The Winners 2008
The winners of EPN’s third Bioplastics Awards were announced in Munich, Germany,
on the 3rd December, with the awards going to organisations from around the world.
Best Innovation in Bioplastics
Winner
Bioploymer Network, New Zealand -
Expanded PLA Foaming Process
The New Zealand-based research partnership Biopolymer Network has developed a simple and cost effective process for producing low density expanded PLA (polylactic acid polymer) foams suitable for many applications currently served using expanded polystyrene. The development involves a controlled process for impregnation and pre-expansion of PLA beads using carbon dioxide as a blowing agent. Careful control of the impregnation process conditions avoids premature foaming of the beads, which can be stored and processed using existing EPS processing equipment. A key attraction of the technology is its ability both to substitute a petrochemical-based polymer with a bio-based alternative and its elimination of hydrocarbon-based blowing agents. Foams with densities down to 30 g/litre and with good resilience and impact properties have been achieved using the technology with commercially available PLA resins. No polymer pre-treatment is required and the carbon dioxide blowing agent can be recovered during processing. Biopolymer Network has trialled the technology on existing manufacturing plant in New Zealand and is currently in the process of securing PCT patent protection. The development team has packaging applications as its first target. However, preliminary experiments also suggest that the PLA foams produced using the technology could be used as sandwich core materials in composite applications. Biopolymer Network was set up by three of New Zealand’s leading research organisations to create commercial technologies that will provide bio-based alternatives to current production processes. Members include textile and composites specialist AgResearch, forestry research association Scion, and bio-science company Crop & Food Research.
Finalists
Biomer, Germany - PHB resin optimisation
German company has made considerable progress in turning the brittle and difficult to process polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) polymer into a usable polymer with properties similar to some polypropylene resins. This project included developing a combination of nucleants, biodegradable plasticisers and stabilisers to control spherulite density and size, interact with the crystal lamellae and reduce thermal degradation of the PHB resin.
IDES, US - Green Plastics Search on-line database
Prospector, from IDES, is one of the leading polymer materials database products used in the US, including data on more than 70,000 traditional plastics materials. In September this year, the company launched its Green Plastics Search facility, providing design engineers with fast access to datasheets on more than 200 renewable, biodegradable and high-recycled content resins.
PHB Industrial, Brazil
Commercial production of PHB and PHB-V
PHB Industrial is operating a pilot scale plant manufacturing its Biocycle PHB and PHB-V (polyhydroxybutyrate valerate) polymers from commercially-grown sugar cane. Use of sugar cane as both the source of carbohydrate and as a process fuel, and use of the residue as a fertilizer, makes for a very CO2 efficeint process. The company claims producing one tonne of Biocycle PHB removes more than 4 tonnes of CO2 from the environment.
Best Bioplastics Processor
Winner
Gehr Plastics, Germany
While bioplastics are quite widely used in the packaging industry, access to the materials in other sectors of industry has been less easy. German semi-finished products producer Gehr Plastics has taken that on board in its EcoGehr product line, which makes renewable and natural fibre reinforced materials available to plastics fabricators for the first time.
Gehr Plastics has invested considerable R&D effort into preparing itself for the introduction of its EcoGehr product line, which includes polymers ranging from PLA through to castor-oil derived polyamides such as PA 6.10 and 11. Every product contains a range of natural particulate and fibre fillers.
It has already supplied products for evaluation in markets as diverse as snow-ski core materials and cosmetics components, construction decking and profiles, and cosmetics packaging.
As the first semi-finished plastic producer to assemble a full range of bio-based and renewable semi-finished plastic products, Gehr Plastics has marked itself out as a pioneer in bioplastics processing.
Finalist
Amcor Flexibles, UK
As one of Europe’s leading innovators in flexible packaging, Amcor Flexibles has take a highly proactive approach to the introduction of bioplastics to its material portfolio. From its latest NaturePlus products for fresh produce, to its Mater-bi heat heat sealable films and PLA capping stocks, the company has established itself as a major printer and converter of bio-based plastics packaging.
Best Bioplastics Application – Packaging
Winner
Amcor Flexibles, United Kingdom -
Home compostable fresh produce pack
Amcor Flexibles worked with packaging specialist Flextrus, created from the buy-out of parts of the Amcor packaging businesses in Sweden and the United Kingdom earlier this year, to develop the packaging for the UK retailer Sainsbury’s So Organic wild rocket salad.
Sainsubury’s requirements for the pack was to deliver a home compostable product that would retain barrier performance and heat seal integrity in the wet environment required for fresh salads. PLA was ruled out because of Sainsbury’s stance on materials produced from materials that may be derived from GM sources.
The company’s developed the Natureplus TDH2 product around a film structure comprised of Innovia’s Natureflex cellulose film combined with a proprietary compostable sealing layer. No adhesive layer is required.
The solution overcomes the water sensitivity of the cellulose film, enabling it to deliver seal performance similar to a PET/PE laminate and to run at line speeds similar to traditional alternatives. The TDH2 film is produced by Flextrus and converted to bags by Amcor. It provides a new option to retailers looking for a fully home compostable package for wet fresh produce.
Finalists
Coopbox, Italy -
Gorgonzola cheese pack in PLA
Coopbox Italia develoed a new PLA-based pack for Mauri’s gorgonzola cheese, which utilises the breathability of the polymer to help maintain the internal pack atmosphere at its best to preserve the “living” cheese. Produced from a combination of a thermoformed PLA tray capped with PLA film, the pack provides extended shelf life compared with its predecessor.
Innovia Films, United Kingdom -
Home compostable twist wrap film
Innovia Films developed a home compostable range of coloured films for the relaunch of a new environmentally-aware pack for United Kingdom-based Nestlé Confectionery’s Quality Street range of chocolate sweets. The project required formulating and testing a whole range of fade and bleed resistant dyes that matched the company’s well established palette while meeting EN13432 ecotoxicity requirements.
Best Bioplastics Application – Non-Packaging
Winner
Formax Quimiplan, Brazil
Renewable TPU shoe components
Thermogreen is the latest range of counters and toe puffs (structural shoe components) from Brazialian footwear industry supplier Formax Quimiplan and is the first industrial-scale application of renewable thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) in the shoe industry.
Counters and toe puffs are technically demanding parts that reinforce the shoe and are essential in maintaining the shape and comfort of each shoe during its lifetime. The Thermogreen range provides shoe manufacturers with a reduced carbon emission alternative to traditional TPUs with no sacrifice in performance.
The TPUs used to make the Thermogreen products were developed for the application by Merquinsa of Spain. Aside from the benefits from the sourcing of raw materials for the new resins, they also provide a lower activation temperature, making further energy savings possible during moulding.
Any scrap and trimmings from the production process can also be recycled back into new production, further minimising environmental impact.
Finalists
Gehr Plastics, Germany -
Semi finished bioplastic profiles
Gehr Plastics is the first supplier for semi-finished plastics profiles, sheets and shapes to offer a complete range of renewable products. The company’s decision to include a wide variety of filled and reinforced formulations gives it the ability to cover a wide range of application markets, from point-of-sale displays through to engineering fabrications.
Pace Industries, US -
Apple iTunes cards in starch bioplastic
Apple Computer’s decision to use Pace Industries’ Biograph.ics starch-based plastic for production of its Itunes gift cards presented a high profile opportunity for bioplastics. Biograph.ics is an easily printable starch-based plastic sheet which processes and feels similar to traditional plastic graphic substrates yet provides benefit of reduced environmental impact.
Best Bioplastics Marketing Initiative
Winner
Nestlé Confectionery, United Kingdom -
Quality Street brand recycling campaign
Nestlé Confectionery’s decision to repackage its market leading United Kingdom chocolate sweet range meant communicating the end-of-life options for a wide variety of packaging materials.
The company’s solution was to develop its ‘Recycling Cycle’ story board. Printed on the base of every tin, it promotes how each element in the packaging should be handled or recycled at the end of life, including the specially developed range of home compostable cellulose twist wrappers developed for the project by Innovia Films.
The use of the Natureflex compostable films in the packaging overcame one of the key challenges for confectionery manufacturers in end of life treatment. Lightweight films are difficult to manage in mechanical recycling systems.
The ‘Recycling Cycle’ makes it very clear to consumers that the plastic twist wraps will decompose on the home compost heap. It also very effectively ties compostability in alongside mechanical recycling in the full range end-of-life disposal options, underlingin the value of bioplastics as a packaging material.
Finalists
Gehr Plastics, Germany
Semi finished plastics product launch Gehr Plastics supported the commercial launch of its EcoGehr renewably-sourced semi-finished products line by organising a special lecture series on renewable materials. Highlights of this were used to create an educational DVD, which forms part of a comprehensive information pack it sends out to potential customers.
Invicta Plastics, United Kingdom -
Compostability testing kit
One of the key attractions of bioplastics to end users is compostability. Invicta Plastics has long supplied composting testing kits toUK schools; the company is now introducing a corporate version which bioplastics suppliers can send with samples to potential customers to allow them to test for themselves what that compostability rating really means.
Personal Contribution to Bioplastics
Winner
Oliver P. Peoples
CSO and co-founder, Metabolix
With the first commercial scale Mirel PHA production plant set to begin production next year at Clinton in the US state of Iowa, Oliver P Peoples is closer now than ever to realising his dream of seeing biotechnology research converted into large scale production of bioplastics.
A graduate of molecular biology from the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, Oliver joined the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US as a research scientist in its Department of Biology in 1988, where he worked on the newly developing technology of metabolic pathway engineering and its applications in industrial biotechnology.
The research that he carried out with his team at MIT established some of the fundamental tools and methods for genetically engineering bacteria and plants to produce bioplastics at increased yields. During this time he filed numerous patent applications, including critical patents covering the production of PHA in crop plants.
In 1992, Oliver co-founded Metabolix with MIT microbiologist Anthony J Sinskey and took on the position of Chief Scientific Officer with responsibility for all of its scientific programs.
While genetic modification and engineering is a controversial area of technology in Europe, Oliver and his team at Metabolix have continued to pursue their research in the US with a goal to lifting both yields and the range of plastics that can be produced from plant sources.
Metabolix formed a joint venture with Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) in 2004 to produce and market the Mirel family of bioplastics using its fermentation technology.