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Breakthrough for biodegradable plastics!


At a time when governments are renewing efforts to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, NatureWorks, a leading manufacturer of biodegradable plastics has achieved a breakthrough with a new plastic made from plants. The company claims that this new plastic, or Ingeo, lowers CO2 by up to 60 percent and, best of all, requires 30 percent less energy to produce than any of the other bioplastics.

The emissions and energy reductions are low even in comparison to petroleum-based plastics. For example, the manufacturing of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) which is most commonly used to make water and cold drink bottle emits 3.4 kilograms of CO2 per kilogram of resin produced. In contrast, the new Ingeo manufacturing process emits 0.75 kilograms of CO2 per kilogram of resin and consumes 56 percent less energy than the equivalent weight of PET.

This breakthrough in bioplastic technology is a result of a decade-long collaborative research and development effort exploring advanced lactic acid production technologies. Research organizations included NatureWorks’ parent, Cargill, a network of biotechnology firms, universities, and government research laboratories. It also received financial backing from the U.S. Department of Energy to the tune of about 25 million!

Ingeo plastics can be used to make attractive, affordable products ranging from natural plastic food packaging and food service ware, to clothing, house wares, personal care products and electronics.

2 thoughts on “Breakthrough for biodegradable plastics!

  1. I have a few concerns with biodegradable plastics which I’d love to hear your comments on. Simply put –
    (1) A distinction needs to be made between compostable bioplastics and additive biodegradable plastics (such as d2w).
    (2) Neither can be distinguished from other plastics and this has huge implications for the recycling industry as they cannot be recycled together with petroleum based plastics.
    (3)Certain degradable plastics take longer to degrade and only degrade under the correct circumstances, eg. light, heat etc. These are not actually found in landfills due to the way they are managed. So although there are benefits in saving energy to produce them, what happens to them after their life.
    I am in support of compostable plastics, I just think that the whole industry should be approached ethically and with care. I am busy doing research on this and hoping to change the labelling requirements.
    Your comments would be helpful.
    Thanks,
    Robyn

  2. (1) A distinction needs to be made between compostable bioplastics and additive biodegradable plastics (such as d2w). We totally agree. Firstly there is a difference between 1) compostable biodegradable plastics and 2) DEGRADABLE plastics that use additives such as d2w. Additives to petroleum based plastics are NOT BIODEGRADABLE. Strictly speaking these should be called CHEMODEGRADABLE as it is chemicals that degrade the plastic into little pieces of plastic. For more info read http://greenflavour.blogspot.com/2008/04/biodegradable-degradable-compostable.html

    (2) Neither can be distinguished from other plastics and this has huge implications for the recycling industry as they cannot be recycled together with petroleum based plastics.
    Biodegradable plastics should be marked with “Compostable” or a triangle with 7 or 8 for categorization as “other”. You are correct; they cannot be recycled with other plastics. The world produces over 200 million tons of plastic every year, 94% of which end up in landfills. That is why, with the introduction of biodegradable plastics into the market place, improved awareness and education is required regarding how to recycle your compostables by composting them. Green Home has taken on this challenge and one of the ways we educate is through promoting composting through our monthly newsletters. For more info see https://greenhome.co.za/links.htm

    (3)Certain degradable plastics take longer to degrade and only degrade under the correct circumstances, eg. light, heat etc. These are not actually found in landfills due to the way they are managed. So although there are benefits in saving energy to produce them, what happens to them after their life.
    Green Home, along with Woolworths, does not support DEGRADABLE plastics. Degradable plastics are petroleum based plastics with additives that break plastics down into little pieces of plastic, thereby making itself susceptible to polluting water, soil and air with these plastic components. Instead Green Home supports biodegradable products. Biodegradable products are made from natural and renewable plant based resources that biodegrade into their natural components after use i.e. water, carbon dioxide and compost.

    I am in support of compostable plastics, I just think that the whole industry should be approached ethically and with care. I am busy doing research on this and hoping to change the labelling requirements.
    Green Home has gone the extra mile in approaching this biodegradable revolution with ethics and care. We support you in your efforts of labeling requirements. Today is the First Annual IPSA Packaging Congress which will address the challenges being faced by the packaging industry, ranging from sustainability, waste management and future legislation affecting labelling and product innovation to changing consumer and retail trends. For more info see http://www.developtechnology.co.za/index.php?option=com_events&task=view_detail&agid=46&year=2009&month=03&day=12&Itemid=94 for more info.

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