Natural Plastics

BASF Plant Science has concluded its Amflora cultivation plans for the 2011 season. Amflora, the genetically enhanced potato for use in the starch industry, will this year be cultivated on two hectares of land in Üplingen (Saxony-Anhalt, Germany).

" There are many good reasons for the use of Amflora in Germany, which after all is renowned for growing starch potatoes. Separating the starch components in conventional potatoes for industrial use is not cost-effective or environmentally sound. Amflora is an innovative new variety which produces pure amylopectin starch. It therefore helps to cut down on resources, energy and costs and offers farmers and the starch processing industry real added value," says Peter Eckes, Managing Director of BASF Plant Science.

In addition to Germany, BASF Plant Science will again be planting out Amflora in Sweden during the 2011 season. After receiving approval from the authorities for the majority of the Amflora seed stock, BASF Plant Science will this year be concentrating on propagating seed stock for cultivation in subsequent years. BASF is performing very strict internal quality checks for this purpose and is only using the best quality seed stock.

About Amflora

Amflora is a genetically modified potato variety which produces pure amylopectin starch. Conventional potatoes produce a mixture of amylopectin and amylose starch. In many potato starch applications, for example in the paper, adhesive and food industries, only amylopectin is needed, but separating the two starch components is uneconomical. Amflora produces pure amylopectin starch and thus helps to save resources, energy and costs. Moreover, paper manufactured with amylopectin starch has greater tear resistance, and the addition of amylopectin to concrete and adhesives gives them a longer pot life. In the case of Amflora, BASF Plant Science and its partners in the starch industry decided to focus on industrial applications.

About BASF Plant Science

BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics and performance products to agricultural products, fine chemicals as well as oil and gas. BASF Plant Science – a BASF group company – is one of the world’s leading companies providing innovative plant biotechnology solutions for agriculture. Today, about 700 employees are helping farmers meet the growing demand for improved agricultural productivity and healthier nutrition for humans and animals. BASF Plant Science has developed an unparalleled gene discovery platform focusing on yield and quality traits in crops such as corn, soybean and rice. Jointly with leading partners in the seed industry BASF Plant Science is commercializing its products. Current projects include higher yielding row crops, nutritionally-enhanced corn for animal feed or higher content of Omega-3’s in oil crops for preventing cardiovascular diseases. To find out more about BASF Plant Science, please visit www.basf.com/plantscience.

BIOPAR® is a potato starch based biopolymer with the capability to 100% biodegrade – DIN 13432 - into water and carbon. Biodegrades in the environment by the help of the micro organism present in this environment. There is no need to compost BIOPAR® in an industrial composting facility but of course you can. On the other hand the so called shelf-live of the converted BIOPAR® is at least 5 years without the loss of properties. No micro organism, No Biodegradation!

BIOPAR® does not use starch predestined for the food chain, human nor animal. The starch used comes from a potato especially grown to produce starch. This is usually a non edible potato. This particular starch finds its use already for decades in the Paper, Textile, lubricants for oil drilling, glues, wall paints etc.

BIOPAR® can be used for producing products typically made out of Polyethylene – PE, LLDPE, LDPE, HDPE or Polypropylene – PP or PVC. It can be processed on the same production lines, requires however 2/3 less energy than the conventional plastics on temperatures up to 140C° instead of 240C°.

Changing the world’s environment by using plastics is so common spread that it is hard to resist discussions about the usage of plastics in general. Plastics preserve the quality of foods keeps away dirt and prevents contaminations etc. of many non food products. The negative side effects – the consequential damage - of the use of plastics occur during the second live of the plastics, or the irresponsible disposals of the plastics are the main focus of BIOPAR®

BIOPAR® solves a few negative issues that occur out of this. BIOPAR® cannot prevent littering by the users nor can BIOPAR® prevent people from being irresponsible. BIOPAR® however helps to eliminate all consequential damage caused by this irresponsible behaviour.

BIOPAR® is better in the first live usage and performs best in the second-live option.

Source: http://www.biop.eu/index.php?english

New blends of thermoplastic starch (TPS) and polypropylene (PP) developed by Teknor Apex Company enable processors to incorporate high levels of both bio-based and recycled content into their products while obtaining physical properties comparable to those of virgin PP, it was announced today by the Bioplastics Division.

The new blends are available in the Terraloy® BP-13020 series of ready-to-process compounds, each with a combined 95% content consisting of TPS and recycled PP; and as Terraloy® MB-13020 masterbatches, which can be let down at a 1:1 ratio in virgin PP for a combined 47% bio-based and recyclate content.

Teknor Apex manufactures the blends using a patented process that incorporates high levels of starch without the usual substantial falloff in the physical properties of the host polymer, noted Edwin Tam, manager of strategic initiatives. “Many processors are looking for ways to help customers meet sustainability goals by incorporating ‘green’ content but are discouraged by the property tradeoffs often involved,” Tam said. “Our Terraloy products can help them meet sustainability goals while still obtaining performance comparable to those of standard polypropylene.”

Teknor Apex recommends the new blends for use in injection molded consumer products, extruded sheet, profiles, and tubing, and blow molded jars and bottles.

Terraloy® BP-13020 ready-to-process compounds are blends of 25 to 30% TPS and 70 to 75% PP, of which 70 to 75% is recyclate. Terraloy® MB-13020 masterbatches have 35 to 50% TPS content and up to 50% recyclate. Customers can use the masterbatches in a 1:1 letdown with either virgin or recycled PP.

Data in the accompanying table show how two Terraloy compounds, based on homopolymer and copolymer PP, respectively, compare with virgin PP in terms of physical properties. Teknor Apex can custom formulate compounds to maximize specific properties such as impact strength or flexural modulus.

 

Source: www.teknorapex.com

Klöckner Pentaplast has partnered with Plantic Technologies Limited to provide Pentafood® Biofilm™ and Pentaform® Biofilm™ rigid thermoplastic starch (TPS) films for food and retail packaging. These innovative TPS films are derived from annually
renewable high-amylose starch which provides brand owners with a packaging material of nongenetically modified origins to help them meet their sustainable packaging goals. With a high renewable-resource content of 85 to 90% by weight, Pentafood® Biofilm™ and Pentaform® Biofilm™ TPS films are compostable in professionally managed facilities and certified to ASTM D6400 and EN 13432
standards (Biodegradable Products Institute in the US, Din Certco in Europe). Additional certification  by Vinçotte verifies that these films will biodegrade completely in home composting, soil burial, and water. Although available worldwide with Klöckner Pentaplast, kp is the exclusive supplier to the Americas and Europe.
Ideal for thermoformed trays, shelf-ready displays, and insert trays in secondary packaging,

Pentafood® Biofilm™ and Pentaform® Biofilm™ TPS films inherently provide excellent barrier for flavor and odor, as well as grease resistance. Pentafood® Biofilm™ and Pentaform® Biofilm™ TPS films are available in standard colors (natural, white, brown, gold, purple, and black) with a gloss/gloss surface.
Pentafood® Biofilm™ TPS films are compliant with all applicable FDA standards for direct food contact.

“Pentafood® Biofilm™ and Pentaform® Biofilm™ TPS films were developed to meet customers’ sustainable packaging goals for food and retail packaging applications,” notes Michael Ryan, Klöckner Pentaplast’s vice president of strategic marketing. “The expansion of our Biofilm™ packaging film portfolio to include these unique films, along with our existing Pentafood® and Pentaform® films,
continues to provide our customers with the broadest selection of films available in the global marketplace today.”

About the Klöckner Pentaplast Group
The Klöckner Pentaplast Group is the world’s leading producer of films for pharmaceutical,
medical device, food, electronics, and general-purpose thermoform packaging, as well as printing and
specialty applications. Founded in 1965 in Montabaur, Germany, Klöckner Pentaplast has grown from
its initial facility to 19 current production operations in 11 countries.

Source: www.kpfilms.com

Blends of thermoplastic starch (TPS) and biodegradable copolyester (PBAT) recently introduced by Teknor Apex Company have received certification by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) as products for commercial composting applications, it was announced today by the Bioplastics Division of Teknor Apex.
Terraloy™ 20000 Series compounds received the BPI Listing after passing requirements specified in the ASTM D6400 standard for plastics intended for composting. The listing applies to sheet, film, and thermoformed or molded parts with maximum thickness of 250 mils (0.250 in.).
Teknor Apex recommends the compounds for replacing polyolefins and polystyrene in applications such as shrink wrap, produce wraps and trays, cosmetics jars and containers, carrier bags, can liners, trays and plates, cutlery, and flower pots.

“Because 100% TPS biodegrades much more rapidly than 100% PBAT, the blends of these materials making up the Terraloy 20000 Series open new applications for PBAT,” said Edwin Tam, Teknor Apex manager of strategic initiatives. “Plastics processors can use Terraloy compounds to produce thicker sheet and parts than with PBAT alone and still meet requirements for compostability.”

BPI is a professional association of individuals and groups from government, industry and academia that promotes the use and recycling of biodegradable polymeric materials via composting, noted executive director Steve Mojo. “Compostable products make it possible to divert the waste stream away from landfills or incinerators, and replacing non-degradable products with compostable ones helps reduce the processing, separation, and disposal costs incurred by composting facilities.”