An estimated substitution potential of up to 90% of the total consumption of plastics by bio-based polymers is ‘technically possible’ according to a report just published by The associations of European Bioplastics and the European Polysaccharide Network of Excellence (EPNOE).
Based on recent company announcements the production capacity of bio-based plastics s projected to increase from 360,000 tons in 2007 to about 2.3 million tons by 2013. This corresponds to an annual growth of 37%.
“The role that lightweight conventional plastics played in the past, substituting durable materials like iron and steel in vast products, could soon be taken over by bio-based plastics. As the study shows, the potential is enormous,” comments Hasso von Pogrell, managing director of European Bioplastics.
New bio-based polymers have been available in the market for about one decade. Recently, standard polymers like polyethylene, polypropylene, PVC or PET, but also high-performance polymers like polyamide or polyester have been totally or partially substituted by the renewable raw materials equivalents, says European Bioplastics. The starting raw materials are usually sugars or starches, and partially also recycled materials from food or wood processing.
Patrick Navard, chairman of EPNOE, says: “Bio-based plastics will not substitute oil-based polymers in the near future for several reasons, including low oil price, high production cost and restricted production capacity of biomass-based polymers.”
The authors of the report, from Utrecht University, conclude that substantial technological progress has been made in bio-based plastics in the past five years.
