Articles and Blog
Business Week features bioplastic
This article in Business Week focuses on biodegradable plastics. It includes a video interview with bioengineer, Oliver P. Peoples about the bioplastic industry and his company Metabolix.
Bioplastic industry on the up!
According to this industry website, over 500 bioplastics manufacturers companies already exist, and are expected to increase ten fold by 2020 to over 5000. The bioplastic industry, which is estimated to be growing at about 10% pa is set to increase to 25-30% by 2020.
“Biodegradable plastic with additives a disaster” claim PFSA
It would seem that we are not the only ones concerned about the introduction of degradable plastics in South Africa. As a new article reports, the Plastics Federation of South Africa (PFSA) has expressed concern over the fact that Albany Bakeries, as well as other retailers, are making use of plastic packaging which contains additives…
The ugly truth about polystyrene
Polystyrene (PS) is an issue for a number of reasons: – PS production involves the use of benzene and other suspected human carcinogenic (cancercausing) substances (styrene and 1,3-butadiene).- PS leaches styrene and nonylphenol, both of which are known endocrine disrupting chemicalsand should therefore not be used for food packaging.- PS is not usually recycled because…
Plastics and Health
The health effects of plastic have increasingly been questioned. PVC was one of the first plastics to be shown to leach harmful chemicals. Pthalates from PVC actually move from the plastic (be it wrapping, clothing, a child’s toy or a medical blood transfusion bag) and contaminate what it is touching. Pthlates have been proven to…
The Problem with Plastics!
Plastic is durable and long-lasting, qualities which made it seem like the perfect substance for a diversity of uses. But these factors, combined with others that are increasingly being researched, turn out to be some of the major problems of plastic. Sustainability has become a key phrase in recent environmental discussions. Sustainable resources are ones…
Biodegradable Plastic Packaging Conference
The Biodegradable Plastic Packaging Conference which is being organised by IntertechPir will be held in Prague, 17-18 in June. According to an article published on Food Production Daily,the conference is set to tackle some difficult issues around biodegradable plastics. Due to the demand for alternatives to petroleum-based plastics, the bioplastic industry has rapidly expanded. While…
Plastic packaging may be toxic to humans
Research has shown that Bisphenol A (BPA) in plastic food wrapping, containers and bottles could be harmful or toxic to our bodies. According to an online article, certain plastics have already been banned in Canada and there has been a move to ban them in the United States.