Issue 61 | Water Innovation by FoodBev Media Ltd

PLA and bioplastics

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Plastic from plants The topic of PLA and bioplastics is a hotly debated one when it comes to replacing conventional packaging materials. For starters, do they really appeal to environmentally friendly consumers? And is enough known about what happens to them after use? water innovation takes a look at recent developments within the bioplastics industry, and the Executive Director of BioCor breaks down PLA’s post-consumer recycling process.

Bioplastics Association paints positive picture

Nearly half (47%) of companies recorded growth in turnover, while 32% managed to at least draw level and only 10% of companies posted losses. 70% of those polled had their expectations confirmed, against a quarter of firms who were not able to live up to their own forecasts. Companies predicted a positive trend overall for both this year and the year to come: in all, 80% of those asked were optimistic, with 20% anticipating satisfactory results, 40% good results and 20% excellent

A biodegradable plastic made from the skins of tropical fruits has been developed by researchers at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). Fruitplast uses skins from fruits such as bananas, rambutans and chempedak. results. Based on these postive expectations, two thirds of the companies will be increasing their investment in the sector this year. Biodegradability and the biobased component are what distinguish bioplastics from conventional plastics. Many applications, including packaging materials and mulch films, are both biodegradable and biobased. Climate protection and reduced consumption of fossil fuels are important drivers of technological improvements and market evolution. The advantages of biodegradability are particularly evident in products with a short life-span. ”This is a clear indication of the strength of green innovation and the companies driving it forward,“ said Chairman of the European Bioplastics board, Andy Sweetman. Yet, with a market share of less than 1%, bioplastics still represent a niche product, despite generally high rates of growth. “What is missing are incentives from an effective stimulus programme to boost the market,“ commented the association’s Political Consultant, Harald Kaeb. “Then companies would be better placed to finance their innovations and the necessary expansion in capacity.”

The Head of the Research Team, Professor Hanafi Ismail, said that the idea to produce plastic from the waste products of fruits came about because they recognised the potential market for biodegradable plastic which is estimated to increase by up to 30% each year. “Commercial biodegradable plastic such as Polylactic Acid (PLA) and Polycaprolacton (PCL) that are available in the West are at least eight times as expensive as the petroleum-based, nonbiodegradable plastic such as Polyethylene (PE) and Polypropylene (PP),” he said. “We have developed a study to produce bio-degradable plastic using waste products from fruits to reduce costs but which can compete with the quality of the commercial

plastics that are currently available in the market.” Professor Hanafi believes that Fruitplast, which is estimated to be 10% cheaper than petroleum-based commercial plastics, offers other advantages including degradation within three to six months and assisting with increasing environmental awareness among the public. “This innovation also has huge commercial prospects, not only in Malaysia but also worldwide, because it is based on the concept of sustainability, is cheap and excellent for the packaging industry,” he continued. “The durability of the plastic has also met the standards that have been determined, and if it is not exposed to the elements (soil and weather), Fruitplast can remain in its original condition for up to two years.” Fruitplast won a Gold medal in the International Invention, Innovation and Technology Exhibition (ITEX) 2010, held in Kuala Lumpur recently.

Investing in green solutions is the best way of beating the economic crisis. That was the main finding of a poll conducted by the European Bioplastics Association among its members. The bulk of companies, which were questioned about how they fared in 2009 and what their expectations were for 2010 and 2011, reported healthy growth figures for 2009, in some cases considerably more than 5% up on the previous year. The figures therefore fulfilled, and in some cases exceeded expectations.

Bioplastic created from tropical fruits

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