container will vary by 2 °C per hour. With a thermoformed layer of PLA on the inside the entire container is still completely bio-based and compostable (certified as industrially compostable according to EN13432). In Italy officially allowed by law since last year, consumers can dispose of the empty containers in their biowaste bin. After an official Press Conference and during the following days on the exhibition the revolutionary new concept for Italy gained a lot of interest and the producers are confident that the coming years the Greeny box will grow and take market share on the Italian and other markets. www.greeny.it www.synprodo.com

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Policy & markets New bio-based building blocks Biorefineries Innovation Award “Bio-based Material of the Year 2016”

2nd Day (6 April 2016) • Building blocks and polymers • Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) • Lignin utilisation

www.nova-institute.eu

Venue & Accomodation

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Maternushaus Cologne, Germany Kardinal-Frings-Str. 1–3, 50668 Cologne +49 (0)221 163 10 | info@maternushaus.de

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Contact

Organiser

Dominik Vogt Conference Manager +49 (0)2233 4814-49 dominik.vogt@nova-institut.de bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

Foam

PLA foam expanding into new areas By: Sarah Heine, CEO Biopolymer Network Rotorua, New Zealand

he Biopolymer Network Limited (BPN) team from Rotorua, New Zealand, who developed ZealafoamÂŽ, a PLA based alternative to expanded polystyrene (EPS), continues to develop new opportunities for bio-based foam. Leveraging off their patented process which uses CO2 as a green blowing agent to produce low density particle PLA foam, BPN has developed a variety of prototypes of varying shape and dimension. These include cups, films or other articles depending on the target application. PLA foamed cups have been developed to target the growing demand for bio-based disposable cups for both hot and cold beverages. The foaming process increases the glass transition temperature (Tg) and/or crystallinity of the PLA, depending on the grade of PLA used, resulting in better thermal stability than non-foamed PLA cups. Thermal conductivity measurements show that the foamed cups have good insulation properties, while mechanical testing indicates the prototypes have good impact resistant properties. While work is ongoing to target hot beverage applications, the current technology is ideal for cold beverages. Similarly, the team has created a thin PLA foamed film using this process. Currently there is interest from industry in the use of PLA film for packaging and labelling applications. Printing on clear PLA film can however prove a challenge, with a white base coat required prior to printing. The BPN process results in an opaque, smooth and shiny surface that is ideal for printing and the product is light weight. The manufacturing process can be manipulated to significantly improve the elastic modulus and the yield stress of the product, over solid PLA film, while decreasing the strain percentage at break. These properties make the material an excellent product for the targeted applications. BPN has also studied the incorporation of different biomass in all their foamed products, from particle foam to foamed film. The focus has been on available low value biomass such as pine bark, canola meal or dried distiller grains and excellent foam has been achieved with biomass loadings as high as 15Â %. The resulting foam exhibits altered properties, depending on the biomass loading and therefore can target different applications, with a reduced product cost achieved by the substitution of a processed plastic with a low cost biomass. Traditionally, Zealafoam particle foam has been moulded using existing expanded polystyrene (EPS) equipment to produce low density foam with similar mechanical and thermal insulation properties to that of EPS. Zealafoam is a closed cell foam with properties primarily determined by the properties and morphology of the polymer, the foam or cellular structure, and the bulk density. Using these principles, BPN have produced a more diverse range of products incorporating their technology for new applications, combining the functionality of excellent insulating properties and light weight with the many advantages of a bio-based plastic. This research was funded by New Zealandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. www.biopolymernetwork.com

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

organized by

supported by

20. - 22.10.2016

Bioplastics in Packaging

Messe Düsseldorf, Germany

BIOPLASTICS BUSINESS BREAKFAST

PLA, an Innovative Bioplastic Bioplastics in Durable Applications Subject to changes

At the World‘s biggest trade show on plastics and rubber: K‘2016 in Düsseldorf bioplastics will certainly play an important role again.

Call for Papers now open www.bioplastics-breakfast.com Contact: Dr. Michael Thielen (mt@bioplasticsmagazine.com)

On three days during the show from Oct 20 - 22, 2016 bioplastics MAGAZINE will host a Bioplastics Business Breakfast: From 8 am to 12 noon the delegates get the chance to listen and discuss highclass presentations and benefit from a unique networking opportunity. The trade fair opens at 10 am.

BIO-BASED START-UP DAY

7 April 2016 · Maternushaus · Cologne · Germany

HIGH-POTENTIAL START-UPS FROM BIO-BASED CHEMISTRY, POLYMERS AND BIOTECHNOLOGY

Organiser

Venue & Accomodation

www.nova-institute.eu

Contact

Maternushaus Cologne, Germany Kardinal-Frings-Str. 1–3, 50668 Cologne +49 (0)221 163 10 | info@maternushaus.de

Dominik Vogt Conference Manager +49 (0)2233 4814-49 dominik.vogt@nova-institut.de

The Bio-based Start-up Day will bring start-ups, investors and industry together by giving the floor to everyone and providing great opportunities of networking. The day will start with a keynote speech followed by presentations of start-ups. Related clusters such as CLIB2021 and IBB Netzwerk will also have the chance to present their own young start-ups. In a special meeting session the audience will have the opportunity to meet the start-ups and investors in person. Investors will afterwards provide an insight into their incentives and experiences working with start-ups in the bio-based and biotech sector. The day will end with a discussion and a coming together. Great networking opportunities all day long! More information: www.bio-based.eu/startup

10 years ago

new series

Published in bioplastics MAGAZINE 10 YEARS AGO In January 2016, Dr. Stephan Kabasci (Fraunhofer UMSICHT) comments: “Succinic acid fermentation was improved considerably with respect to concentration and yield in the course of the project. PA44, however, proved to be highly sensitive to temperature so that thermoplastic melt processing was not feasible.”

Materials Succinic acid: versatile platform chem

ical

The Fraunhofer-Institut für Umwe

lt, Sicherheits- und Energietechnik

UMSICHT in Oberhausen, Germany has recen tly published some basic finding s about the synthesis of polyamide from succin ic acid, a substance that can be derived from renewable sources. A poster, prese nted at the International Conference on Renewable Resources and Biorefineries in Ghent, Belgium (Sept. 19 – 21, 2005) won the conference’s “Poster Award”. Succinic acid [HOC(O)CH CH C(O)O H] is a platform chemical that can 2 2 be used directly or as intermediate for a large number of applications such as for plastics, paints, food additives and other indust rial and consumer products. Today, succinic acid is produced mainly by chem ical processes from petrochemic al feedstocks. “But it can also be won from renew able sources” says Dr. Stephan Kabas ci, one of the authors of the poster. For the fermentation of succinic acid from glucose, two strains of anaerobic bacteria have been tested on a laboratory scale: Anaerobiospirillum succiniciproducens (DSM 6400) and Actinobacillus succinogenes (ATCC 55618). Other experiments with starch from different sources showed that the highest succinate concentratio n was achieved with maize starch (see Fig. 1).

From starch to polyamide – via succinic acid

Polyamide from bio-amber Synthesis of polyamide

Polyamides are made by polycondens ation of dicarbonic acids with diami nes or by polyaddition of lactames. e.g. PA 66 or PA 6. Succinic acid and its derivates 1,4 –di-amino butane or 2-pyrrolidinone are therefore raw materials for the production of polyam ide 4.4 or polyamide 4. Only a few articles have been publis hed in literature in relation to polyam ide 4.4. Main topics in academic research have been magnetic and crystallographic data. Furthermore, there is no clarity regarding melting point and temperature stability to be found in the literature, an important subject to enable its practi cal use. The Fraunhofer-UMSICHT scientists synthesized polyamide 4.4 in a polycondensation process. The resulting product takes up water to form gelatinous mass and is a very hard material in dry state. The melting point of a sample that has not been fully refined is shown in Fig. 2. The extreme high melting point of 329 °C indica tes high density of hydrogen bondin g of the amide groups. A comprehensive article about polyam ides made from bio-based succin ic acid, their potential for packaging and technical applications and including a discus sion of the cost issue is planned for the next issue of biopla stics magazine.

www.umsicht.fraunhofer.de/english

Maize Starch Potato Starch Wheat Sarch

Succinate Yield [g/100 g substrate]

0 80

120

160

200 240 time / h

Maize starch

30 20

Fig. 1: Left: Succinate production from starch types by fermentatio n Right: Specific Yield of succinate from different substrates 14

bioplastics [06/01] Vol. 1

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

heat flow / mWmg-1

3 2

0,45

first heating and cooling 20-250-50 °C, desorption of water second heating 20 KMin-1

0,35 Potato starch

50 40

Cellulose

5 4

endo

0,40 Wheat starch

7 6

Glucose

Succinic Acid Concentration / gL-1

Formation of Succinic acid by fermen tation of starch types Start concentration of starch types :15gL-1

0,30 0,25 0,20 329 °C

0,15 0,10 80

120

160 200 240 280 320 360 temperature / °C

Fig. 2: DSC thermogramof raw Polya

mide 4.4

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Basics

“The biobased office” for the procurement of the future The German Agency for Renewable Resources promotes a viable sustainable procurement.

erman law lacks a legal basis for sustainable public procurement. Legislation requiring resource and environmental considerations to be taken into account when purchasing goods and services for the public sector has not yet been put in place. Hence, the implementation of sustainable public procurement in Germany has been patchy in many aspects, a fact that is also reflected in the development of a recognized environmental label. It would therefore be helpful first to formulate significant sustainability criteria and thus to gain experience with public procurement and, at the same time, to gradually develop a sustainable procurement culture. That would also give producers the opportunity to adopt a goaloriented perspective. However, many public authorities are struggling with such an approach. Clearly, sustainable procurement is a new approach – and it is one that involves more effort, as information will have to be collected, old and familiar procurement habits abandoned and market availability studied. However, the single most important reason for the slow progress in this area is the lack of encouragement and support from decision makers.

The bio-based office

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

Of course there are good examples as well, such as that of Berlin. Berlin not only has administrative regulations providing for the implementation of environmental protection requirements in the procurement of goods, works and services [1], but has also developed specific minimum requirements for many product groups, which serve as practical procurement guides. Another positive sign was the recent publication from the Öko-Institute of a study showing the financial savings and environmental benefits potentially resulting from the implementation of environmentally-friendly procurement processes. The Agency for Renewable Resources (Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe, FNR) also encourages environmentally friendly procurement. On behalf of the Federal Ministry for Food and Agriculture (BMEL), a project called the “Use of biobased products in public procurement” was established at the FNR in 2010. The project aims to promote environmental and natural resource stewardship, as well as to enhance the security of the resource supply by fostering the use of biobased products. Public institutions, in their role as pioneers, could leverage their purchasing

Basics power to further advance the use of biobased products. This commitment to biobased products is also reflected in the EUfinanced projects of the FNR.

The biobased office The FNR project entitled “Use of biobased products in public procurement” is currently touring Germany with a model of a biobased office serving as an exhibition booth. Tour schedule: http://www.das-nachwachsende-buero.de/service/tourenplan/

By: Monika Missalla-Steinmann Public relations officer Agency for Renewable Resources (FNR) Gülzow, Germany

The booth showcases the products with which a biobased, environmentally-friendly office setting can be created. Given the 17 million office workspaces in Germany alone, the use of biobased office products offers enormous potential for a reduction of CO2 emissions. Nearly 100 biobased products, ranging from office furniture to office design and furnishings can be viewed and touched at the fully accessible, 12 m2 exhibition booth. The selection of bioplastic products featured have been made available by a variety of companies, both large and small. The entire range of products featured in the exhibition booth, and the companies producing these, are listed in a complimentary brochure, but can also be found on: www.das-nachwachsende-buero.de.

Sustainability in procurement law and procurement processes of biobased products Plastics play a major role in office equipment. In addition to a growing use of recycled plastic materials, products made from biobased materials are also on the rise. According to public procurement law, it may be necessary to substantiate and submit proof of the sustainability claims of biobased plastics (e.g. the environmental benefits of the product). Implementation of the European public procurement directives will require an overhaul of public procurement law and the strengthening of sustainable and innovative procurement practices. Following the incorporation of these directives into German law in April 2016, it should be easier for public procurers to write tenders with sustainable (environmental, social and innovative) requirements, which relate to: the terms of references / technical specifications the qualification / selection criteria the contract / award criteria

Office materials made of biobased plastic

requirements for the implementation of a contract as long as there is an objective connection with the contract at hand. Proof of the required properties can be provided by an overall reference to a recognized label or certificate. Moreover, e-procurement will be the standard procedure. However, for the heterogeneous group of manufacturers of biobased products – mainly made up of SMEs – such certifications and e-procurement requirements pose a serious impediment to doing business with public procurers. Another problem is the wide use of framework agreements, which make it difficult for SMEs to participate. Hence, SMEs are more likely to opt for direct award procedures with volumes below the € 10.000 threshold. With sales figures like these, however, no real market breakthrough, of the kind envisioned by the “bioeconomy” policy strategy, is possible. 

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

Basics The Blauer Engel is highly accepted in Germany Environmentally-friendly procurement in Germany is strongly influenced by the ecolabel Blauer Engel (Blue Angel). The label is highly accepted among public procurers in Germany. The Blauer Engel was explicitly introduced as an environmental policy instrument by the state, which contributed to its credibility. Most product certifications, however, are based on energy saving and energy efficiency. Biobased plastics, can currently not be certified under the Blauer Engel. However, this may change in the near future, as a result of an ongoing study commissioned by the Federal Environment Agency, which is examining this issue. While the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Blauer Engelâ&#x20AC;? is a respected national eco-label, the question is, what are the possibilities for certification available to businesses in the international market? In the EU, biobased plastics can be certified under the Vincotte/biobased certification system. However, this solely applies to the biobased content of a product, not to its sustainability. The Vincotte / compost certificate is not likely to play a role in the field of office supplies. Not many authorities will want to compost their biobased plastic stapler.

Blauer Engel

Raw materials associations and the different countries of origin complicate the verification process. A step in the right direction would be to establish criteria to determine the sustainability of individual commodities, which could then be granted a corresponding recognized quality label. A certification system of this kind would at least provide insight into the predominant raw material content (e.g. wood). The hurdles to sustainable procurement are particularly high at this point. No conventional product carries such a high burden of proof.

Sustainable procurement requires creativity and dialogue Life cycle costs or life cycle assessments are also playing an increasingly important role in the sustainability assessment carried out as part of the process of evaluation and awarding of contracts. However, the difficulty is knowing how to go about a life cycle assessment of a granulate that is based on raw materials derived from different origins. Moreover, such calculations will mean very little in the case of office accessories. Nevertheless, these are questions that need to

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

Basics be raised and addressed by the biobased sector, together with the decision makers in public procurement. What are other possibilities for biobased plastics in public procurement? Procurement law not only defines the what, but also the how of purchasing. One possibility would be to require the use of products or materials designated as biobased or from renewable resources in the specifications. The invitation to tender can state clearly and transparently that this requirement constitutes an award criterion, to which a particular weighting has been assigned. Relating resource security to the award of a procurement contract is slightly more complicated, as resource security is understood to refer not only to the finite supply of fossil fuels, but also to the dependency on imports. This makes establishing an objective connection somewhat more difficult. Security of supply is an important building block for the realization of a biobased economy. The same goes for the widely documented CO2 savings over the lifetime of a biobased product. Both aspects are difficult to prove, even when using eco-labels as proof for awarding a contract. At this point, general societal responsibility in public procurement will take the form of promoting an open and creative dialogue between producers and public procurers, with a view to achieving an effective breakthrough of biobased products in the market. Nevertheless, this does not excuse the sector from thinking about how a scientifically proven, independent and transparent and possibly globally applicable certification scheme or label could be launched. On the other hand, the tax-financed public sector has a duty to use the opportunities created by procurement law to support societal goals such as energy and resource security or climate protection measures for the benefit of the general public. The Agency for Renewable Resources, with its “Use of biobased products in public procurement” project, is open for a dialogue concerning the procurement of biobased products. The FNR is also involved in Europe-wide projects on biobased products and services in public procurement with the EU projects InnProBio “Forum for Bio-Based Innovation in Public Procurement” and OpenBio “Opening bio-based markets via standards, labelling and procurement”. [1] Verwaltungsvorschrift für die Anwendung von Umweltschutz anforderungen bei der Beschaffung von Liefer-, Bau- und Dienstleistungen - VwVBU http://beschaffung.fnr.de www.das-nachwachsende-buero.de www.innprobio.eu www.open-bio.eu

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

Opinion

Biopolymers will weather the crash in petroleum prices By: Ron Buckhalt

efore you read this column, you should know that I retired on December 31, 2015 as Manager of the (USDA) BioPreferred Program. So anything I say here is as a private citizen, not a government employee. However I was involved with bioproducts for nearly 40 years and have some institutional knowledge. I would like to first thank, Michael Thielen for allowing me a few paragraphs to reflect on advancements made in the bioproducts industry over the last few decades. But before we discuss the recent advances I think we need to stop for a moment and think about how we got to where we are today, particularly as it relates to bioplastics.

Humankind was using biobased products long before they were called natural or some other new catchword. Our paints, inks, coatings, dyes, lubricants, fuels, soaps, and other industrial products were made from plants and animals. It was only when petroleum was discovered in the 1860’s that we begin to move to a hydrocarbon economy away from a carbohydrate economy. There was even an argument about whether we would fuel our vehicles with plant-derived ethanol or petroleum-derived gasoline, or even electricity, and books have been written on the battles so I will not attempt to recount those issues, just be aware of them as part of the changing landscape. For the United States, in the 1930’s there emerged something called the Chemurgic Movement. Several leading industrialists and scientists felt we could create new industrial markets for agricultural materials and help prop up agriculture commodity prices. The 1938 Farm Bill created a series of US Department of Agriculture (USDA) research institutes to work on new industrial products using agricultural commodities. These would become the Agricultural Research Service where I worked in biobased technology transfer for 10 years.

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Meanwhile oil prices continued to go up and down with wild swings. Every time it seems biobased products were gaining a foothold once again, the price of oil would dip and any market advantage for biobased products disappeared. Finally, following the first world oil embargo in the mid-1970’s it appeared petroleum prices were only going one direction – up. This was true right up until the last few years. As this is being written a barrel of oil was priced at below USD 35. Gasoline in the U.S. is below two dollar a gallon and there are predictions of one dollar a gallon gasoline. It remains to be seen what impact these low petroleum prices will have on the development of alternative biobased feed stocks. However, many very large international industrial chemical companies have committed resources to develop alternative biological sources for many chemicals and are making and selling commercial materials. In the mid-80’s USDA published the findings of a Farm and Forest Task Force that looked at how many acres of agricultural products could be grown to meet industrial product demands. USDA’s Economic Research Service even published yearly updates about the number of acres or hectares that were grown and used to make biobased products. But it was not until 2002 that a decision was made by the Administration and Congress to help develop markets for the tremendous biomass in the U.S. Part of that 2002 Farm Bill was a provision to create a biobased markets development program to include a U.S. Certified Biobased Products label and to carve out a federal procurement preference for the purchase of biobased products. This was to become the BioPreferred program. Michael asked me to talk about the role of bioplastics in this movement. One of the first platforms to have success in the marketplace was PLA, particularly for single use items. But even that had many challenges and major investors pulled out because the technology was not making any money. That is no longer the case. Since those bold first steps there are at least

five new pathways to bioplastics and each has different technologies at work. While bioplastics is only 1 % of the total worldwide market it is the fastest growing plastics sector. And with any new industry there will be winners and losers. Some technologies will advance and become profitable. Others will not. I am not sure even a crystal ball can tell us which technologies will succeed and which will fail. However, major world-wide chemical companies have now made significant financial investments to make polymers (not just plastic) using biomass, instead of petroleum. And many of those products are now being marketed commercially. There are also major advances in using bioplastics to produce the covers for our electronic products. And why not as our pocket phones are out of date as soon as we buy them. Same with our laptops.

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Many of the finished products and intermediate chemicals currently labeled as USDA Certified Biobased Products are either biopolymers or biobased building block chemicals used to make finished biopolymers. Some of you have heard me speak about the Great Garbage Patch of the Pacific Ocean which is filled with petroleum-based plastic particles hundreds of miles wide and miles deep from micro-particles to huge chunks of floating plastic debris. But these dumps exist in many other oceans and they are killing machines for seabirds and turtles as well as other marine life.

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Bioba AL FEATURE sed Vi llage Includ i n g B d

Since humankind – to a great extent – seems to be unwilling to reduce, recycle, and reuse; and attempts to clean up these garbage patches is a daunting if not impossible task, would it not just make sense to make as many of our plastic materials we use in everyday life with a built-in expiration date preferable with a take-back policy for recycling. At the same time it also makes sense to buy and sell only single use items that can be fully biodegraded in composting facilities and not just break into smaller pieces that persist in the environment for eons. Additionally, research continues into the possible health impacts of using petroleum-based plastics and petroleumbased plasticizers to make containers to hold food and other products we consume. Whether or not there is a health issue with these containers in the final analysis is not the driver. In this case perception is reality. If consumers perceive a possible health issue from petro-plasticizers may exist they are already seeking and are willing to pay for biobased alternatives. One of the fastest growing biobased materials currently labeled by USDA are biobased plasticizers. Since this is an opinion piece, in conclusion I will state that I am bullish on the future of biobased products and bioplastics. I believe we will weather this current round of low oil prices and continue the research to make even better bioplastics and to make them price competitive with petroleum plastics. The price of petroleum will swing back the other way once marginal operations have been driven out of business. Again, my opinion, but it is the belief of many that the current glut of cheaper petroleum is a business practice to bankrupt operators that must have USD 75 – 100 a barrel oil to be profitable. By making bioplastics an integral part of the plastic mix, even with lower petroleum prices, because of unique properties, the industry should be poised to explode when petroleum prices spike again. n

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Basics

Mandatory Federal purchasing of biobased products About the USDA BioPreferred® Program

anaged by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Federal Biobased Products Preferred Procurement Program (BioPreferred® Program) provides that Federal agencies in the USA must give purchasing preference to biobased products designated by this program [1, 2]. The authority for the program is included in the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act (FSRIA) of 2002, reauthorized and expanded as part of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (the 2014 Farm Bill) [3]. Section 9002 of this Act provides for a preferred procurement and labeling program and defines biobased products as commercial or industrial products that are composed, in whole or in significant part, of biological products or renewable domestic agricultural materials (including plant, animal, and marine materials) or forestry materials. Domestic content is interpreted to mean content not only from the USA but also from any country with which the United States has a preferential trade agreement. Countries that are signatories to NAFTA and CAFTA, for example, will have their qualifying biobased products treated as domestic products. The purpose of the BioPreferred program is to spur economic development, create new jobs and provide new markets for farm commodities. The increased development, purchase, and use of biobased products reduces the USA’s reliance on petroleum, increases the use of renewable agricultural resources, and contributes to reducing adverse environmental and health impacts [2].

By Michael Thielen

about this offer can be found on the USDA’s BioPreferred website [4],

Voluntary Labeling Consumers are increasingly looking for products with sustainable attributes. That’s why USDA wants to make it easy for consumers to identify biobased products. The USDA Certified Biobased Product label (see picture), displayed on a product certified by USDA, is designed to provide useful information to consumers about the biobased content of the product [2]. Companies offering biobased products that meet USDA criteria may apply for certification, allowing them to display the USDA Certified Biobased Product label on the product. This label assures a consumer that the product contains a verified amount of renewable biological ingredients (referred to as biobased content). Consumers can trust the label to mean what it says because manufacturer’s claims concerning the biobased content are third-party certified and strictly monitored by USDA [2].

Mandatory Federal Purchasing The program requires, that all Federal agencies in the USA must purchase biobased products in categories identified by USDA. To date, USDA has identified 97 categories of biobased products for which agencies and their contractors have purchasing requirements. These categories include such that refer to biobased plastic products, e.g. carpets of other floor coverings (7 %), plastic lumber (23 %), dispoasable containers (72 %), cutlery (48 %), tableware (72 %), films (non-durable: 85 % – semi-durable: 45 %), packaging and insulating materials (74%), plastic insulating foam for construction (7 %), thermal shipping containers (durable: 21 % - nondurable: 82 %), and some more. Each mandatory purchasing category specifies the minimum biobased content according to ASTM D6866 (see figures in parentheses). Excemptions from the mandatory purchasing are products that are not reasonably available fail to meet performance standards for the application intended available only at an unreasonable price. The BioPreferred program does not provide financial support for its participants. However, USDA’s Rural Development agency offers loan and grant programs. More information

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

What Are Biobased Products? Biobased products are derived from plants and other renewable agricultural, marine, and forestry materials and provide an alternative to conventional petroleum derived products.

Biodegradability required For some products, such as single use bioplastic products must meet the appropriate standard for biodegradability (ASTM D 6400) in order to be designated for the BioPreferred procurement program. Some examples are cutlery, garbage bags or food containers [1]. www.biopreferred.gov [1] Duncan, M.: Federal Agencies in the USA shall buy bioplastics products, bioplastics MAGAZINE Vol 1, 2006, p 28-29 [2] N.N.: What is BioPreferred, http://www.biopreferred.gov/BioPreferred/ faces/pages/AboutBioPreferred.xhtml [3] N.N.: The 2014 Farm Bill: https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS113hr2642enr/pdf/BILLS-113hr2642enr.pdf [4] N.N.: USDA Loans and Grants, http://www.biopreferred.gov/BioPreferred/ faces/pages/USDALoansAndGrants.xhtml

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Basics

Glossary 4.1

last update issue 04/2015

In bioplastics MAGAZINE again and again the same expressions appear that some of our readers might not (yet) be familiar with. This glossary shall help with these terms and shall help avoid repeated explanations such as PLA (Polylactide) in various articles. Since this Glossary will not be printed in each issue you can download a pdf version from our website (bit.ly/OunBB0) bioplastics MAGAZINE is grateful to European Bioplastics for the permission to use parts of their Glossary. Version 4.0 was revised using EuBP’s latest version (Jan 2015). [*: bM ... refers to more comprehensive article previously published in bioplastics MAGAZINE)

Bioplastics (as defined by European Bioplastics e.V.) is a term used to define two different kinds of plastics: a. Plastics based on → renewable resources (the focus is the origin of the raw material used). These can be biodegradable or not. b. → Biodegradable and → compostable plastics according to EN13432 or similar standards (the focus is the compostability of the final product; biodegradable and compostable plastics can be based on renewable (biobased) and/or non-renewable (fossil) resources). Bioplastics may be - based on renewable resources and biodegradable; - based on renewable resources but not be biodegradable; and - based on fossil resources and biodegradable. 1 Generation feedstock | Carbohydrate rich plants such as corn or sugar cane that can also be used as food or animal feed are called food crops or 1st generation feedstock. Bred my mankind over centuries for highest energy efficiency, currently, 1st generation feedstock is the most efficient feedstock for the production of bioplastics as it requires the least amount of land to grow and produce the highest yields. [bM 04/09] st

2nd Generation feedstock | refers to feedstock not suitable for food or feed. It can be either non-food crops (e.g. cellulose) or waste materials from 1st generation feedstock (e.g. waste vegetable oil). [bM 06/11] 3rd Generation feedstock | This term currently relates to biomass from algae, which – having a higher growth yield than 1st and 2nd generation feedstock – were given their own category. Aerobic digestion | Aerobic means in the presence of oxygen. In →composting, which is an aerobic process, →microorganisms access the present oxygen from the surrounding atmosphere. They metabolize the organic material to energy, CO2, water and cell biomass, whereby part of the energy of the organic material is released as heat. [bM 03/07, bM 02/09]

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Anaerobic digestion | In anaerobic digestion, organic matter is degraded by a microbial population in the absence of oxygen and producing methane and carbon dioxide (= →biogas) and a solid residue that can be composted in a subsequent step without practically releasing any heat. The biogas can be treated in a Combined Heat and Power Plant (CHP), producing electricity and heat, or can be upgraded to bio-methane [14] [bM 06/09] Amorphous | non-crystalline, glassy with unordered lattice Amylopectin | Polymeric branched starch molecule with very high molecular weight (biopolymer, monomer is →Glucose) [bM 05/09] Amylose | Polymeric non-branched starch molecule with high molecular weight (biopolymer, monomer is →Glucose) [bM 05/09] Biobased | The term biobased describes the part of a material or product that is stemming from →biomass. When making a biobasedclaim, the unit (→biobased carbon content, →biobased mass content), a percentage and the measuring method should be clearly stated [1] Biobased carbon | carbon contained in or stemming from →biomass. A material or product made of fossil and →renewable resources contains fossil and →biobased carbon. The biobased carbon content is measured via the 14C method (radio carbon dating method) that adheres to the technical specifications as described in [1,4,5,6]. Biobased labels | The fact that (and to what percentage) a product or a material is →biobased can be indicated by respective labels. Ideally, meaningful labels should be based on harmonised standards and a corresponding certification process by independent third party institutions. For the property biobased such labels are in place by certifiers →DIN CERTCO and →Vinçotte who both base their certifications on the technical specification as described in [4,5] A certification and corresponding label depicting the biobased mass content was developed by the French Association Chimie du Végétal [ACDV].

Biobased mass content | describes the amount of biobased mass contained in a material or product. This method is complementary to the 14C method, and furthermore, takes other chemical elements besides the biobased carbon into account, such as oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen. A measuring method has been developed and tested by the Association Chimie du Végétal (ACDV) [1] Biobased plastic | A plastic in which constitutional units are totally or partly from → biomass [3]. If this claim is used, a percentage should always be given to which extent the product/material is → biobased [1] [bM 01/07, bM 03/10]

Biodegradable Plastics | Biodegradable Plastics are plastics that are completely assimilated by the → microorganisms present a defined environment as food for their energy. The carbon of the plastic must completely be converted into CO2 during the microbial process. The process of biodegradation depends on the environmental conditions, which influence it (e.g. location, temperature, humidity) and on the material or application itself. Consequently, the process and its outcome can vary considerably. Biodegradability is linked to the structure of the polymer chain; it does not depend on the origin of the raw materials. There is currently no single, overarching standard to back up claims about biodegradability. One standard for example is ISO or in Europe: EN 14995 Plastics- Evaluation of compostability - Test scheme and specifications [bM 02/06, bM 01/07]

Biogas | → Anaerobic digestion Biomass | Material of biological origin excluding material embedded in geological formations and material transformed to fossilised material. This includes organic material, e.g. trees, crops, grasses, tree litter, algae and waste of biological origin, e.g. manure [1, 2] Biorefinery | the co-production of a spectrum of bio-based products (food, feed, materials, chemicals including monomers or building blocks for bioplastics) and energy (fuels, power, heat) from biomass.[bM 02/13] Blend | Mixture of plastics, polymer alloy of at least two microscopically dispersed and molecularly distributed base polymers Bisphenol-A (BPA) | Monomer used to produce different polymers. BPA is said to cause health problems, due to the fact that is behaves like a hormone. Therefore it is banned for use in children’s products in many countries. BPI | Biodegradable Products Institute, a notfor-profit association. Through their innovative compostable label program, BPI educates manufacturers, legislators and consumers about the importance of scientifically based standards for compostable materials which biodegrade in large composting facilities. Carbon footprint | (CFPs resp. PCFs – Product Carbon Footprint): Sum of →greenhouse gas emissions and removals in a product system, expressed as CO2 equivalent, and based on a →life cycle assessment. The CO2 equivalent of a specific amount of a greenhouse gas is calculated as the mass of a given greenhouse gas multiplied by its →global warmingpotential [1,2,15]

Basics Carbon neutral, CO2 neutral | describes a product or process that has a negligible impact on total atmospheric CO2 levels. For example, carbon neutrality means that any CO2 released when a plant decomposes or is burnt is offset by an equal amount of CO2 absorbed by the plant through photosynthesis when it is growing. Carbon neutrality can also be achieved through buying sufficient carbon credits to make up the difference. The latter option is not allowed when communicating → LCAs or carbon footprints regarding a material or product [1, 2]. Carbon-neutral claims are tricky as products will not in most cases reach carbon neutrality if their complete life cycle is taken into consideration (including the end-of life). If an assessment of a material, however, is conducted (cradle to gate), carbon neutrality might be a valid claim in a B2B context. In this case, the unit assessed in the complete life cycle has to be clarified [1] Cascade use | of →renewable resources means to first use the →biomass to produce biobased industrial products and afterwards – due to their favourable energy balance – use them for energy generation (e.g. from a biobased plastic product to →biogas production). The feedstock is used efficiently and value generation increases decisively. Catalyst | substance that enables and accelerates a chemical reaction Cellophane | Clear film on the basis of →cellulose [bM 01/10] Cellulose | Cellulose is the principal component of cell walls in all higher forms of plant life, at varying percentages. It is therefore the most common organic compound and also the most common polysaccharide (multisugar) [11]. Cellulose is a polymeric molecule with very high molecular weight (monomer is →Glucose), industrial production from wood or cotton, to manufacture paper, plastics and fibres [bM 01/10] Cellulose ester | Cellulose esters occur by the esterification of cellulose with organic acids. The most important cellulose esters from a technical point of view are cellulose acetate (CA with acetic acid), cellulose propionate (CP with propionic acid) and cellulose butyrate (CB with butanoic acid). Mixed polymerisates, such as cellulose acetate propionate (CAP) can also be formed. One of the most well-known applications of cellulose aceto butyrate (CAB) is the moulded handle on the Swiss army knife [11] Cellulose acetate CA | → Cellulose ester CEN | Comité Européen de Normalisation (European organisation for standardization) Certification | is a process in which materials/products undergo a string of (laboratory) tests in order to verify that the fulfil certain requirements. Sound certification systems should be based on (ideally harmonised) European standards or technical specifications (e.g. by →CEN, USDA, ASTM, etc.) and be performed by independent third party laboratories. Successful certification guarantees a high product safety - also on this basis interconnected labels can be awarded that help the consumer to make an informed decision.

Compost | A soil conditioning material of decomposing organic matter which provides nutrients and enhances soil structure. [bM 06/08, 02/09]

Compostable Plastics | Plastics that are → biodegradable under →composting conditions: specified humidity, temperature, → microorganisms and timeframe. In order to make accurate and specific claims about compostability, the location (home, → industrial) and timeframe need to be specified [1]. Several national and international standards exist for clearer definitions, for example EN 14995 Plastics - Evaluation of compostability Test scheme and specifications. [bM 02/06, bM 01/07] Composting | is the controlled →aerobic, or oxygen-requiring, decomposition of organic materials by →microorganisms, under controlled conditions. It reduces the volume and mass of the raw materials while transforming them into CO2, water and a valuable soil conditioner – compost. When talking about composting of bioplastics, foremost →industrial composting in a managed composting facility is meant (criteria defined in EN 13432). The main difference between industrial and home composting is, that in industrial composting facilities temperatures are much higher and kept stable, whereas in the composting pile temperatures are usually lower, and less constant as depending on factors such as weather conditions. Home composting is a way slower-paced process than industrial composting. Also a comparatively smaller volume of waste is involved. [bM 03/07] Compound | plastic mixture from different raw materials (polymer and additives) [bM 04/10) Copolymer | Plastic composed of different monomers. Cradle-to-Gate | Describes the system boundaries of an environmental →Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) which covers all activities from the cradle (i.e., the extraction of raw materials, agricultural activities and forestry) up to the factory gate Cradle-to-Cradle | (sometimes abbreviated as C2C): Is an expression which communicates the concept of a closed-cycle economy, in which waste is used as raw material (‘waste equals food’). Cradle-to-Cradle is not a term that is typically used in →LCA studies. Cradle-to-Grave | Describes the system boundaries of a full →Life Cycle Assessment from manufacture (cradle) to use phase and disposal phase (grave). Crystalline | Plastic with regularly arranged molecules in a lattice structure

e.g. sugar cane) or partly biobased PET; the monoethylene glykol made from bio-ethanol (from e.g. sugar cane). Developments to make terephthalic acid from renewable resources are under way. Other examples are polyamides (partly biobased e.g. PA 4.10 or PA 6.10 or fully biobased like PA 5.10 or PA10.10) EN 13432 | European standard for the assessment of the → compostability of plastic packaging products Energy recovery | recovery and exploitation of the energy potential in (plastic) waste for the production of electricity or heat in waste incineration pants (waste-to-energy) Environmental claim | A statement, symbol or graphic that indicates one or more environmental aspect(s) of a product, a component, packaging or a service. [16] Enzymes | proteins that catalyze chemical reactions Enzyme-mediated plastics | are no →bioplastics. Instead, a conventional non-biodegradable plastic (e.g. fossil-based PE) is enriched with small amounts of an organic additive. Microorganisms are supposed to consume these additives and the degradation process should then expand to the non-biodegradable PE and thus make the material degrade. After some time the plastic is supposed to visually disappear and to be completely converted to carbon dioxide and water. This is a theoretical concept which has not been backed up by any verifiable proof so far. Producers promote enzyme-mediated plastics as a solution to littering. As no proof for the degradation process has been provided, environmental beneficial effects are highly questionable. Ethylene | colour- and odourless gas, made e.g. from, Naphtha (petroleum) by cracking or from bio-ethanol by dehydration, monomer of the polymer polyethylene (PE) European Bioplastics e.V. | The industry association representing the interests of Europe’s thriving bioplastics’ industry. Founded in Germany in 1993 as IBAW, European Bioplastics today represents the interests of about 50 member companies throughout the European Union and worldwide. With members from the agricultural feedstock, chemical and plastics industries, as well as industrial users and recycling companies, European Bioplastics serves as both a contact platform and catalyst for advancing the aims of the growing bioplastics industry. Extrusion | process used to create plastic profiles (or sheet) of a fixed cross-section consisting of mixing, melting, homogenising and shaping of the plastic.

DIN | Deutsches Institut für Normung (German organisation for standardization)

FDCA | 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid, an intermediate chemical produced from 5-HMF. The dicarboxylic acid can be used to make → PEF = polyethylene furanoate, a polyester that could be a 100% biobased alternative to PET.

DIN-CERTCO | independant certifying organisation for the assessment on the conformity of bioplastics

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

Dispersing | fine distribution of non-miscible liquids into a homogeneous, stable mixture

FSC | Forest Stewardship Council. FSC is an independent, non-governmental, not-forprofit organization established to promote the responsible and sustainable management of the world’s forests.

Density | Quotient from mass and volume of a material, also referred to as specific weight

Drop-In bioplastics | chemically indentical to conventional petroleum based plastics, but made from renewable resources. Examples are bio-PE made from bio-ethanol (from

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

Basics Gelatine | Translucent brittle solid substance, colorless or slightly yellow, nearly tasteless and odorless, extracted from the collagen inside animals‘ connective tissue. Genetically modified organism (GMO) | Organisms, such as plants and animals, whose genetic material (DNA) has been altered are called genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Food and feed which contain or consist of such GMOs, or are produced from GMOs, are called genetically modified (GM) food or feed [1]. If GM crops are used in bioplastics production, the multiple-stage processing and the high heat used to create the polymer removes all traces of genetic material. This means that the final bioplastics product contains no genetic traces. The resulting bioplastics is therefore well suited to use in food packaging as it contains no genetically modified material and cannot interact with the contents. Global Warming | Global warming is the rise in the average temperature of Earth’s atmosphere and oceans since the late 19th century and its projected continuation [8]. Global warming is said to be accelerated by → green house gases. Glucose | Monosaccharide (or simple sugar). G. is the most important carbohydrate (sugar) in biology. G. is formed by photosynthesis or hydrolyse of many carbohydrates e. g. starch. Greenhouse gas GHG | Gaseous constituent of the atmosphere, both natural and anthropogenic, that absorbs and emits radiation at specific wavelengths within the spectrum of infrared radiation emitted by the earth’s surface, the atmosphere, and clouds [1, 9] Greenwashing | The act of misleading consumers regarding the environmental practices of a company, or the environmental benefits of a product or service [1, 10] Granulate, granules | small plastic particles (3-4 millimetres), a form in which plastic is sold and fed into machines, easy to handle and dose. HMF (5-HMF) | 5-hydroxymethylfurfural is an organic compound derived from sugar dehydration. It is a platform chemical, a building block for 20 performance polymers and over 175 different chemical substances. The molecule consists of a furan ring which contains both aldehyde and alcohol functional groups. 5-HMF has applications in many different industries such as bioplastics, packaging, pharmaceuticals, adhesives and chemicals. One of the most promising routes is 2,5 furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), produced as an intermediate when 5-HMF is oxidised. FDCA is used to produce PEF, which can substitute terephthalic acid in polyester, especially polyethylene terephthalate (PET). [bM 03/14] Home composting | →composting [bM 06/08] Humus | In agriculture, humus is often used simply to mean mature →compost, or natural compost extracted from a forest or other spontaneous source for use to amend soil. Hydrophilic | Property: water-friendly, soluble in water or other polar solvents (e.g. used in conjunction with a plastic which is not water resistant and weather proof or that absorbs water such as Polyamide (PA).

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

Hydrophobic | Property: water-resistant, not soluble in water (e.g. a plastic which is water resistant and weather proof, or that does not absorb any water such as Polyethylene (PE) or Polypropylene (PP). Industrial composting | is an established process with commonly agreed upon requirements (e.g. temperature, timeframe) for transforming biodegradable waste into stable, sanitised products to be used in agriculture. The criteria for industrial compostability of packaging have been defined in the EN 13432. Materials and products complying with this standard can be certified and subsequently labelled accordingly [1,7] [bM 06/08, 02/09] ISO | International Organization for Standardization JBPA | Japan Bioplastics Association Land use | The surface required to grow sufficient feedstock (land use) for today’s bioplastic production is less than 0.01 percent of the global agricultural area of 5 billion hectares. It is not yet foreseeable to what extent an increased use of food residues, non-food crops or cellulosic biomass (see also →1st/2nd/3rd generation feedstock) in bioplastics production might lead to an even further reduced land use in the future [bM 04/09, 01/14] LCA | is the compilation and evaluation of the input, output and the potential environmental impact of a product system throughout its life cycle [17]. It is sometimes also referred to as life cycle analysis, ecobalance or cradle-tograve analysis. [bM 01/09] Littering | is the (illegal) act of leaving waste such as cigarette butts, paper, tins, bottles, cups, plates, cutlery or bags lying in an open or public place. Marine litter | Following the European Commission’s definition, “marine litter consists of items that have been deliberately discarded, unintentionally lost, or transported by winds and rivers, into the sea and on beaches. It mainly consists of plastics, wood, metals, glass, rubber, clothing and paper”. Marine debris originates from a variety of sources. Shipping and fishing activities are the predominant sea-based, ineffectively managed landfills as well as public littering the main land-based sources. Marine litter can pose a threat to living organisms, especially due to ingestion or entanglement. Currently, there is no international standard available, which appropriately describes the biodegradation of plastics in the marine environment. However, a number of standardisation projects are in progress at ISO and ASTM level. Furthermore, the European project OPEN BIO addresses the marine biodegradation of biobased products. Mass balance | describes the relationship between input and output of a specific substance within a system in which the output from the system cannot exceed the input into the system. First attempts were made by plastic raw material producers to claim their products renewable (plastics) based on a certain input of biomass in a huge and complex chemical plant, then mathematically allocating this biomass input to the produced plastic. These approaches are at least controversially disputed [bM 04/14, 05/14, 01/15]

Microorganism | Living organisms of microscopic size, such as bacteria, funghi or yeast. Molecule | group of at least two atoms held together by covalent chemical bonds. Monomer | molecules that are linked by polymerization to form chains of molecules and then plastics Mulch film | Foil to cover bottom of farmland Organic recycling | means the treatment of separately collected organic waste by anaerobic digestion and/or composting. Oxo-degradable / Oxo-fragmentable | materials and products that do not biodegrade! The underlying technology of oxo-degradability or oxo-fragmentation is based on special additives, which, if incorporated into standard resins, are purported to accelerate the fragmentation of products made thereof. Oxodegradable or oxo-fragmentable materials do not meet accepted industry standards on compostability such as EN 13432. [bM 01/09, 05/09] PBAT | Polybutylene adipate terephthalate, is an aliphatic-aromatic copolyester that has the properties of conventional polyethylene but is fully biodegradable under industrial composting. PBAT is made from fossil petroleum with first attempts being made to produce it partly from renewable resources [bM 06/09] PBS | Polybutylene succinate, a 100% biodegradable polymer, made from (e.g. bio-BDO) and succinic acid, which can also be produced biobased [bM 03/12]. PC | Polycarbonate, thermoplastic polyester, petroleum based and not degradable, used for e.g. baby bottles or CDs. Criticized for its BPA (→ Bisphenol-A) content. PCL | Polycaprolactone, a synthetic (fossil based), biodegradable bioplastic, e.g. used as a blend component. PE | Polyethylene, thermoplastic polymerised from ethylene. Can be made from renewable resources (sugar cane via bio-ethanol) [bM 05/10] PEF | polyethylene furanoate, a polyester made from monoethylene glycol (MEG) and →FDCA (2,5-furandicarboxylic acid , an intermediate chemical produced from 5-HMF). It can be a 100% biobased alternative for PET. PEF also has improved product characteristics, such as better structural strength and improved barrier behaviour, which will allow for the use of PEF bottles in additional applications. [bM 03/11, 04/12] PET | Polyethylenterephthalate, transparent polyester used for bottles and film. The polyester is made from monoethylene glycol (MEG), that can be renewably sourced from bio-ethanol (sugar cane) and (until now fossil) terephthalic acid [bM 04/14] PGA | Polyglycolic acid or Polyglycolide is a biodegradable, thermoplastic polymer and the simplest linear, aliphatic polyester. Besides ist use in the biomedical field, PGA has been introduced as a barrier resin [bM 03/09] PHA | Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) or the polyhydroxy fatty acids, are a family of biodegradable polyesters. As in many mammals, including humans, that hold energy reserves in the form of body fat there are also bacteria that hold intracellular reserves in for of of polyhydroxy alkanoates. Here the microorganisms store a particularly high level of

Basics energy reserves (up to 80% of their own body weight) for when their sources of nutrition become scarce. By farming this type of bacteria, and feeding them on sugar or starch (mostly from maize), or at times on plant oils or other nutrients rich in carbonates, it is possible to obtain PHA‘s on an industrial scale [11]. The most common types of PHA are PHB (Polyhydroxybutyrate, PHBV and PHBH. Depending on the bacteria and their food, PHAs with different mechanical properties, from rubbery soft trough stiff and hard as ABS, can be produced. Some PHSs are even biodegradable in soil or in a marine environment PLA | Polylactide or Polylactic Acid (PLA), a biodegradable, thermoplastic, linear aliphatic polyester based on lactic acid, a natural acid, is mainly produced by fermentation of sugar or starch with the help of micro-organisms. Lactic acid comes in two isomer forms, i.e. as laevorotatory D(-)lactic acid and as dextrorotary L(+)lactic acid. Modified PLA types can be produced by the use of the right additives or by certain combinations of L- and D- lactides (stereocomplexing), which then have the required rigidity for use at higher temperatures [13] [bM 01/09, 01/12] Plastics | Materials with large molecular chains of natural or fossil raw materials, produced by chemical or biochemical reactions. PPC | Polypropylene Carbonate, a bioplastic made by copolymerizing CO2 with propylene oxide (PO) [bM 04/12] PTT | Polytrimethylterephthalate (PTT), partially biobased polyester, is similarly to PET produced using terephthalic acid or dimethyl terephthalate and a diol. In this case it is a biobased 1,3 propanediol, also known as bioPDO [bM 01/13] Renewable Resources | agricultural raw materials, which are not used as food or feed, but as raw material for industrial products or to generate energy. The use of renewable resources by industry saves fossil resources and reduces the amount of → greenhouse gas emissions. Biobased plastics are predominantly made of annual crops such as corn, cereals and sugar beets or perennial cultures such as cassava and sugar cane. Resource efficiency | Use of limited natural resources in a sustainable way while minimising impacts on the environment. A resource efficient economy creates more output or value with lesser input. Seedling Logo | The compostability label or logo Seedling is connected to the standard EN 13432/EN 14995 and a certification process managed by the independent institutions →DIN CERTCO and → Vinçotte. Bioplastics products carrying the Seedling fulfil the criteria laid down in the EN 13432 regarding industrial compostability. [bM 01/06, 02/10] Saccharins or carbohydrates | Saccharins or carbohydrates are name for the sugar-family. Saccharins are monomer or polymer sugar units. For example, there are known mono-, di- and polysaccharose. → glucose is a monosaccarin. They are important for the diet and produced biology in plants. Semi-finished products | plastic in form of sheet, film, rods or the like to be further processed into finshed products

Sorbitol | Sugar alcohol, obtained by reduction of glucose changing the aldehyde group to an additional hydroxyl group. S. is used as a plasticiser for bioplastics based on starch.

implies a commitment to continuous improvement that should result in a further reduction of the environmental footprint of today’s products, processes and raw materials used.

Starch | Natural polymer (carbohydrate) consisting of → amylose and → amylopectin, gained from maize, potatoes, wheat, tapioca etc. When glucose is connected to polymerchains in definite way the result (product) is called starch. Each molecule is based on 300 -12000-glucose units. Depending on the connection, there are two types → amylose and → amylopectin known. [bM 05/09]

Thermoplastics | Plastics which soften or melt when heated and solidify when cooled (solid at room temperature).

Starch derivatives | Starch derivatives are based on the chemical structure of → starch. The chemical structure can be changed by introducing new functional groups without changing the → starch polymer. The product has different chemical qualities. Mostly the hydrophilic character is not the same. Starch-ester | One characteristic of every starch-chain is a free hydroxyl group. When every hydroxyl group is connected with an acid one product is starch-ester with different chemical properties. Starch propionate and starch butyrate | Starch propionate and starch butyrate can be synthesised by treating the → starch with propane or butanic acid. The product structure is still based on → starch. Every based → glucose fragment is connected with a propionate or butyrate ester group. The product is more hydrophobic than → starch. Sustainable | An attempt to provide the best outcomes for the human and natural environments both now and into the indefinite future. One famous definition of sustainability is the one created by the Brundtland Commission, led by the former Norwegian Prime Minister G. H. Brundtland. The Brundtland Commission defined sustainable development as development that ‘meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.’ Sustainability relates to the continuity of economic, social, institutional and environmental aspects of human society, as well as the nonhuman environment). Sustainable sourcing | of renewable feedstock for biobased plastics is a prerequisite for more sustainable products. Impacts such as the deforestation of protected habitats or social and environmental damage arising from poor agricultural practices must be avoided. Corresponding certification schemes, such as ISCC PLUS, WLC or BonSucro, are an appropriate tool to ensure the sustainable sourcing of biomass for all applications around the globe. Sustainability | as defined by European Bioplastics, has three dimensions: economic, social and environmental. This has been known as “the triple bottom line of sustainability”. This means that sustainable development involves the simultaneous pursuit of economic prosperity, environmental protection and social equity. In other words, businesses have to expand their responsibility to include these environmental and social dimensions. Sustainability is about making products useful to markets and, at the same time, having societal benefits and lower environmental impact than the alternatives currently available. It also

Thermoplastic Starch | (TPS) → starch that was modified (cooked, complexed) to make it a plastic resin Thermoset | Plastics (resins) which do not soften or melt when heated. Examples are epoxy resins or unsaturated polyester resins. Vinçotte | independant certifying organisation for the assessment on the conformity of bioplastics WPC | Wood Plastic Composite. Composite materials made of wood fiber/flour and plastics (mostly polypropylene). Yard Waste | Grass clippings, leaves, trimmings, garden residue. References: [1] Environmental Communication Guide, European Bioplastics, Berlin, Germany, 2012 [2] ISO 14067. Carbon footprint of products Requirements and guidelines for quantification and communication [3] CEN TR 15932, Plastics - Recommendation for terminology and characterisation of biopolymers and bioplastics, 2010 [4] CEN/TS 16137, Plastics - Determination of bio-based carbon content, 2011 [5] ASTM D6866, Standard Test Methods for Determining the Biobased Content of Solid, Liquid, and Gaseous Samples Using Radiocarbon Analysis [6] SPI: Understanding Biobased Carbon Content, 2012 [7] EN 13432, Requirements for packaging recoverable through composting and biodegradation. Test scheme and evaluation criteria for the final acceptance of packaging, 2000 [8] Wikipedia [9] ISO 14064 Greenhouse gases -- Part 1: Specification with guidance..., 2006 [10] Terrachoice, 2010, www.terrachoice.com [11] Thielen, M.: Bioplastics: Basics. Applications. Markets, Polymedia Publisher, 2012 [12] Lörcks, J.: Biokunststoffe, Broschüre der FNR, 2005 [13] de Vos, S.: Improving heat-resistance of PLA using poly(D-lactide), bioplastics MAGAZINE, Vol. 3, Issue 02/2008 [14] de Wilde, B.: Anaerobic Digestion, bioplastics MAGAZINE, Vol 4., Issue 06/2009 [15] ISO 14067 onb Corbon Footprint of Products [16] ISO 14021 on Self-declared Environmental claims [17] ISO 14044 on Life Cycle Assessment

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

Suppliers Guide 1. Raw Materials

AGRANA Starch Thermoplastics Conrathstrasse 7 A-3950 Gmuend, Austria Tel: +43 676 8926 19374 lukas.raschbauer@agrana.com www.agrana.com

Simply contact:

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

suppguide@bioplasticsmagazine.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

Tel.: +49 2161 6884467 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.

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39 mm

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

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

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

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

DuPont de Nemours International S.A. 2 chemin du Pavillon 1218 - Le Grand Saconnex Switzerland Tel.: +41 22 171 51 11 62 136 Lestrem, France Fax: +41 22 580 22 45 Tel.: + 33 (0) 3 21 63 36 00 www.renewable.dupont.com www.roquette-performance-plastics.com www.plastics.dupont.com

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.

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

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bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

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

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

1.2 compounds

Sample Charge for one year:

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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!

API S.p.A. Via Dante Alighieri, 27 36065 Mussolente (VI), Italy Telephone +39 0424 579711 www.apiplastic.com www.apinatbio.com

PolyOne Avenue Melville Wilson, 2 Zoning de la Fagne 5330 Assesse Belgium Tel.: + 32 83 660 211 www.polyone.com 1.3 PLA

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

Suppliers Guide 1.4 starch-based bioplastics

Limagrain Céréales Ingrédients ZAC „Les Portes de Riom“ - BP 173 63204 Riom Cedex - France Tel. +33 (0)4 73 67 17 00 Fax +33 (0)4 73 67 17 10 www.biolice.com

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

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

Natur-Tec® - Northern Technologies 4201 Woodland Road Circle Pines, MN 55014 USA Tel. +1 763.404.8700 Fax +1 763.225.6645 info@natur-tec.com www.natur-tec.com

2. Additives/Secondary raw materials

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

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

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

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 1.6 masterbatches

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

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

Taghleef Industries SpA, Italy Via E. Fermi, 46 33058 San Giorgio di Nogaro (UD) Contact Emanuela Bardi Tel. +39 0431 627264 Mobile +39 342 6565309 emanuela.bardi@ti-films.com www.ti-films.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

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

6.2 Laboratory Equipment

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

9. Services

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

3. Semi finished products

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

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

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

7. Plant engineering

EREMA Engineering Recycling Maschinen und Anlagen GmbH Unterfeldstrasse 3 4052 Ansfelden, AUSTRIA Phone: +43 (0) 732 / 3190-0 Fax: +43 (0) 732 / 3190-23 erema@erema.at www.erema.at

Bioplastics Consulting Tel. +49 2161 664864 info@polymediaconsult.com

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

Suppliers Guide Simply contact:

9. Services (continued)

Tel.: +49 2161 6884467 UL International TTC GmbH Rheinuferstrasse 7-9, Geb. R33 47829 Krefeld-Uerdingen, Germany Tel.: +49 (0) 2151 5370-333 Fax: +49 (0) 2151 5370-334 ttc@ul.com www.ulttc.com

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

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

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:

10.1 Associations

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

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/

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

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

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.

‘Basics‘ book on bioplastics This book, created and published by Polymedia Publisher, maker of bioplastics MAGAZINE is available in English and German language (German now in the second, revised edition). The book is intended to offer a rapid and uncomplicated introduction into the subject of bioplastics, and is aimed at all interested readers, in particular those who have not yet had the opportunity to dig deeply into the subject, such as students or those just joining this industry, and lay readers. It gives an introduction to plastics and bioplastics, explains which renewable resources can be used to produce bioplastics, what types of bioplastic exist, and which ones are already on the market. Further aspects, such as market development, the agricultural land required, and waste disposal, are also examined. An extensive index allows the reader to find specific aspects quickly, and is complemented by a comprehensive literature list and a guide to sources of additional information on the Internet. The author Michael Thielen is editor and publisher bioplastics MAGAZINE. He is a qualified machinery design engineer with a degree in plastics technology from the RWTH University in Aachen. He has written several books on the subject of blow-moulding technology and disseminated his knowledge of plastics in numerous presentations, seminars, guest lectures and teaching assignments.

110 pages full color, paperback ISBN 978-3-9814981-1-0: Bioplastics ISBN 978-3-9814981-2-7: Biokunststoffe neu: 2. überarbeitete Auflage

Order now for € 18.65 or US-$ 25.00 (+ VAT where applicable, plus shipping and handling, ask for details) order at www.bioplasticsmagazine.de/books, by phone +49 2161 6884463 or by e-mail books@bioplasticsmagazine.com

Or subscribe and get it as a free gift (see page 57 for details, outside German y only) 48

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

39 mm

10. Institutions

Events

Subscribe now at

Event Calendar

bioplasticsmagazine.com

You can meet us

BioMass for Sustainable Future: Re-Invention of Polymeric Materials

09.02.2016 - 11.02.2016 - Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

the next six issues for €149.–1)

www.BioPlastConference.com

Sustainable Plastics 2016

01.03.2016 - 02.03.2016 - Cologne, Germany www.amiplastics-na.com/events/Event.aspx?code=C706&sec=5459

Special offer for students and young professionals1,2) € 99.-

Plastics in Automotive Engineering

09.03.2016 - 10.03.2016 - Mannheim, Germany bit.ly/1lZNn6R

World Bio Markets

14.03.2016 - 17.03.2016 - Amsterdam, The Netherlands

2) aged 35 and below. end a scan of your student card, your ID or similar proof ...

www.worldbiomarkets.com

Innovation Takes Root

30.03.2016 - 01.04.2016 - Orlando Florida, USA www.innovationtakesroot.com

06 | 2015

c Nov / De

9th International Conference on Biobased Materials -5258

ISSN 1862

-5258

05.04.2016 - 06.04.2016 - Cologne, Germany biowerkstoff-kongress.de

Jan/Feb

ISSN 1862

ts Highligh gs | 12 xibles / Ba Films / Fle ics | 24 on ctr Ele r Consume

01 | 2016

Empack 2016 (with Biobased Village)

12.04.2016 - 14.04.2016 - Utrecht, The Netherlands

Basics | 50 s from CO 2

Plastic

ISSN 1862

Public Pro

bit.ly/1m03cuf

-5258

Basics

curemen

t | 34

May 20

Highligh ts Automoti ve | 12 Foam | 30

3rd Bioplastic Materials Topical Conference

19.04.2016 - 21.04.2016 - Bloomington, (MN) USA www. www.eiseverywhere.com/ehome/130808?eb=227133

Chinaplas 2016

ad in

... is re

4th PLA World Congress

untries

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Vol. 11

www.ChinaplasOnline.com

biopla

MAGAZIN

ry Cover Sto ly | 18 bags in Ita Shopping

bioplasti

MAGAZIN

Vol. 10

25.04.2016 - 28.04.2016 - Shanghai, China

Top Tal k: Interv iew VP Packa with Helm ut Traitle ging of r, Nestlé | 10

organized by bioplastics MAGAZINE 24 - 25. 05.2016 - Munich, Germany www.pla-world-congress.com

Biobased Products Europe

25 - 26. 05.2016 - Amsterdam, The Netherlands http://www.biobasedproductsworld.com/europe

3rd Bioplastics Buisness Breakfast K‘2016 organized by bioplastics MAGAZINE 20 - 22.10.2016 - Düsseldorf, Germany www.bioplastics-breakfast.com

Mention the promotion code ‘watch‘ or ‘book‘ and you will get our watch or the book3) Bioplastics Basics. Applications. Markets. for free 1) Offer valid until 30 April 2016 3) Gratis-Buch in Deutschland nicht möglich, no free book in Germany

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

Companies in this issue Company

Editorial

Company

Editorial

Advert

Company

Editorial

Röchling

15, 16

AIMPLAS

HIB Trimpart Solutions

Roquette

Annellotech

IKEA

S.E.C.I.

Sabic

Agrana Starch Thermoplastics

API

Hallink

Infiana Germany

Archer Daniels Midland

Innogas

Saida

Avantium

Innovate UK

SHD Composite Materials

Beologic

Institut for bioplastics & biocomp.(IfBB)

BioAmber

ISCC

Biopolymer Network BioPreferred

SHENZHEN ESUN INDUSTRIAL

Showa Denko SPC, The Sustainable Packaging Coalition

JBF Industries

Sukano

38, 40

Jinhui Zhaolong

Suntory Holdings

Kingfa

Synbra

Synprodo

BMEL

BPI

Braskem

Center for Bioplastics and Biocomposites

KS Composites 48

KU Leiven LEGO

Maccaferri Holding

TianAn Biopolymer 16 10

Mattiussi Ecologia

Uhde Inventa-Fischer

McDonalds

UL International TTC

Coperion

Metabolix

Corbion

8,10,15,16,27

Cranfield University

Minima Technology

Delta Motorsport

Mitsui

Domogel

narocon

5, 26

NatureWorks

Natur-Tec

Dr. Hans Korte Innov.Beratung

Newlight Technologies

DSM

nova-Institut

5, 24

Novamont

empack

NUREL Engineering Polymers

Erema

Öko Institut

Erreme

European Bioplastics

10, 26

Evonik

Plasthill

Fachagentur Nachw. Rohstoffe FNR

plasticker

Felda Global Ventures

Plastics Today

FKuR

Fraunhofer ICT

PolyOne

Fraunhofer IVV

Pöyry

Fraunhofer UMSICHT

GFBiochemicals

Grabio Greentech

2, 46

20, 24

USDA

38, 40

VHI

Vinçotte

Wageningen (WUR)

Wood K plus

19,29,31,47

47, 52

8 28, 36

WPC Council of China

Yanfeng Europe Autom. Int. Systems

Zhejiang Hangzhou Xinfu Pharmaceutical

TU Munich

Uhde Inventa-Fischer

10, 15

UL International TTC

17,55 55 7

Univ. Stuttgart (IKT)

Veolia

Vinçotte

22 46, 47

26 47

46 46

UNEP 7

18,37

World Economic Forum

WWF

ZERO

Zhejiang Hangzhou Xinfu Pharmaceutical

PTT MCC Biochem

8, 10, 16

8, 12, 17

VDI

Procter & Gamble 46, 47

Editorial Planner

US Dept. of Energy DoE

President Packaging

Grafe

PolyFerm

Plantura Italia

46, 51

Univ. Stuttgart (IKT)

Onora 48

10, 27

47 47

22, 23

DowDuPont

Toyota Boshoku Europa

Michigan State University

Composites Evolution

TerraVeradae BioWorks

Limagrain Céréales Ingrédients 25

Taghleef Industries

10, 18

Charmant

DuPont

Biotec

Dow

Shiseido

7, 28

Jaguar Land Rover

Bio-On

48 10, 26

Advert

Jacobs

Biobased Packaging Innovations

Advert

33, 46

Reverdia

2016

Issue

Month

Publ.-Date

edit/advert/ Deadline

02/2016

Mar/Apr

04 Apr 16

03/2016

May/Jun

04/2016

Trade-Fair Specials

Editorial Focus (1)

Editorial Focus (2)

Basics

04 Mar 16

Thermoforming / Rigid Packaging

Marine Pollution / Marine Degaradation

Design for Recyclability

Chinaplas preview

06 Jun 16

06 May 16

Injection moulding

Joining of bioplastics (welding, glueing etc), Adhesives

PHA (update)

Chinaplas Review

Jul/Aug

01 Aug 16

01 Jul 16

Blow Moulding

Toys

Additives

05/2016

Sep/Oct

04 Oct 16

02 Sep 16

Fiber / Textile / Nonwoven

Polyurethanes / Elastomers/Rubber

Co-Polyesters

K'2016 preview

06/2016

Nov/Dec

05 Dec 16

04 Nov 16

Films / Flexibles / Bags

Consumer & Office Electronics

Certification - Blessing and Curse

K'2016 Review

bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/16] Vol. 11

Green up your flooring High performance naturally

Biobased polyamides for carpeted floors can improve the overall environmental sustainability of building interiors. Used for floorings, VESTAMIDÂŽ Terra withstands typical mechanical and physical loads in office and public buildings, and durably retains the attractive surface of the floorings. Evonik offers a variety of technical longchain polyamides suchs as PA610, PA1010 and PA1012. They all share a similar to improved technical performance compared to conventional engineering polyamides while also having a significantly lower carbon footprint. www.vestamid-terra.com

www.novamont.com

BIODEGRADABLE AND COMPOSTABLE BIOPLASTIC

CONTROLLED, ITALIAN, GUARANTEED Using the MATER-BI trademark licence means that NOVAMONTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s partners agree to comply with strict quality parameters and testing of random samples from the market. These are designed to ensure that films are converted under ideal conditions and that articles produced in MATER-BI meet all essential requirements. To date over 1000 products have been tested.

THE GUARANTEE OF AN ITALIAN BRAND MATER-BI is part of a virtuous production system, undertaken entirely on Italian territory. It enters into a production chain that involves everyone, from the farmer to the composter, from the converter via the retailer to the consumer.

USED FOR ALL TYPES OF WASTE DISPOSAL

MATER-BI has unique, environmentally-friendly properties. It is biodegradable and compostable and contains renewable raw materials. It is the ideal solution for organic waste collection bags and is organically recycled into fertile compost.

r7_10.2015

EcoComunicazione.it

QUALITY OUR TOP PRIORITY