Page 59 - Plastics News December 2022

IN THE NEWS

posal for a Regulation on Packaging nation of (organic) waste streams. and pads, fruit stickers, and very light-
and Packaging Waste (PPWR) recog- weight plastic carrier bags, the Com-
nises the contributions of composta- By making several packaging applica- mission is taking a first step in the right
ble plastics in increasing the volumes tions mandatory to be compostable direction, according to the EUBP.
and quality of separately collected in industrial composting facilities, in-
biowaste and reducing the contami- cluding tea bags, filter coffee pods

EUBP predicts growth in bioplastics industry

and corresponding application. Due will see an impressive increase in
to a strong development of poly- bioplastics production over the next
mers, such as PHA (Polyhydroxyal- years. However, the big question is,
kanoates), polylactic acid (PLA), does Europe still want to play a sig-
biobased PAs (polyamides) as well as nificant role in the world league of
a steady growth of biobased Polypro- bioplastics or does it give up its lead-
pylene (PP), the production capacity ership in the field of innovative sus-
will continue to increase significantly tainable materials? Investment into
and diversify within the next 5 years. infrastructure as well as research re-
fter a stagnation of the over- EUBP data shows Packaging remains quires the right political and economic
Aall plastics production in 2020, the largest field of application for bi- framework conditions. Therefore, the
mainly due to challenges posed by the oplastics with 48 percent (1 million European policymakers should make
Covid-19 pandemic, there is now a tonnes) of the total bioplastics market use of the many initiatives related to
new momentum for global bioplastics in 2022. The data also confirms that the European Green Deal to clearly
production. Capacity of production bioplastic materials are already being acknowledge and promote biobased
is set to increase significantly from used in many other sectors, and the and compostable plastics.”
around 2.23 million tonnes in 2022 to portfolio of applications continues to The land used to grow the renewable
approximately 6.3 million tonnes in diversify. EUBP forecast areas, such feedstock for the production of bio-
2027.
as automotive and transport, agri- plastics is estimated to be 0.8 million
Hasso von Pogrell, Managing Director culture and horticulture as well as hectares in 2022 and continues to ac-
of European Bioplastics (EUBP) said: electrics and electronics continue to count for only just over 0.01 percent
“The positive development of bio- increase moderately in their relative of the global agricultural area of 5
plastics production capacity needs to share over the next years. billion hectares. Along the estimated
be seen within the wider global con- With a view to regional capacity de- growth of global bioplastics produc-
text of a climate crisis, rising energy velopment, Asia remains in its posi- tion in the next five years, the land use
costs, and disrupted value chains. Yet, tion as major production hub with share for bioplastics will increase to
despite these challenges, bioplastics slightly over 40 percent of bioplastics still below 0.06 percent. Van Pogrell
production capacity is growing. Once currently being produced in that re- continued: “In relation to the available
again, this shows the resilience and gion, according to the EUBP. Present- agricultural area, this share is still min-
importance of our industry. imal. Thus, there is no competition
ly, a fourth of the production capacity
The global bioplastics production ca- is still located in Europe. However, between the renewable feedstock for
pacity is set to increase significantly Europe’s share and the share of other food and feed and the production of
from around 2.23 million tonnes in world regions is expected to signifi- bioplastics, Over 90 percent of the
2022 to 6.3 million tonnes in 2027, cantly decrease within the next five global agricultural area is used for pas-
according to EUBP. years. In contrast, EUBP claim Asia is ture, feed, and food. This is also of
crucial importance in the political de-
Bioplastic alternatives exist for almost predicted to have passed the 60 per- bate regarding land used for biobased
every conventional plastic material cent by 2027. Van Pogrell added:“We industries”.

December 2022 PLASTICS NEWS 59