Plastic waste has been gaining negative exposure over the last year with talks and pictures about 'plastic soup' illustrating how our oceans, our food and our bodies get polluted with plastics. Alliances have started like the 'Plastic Pollution Coalition' and governments are taking actions banning the use of some plastics in specific applications, like the ban of polyethylene (PE) plastic bags in Italy or the ban of polystyrene (PS) food packaging in NYC.
Market data from the European Bioplastics Association shows an annual growth rate for bioplastics of 20%. Still, bioplastics only account for 0.4% of the global plastics industry.
Reverdia introduced Biosuccinium sustainable succinic acid. By their own account the world's first large scale plant for biobased succinic acid has started operations in 2012. The product is available for the market and the opportunities are plentiful. One option is poly butylene succinate (PBS), a biodegradable polymer, and when based on Biosuccinium it can have a renewable content as high as 50%, says Reverdia.
PBS also shows interesting physical properties, like high elongation/flexibility, good temperature resistance and easy processing. It can be applied in a pure form, but it also represents an ideal blend partner in compounds. By copolymerisation with different types and content of co-monomers, a range of properties can be obtained, which provides a wide range of opportunities for the packaging industry and the plastics industry in general.
Learn more about bioplastics at the Bioplastics Business Breakfast 2013 where Jo Kockelkoren, Commercial Director of Reverdia will speak, too.
www.reverdia.com
