NaturalPlastics1

The clingfilm which can also be used for foodstuffs with a high fatty acid content and with acidic foods, is easy to tear off and contains renewable resources of agricultural origin.

Novamont continues the development with its Second Generation Mater-Bi® products: at the K fair (the international trade fair for plastics and rubber), taking place in Düsseldorf from 27 October to 3 November 2010, Novamont will be unveiling its first industrial clingfilm that is biodegradable and compostable and contains renewable resources.
The stretchy clingfilm can be used for any kind of foodstuffs, even food that has a high fat content (oils, sauces, butter, etc.) or that is acidic. After use it can be disposed of as organic waste as the material has been certified as compostable in accordance with standard EN13432 and is compatible with various kinds of composting plant technology.
The product was developed by Novamont together with its partners and has the same technical characteristics of strength and stretch as traditional products developed for domestic use without using any plasticisers or additives that could transfer into food. The development took quite a long time, as the technical profile of such products is complex, taking into consideration various benchmarks which had to be achieved. First of all, of course, the optical appearance and transparency, which has to be similar to the one offered by the conventionally used materials.
Novamont’s cling film is specially formulated to be easy to tear off without needing a serrated cutting edge, making it safer and more convenient. An intrinsic characteristic of the material is its high permeability to water vapour, helping to evaporate the condensation that forms particularly with warm food or in the fridge. This makes it ideal for preserving and protecting foodstuffs.
Another important aspect of this product is the balanced mechanical properties at very low gauge, as such films are mainly used in the gauge of 10 to 12 µ, with extremely high puncture resistance and excellent elongation values.
Moreover the product has a perfectly tuned water vapour transmission rate (WVTR) which is offering many products to be longer kept fresh in the fridge.
Mater-Bi® is the main product developed by Novamont. While providing the same strength and performance as traditional plastics, it is made of renewable resources of agricultural origin. It reduces greenhouse gas emissions and the consumption of energy and non-renewable resources, thus completing a virtuous circle: the raw materials of agricultural origin return to the earth through processes of biodegradation and composting, without releasing pollutants.

Source: www.novamont.com

BASF will focus on its products Ecoflex® and Ecovio® as biodegradable and compostable plastics for agricultural use. As a consequence, business with the additive Envirocare® for oxo-biodegradable plastics was terminated effective July 1, 2010. Envirocare was part of the Ciba AG range and is used to manufacture polyethylene mulch films for agricultural use.

BASF has supplied biodegradable plastics for the manufacture of mulch films and other applications for many years in the form of Ecoflex and Ecovio. A 60,000 metric ton capacity expansion of the Ecoflex plant in Ludwigshafen is planned for the end of 2010 to meet rising market demand. “BASF has opted for biodegradable plastics that are fully biodegradable and compostable in accordance with standards such as European norm EN 13432,” said Jürgen Keck, head of global business for biodegradable plastics at BASF in Ludwigshafen. “These standards are important from our point of view. They demand certain environmental features that our products can offer.”

Under defined conditions, biodegradable plastics decompose fully to water, carbon dioxide and biomass. In the debate about bioplastic, biodegradability and compostability offer very specific benefits not only for agricultural use but also for food packaging and organic waste bags.

Source: www.basf.com

Stora Enso is meeting the growing demand for biodegradable packaging solutions by expanding its selection of biopolymer-coated packaging boards. Biodegradable coating options are available for a number of the company's board grades for use in cups, plates, trays and folding cartons. The paper cups used at the Finnish Pavillion at the current World Expo in Shanghai are made from biodegradable Cupforma board.

"The World Expo in China is a great place to present bio cups to the world as the result of our pioneering work in developing fully biodegradable packaging materials," says Juha Kiviranta, Sales and Marketing Director at Stora Enso Liquid and Food Service Board. The Stora Enso Cupforma board family offers biodegradable material options for drinking cups for all major end uses, such as cold and hot drinks, ice cream and yoghurt. Cupforma Classic Bio meets the compostability requirements of the EN 13432 and ASTM 6400 standards.

Biodegradable food trays made from Trayforma Performance Bio

Paperboard trays made from Trayforma Performance Bio can be used for packaging fresh and chilled foods that are not heated in their packages. Vegetables, salads and sandwiches are typical examples. All boards in Stora Enso's biodegradable board offering are approved for direct food contact.

"When it comes to brand owners, the use of biodegradable packaging is typically based on the company's core values and brand strategy. The use of natural ingredients, sustainability, purity and high quality are brand values that can be enhanced by biodegradable packaging," says Kiviranta. "Our customers in the converting industry are building biodegradable product families. Our wide selection of material options provides a good basis for that."

Patented biopolymer coating technology

Stora Enso has developed biopolymer coatings for years. "Our patented biopolymer coating technology has enabled us to develop the barrier and other material properties so that the requirements of various end use applications can be met," says Kiviranta. "Based on our experience from our long-time cooperation with cup producers, converting biopolymer-coated boards is more demanding than usual but doesn't require investments in new machinery."

Polymer coating gives the desired barrier properties for the package, protecting against oxygen, humidity, odour, taste and light and resulting in prolonged shelflife. The choice of coating depends on what kind of barrier is required. Biopolymer coatings provide an oxygen, moisture and grease barrier.

Biopolymer-coated paperboard breaks down to humus and CO2 in industrial composting. In recycling schemes, biodegradable products are primarily intended for the collection of materials for industrial composting. Collection schemes depend on local collection conditions. Stora Enso's boards can also be safely collected and recycled separately or together with other paper and board products.

Source: http://www.storaenso.com/