Bio-based and biodegradable plastics ? Facts and Figures

The report "Bio-based and biodegradable plastics - Facts and Figures" presents an overview of facts and figures regarding bio-based and/or biodegradable plastics, in particular for packaging applications.?Often, the term bioplastic is used by the public. However, the term ?bioplastic? refers to either the bio-based origin of a plastic or the biodegradable character of a plastic. These two aspects of a plastic are not synonymous, and therefore the term ?bioplastic? is confusing. In this report a clear distinction is made between bio-based and biodegradable plastics. Appearance and recognitionJust like fossil based plastics, bio-based and/or biodegradable plastics are available in many grades with a wide variety of properties. The suitability of bio-based and/or biodegradable plastics for particular applications depends on these properties. Also the most suitable end-of-life option depends on its properties. However, bio-based plastic products often have a very similar appearance compared to conventional fossil-based plastic products. As a consequence, they cannot be easily distinguished by consumers. The same is valid for biodegradable versus non-biodegradable products. Logo?s and labels can be used to make clear to the consumer (and retailer) whether a plastic is bio-based and/or compostable, and how to dispose of the plastic after use. Some qualifications like ?biodegradable? are not unambiguously defined. Consequently, logo?s and labels will need to be linked to a normalisation and certification system. Moreover, even when a plastic is biodegradable, this does by no means imply that the material degrades in the environment in a short period of time.Availability and costsIn 2015, the production capacities for bio-based and biodegradable plastics account for nearly 1% of total global plastics production. The markets for some bio-based and/or biodegradable plastics are expected to grow significantly during the coming years (Bio-PET, PBS and PLA), others are expected to consolidate (CA and Bio-PA). Overall, it is expected that by 2020 the share of bio-based and biodegradable plastics will increase to 2.5% of fossil plastics production.For most of the bio-based and biodegradable plastics there are several suppliers and most plastics are readily available. In general, bio-based and biodegradable plastics are more expensive than fossil-based plastics on a weight basis. However, specific material properties can allow costs reductions in the use or end-of-life phase. There are several examples of bio-based and/or biodegradable plastic products being cost competitive already today. Further, the price of fossil-based plastics is depending on oil prices and fluctuates with oil prices while in general the prices of bio-based plastics depend on biomass prices that are more stable. When the economy-of-scale of production, conversion into products and logistics becomes more favourable it is expected that the prices of bio-based plastics will come down. Bio-based and biodegradable plastics is food packagingThe main applications of bio-based and biodegradable plastics are currently in (food) packaging, food service ware, (shopping) bags, fibres/nonwovens and agricultural applications. Bio-based drop-in plastics such as bio-PE and bio-PET are identical to fossil-based counterparts and can be used in exactly the same applications. The three most commonly used bio-based plastics with unique properties are PLA, Starch based plastics and Cellophane. Like for fossil-based plastics, careful selection of a bio-based and/or biodegradable packaging material is necessary to ensure that a packed product has the required shelf life. Some characteristics of a plastic can be a disadvantage in one application, and an advantage in another; f.i. the low water vapour barrier of the bio-based plastic PLA is a disadvantage for a water bottle but an advantage in (breathable) packaging of vegetables and fruit. Further, bio-based and/or biodegradable plastics have to comply with the same regulations with respect to food safety as fossil-based plastics, and many bio-based plastics have certificates to prove that they can be used in food-contact applications.End-of-life optionsThe most suitable end-of-life solution depends on the type of bio-based and biodegradable plastic, the volume on the market, the application and the available collection and processing infrastructure. With the exception of the PET bottle recyclates, all post-consumer fossil plastic recyclates are not 100% pure and cannot be used in food packaging products due to food-safety regulations. Although it is technically possible to recognise all plastic materials with NIR (except for black plastic), a 100% sorting efficiency is difficult to achieve in practice. Since all post-consumer plastic recyclates are blends, the effects of the (very small) quantities of bio-based and/or biodegradable plastics are currently not measurable. And as film products are not sorted for material type, the composition of film recyclates is a reflection of the consumption pattern of the region. The influence of bio-based packaging on the quality of recyclates should therefore be measured in these mixtures. A study at WFBR has shown that mixing up to 10% of a starch based film and up to 10% of a PLA film in a sorted plastic film mixture has no significant negative effect on mechanical properties. ..//The above text is part of the Abstract of "Bio-based and biodegradable plastics - Facts and Figures". Authors are Martien van den Oever, Karin Molenveld, Maarten van der Zee, Harri?tte Bos, ? Wageningen Food & Biobased Research, institute within the legal entity Stichting Wageningen Research The complete raport is available below.