New policy paper discusses chemicals sector views on EU bioeconomy
Cefic released on June 20 a policy document that gives European chemicals sector views on the bioeconomy in Europe. The three-page document, written by policy experts at the trade group, was presented today to EU policy experts from stakeholder groups, including the European Commission, in Brussels.
The paper outlines three clear dimensions of the bioeconomy in Europe that will impact the EU chemical industry: access to renewable feedstock, innovation and market- driven demand generation. On the feedstock topic, the paper notes that access to biomass and bio-based building blocks at global market prices is a key issue for a sustained and cost-effective bio-based industry in Europe. In order to be able to achieve Europe 2020 and the bioeconomy objectives, the European chemical industry calls for four market reforms including global open market competition to balance supply and demand as well as a level playing field with respect to biofuels.
Cefic points out that innovation will have a significant role in determining the success of the bioeconomy, through the ability of and investment from all the actors, both public and private, to go the full innovation cycle – from research to market deployment. Innovation breakthroughs can be achieved through “full scale demonstration projects and pilot lines throughout the value chain, for which public and private support will be absolutely essential.” Cefic sees innovation Public-Private Partnerships that are under development – Sustainable Process Industry through Resource, and Energy Efficiency (SPIRE) and BIO – can make an essential contribution to the bioeconomy’s agenda.
Cefic calls on EU authorities to base their drive towards the bioeconomy on sustainability criteria based on sound science and reliable data.
The paper concludes: "Although our industry will undoubtedly remain predominantly petrochemicals-based in the coming decades, there is potential for greater use of bio-based feedstock. Cefic has therefore, a high level of engagement in the development of the bioeconomy."
See the full paper: LINK
Source: http://www.cefic.org
Spanish company researchs the production of biodegradable plastic
As stated by the company manager, Angel Escanero, in recent declarations to Europa Press, the aim is the extrusion of organic materials , like wood, hay, wheat straw, barley, rice and other harvest remains, so that to create new products with industrial applications.
To do so, the company will start developing polymers with natural capsulated fibers. Furthermore, the local factory in Huesca has a feasibility research agreement with the Industrial Technological Development Center (CEDET) which allows them the creation of a materials laboratory.
These agreements will allow the company to have the facilities and extrusion team needed dedicated to the research and development of biodegradables, and the initial opportunity of eight new jobs which could be increased up to 15 with the plant working at its full capacity.
Source: http://www.pesl.es
Sealed Air and Ecovative complete agreement to accelerate commercialization of new sustainable packaging material
Sealed Air Corporation (NYSE: SEE) and Ecovative Design LLC completed an agreement to accelerate the production, sales and distribution of Ecovative’s EcoCradle® Mushroom® Packaging, a new technology for environmentally responsible packaging materials made from agricultural byproducts and mycelium, or “mushroom roots”.As part of the agreement, Sealed Air will be the exclusive licensee of Ecovative’s mycelium based material technology in North America for protective packaging applications. Since January, Sealed Air and Ecovative have been developing together plans for sales and marketing as well as the augmentation of production capabilities. Sealed Air plans to begin offering the new products immediately.
“We have been pleased with our relationship with Sealed Air and have seen how their sales network, strong packaging design capabilities, and world-class supply chain will help us further our vision and broaden our impact, providing an innovative and effective alternative to petrochemical based packaging at a much larger scale,” said Eben Bayer, CEO of Ecovative.
“We are excited to be the exclusive provider of Ecovative’s technology for protective packaging applications. The Ecovative Design team has created a fundamental material technology, using the unique properties of mycelium, to provide solutions to protective packaging. And we have seen their success in manipulating these materials’ properties to produce varying density, strength, texture, and appearance to meet different performance needs of a variety of customer applications,” said Ryan Flanagan, President of Sealed Air’s Protective Packaging business.
“The agreement also furthers our SmartLife™ commitment to sustainability and providing solutions that reduce waste throughout the supply chain. This technology turns an agricultural waste material into a packaging solution that meets our customers’ performance needs and protects against their products being damage during shipping. Furthermore, it broadens our product portfolio for molded shapes and potentially other applications,” Flanagan added.
Sealed Air’s Protective Packaging business delivers an extensive portfolio of protective, industrial and display packaging systems to meet diverse application requirements across a broad range of industries. Sealed Air operates Packaging Design Centers globally and delivers a compelling value proposition that comes from a total solution approach that positively benefits multiple areas of customer operations – ultimately driving efficiencies and business value from the plant floor to their customers’ doorsteps.
Details of the transaction were not disclosed. Sealed Air does not expect the transaction to be material to its consolidated financial position or results of operations.
Source: http://www.ecovativedesign.com
Gevo Signs Malaysian Collaboration to Produce Cellulosic Isobutanol for SE Asia
Gevo, Inc. (NASDAQ: GEVO), a leading renewable chemicals and next-generation biofuels company, signed a collaborative agreement today with the intent to site a cellulosic biomass isobutanol facility in Southeast Asia. Gevo’s President and Chief Operating Officer, Chris Ryan, signed the collaborative agreement with representatives from the Malaysian government’s East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC), Malaysian Biotechnology Corp (BiotechCorp) and the State Government of Terengganu.
After a year of ongoing development work in Malaysia, Gevo is strategically partnering along the supply chain to provide biobased isobutanol at a cost competitive price. The company is in the final stages of evaluating additional partners to complete the biomass to isobutanol value chain. The collaboration offers a diversified feedstock, organized approach and the opportunity to develop an economically advantaged business plan to meet this expanding market.
“The technology for a sustainable cellulosic feedstock is expected to be commercially viable this year, so now is the appropriate time to begin our cellulosic platform,” said Ryan. “We’re excited to follow the demand, especially since Southeast Asia is one of the fastest growing chemical markets, and Malaysia provides an excellent growth opportunity for Gevo. Our ambition is to move toward definitive agreements by the second half of 2012 with a target of having a cellulosic plant operational by late 2015 or early 2016.”
The current plan under consideration is to construct a fermentation facility to produce bio isobutanol made from cellulosic biomass. The proposed site is in the State of Terengganu at the world-class Biorefinery Complex in Kertih.
“The establishment of a Gevo facility in East Coast Economic Region Malaysia is further testament to investors’ confidence in the Region and we look forward to facilitating Gevo’s investment in Malaysia,” said Chief Executive Officer of the ECERDC, Jebasingam Issace John.
The Terengganu State Government was represented by its State Secretary, Mazlan Ngah and BiotechCorp was represented by its Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Mohd Nazlee Kamal. The document exchange ceremony was held in conjunction with the Bio International Convention and Exhibition that is currently taking place in Boston, Mass.
Source: www.gevo.com
Myriant Receives $25 Million Award Under USDA's Business and Industry (B&I) Loan Guarantee Program to Develop Bio-based Chemicals
Myriant Corporation announced today it closed a $25 million private bond placement for the construction of its flagship commercial bio-succinic acid plant located in Lake Providence, Louisiana. The placement utilized the Business and Industry ("B&I") Rural Development Loan Guarantee program that is administered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Myriant's commercial plant will produce 30 million pounds of bio-succinic acid annually and construction is on-schedule for the planned commercial start-up in the first quarter of 2013. Myriant has signed multi-year, customer contracts for the plant's expected annual production capacity and is currently planning its 140 million pound expansion in the United States.
Myriant is the first bio-based chemicals company to receive funding from USDA's B&I Rural Development Loan Guarantee program. The B&I program is designed to improve the economic and environmental climate in rural communities by supporting the development of high quality local industry. Myriant's Lake Providence commercial plant is expected to create approximately 40-50 direct and highly-skilled jobs, approximately 250 construction jobs and an estimated 300 indirect jobs. The project will be the first and only bio-succinic acid plant in the United States and its construction will help revitalize the U.S. manufacturing base, bringing much needed job growth to Northeast Louisiana.
"It is a tremendous accomplishment for Myriant to be the first renewable chemicals company to complete a project financing under the USDA's B&I program and we're delighted to partner with them to demonstrate the power of partnerships between the public and private sector," commented Stephen J. Gatto, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for Myriant. "Rigorous analysis has shown, and our direct experience is proving, that U.S. based manufacturers of renewable chemicals derived from natural sources can be the world's lowest cost producers of these products. This means that the chemicals manufacturing sector in the U.S., which has seen a trade surplus of $13.4 billion in 1998 shrink to a loss of $2.7 billion by 2008 and a loss of 130,000 jobs to outsourcing, can be revived and accelerated in new renewable, eco-friendly ways for a return to world-leading growth in innovation and the associated prosperity it can deliver here in the United States."
Mr. Gatto continued, "At a time when job creation, manufacturing expansion, and infrastructure investment are seen as essential elements of the American economic recovery, innovation wrought by the combination of biotechnology, agriculture and manufacturing in America, by Americans, holds great promise for extraordinary growth and a revitalized global technology leadership."
"America's growing domestic bio-based industry is a vital part of the Obama Administration's all-of-the-above energy strategy to create jobs and protect our environment by reducing our dependence on petroleum-based products," said John Padalino, Acting Administrator for Rural Business Services. "I am delighted that USDA was able to work with Myriant to help make this opportunity possible."
The $25 million USDA B&I Loan Guarantee complements a $50 million cooperative agreement that Myriant received from the United States Department of Energy (DOE) and a $10 million grant from the Lake Providence Port Commission and the Louisiana Department of Transportation. Of the $25 million in bonds sold, $15 million are guaranteed by the USDA under the B&I program. Sales of the unsecured portion of the bonds indicate investor confidence in the future financial performance of Myriant's Lake Providence bio-refinery. Stern Brothers acted as the bond placement agent. HEARTLAND Bank, Little Rock, Arkansas, is the Lender of Record through the B&I Loan Program and will service the bonds.
Brent Erickson, Executive Vice President of the Biotechnology Industry Organization, said, "On behalf of the Biotechnology Industry Organization, I congratulate Myriant and thank the USDA for its ongoing support, which has been critical to unlocking private capital for innovative bio-refineries. Myriant is at the forefront of a growing renewable chemical sector and the first in that sector to receive a USDA loan guarantee. Their success illustrates the potential for opening rural development and renewable energy programs to this sector."
Source: http://www.myriant.com
BASF collaborates with BioTork for bio-based chemicals
BioTork announces collaboration with BASF to optimize certain microbial strains for the industrial production of bio-based polymers and green chemicals. After six months of collaboration, BASF and BioTork came to the conclusion that a combination of their complementary approaches to strain development can improve the efficiency and resulting economics of biochemical production processes. The financial terms of the partnership have not been disclosed.
BASF has been conducting intensive research on the use of microorganisms for the production of proteins, enzymes, vitamins and other high value and low cost chemicals. In their natural environment, microorganisms generally synthesize these chemicals only to meet their own requirements for survival.
The challenge faced by chemical companies is to push these microorganisms to produce these chemicals faster, in much larger quantities, and under industrial conditions that are different from the microorganisms’ natural environment. This is the only way to use microorganisms for commercially viable production of chemical products. To achieve this goal, BASF is successfully using metabolic engineering techniques to make targeted modifications to certain microorganisms in order to optimize bioconversion capability, increase yield and eliminate bottlenecks.
“A recently completed pilot study between BioTork and BASF demonstrated that these engineered microorganisms could be further optimized for maximal industrial performance using adaptive evolution” says Tom Lyons, Chief Scientific Officer of BioTork. Dr. Lyons adds: “Laboratory results confirm a synergy effect between the metabolic modifications engineered by BASF and the proprietary adaptive evolution technology used by BioTork”. BioTork is the holder of an exclusive, worldwide license to use the adaptive evolution technology of Evolugate, LLC in the fields of bio-based chemical and biofuel production.
The Evolugate adaptive evolution technology is a continuous culture apparatus that selects the fittest genetic variants from among a population under controlled environmental conditions that mimic those needed for the most economical industrial process. After rounds of selection—which can achieve success in a matter of weeks or months—the microorganisms acquire capabilities that were absent from the original strain. These new capabilities provide the microbe with the potential to enhance industrial performance and thereby improve the economics of the process. Examples of these newly acquired properties could be a faster growth rate, the ability to grow at non-optimal temperatures, resistance to inhibitors or growth under nutrient limiting conditions.
“We are extremely pleased with the capacity of our technology to complement the metabolic modifications that are engineered by BASF” says Marc Penicaud BioTork Vice President for Business Development in Europe. He adds: “We will dedicate all the necessary resources to ensure BASF achieves major advancements in the production of high value bio-based chemicals.
Created in 2008, BioTork LLC is a biotechnology company developing microbial strains to be used to produce biofuels and bio-renewable chemicals. The mission of BioTork is to achieve complete replacement of crude petroleum oil with biomass derived equivalents. BioTork is based in Gainesville, FL. Further information on BioTork is available on the internet at www.biotork.com.
Econic Fresh Ground Coffee Trials
Convex Plastics is working with coffee industry experts to verify the shelf life of fresh ground coffee packed in Econic® compostable coffee packaging.
Extensive shelf life testing began in May to compare the impact of the various Econic® packaging options and traditional paper packs on the taste and aroma of fresh ground coffee.
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The trials involve carrying out regular taste, aroma and moisture level checks over several months to determine how fresh ground light roast, medium roast and dark roast coffee is affected by being packed in paper and a range of Econic® film structures. Various Econic® venting options are also being tested as part of the trial.
Convex Technical Manager Andrew Sheerin says, “The test results will verify the shelf stability of each packaging option and its predicted impact on fresh ground coffee over time. This will enable anyone wanting to move to a more sustainable pack to make an informed decision based on solid evidence as to what specific packaging option will keep their fresh ground coffee product in optimum condition and ultimately deliver the best possible coffee experience for their end users.”
Econic® coffee packaging has been specifically designed by Convex Plastics to provide the ideal sealing and barrier properties for coffee and dry foods and is available both with and without vents. It is made from three separate bio-degradable films, which are laminated together to lock in the coffee’s optimum freshness, taste and flavour. The three films are made from sustainably-produced wood pulp and corn sources and have all been internationally certified to the British Standard EN13432 for composting and biodegradability.
Andrew says, “We are always looking at ways to improve Econic® and make it easier for our customers to get the shelf life result that they want. We have succeeded in demonstrating that Econic® is a great packaging option for fresh roasted coffee beans and we are now looking to provide the same level of confidence and support for fresh ground coffee as well.”
The trial results are expected to be released in October.
Source: http://www.convex.co.nz/
Italian School Fruit Packed In Compostable Film
The NatureFlex™ compostable films marketed in New Zealand by Convex Plastics are helping to spread the healthy eating message in Italian schools.
The transparent cellulose-based NatureFlex™ NVS film used in this application is converted and sold to packers by Italian company, CORAPACK Srl.
Corapack Sales Manager, Fabrizio Radice says, “NatureFlex™ NVS film was the ideal choice to flow wrap the fruit as it not only protects the product inside, due to its semi-permeability to moisture, but also provides good machinability and printability, ensuring a nice pack appearance. In addition the film has excellent environmental attributes such as being compostable and made from renewable resources.”
Beginning life as a natural product, wood (from managed plantations operating on good forestry principals, FSC or equivalent), NatureFlex is certified compostable in both home and industrial composting environments and is also suitable for anaerobic digestion.
Innovia Films Giorgio Berton says, “We are very happy to be involved in this project supporting our customer, Corapack, who promoted the usage of our NatureFlex™ film for the ‘Frutta nelle Scuole’ project. This scheme encourages school children to eat fresh organic fruit, which stays in premium condition due to being wrapped in NatureFlex™.”
NatureFlex™ NVS has been specifically formulated to offer improved stiffness under chill cabinet conditions and a controlled level of moisture permeability with a heat-sealable conversion-friendly coating on both sides.
Convex Plastics have incorporated two NatureFlex™ films in their Econic® compostable coffee bags and are actively evaluating a number of further applications for these films.
Source: http://www.convex.co.nz
BioAmber Wins BIOTECanada’s Gold Leaf Award for Early Stage Company of the Year
Industry excellence is being celebrated as BioAmber moves steadily toward construction of their full scale, commercial facility in Sarnia, Ontario. BioAmber has been named as an industry leader winning BIOTECanada’s Gold Leaf Award Early Stage Company of the Year for Industrial Biotechnology. BioAmber is a highly innovative company on the cusp of commercializing intermediate green chemicals.
The leadership at BioAmber has distinguished themselves from their peers with demonstrated technology innovation,” commented Brad Thompson, Chair BIOTECanada. “The market opportunities ahead for the company are significant as they embark on supporting the sustainability of industries across various sectors.
The incredible proprietary platform BioAmber has developed is a means to produce costcompetitive, chemically identical replacements for petroleum-derived chemicals with large, global markets. Succinic acid can be used to manufacture a wide variety of products used every day, including plastics, food additives and personal care products.
The recognition from BIOTECanada is very gratifying for all of us at BioAmber. We are thrilled to bring our proprietary technology to Canada,” said Jean Francois Huc, President and CEO of BioAmber Inc. “The BioAmber Sarnia plant will create forty renewable chemistry jobs in the growing Sarnia Lambton cluster. BioAmber’s products provide a sustainable and costcompetitive bio-alternative to petrochemicals.
BioAmber is a next generation chemicals company. Its proprietary technology platform combines industrial biotechnology, an innovative purification process and chemical catalysis to convert renewable feedstocks into chemicals for use in a wide variety of everyday products including plastics, food additives and personal care products. BioAmber produces biosuccinic acid in what it believes to be one of the world’s largest bio-based chemical manufacturing facilities. For more information visit the company’s web site at www.bioamber.com.
Source: http://www.bio-amber.com
Aemetis Granted U.S. Patent for Cellulosic Biochemical and Biofuel Technology
Aemetis, Inc., an industrial biotechnology company producing advanced fuels and renewable chemicals, announced today that the company was awarded a patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) titled “Plant Wall Degradative Compounds and Systems”, and issued the patent number 8,173,787. This patent relates to cell wall degradative systems, containing enzymes that bind to and/or depolymerize cellulose. With this award, Aemetis has 4 awarded patents, 7 filed patents, and 4 licensed patents. Aemetis’ biotechnologies will enable the production of advanced fuels and industrial chemicals using sugar and starch feedstock.
“This patent further protects the efficient production of advanced fuels and biochemicals”, stated Eric McAfee, Chairman and CEO of Aemetis. “We expect to continually grow our patent portfolio as additional technologies are converted into issued patents.”
Source: http://www.aemetis.com
Climate Change Task Force issues urgent Appeal for Rio+20 to take global warming threat seriously
World leaders must do more to respond to the threat of climate change, and the upcoming United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Brazil should prioritize action against the drivers of global warming, according to an Appeal issued today by the high-level Climate Change Task Force.
The Climate Change Task Force (CCTF), is convened by President Mikhail Gorbachev, and comprises scientists, economists, former heads of state, Nobel prize laureates as well as climate and sustainable development experts from developed and developing countries.
“Effective action to avert the destabilization of the climate is, in fact, a pre-condition for successful progress towards sustainable world development, which will be the focus of Rio+20,” the Task Force says in its three-page Appeal for Urgent Action on Climate Change. “We must position climate change in the wider context of sustainable economic and social development and identify and act on its underlying causes, which are rooted in our present values and consequent social and economic choices and actions.”
President Gorbachev says: “The Climate Change Task Force is appealing to the heads of state and decision-makers at the Rio+20 conference to ensure that the climate change challenge is put clearly onto the agenda and that a strong political commitment is made to take action against this threat.”
The Appeal has been endorsed by more than 30 influential figures from many fields, including European Union Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard, environmentalist David Suzuki, former Netherlands Prime Minister Ruud Lubbers, Ashok Khosla, President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, Konrad Otto-Zimmermann, Secretary General of ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, Dmitri Zenghelis, Chief Economist at Cisco Climate Change Practice and London School of Economics Visiting Senior Fellow, and Sir David King, former Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK Prime Minister.
Alexander Likhotal, President of Green Cross International, which hosts the Task Force, says on-going negotiations on the final outcome document proposed for Rio+20 are paying too little attention to climate change.
“The United Nations is highlighting the urgent need for action, stating that little or no progress has been made on climate change, desertification, drought, fish stocks and dozens of internationally agreed goals and objectives to support sustainable management of the environment and improve human wellbeing,” adds Mr Likhotal. “But leadership means not just recognition of the problem, but about offering a solution to resolve the problem.”
The Appeal is being followed by the 18 June release in Rio of the Task Force’s first joint statement on “Action to Face the Urgent Realities of Climate Change.”
As climate change and environmental degradation pose growing threats to humanity, President Gorbachev has convened the high-level Climate Change Task Force to stimulate an urgent and profound international response to the challenges, and to build the critical mass and political will needed for deep rooted societal change capable of containing and reversing the effects of these threats.
Related content:
•Download the Appeal for Urgent Action on Climate Change.
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•Climate Change Task Force website
•Video interviews with Task Force members
•Event notice for 18 June launch in Rio of the “Action to Face the Urgent Realities of Climate Change” statement.
DaniMer Scientific Releases Breakthrough Biobased Label Adhesive for PET Industry
Myriant announced today that its high-performing bio-succinic acid was selected as key renewable building block chemical in a bio-based label adhesive announced today by DaniMer Scientific. The adhesive, designated DaniMer 92721, was created to eliminate the problems associated with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) container recycling. To develop the adhesive, DaniMer Scientific utilized renewable building blocks from two world-class suppliers: Myriant and DuPont Tate & Lyle. DaniMer combines Myriant's bio-succinic acid with Susterra® Propanediol from DuPont Tate & Lyle into a proprietary, patent pending resin that enables the breakthrough properties of the new 92721 label adhesive.
DaniMer's new label adhesive is designed to meet the demands of PET container packaging recycling streams and has a renewable content higher than 50%. The adhesive dissolves completely in PET flake caustic wash recycling operations without clumps or "stickies." This new bio-based formulation is competitively priced with block co-polymers, with pricing not linked to crude oil derivatives. In addition, rheology of DaniMer 92721 enables the adhesive to operate in existing adhesive systems at temperatures under 325F. Results from industry standard protocol testing show the product enables zero contamination in PET recycle streams.
"DaniMer is pleased to announce this advancement towards eliminating problems with PET recycling in streams," said Daniel Carraway, Founder and CEO of DaniMer Scientific. "We have been actively engaged with our target market in order to understand what our consumers need, and the issue of PET contamination was a recurring and significant matter that needed to be resolved. Of course, we chose Myriant and DuPont as our suppliers for this project due to their world-class capabilities, knowledge and extensive background with the development of innovative, renewable building blocks."
Succinic acid is traditionally produced from petroleum and is used in a wide variety of applications, including the production of polymers, fibers, surfactants, detergents and flavors. The global market for succinic acid is currently estimated at approximately $7.5 billion annually.
Myriant's proprietary technology platform reduces the environmental impact from petroleum-based chemical manufacturing by making chemicals, such as bio-succinic acid, from renewable, non-food feedstocks. Myriant's high purity bio-succinic acid is a drop-in replacement for petroleum-based succinic acid. Customer analysis of Myriant's bio-succinic acid validates that it is chemically identical to petroleum-based succinic acid, while also being more environmentally friendly and cost-competitive without government subsidies.
"The recycling industry has long been challenged to find ways to overcome the issues and complications associated with recycling PET containers," said Stephen J. Gatto, Chairman and CEO of Myriant. "Myriant is proud that its high-performing bio-succinic acid is part of this innovative solution to a decades-old challenge. DaniMer's new adhesive is a great example of the innovation and market opportunities available with bio-based chemicals."
"Susterra® propanediol is certified 100% bio-based by the US Department of Agriculture, making it attractive for companies seeking to add renewable content to their products. We are excited to be selected by DaniMer as a key ingredient for this new bio-based adhesive technology," commented Pete Colombo, account executive for DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products.
DaniMer Scientific will be providing details and announcing the commercial launch of their new label adhesive at the Nova-Pack 2012 Conference in Arlington, Virginia. The product exhibition will be on June 7-8 at West Arlington Gateway Hotel, just outside of Washington, D.C. The exhibition gives packaging suppliers and users a chance to display products they designed that overcome challenges faced with the PET recycling industry. For more information and to register for the Nova-Pack 2012, please visit http://novapackconference.com.
About Myriant Corporation
Myriant utilizes its proprietary technology platform to develop innovative, performance-based, renewable chemicals utilizing low-cost sugars. In December 2010, Myriant broke ground on its flagship 30 million pound commercial bio-succinic acid facility in Lake Providence, Louisiana and anticipates beginning commercial production in early 2013. The company's D(-) lactic acid started production at commercial scale in June 2008 for use in polylactic acid. Myriant has agreements with ThyssenKrupp Uhde GmbH for engineering, Davy Process Technology for the integration of Myriant's bio-succinic acid process with the Davy butanediol process for the production of bio-based butanediol, and PTT Chemical for the commercialization of Myriant's technology in Southeast Asia. Myriant is headquartered in Quincy, Massachusetts. Details are available at www.myriant.com.About DuPont Tate & Lyle Bioproducts
DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products is a joint venture between DuPont, a global science company, and Tate & Lyle, a world-leading renewable food and industrial ingredients company. DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products provides natural and renewably sourced ingredients that do not compromise product performance. For more information on the company's products, visit www.duponttateandlyle.com.About DaniMer Scientific
DaniMer Scientific, an international corporation, believes people's lives can be improved and the environment can be better protected by utilizing renewable resources to manufacture articles that are intended for short-term use. One of the company's goals is to reduce dependence on petroleum, enabling people and communities to benefit from environmentally-friendly products. For more information about DaniMer Scientific, please visit: www.danimer.com.About Nova-Pack 2012
Nova-Pack 2012 Conference on PET Containers for Food and Beverages is mainly focused on helping packing suppliers design products that meet the demands of the PET container recycling stream. Exhibition participants have faced the challenge of avoiding contamination to the PET recycle stream when trying to break down the adhesive. Another issue contributing to the impact of the PET market is the development of a cost-effective route. The Nova-Pack 2012 Conference will be providing display tables for the major industry stakeholders to display their products that meet the extensive needs of the industry. http://novapackconference.com/.Source: http://www.myriant.com
PHBOTTLE: New biodegradable packaging with antioxidant properties, made from the sugars present in the wastewater
AIMPLAS (Instituto Tecnológico del Plástico) and the technology center Ainia participate in the project in addition to the company Citresa, the European Association of Fruit Juices (AIJN) and nine other international partners.The project seeks to answer two of the most pressing current problems in the food industry: management of wastewater and the generation of biodegradable packaging for their products.
The stakes are clear: to provide sustainable solutions to environmental problems of the juice industry, based on the principle of transforming wastes into new materials for use, with new features.The project PHBOTTLE, funded by the 7 th Framework Programme (Grant Agreement No. 280831), is to get in 42 months a new packaging for fruit with biodegradable and antioxidant properties (to lengthen the life of foods containing). A package made from sugars and other residues rich in carbon, nitrogen and oxygen present in the waste water from juices bottling industries.Involves applying the latest advances in microencapsulation, biotechnology and packaging technologies. Its development is being coordinated by ainia technology center, and an international consortium of eight companies and four research organizations.•
In Spain: ainia technology center, AIMPLAS (Technological Institute of Plastics) and Citrus Refreshing, SA
In Belgium: European Association of Fruit Juices (AIJN) and Omniform SA
In the Netherlands: TNO Technology Center
In Bulgaria: Sivel Limited
In Portugal: Logoplaste LDA Innovation Lab
In Argentina: National Institute of Industrial Technology (INTI)
In Mexico: Mega Empack Inc.
In Brazil: Logoplaste do Brasil LTDA
In Honduras: Vanguard SD RL
Wastewater valuable resource
The project is a reality: The juice industries consume a large amount of water, both in cleaning their equipment and facilities such as washing of fruits, etc..A waste water that has to be managed and that contains large amounts of organic waste in the form of sugars, which in turn are a large raw material and of great value to the production of bioplastics (plastics generated from organic waste at both degradable).The fruit juice industry in Europe play an important role in the management of waste water, because this type of industry comes to generate up to 129 275 000 liters of residual water.
Active microorganisms that convert the waste into new materials
PHBOTTLE, which is in its initial phase, is identifying microorganisms capable of converting organic waste sewage in a polymeric material (plastic) biodegradable, PHB (polyhydroxybutyrate).
After obtaining this material, its properties will be improved, in a second phase, with the incorporation of cellulose fibers and ingredients encapsulated with antioxidant properties, so that this material, when containing a food to be able to lengthen the asset's useful life and therefore their days marketing and consumption.
In a third phase, this material reinforced and improved in their properties, will mold and will be used to make bottles of juice. Finally, these bottles will be validated and tested, and used to bottle fruit juice .
Life Cycle Analysis
Another environmental objectives of the project are based on an analysis in all phases of project life cycle (LCA) of the new packaging. Involves determining the environmental impact of the material generated during the entire life thereof, from raw materials with which it occurs, until the moment when the final container is disposed, in order to achieve a 100% biodegradable packaging, with minimal environmental impact.Overall response to social demand According Ecoembes, the Spanish recycled seven out of ten household packaging in 2011. The minimum recycling rate established by the European Commission is at 55%, Spain has exceeded the average reaching 68.3%.
Other applications
The new material also apply to non-food packaging, mainly in packaging and plastic drugstore and automotive cleaning.
Source: http://www.aimplas.es
Note: Original in Spanish
Successful Partnership between TECNARO and BRASKEM using Green PE
ECNARO GmbH - The Biopolymer Company - specialist for sustainable thermoplastic materials closed a contract in 2011 with BRASKEM, the world market leader for bio-based polyolefins. TECNARO produces compounds with sugar cane based Green PE from BRASKEM in a special product line of the material family ARBOBLEND®. The biopolymer compounds include grades for injection molding, (film) extrusion, thermoforming, melt spinning, etc.
"Objective of the cooperation is the development of new applications in order to increase the product portfolio made from Green PE" says Claudia Cappra, Commercial Manager of BRASKEM.
TECNARO was selected by BRASKEM to increase the penetration of customized compound solutions based on Green PE in the European market. "We are pleased to cooperate with BRASKEM and hereby realize an important step in the further exploration of the Brazilian and German market", says Dr. Lars Ziegler, Director R&D of TECNARO.
Once again, this cooperation shows the long-term relation of TECNARO with Brazil. TECNARO keeps a sales representation in Sao Paulo since 2001. In 2005 a comprehensive training program was introduced focusing on the utilization of renewable resources in the plastics industry. This was elaborated and implemented by TECNARO within Private Public Partnership (PPP) Projects supported by BMZ/Sequa gGmbH and in cooperation with the Brazilian center for research and education SENAI CIMATEC and other partners. In addition, new biomaterials have been developed and the awareness regarding bioplastics has been increased in Brazil.
BRASKEM is the world largest producer of thermoplastic polymers in America. With 35 industrial plants located in Brazil, the US and Germany the company produces more than 16 million tons of thermoplastic polymers and other petrochemical products.
TECNARO is an innovative company which develops and produces biocomposites with renewable raw materials. Direct marketing activities has complementary been supported by TECNARO's worldwide distribution partner: ALBIS PLASTICS GmbH. TECNARO is recognized to be among the worldwide technology leaders in the field of biopolymer composites and blends. Within the biomaterial families ARBOFORM®, ARBOBLEND® und ARBOFILL®, TECNARO fully assists compound development for customized market solutions.
Source: http://www.ititpro.com
Packaging is moving away from oil
ackaging has been 'going green' for some years, ever since the commercialisation of biodegradable plastics, such as polylactic acid (PLA). PLA has since been joined by many similar materials, and their use continues to increase.
But a new revolution has begun: that of non-biodegradable bioplastics. A number of major players, such as Coca-Cola, are beginning to use plastic packaging that is derived - at least in part - from renewable resources. And they have plans to substitute more and more petroleum-derived plastics.
A variety of polymers - from polyolefins to nylon - can now be made commercially from sugar and starch, rather than crude oil. The main user of these new materials, at least in the short term, is the packaging sector.
Coca-Cola's redesigned water bottle contains 30% plant-based material
Bio-sourced plastics account for less than 1% of all consumption. And most of this is derived from corn or sugar. But a wealth of potential starting materials – from meat to mushrooms – is also being investigated.
These new bio-sourced plastics have become available because of research into renewable precursors – the chemicals that are polymerised to make plastics.
New ways of making chemicals like succinic acid could transform the way in which plastics are produced.
"The bio-based chemicals sector is poised to transform the production of industrial chemicals," says Marifaith Hackett, chemical analyst at consultancy IHS, and author of a recent report on bio-based building blocks.
She cites Coca Cola's 'Plant Bottle' (bio-sourced PET) as a material that is beginning to be made from renewable sources.
New sources
PET is made from two precursors that are traditionally derived from crude oil: mono ethylene glycol (MEG) and purified terephthalic acid (PTA). Coca-Cola's 'Plant Bottle' uses sustainably-sourced MEG - and the drinks giant wants to source its PTA in the same way.
It will take the technology forward with help from three biotechnology partners: Virent, Gevo and Avantium.
Virent is scaling up a plant to make bio-based paraxylene, a precursor of bio-PTA; Gevo will also supply plant-based paraxylene for a similar purpose; and Avantium is using its YXY technology to produce polyethylene furanoate (PEF), a sustainably sourced variant of PET. It currently operates a 40 tonnes/year pilot plant, but has plans to scale this up in order to supply PEF to Coca-Cola in future.
"This is the next step towards our vision of creating all of our plastic packaging from responsibly sourced plant-based materials," says Rick Frazier, vice president of commercial product supply at Coca-Cola.
By 2020, the company intends to make all of its bottles using renewable technology - making them 100% sustainable.
At the same time, new corporate sustainability goals by companies like Coca-Cola and Procter & Gamble are helping to push green packaging design up the agenda. P&G, for example, aims to replace 25% of its petroleum-based packaging with sustainable alternatives by 2020.
And consumer giant Unilever has launched a new search for Open Innovation partners, which includes a focus on sustainable packaging.
The company is inviting potential collaborators to work with its research teams to create "lighter, more sustainable packaging that will cut the weight, quantity and waste of our product packaging". It has a particular interest in ideas for food packaging.
Some of the areas it is considering include: stronger materials; thin-walling and downgauging; multi-purpose films; novel design, which might borrow ideas from fields like architecture or building construction; and material solutions including new polymers, fillers, additives, fibres or micro-bubbles.
Other feedstocks
Many bioplastic monomers are made from common crops - but researchers are trying ever more unlikely sources as starting points for 'green' polymers.
Corn, sugar, beans and potatoes are all used as raw materials to make plastics as diverse as nylon and PLA. But the emerging challenge is to use 'non-food' sources - including algae, cellulose and food industry 'waste', such as shells and husks - to make environmentally-friendly plastics.
Cereplast already offers bioplastics made from algae, while US start-up company Myriant has devised a process to make both lactic acid and succinic acid from cellulosic feedstocks; the main use of lactic acid is as the precursor for PLA. And one of the first ever commercial polymers, cellophane, is based on cellulose.
The emergence of these new monomers could lead to the creation of new polymers. An example is PBS, a biodegradable plastic made from (bio-based) succinic acid. PTT-MCC Biochem will use bio-succinic acid from US-based BioAmber to produce 20,000 tonnes a year of PBS, at a plant in Thailand, due to open in 2014.
Other suppliers are also focusing on succinic acid: BASF and Purac have used a specially designed microorganism to produce it from renewable feedstocks, for example.
Hackett says that PBS would not have been economical before, as succinic acid was not a cheap enough feedstock. The advent of ready supplies of succinic acid now makes its production a commercial reality, she says.
A meaty solution
But it's not just plants that might form the basis of future bioplastics. In a paper presented at the recent Antec plastics technical conference, researchers from Clemson University in the US revealed details of how to make a bioplastic from waste meat proteins.
Sam Lukubira and Amod Ogale, of the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, used meat- and bone-meal (MBM) to produce bioplastic sheets. They believe that the sheets have potential use in geo-structural applications.
Process conditions had to be set carefully. When the relative humidity of the MBM powder was above 55%, excessive denaturation produced a dark, glue-like material. Glycerol (around 30% by weight) was used as a plasticiser and the pressed sheets were tested for mechanical properties. Those made with finely ground particles (less than 250 microns) were twice as strong as those made from larger particles.
A similar technique, using blood meal, has already been commercialised by New Zealand-based Novatein. The bioplastic made in the process has similar mechanical properties to low density polyethylene (LDPE), says the company, and is made using a "scalable process".
Novatein was spun out of Waikato University, where the original research was carried out by senior lecturer Johan Verbeek. The company expects to have developed a commercial product within the next few years.
The company has high hopes for the technology: it says that around 1.5kg of bioplastic can be made from 1kg of blood meal - and New Zealand's meat industry produces around 80,000 tonnes a year of bovine blood.
Packaging designers are under ever-increasing pressure to incorporate sustainability into their thinking. When down-gauging has gone as far as it can go, this emerging breed of bio-sourced materials will help them in their aims – whether they have come from blood, mushrooms or corn.
Source: www.prw.com
Via: http://bioplastic-innovation.com
NEC develops High-Strength Highly Heat Resistant Bioplastic; Featuring Polylactic Acid Reinforced with Kenaf Fiber
NEC Corporation has successfully developed a bioplastic with substantially higher heat resistance and strength (rigidity) than conventional bioplastics composed of polylactic acid (Note 1). The new bioplastic was achieved by reinforcing the polylactic acid with kenaf (Note 2) fiber, which is highly effective in the prevention of global warming. The superior heat resistance and strength of this bioplastic allows use in high-end applications such as electronic devices.
The newly developed bioplastic has the following features:
1) Thermal deformation temperature raised from 67C to 120C and bending modulus (Note 3) improved from 4.5 giga-pascal (GPa) to 7.6 GPa by reinforcing the polylactic acid material of a traditional bioplastic with 20% kenaf fiber, enabling strength and heat resistance properties exceeding those of conventional oil-based plastics used for packaging such as ABS resin and fiberglass-reinforced ABS resin.
2) No deterioration of vital characteristics such as fluidity and moisture resistance during polylactic acid formation.
These features not only enable use of bioplastic in high-end applications such as electronic devices, but also allow the development of value-added applications for kenaf fiber, which contributes greatly to the prevention of global warming.
Bioplastics composed of organic materials such as polylactic acid are currently in the spotlight as eco-friendly plastics that effectively utilize reproductionable biomass materials. However, bioplastics developed until now have been difficult to use in electronic devices due to inadequacies such as low thermal deformation tolerance and brittleness.
NEC has responded by successfully developing a bioplastic that features a thermal deformation temperature 1.8 times higher and a strength (bending modulus) 1.7 times higher than conventional polylactic acid bioplastics by reinforcing the polylactic acid with kenaf fiber.
Kenaf grows quickly and has the highest CO2 absorption capacity of any plant, thereby helping to prevent global warming, and until now has most commonly been used as a substitute for existing materials such as paper fiber and animal feed. This new development, however, will broaden the application range of kenaf into previously unexplored fields such as electronic devices. The kenaf fiber used by NEC in its development was supplied by Nature Trust Inc. (head office: Shibuya, Tokyo; president: Hirokazu Furukawa), the first company to successfully grow kenaf in bulk (in Australia), so NEC will have no problem maintaining a stable supply from this company once practical application commences.
NEC plans to realize practical application of the new bioplastic in electronic devices within the next two years, and will continue to enhance its research and development projects in this field.
Source: http://www.presstrust.com
Environmentally Responsible Packaging for Consumer and Industrial Markets: Market Analysis and Forecasts
Packaging is an absolute necessity in the modern world. Our contemporary society places many demands upon packaging relative to issues such as safety, convenience, efficiency, identification, and marketing. However, packaging is also a burden to producers, consumers, and the environment. As more and more people become “modern consumers” around the world, packaging materials and methods, as well as thought processes, will need to change in order to minimize the impact on society and the planet.
Pike Research estimates that the worldwide market for packaging is currently valued at $429 billion. We forecast the market to surpass $500 billion in sales within five years, an annual growth rate exceeding the total global increase in GDP. Paper and paper-based packaging are the largest sectors with more than 40% of the global packaging market.
Today, the demands on packaging are greater than ever. As the world population continues to grow, the packaging industry must react to new issues that often were never even considered in the past. Concerns such as the energy required to produce and transport packaging and the pollution created during package manufacturing and use did not appear on our radar screen until the last quarter-century. Moreover, the problem of what to do with all that packaging once it has performed its function has only recently come into focus.
This Pike Research report assesses the current market conditions for packaging and outlines the future opportunities to create more environmentally responsible, sustainable, and eco-friendly packaging practices. We examine key market drivers and challenges in various industries around the world, highlighting best practices and identifying key trends that will shape the direction of the packaging industry in years to come. The report includes detailed five-year market forecasts for the total packaging market as well as the environmentally responsible packaging sector, segmented by packaging material categories and world regions.
Key questions addressed:
- Why is sustainable packaging necessary?
- What is the size of the global packaging market?
- What is the current growth trajectory of the market?
- What are the business opportunities with ‘green’ packaging?
- What are the key limiting factors to ‘green’ packaging?
Who needs this report?
- Packaging manufacturers and suppliers
- Industrial packaging customers
- Policy makers, regulators, and lobbyists
- Industry associations and trade organizations
- Non-profit organizations and advocacy groups
- Industry consultants, attorneys, and other service providers
Table of Contents
1. Executive Summary
2. Packaging Manufacturing Sectors
2.1 Paper-Based Packaging
2.2 Plastic-Based Packaging
2.2.1 Paper, Plastic, or Other?
2.3 Glass-Based Packaging
2.4 Metal-Based Packaging
2.5 Other Packaging Materials
3. Market Issues
3.1 Global Opportunities
3.1.1 Consumer/Retail/Point of Sale (POS)
3.1.2 Food
3.1.3 Beverage
3.1.4 Cosmetics
3.1.5 Medical and Pharmaceutical
3.2 Innovation Opportunities Surrounding Packaging
3.2.1 Incremental – Based on Existing Methodologies
3.2.2 New Paradigm Shifts
3.3 Research Opportunities
3.3.1 Industry Funded
3.3.2 Government Funded
3.4 Consumer Attitudes and Behavior
3.4.1 Introduction and Survey Methodology
3.4.2 Consumer Green Behavior Patterns
3.4.3 Sustainable Packaging Demographic Comparisons
3.4.4 Consumer Sentiment on Sustainable Packaging Issues
4. Packaging Market Conditions by Region
4.1 Americas
4.1.1 Food
4.1.2 Beverage
4.1.3 Medical Device and Pharmaceutical
4.1.4 Beauty and Cosmetics
4.1.5 Other
4.2 Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA)
4.2.1 Food
4.2.2 Beverage
4.2.3 Pharmaceutical
4.2.4 Beauty and Cosmetics
4.2.5 Other
4.3 Asia
4.3.1 Food
4.3.1.1 China and India
4.3.1.2 Japan
4.3.2 Beverage
4.3.2.1 Asian Alcoholic Beverages
4.3.2.2 Non-Alcoholic Beverages
4.3.3 Pharmaceutical
4.3.4 Beauty
4.3.5 Other
4.3.5.1 Pallet Practices in China
4.3.6 Summary
5. Packaging Market Drivers by Region
5.1 Americas
5.1.1 Economic (Consumer Sentiment)
5.1.2 Legislative
5.1.3 Raw Materials Resources
5.1.4 Energy Resources
5.1.5 Transportation
5.2 EMEA
5.2.1 Economic (Consumer Sentiment)
5.2.2 Legislative
5.2.3 Raw Materials Resources
5.2.4 Energy Resources
5.2.5 Transportation
5.3 Asia
5.3.1 Economic (Consumer Sentiment)
5.3.1.1 India
5.3.2 Legislative
5.3.2.1 China
5.3.2.2 Indonesia
5.3.2.3 Japan
5.3.2.4 Malaysia
5.3.2.5 The Philippines
5.3.2.6 Singapore
5.3.2.7 South Korea
5.3.2.8 Taiwan
5.3.2.9 Thailand
5.3.3 Raw Materials Resources
5.3.3.1 China
5.3.3.2 India
5.3.4 Energy Resources
5.3.4.1 China
5.3.4.2 India
5.3.5 Transportation
5.3.5.1 China
5.3.5.2 India
6. Global Constraints Surrounding Packaging
6.1 Energy
6.1.1 Transportation
6.1.2 Buildings
6.1.3 Energy in Manufacturing
6.2 Raw Materials
6.3 Geography/Transportation
6.3.1 Problems that Affect Transportation
6.3.2 Transportation Service Problems
6.3.3 Problems Caused by Transporation
6.4 Consumer Resistance/Apathy
7. Market Forecasts
7.1 Americas
7.1.1 Paper
7.1.2 Plastic
7.1.3 Metal
7.1.4 Glass
7.1.5 Summary
7.2 Europe, Middle East, Africa
7.2.1 Paper
7.2.2 Plastic
7.2.3 Metal
7.2.4 Glass
7.2.5 Summary
7.3 Asia
7.3.1 Paper
7.3.2 Plastic
7.3.3 Metal
7.3.4 Glass
7.3.5 Summary
8. Key Concepts
8.1 Energy Intensity
8.2 Environmental Footprint
8.3 Industrial Metabolism
8.4 Bioplastics
8.5 Lightweighting
8.6 Cradle-to-Cradle and Cradle-to-Grave Design
9. Company Directory
10. Acronyms and Definitions
11. Table of Contents
12. Table of Figures
13. Scope of Study, Sources and Methodology, Notes
Table of Charts and Figures
- Global Packaging Market Segmentation by Region
- Global Packaging Market Segmentation by Sector
- Consumer Packaging Sentiment in the Context of Other Green Behavioral Patterns
- Consumer Packaging Sentiment: Analysis of Demographic Variances
- Consumer Sentiment on Sustainable Packaging Issues
- Paper Packaging Forecast, Americas: 2009-2014
- Plastic Packaging Forecast, Americas: 2009-2014
- Metal Packaging Forecast, Americas: 2009-2014
- Glass Packaging Forecast, Americas: 2009-2014
- Environmentally Responsible Packaging Forecast, Americas: 2009-2014
- Environmentally Responsible Packaging Forecasted Gain, Americas: 2009-2014
- Paper Packaging Forecast, EMEA: 2009-2014
- Plastic Packaging Forecast, EMEA: 2009-2014
- Metal Packaging Forecast, EMEA: 2009-2014
- Glass Packaging Forecast, EMEA: 2009-2014
- Environmentally Responsible Packaging Forecast, EMEA: 2009-2014
- Environmentally Responsible Packaging Forecasted Gain, EMEA: 2009-2014
- Paper Packaging Forecast, Asia: 2009-2014
- Plastic Packaging Forecast, Asia: 2009-2014
- Metal Packaging Forecast, Asia: 2009-2014
- Glass Packaging Forecast, Asia: 2009-2014
- Environmentally Responsible Packaging Forecast, Asia: 2009-2014
- Environmentally Responsible Packaging Forecasted Gain, Asia: 2009-2014
- Environmental Footprint
- Global Packaging by Material
- Containers and Packaging in the U.S. Municipal Solid Waste Stream
- New Product Introductions in Asia
- Beverage Sales Forecast in Asia by Country
- New Beverage Products Launched in 2006
- Global Consumer Packaging by End Use
- Global Consumer Packaging by Region
- Environmentally Responsible Packaging Forecast, Americas: 2009-2014
- Environmentally Responsible Packaging Forecast, EMEA: 2009-2014
- Environmentally Responsible Packaging Forecast, Asia: 2009-2014
Table of Tables
- Environmentally Responsible Packaging Markets, Americas: 2009-2014
- ERP Share of Total Packaging Market, Americas: 2009-2014
- Total Packaging Market , Americas: 2009-2014
- Environmentally Responsible Packaging Markets, EMEA: 2009-2014
- ERP Share of Total Packaging Market, EMEA: 2009-2014
- Total Packaging Market, EMEA: 2009-2014
- Environmentally Responsible Packaging Markets, Asia: 2009-2014
- ERP Share of Total Packaging Market, Asia: 2009-2014
- Total Packaging Market, Asia: 2009-2014
- Environmentally Responsible Packaging Markets, World Markets: 2009-2014
- ERP Share of Total Packaging Market, World Markets: 2009-2014
- Total Packaging Market, World Markets: 2009-2014
Note: All forecasts are segmented by packaging material sector (paper, plastic, metal, glass).
Aource: http://www.pikeresearch.com/research/sustainable-packaging
Five companies today announced the formation of the Plant PET Technology Collaborative (PTC)
The Coca-Cola Company, Ford Motor Company, H.J. Heinz Company, NIKE, Inc. and Procter & Gamble have announced the formation of the Plant PET Technology Collaborative (PTC), a strategic working group focused on accelerating the development and use of 100% plant-based PET materials and fiber in their products. PET, also known as polyethylene terephthalate, is a durable, lightweight plastic that is used by all member companies in a variety of products and materials including plastic bottles, apparel, footwear and automotive fabric and carpet.The collaborative builds upon the success of The Coca-Cola Company's PlantBottle™ packaging technology, which is partially made from plants and has demonstrated a lower environmental impact when compared to traditional PET plastic bottles. Currently, Heinz licenses the technology from Coca-Cola for select Heinz ketchup bottles in the U.S. and Canada.
This new collaborative was formed to support new technologies in an effort to evolve today's material that is partially made from plants to a solution made entirely from plants. By leveraging the research and development efforts of the founding companies, the PTC is taking the lead to affect positive change across multiple industries. PTC members are committed to researching and developing commercial solutions for PET plastic made entirely from plants and will aim to drive the development of common methodologies and standards for the use of plant-based plastic including life cycle analyses and universal terminology.
"Fossil fuels like oil have significant impacts to the planet's biodiversity, climate and other natural systems" said Erin Simon, Senior Program Officer of Packaging for World Wildlife Fund (WWF). "Sustainably managing our natural resources and finding alternatives to fossil fuels are both business and environmental imperatives. It's encouraging to see these leading companies use their market influence to reduce dependence on petroleum-based plastics. We hope other companies will follow their lead."
These leading brand companies are making a commitment to champion and support research, expand knowledge and accelerate technology development to enable commercially viable, more sustainably sourced, 100% plant-based PET plastic while reducing the use of fossil fuels. PTC member companies look forward to working together to meet each member's future business goals and lead the charge toward 100% plant-based materials.
Source: http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com
