Compostable - PLA - Trellis Bioplastics

Plastics Technology, 2004-03-31, Disposable Packaging Goes "Natural"
A compostable "natural" composite developed by EarthShell Corp. is likely to have a broad impact on disposable packaging markets, company sources say. At EarthShell"s inception in 1992,...

Plastics Technology, 2004-03-31, Disposable Packaging Goes 'Natural'
A compostable "natural" composite developed by EarthShell Corp. is likely to have a broad impact on disposable packaging markets, company sources say. At EarthShell's inception in 1992, it e...

Plastics Technology, 2010-03-08, Thermoforming PLA: How to Do It Right
...100% renewable resources such as corn, sugar beets, or sugarcane. This clear thermoplastic is fully compostable and biodegradable but has properties very similar to petroleum-based resins that are typ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Back to Nature
...le until the feedstock for the production of the BMs is renewable and the energy expended in consuming them is also covered by renewable sources of energy. Material Developments Help the Market Whether a polymer is “biodegradable” or “compostable” depends substantially on the type of chemical bond in the polymer and on the properties of the monomer. Renewable resources are not the only feedstocks for BMs. There are BMs produced from mineral oil that also degrade biologically extremely well. Pe...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Biodegradable Film: For the Sake of the Environment
...stretched by blown film extrusion down to a gauge of 8 µm. Compared with straight biodegradable polyester films or biodegradable polyester films filled with thermoplastic starch, the tactile properties are also improved. The material is compostable according to DIN EN 13432, which means that, up to a wall thickness of 110 µm, the film decomposes to a level of 90 % in compost after 12 weeks. Bio-Flex 219F is registered as a degradable material with DIN Certco (7W0042), while Bio-Flex films are ce...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Biodegradable Materials
...ed this scientific insight by a large majority. DIN Certco (Berlin) will, on request, register materials that are proven to comply with DIN V 54 900. A corresponding list may be requested. Products made up therefrom can be certified by DIN Certco as compostable if they satisfy the following additional criteria: - No contamination with substances that are detrimental to the compost quality, and - No exceeding of the maximum degradable material layer thickness as set out in DIN V54 900 (the thickn...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Biodegradable Products: Nature-Compounds
...rusion blow-moulded film can be stretched down to a gauge of 8µm. A further plus is that the haptic properties are superior to those of biodegradable film made from pure polyester or polyester filled with thermoplastic starch. The material is compostable according to DIN54900-1/-2. Articles with a wall thickness of up to 110µm consigned to compost are 90% degraded after 14 weeks have elapsed. Certification for use with food has also been obtained. Injection-moulding Grade: High Thermal Stabilit...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Compostable Material: Thermoformed Packaging Made of PLA
Compostable Material: Thermoformed Packaging Made of PLA Polylactides (PLA) represent a new group of thermoplastics for packaging applications obtained from renewable resources. In extensive tests, the functional and thermoforming properties of PLA were compared with those of other polymers. Luc Bosiers, Sven Engelmann Polylactides (PLA) represent a new group of thermoplastics for packaging applications obtained from renewable resources. PLA’s properties make it suitable for various thermo...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Ecoefficiency: Plastics in Politics and Practice
...ach with Respect to Environmental Relevance A comprehensive approach is reasonable, when the important influencing factors are to be identified, e.g. regarding environmental relevance. This shall be demonstrated in the following example of a (compostable) food packaging. In the nineties Professor Kooijman carried out fundamental scientific investigations about ecological evaluation of food during its entire lifetime from food production to consumption in the household, taking the packaging into...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Packaging: The Compostable Water Bottle
Injection Moulding The Compostable Water Bottle Packaging. Though not biodegradable, the PLA water bottles that the US company Biota uses to market its products can be composted in municipal/industrial composting facilities. The world’s first compostable water bottle made of a starch-based polylactic acid (PLA) is on the market. Husky worked hand-in-hand with Biota Brands of America Inc., Cargill Dow LLC and SIG Corpoplast to develop a fully compostable bottle for Biota’s new line of premium Co...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Trends in Bio-materials: The Signs are Set for Growth
...btained from agricultural production, are still in the early stages of market introduction. However, advances are evident at all levels: Aside from niches that have already been successfully occupied, such as biodegradable agricultural film and compostable organic-waste sacks, BP packaging (title picture) is now also found on many supermarket shelves in Europe. Furthermore, the positive development of the market and the work of the IBAW, the sector’s association, have aroused the interest of po...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-01-15, An Enterprise Preparing Itself: "Our Technologies Would Have Deserved More Courageous Renewal Also in Europe"
...s still hold their ground . If which path the manufacturers want to follow crystallises out, be it multilayer, coating or a material inherent barrier, then that is a step forward. Kunststoffe: At the fair a plant ran that makes preforms for compostable bottles made of PLA, but so far it has only been sold in the USA. What expectations do you have for that? Neuber: The project was not started in the USA by coincidence because that is where the raw material manufacturer has its headquarters (Natu...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-03-29, Bioplastics: Converting Risks to Opportunities
...kly this will happen depends on many factors. Legislators Want Renewable Resources Legislators play an important role in establishing innovations. Innovations frequently come up against a restrictive regulatory framework and this applies to compostable plastics in many respects. This is often simply because, at the time laws are passed, the legislators have insufficient knowledge to give reasonable consideration to detail. This can often be rectified, the best case being that the legislators de...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-10-21, Bioplastics
...o this on its own or politicians will come to its aid. Sabine Arras and Harald Käb In late fall of last year, the number two of British food retailer Sainsbury’s caused a furore in the UK packaging market: It will convert 500 product lines to compostable bioplastic products, saving up to 5,000t of fossil plastics. As a result, five of the seven big retail chains announced their own ideas and programs for increasing the use of biopackaging. Their motives ranged from reducing oil dependency to...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-06-16, The Versatility of Films
...omer demands in an almost ideal manner. However, it is highly unlikely that plastic packaging will ever attain the perfection of nature, also regarding sustainability. According to Dr. Gasse, all previous attempts to develop fully compostable foodstuffs packaging have not been successful – but in his view, the integration of selected "ecological" components makes perfect sense. New View of Barriers In his talk, Dr. Herbert Bader, Nordenia Technologies GmbH of Gronau, Germany, expanded ...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-08-14, Bio – Sense or Nonsense
...Accordingly, its barrier properties and, above all, its compostability (and fermentability) must be taken into consideration when assessing optimal use: in what applications is it beneficial to have a compostable plastic that is tear-resistant, waterproof, puncture-resistant, printable and water vapor-permeable? It is beneficial in carrier bags that – ideally after being used several times – serve as garbage bags for organic waste, in agricultural film (where it can be plowed under&#...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-08-14, Bio – What Else?
...nufactured from FKuR’s Biograde 300 A. Roots Biopack produces fruit bowls made from sugarcane. These bowls are oil and water repellant, acid and temperature resistant. Wentus specializes in compostable films produced by film blowing or flat extrusion methods (Table 2).

Kunststoffe international, 2009-10-14, Continuous Forming
...towards the use of bioplastics. For example, FKur Kunststoff GmbH, Willich, Germany, offers a PLA-based copolyester blend under the trade name Bio-Flex. It can replace conventional materials in many fields. Its applications include biodegradable, compostable packaging, e.g. for foods, in agriculture or horticulture. BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany, has a biodegradable material for foams in its program under the name Ecivio L Foam (Title photo). This material, consisting of over 75 % renewable raw...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-08-19, Environmental Awareness as a Business Plan
...ield of safety, Clariant produces medical and pharmaceutical masterbatches and compounds. Here, they emphasize production without lead chromates in particular. To improve the sustainability and reduce impact on the environment, new masterbatches for compostable biopolymer products and packaging were developed. According to the manufacturer, these are not only more economical, but also offer greater process and UV stability than comparable “normal” products. The line of halogen-free flame retarda...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-08-19, Shelf-Ready Trays in Corn Starch
... back in 2003 on introducing films for thermoforming applications onto the market. Since 2005, the company has been present on the European market with this product. According to the manufacturers' data, Plantic is a biologically degradable and compostable bioplastic which is produced from renewable resources by the extrusion process. The starting material is starch from non-genetically-modified maize plants, which can be processed into granules and flat film by various methods. The special...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-09-24, A Motley Range of Innovations
...ooth D77 Clariant Masterbatches for Biodegradable Biopolymers Clariant International Ltd., Muttenz, Switzerland, presents a further development of its masterbatches for biodegradable biopolymers that were launched under the trade names Renol-compostable and Cesa-compostable in 2007. If the recent masterbatches for biodegradable applications were formulated exclusively from renewable resources, the new batches contain conventional additives and pigments (Fig. 4). This represents a major expansion...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-05-12, Biopolymers as a Sustainable Alternative?
...l an even higher degree of sustainability can be achieved (Fig. 5). Composting: Up until now composting was the center of attention for biopolymer packaging. In general it can be said for biopolymers that have been certified as compostable that they can be broken down effectively in industrial composting plants and digested to products such as CO2, H2O or biomass/humus [5 to 7]. Fundamentally this means that the system of composting certified biopolymers works from a technical standpoint. Howeve...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-05-12, Reliable Process for Liquid Wood Products
...board. “This product ensures that the shoe stays in shape. At the same time it dispels moisture.” Since the material is won from regenerative resources, it is completely pollutantfree, biologically degradable, compostable and recyclable. And by contrast with other biomaterials, it requires no starch derivatives. Alento rejects their use in plastic products for ethical reasons, particularly as the starch won from plants is a foodstuff. Furthermore, speculators drive up the price for starches beca...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-08-24, Good for the Environment
...s in new yogurt beakers made from bioplastic polylactide (PLA) (Fig. 3) since April. As early as 1998, Danone attempted to market a sustainable packaging. However, customers rejected the compostable beaker, forcing the milk products producer to go back to petroleum-based beakers. Now, after more than ten years, customer interest in ecology and climate protection is stronger than ever, so Danone is convinced their bio-based yogurt beaker will become established in the market. Thanks to cooperatio...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-08-24, Making Use of Natural Resources
...bottle. Its aroma barrier properties are very good, while its O2 and CO2 barrier performance is better than that of PP but poorer than that of PET. PLA also has lower water vapor permeability. PLA is compostable and can be identified by automatic readers for the purposes of material recycling. The biodegradability of PLA requires the special attention of processors during storage and processing of the product. In the presence of high humidity, microorganisms and temperatures between 50 to 60°C, ...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-09-23, Market Opportunities, Land Use Requirement and Future Developments
...are already being widely used. Examples of applications in the packaging sector include bottles, flat film, e.g. for dimensionally stable thermoformed trays, blown film for bags or carrier bags, and nets. Here, too, besides the compostable bioplastics favored by the packaging regulations [3], we also find durable biopolymers such as BioPET for beverage bottles or BioPE for high water vapor barrier effect. Other important and growing fields of application for durable biopolymers are the sports an...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-10-17, Bioplastics
...on of the progress made in the meantime. Included in it are bioplastics which are, according to general agreement among the relevant industrial associations, either biodegradable and compostable and/or bio-based. Nearly all bioplastics that fit this definition contain a considerable amount – upwards of approx.30 wt.-% – of renewable raw materials. Biodegradable bio-based plastics: These include starch blends consisting of thermoplastically modified starch and other biodegradable polymers, as wel...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-07-23, For More Climate Protection
Using organic waste bags can boost the fraction of organic waste that is collected separately. Ecovio bags, for example, are made from a compostable polymer produced by BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany, and have been tested in two composting projects in Germany. In the first, the project partners supplied the organic waste bags to 65,000 households in Bad Dürkheim in mid-2011 and had the compost checked by an independent institute. The result of its assessment is that the compost was of high quali...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-08-22, An Ecological Alternative?
...nment Ministry, this almost corresponds to the total CO2 equivalents discharged in Germany in 2010 as a result of energy-related emissions (utilities, industry, transport and households) (797 million tons) [10]. First compostable bio-net bag in the world (photo: FKuR) Fig. 1. Children’s toys made of modified PLA and manufactured by Martin Fuchs Spielwaren GmbH (photo: nova-Institut) Fig. 2. Watering-can made from bio-based materials based on glucose and vegetable waxes and minerals (photo: Proga...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-09-17, Customized Development
Even though bioplastics’ share in the overall plastics market is still quite small, they have established themselves in some sectors. For instance, the production of flexible plastic film for applications such as compostable waste bags or mulch films is commonplace today. The well-aimed enhancement of these materials, especially with regard to their processability, opened up further manufacturing options including thermoforming and injection molding, to bioplastics. Several products have recentl...

Kunststoffe international, 2013-04-19, Esthetics and Design Meet Function
...: When talking about the coloration of bioplastics, it is first necessary to make a distinction between biobased raw materials derived from renewable resources and biodegradable raw materials that are compostable. In the coloration of biodegradable plastics, strict guidelines apply, since the compostability of the end product may not be jeopardized by any additives. We have specially tailored our product portfolio to take account o...

Kunststoffe international, 2013-04-19, Injection Moldings for the Compost
...s story, and this unusual liaison, starts some years ago. At K2004, Steinl was approached at the LWB booth by the founder of Napac Schweiz AG, which processed a polymer based on renewable raw materials into compostable plant containers using manually operated presses. His request was to automate production. “It struck a chord with me,” said Steinl, “as I’ve been thinking about new sales markets for our machines for a long time.” So...

Kunststoffe international, 2013-08-19, Pooled Expertise Creates More Value
...(right) is reinforced with glass fibers in the core of the blade (left gray), then embedded in epoxy resin, and finally given a weather-resistant coating Fig. 2. A compostable plastic based on bio-polyamide and polylactic acid is being used in its first volume production application as a material for the beanarella coffee capsules sold by the Swiss Coffee Company; the multi-layer system for the aroma-tight barrier packaging around the capsules is also produced from these renewable plastics Fig. ...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-08-19, New Ideas and Political Markets
... carboxilic acids [100]Meridian, Tianjin Green Bio, Shenzen Ecoman, Metabolix [>3]>10,000Numerous versions, e.g., PHB, PHV etc. PHA = PolyhydroxyalkanoatePEFFurandicarboxilic acid (2,5 FDCA), MEG [80/100]Avantium2]>100,000Petrochemical polyester for compostable compounds Polybutylene adipate terephthalatePolyamidesPA 4 10(Succinic acid) Sebacic acid [70/100]DSM5]>10,000PA 10 10Sebacic acid [100]Arkema, DuPont, Evonik [>3]>10,000PA 11Aminoundecanoic acid [100]Arkema>10,000Blends & CompoundsStar...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-08-19, Sustainable Solution for Coloration of Bioplastics
...y, the polymer carrier matrix must be just as biodegradable as the material being colored. But if this requirement is met, the colorant particles continue to be present as microparticles, since most available colorants have no biodegradable or compostable properties. AF-Color, a subsidiary of Akro-Plastic GmbH, Niederzissen, Germany, uses only biodegradable and biobased PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoates) as the carrier matrix for its biobased color and additive masterbatches (Fig. 1, Table 1). Although...

Kunststoffe international, 2016-10-17, Bioplastics
...).National laws – in Italy for carrying bags, in France for fruit and vegetable bags – and bio-based waste bags used in many regions due to the legally prescribed separation of biological and other waste have led to a market for compostable bags with a magnitude of 70,000 t. The potential is much higher: experts predict that consumption will triple over five years in Europe. The global market potential is many times greater. Both the EU market and the importance of the underlying legal condition...

Kunststoffe international, 2018-09-19, How Consumers Evaluate Environmental Friendliness
...d question, the study participants were asked to select three out of nine attributes that make packaging environmentally friendly for them. The results of the open question were largely confirmed: attributes such as "reusable", "biodegradable/compostable" and "recyclable" were selected much more frequently than the attribute "from renewable resources" (Fig. 4). It is also interesting that German consumers still had a strong focus on the beginning of the life cycle in the open question, while in ...

Kunststoffe international, 2019-07-17, Longer Shelf-Life, Less Waste
...based on the starch molecule amylose. It does not contain any artificial plasticizers and is around 80 % starch. It is a very good barrier to atmospheric oxygen. Laminated to other biodegradable foil or paper, the new Plantic Compostable Film (CF) barrier seal produces biodegradable or, in the case of paper, recyclable barrier packaging. It is therefore suitable for packaging dry goods such as coffee, snacks, sweets and animal feed. Production of Plantic does not compete with food production. In...

Kunststoffe international, 2020-05-05, Successful with Wood
...d determination to put them into practice. The young rezemo entrepreneurs Julian Reitze and Stefan Zender are one successful example. In 2019, some three years after their start-up was founded, the company was already producing well over one million compostable coffee capsules per year. A number that is growing rapidly. For the capsules, a compound of wood and plant fiber is processed on injection molding machines. The rezemo GmbH success story began with a coffee maker in a shared flat in Stutt...