Polymer Waste- Biopolymers & Bioplastics

Biodegradable Plastics Applications

Bio plastics or biodegradable plastics are by chemical nature polyhydroxy alkanoates or PHAs. They are currently being produced in large amount by microbial fermentation process in industries. Among all the polyhydroxy alkanoates, polyhydroxy butyrate or PHB is the most important one as bio plastics. 

The conventional plastics, made from coal or oil are not biodegradable. They survive 100s of years and are a major source of environmental pollution, often resulting in ecological imbalance. A heavy demand for biodegradable plastic materials has generated in the modern world. There are some attempts to chemically synthesise biodegradable polyesters such as polylactic acid and polyglycolic acid. The production of polyhydroxy alkanoates by fermentation is the preferred process for production of biodegradable plastics. 

Biodegradable plastics can be composed of bio-plastics, which are plastics made from renewable raw materials. There are normally two forms of biodegradable plastic, injection molded and solid. The solid forms normally are used for items such as food containers, leaf collection bags, and water bottles.

Bioplastics can also be processed in very similar ways to petrochemical plastics such as injection moulding, extrusion and thermoforming. To improve their tensile strength, bioplastic polymers can be blended with their co-polymers or with other polymers

Biodegradable and short-lived products –

• Packaging
  • Shopping bags
  • Compostable waste collection bags
  • Trays and Punnets for vegetables, fruits, meat and eggs.
• Disposable catering servicewares
• Medical applications
  • Implants such as screws, pins or plates
  • Material for pills and capsules
• Mulch films
•  

Non-Biodegradable and durable products –

• Automotive interiors like seats, head rests or arm rests
• Mobile phone cases

Our biopolymers are suitable for a wide range of catering and food-to-go products, from thermoformed coffee cup lids to injection-moulded cutlery and coatings for paper and board. Our plant-based products perform as well as oil-derived equivalents, and are 100% biodegradable and ready to compost along with food waste.

Bioplastics provide an ideal solution, removing the environmental impact without removing the packaging. Our plant-based polymers compost at the end of their useful life. Our products can be used for a wide range of packaging items, from primary and secondary packaging films, laminates and rigid sheets for thermoforming and vacuum forming, to point-of-sale displays, trays and merchandisers.

Bioplastics meet the demand for both long-life and cost-effective materials that underpin the sustainability of operations. Our product ranges are optimised for films, fibres, casting, moulded and roto-moulded items.