NaturalPlastics1

Mouse M440 ECO is an essential input device in new design, made from 100% bio material with PVC free cable. Following all hand movements smoothly and precisely, the elegant M440 ECO works on nearly every surface. It features two buttons and one scroll wheel button. The human-centric shape makes it comfortable for both right and left-handed users. M440 ECO is equipped with the convenient USB Plug&Play, and it is also the best companion with our green family Keyboard KBPC PX ECO.

Source: www.fujitsu.com

Revolutionary, new, plant based, insulated, compostable One CupÔ requires no sleeve or double cupping, making it the greenest hot cup on the market

Repurpose® Compostables, a manufacturer of premium, high quality food service products, based in Los Angeles, announced today the debut of their One CupÔ, the exciting new insulated hot cup that is 100% compostable. No more double cupping. No more sleeves. The insulated technology keeps hot beverages warmer for longer, and prevents heat from escaping the cup, protecting the user and creating a more comfortable feel with only one product. The revolutionary new One CupÔ requires no sleeve, uses 65% less CO2 than a traditional cup to produce, and can be composted in 90 days. The One CupÔuses FSC-Certified paper, the highest standard for sustainable forestry, and is certified compostable. Traditional insulated cups are made by adding additional layers of paper; however, the Repurpose One CupÔ does the same with our patented insulation material on a single wall cup. This high quality food service product finally offers the greenest possible alternative to Styrofoam and non-compostable insulated cups.

“At Repurpose we are always working to produce the highest performing, highest quality food service products that also help consumers lower their impact on the environment,” said Lauren Gropper, Chief Executive Officer of Repurpose Compostables. “Our new insulated cup with Ingeo™ based lining eliminates the need for double cupping which we have found in speaking to vendors is a hidden cost that people don't realize. The One CupÔ also eliminates the need for a sleeve, another wasteful product associated with hot beverages. In many cases vendors are using four individual pieces. Finally a one product solution exists that is also compostable, comes from renewable resources and is affordable.”

Repurpose products are made from plants, not petroleum, using Ingeo™ resin and meet ASTM 6400 compostability standards. Founded in 2009, Repurpose®Compostables offers a line of high quality, compostable food service products for businesses and consumers. Repurpose also offers custom products solutions in every category. Our mission is to educate the public about the problems of continuing to use petroleum based plastic products and offer renewable, plant based, compostable alternatives. Additionally, Repurpose works with businesses, municipalities, and individuals to retrofit any traditionally plastic based product with a bioplastic alternative at competitive prices. Find out more at www.repurposecompostables.com.

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

PepsiCo UK is investigating the viability of new compostable packaging made from renewable resources rather than plastic.

The new solutions may be based on starch (from potatoes), lactic acid (from corn) or cellulose (from trees). And each of these materials offer different properties in terms of look, feel, sound and protective barrier.

Cellulose films such as NatureFlex™ from Innovia Films provide a range of beneficial properties that differentiate them from other packaging materials. Cellulose film is effectively a form of transparent paper.

Its environmental properties include:

• Derived from managed forestry sources
• Suitable for a range of waste management processes including industrial and home composting
• Energy recovery through anaerobic digestion

Packaging performance:

• High gas and aroma barrier for product freshness
• Moisture barrier performance to maintain crispness
• Metallised versions improve the barrier to light and further enhance product shelf-life
• Low 'crackle' and noise

"Innovia Films as leader in speciality packaging, labelling and overwrap films is enjoying increased interest and sales in NatureFlex which is based on cellulose from trees. We are working with leading companies like PepsiCo helping to bring the sustainability agenda from concept to products on the shelf."

Alexander van 't Riet, Global Sales and Marketing Director, Innovia Films.

About Innovia Films

Innovia Films Ltd is a major producer of Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene (BOPP) and cellulose (Cellophane™) films with production sites in the UK, USA, Belgium and Australia. It holds a leading global position in the markets for labels and security films, coated packaging, overwrap and biodegradable and compostable films.

As part of its commitment to reducing its impact on the environment, PepsiCo UK is exploring alternative packaging for Walkers crisps and snacks, such as compostable crisp packets.

Source: http://www.pepsico.co.uk/

               http://www.innoviafilms.com

PolyOne Corporation (NYSE: POL), a premier global provider of specialized polymer materials, services and solutions, today announced that its OnColor™ BIO and OnCap™ BIO masterbatches have been granted OK Compost certification by AIB Vinçotte, marking the first time this has been awarded to a full range of colorants and additives.

AIB Vinçotte, an independent inspection organization, grants OK Compost certification after verifying that a product meets EN 13432, a standard for compostability recognized in Europe, Asia and North America. Products meeting this standard are authorized to use the OK Compost label, which guarantees the item is biodegradable in an industrial composting plant. To qualify for this label, manufacturers must demonstrate that all components of a product or package, including inks, pigments and additives, meet EN 13432.

“As environmentally conscious consumers become more aware of the OK Compost certification, demand is growing for packaging and consumer goods that earn this label,” said Marcel Dartée, PolyOne’s global marketing director for biopolymers. “Using our exclusively certified colorants and additives helps customers to accelerate OK Compost approval of their products. In addition, PolyOne is able to formulate application-specific solutions that are certified in advance.”

John Van Hulle, president of Global Color, Additives and Inks, said, “This achievement underscores PolyOne’s long-term commitment to sustainability, and represents the culmination of several years of development work. We will continue to expand the range of OK Compost certified solutions to support our customers in meeting the preferences of eco-conscious consumers.”

About PolyOne

PolyOne Corporation, with 2009 annual revenues of $2.1 billion, is a premier provider of specialized polymer materials, services and solutions. Headquartered outside of Cleveland, Ohio USA, PolyOne has operations around the world. For additional information on PolyOne, visit our Web site at www.polyone.com.

About Vinçotte

As a market leader, Vinçotte plays a pioneering role in providing inspection, control, certification, advice and training services focused on quality, security and the environment. Vinçotte is a group of different entities boasting targeted and specialist knowledge about the various industrial and residential markets. With a turnover of €165 million, the group has a worldwide network of sites guaranteeing activities on all continents. The company's operation headquarters are located in Vilvoorde (Brussels), Belgium.

Source: http://www.polyone.com

Blends of thermoplastic starch (TPS) and biodegradable copolyester (PBAT) recently introduced by Teknor Apex Company have received certification by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) as products for commercial composting applications, it was announced today by the Bioplastics Division of Teknor Apex.
Terraloy™ 20000 Series compounds received the BPI Listing after passing requirements specified in the ASTM D6400 standard for plastics intended for composting. The listing applies to sheet, film, and thermoformed or molded parts with maximum thickness of 250 mils (0.250 in.). Teknor Apex recommends the compounds for replacing polyolefins and polystyrene in applications such as shrink wrap, produce wraps and trays, cosmetics jars and containers, carrier bags, can liners, trays and plates, cutlery, and flower pots.
“Because 100% TPS biodegrades much more rapidly than 100% PBAT, the blends of these materials making up the Terraloy 20000 Series open new applications for PBAT,” said Edwin Tam, Teknor Apex manager of strategic initiatives. “Plastics processors can use Terraloy compounds to produce thicker sheet and parts than with PBAT alone and still meet requirements for compostability.”
BPI is a professional association of individuals and groups from government, industry and academia that promotes the use and recycling of biodegradable polymeric materials via composting, noted executive director Steve Mojo. “Compostable products make it possible to divert the waste stream away from landfills or incinerators, and replacing non-degradable products with compostable ones helps reduce the processing, separation, and disposal costs incurred by composting facilities.”

Vegware Ltd, the Edinburgh-based eco packaging firm founded in 2006, has become the UK’s first ever packaging company whose entire product range is compostable and therefore suitable for organics recycling. By launching three new products, Vegware has completed its range and become the UK’s first ever provider of exclusively compostable catering disposables and takeaway packaging.
The launch features a trio of new compostable products for the food-to-go sector, all of which are unique on the UK market. These are high heat-resistant cutlery; a compostable soup container and lid set; and a genuinely compostable insulated coffee cup, made locally from EU materials.
Asked about which materials are being used, Lucy Frankel, PR and marketing executive, told Packaging Europe "The compostable cutlery is made from a proprietary PLA blend which makes the material stable at higher temperatures. The cup is made of an outer layer of high-recycled-content paper and an inner layer of sustainably-sourced paper board. The two layers are bonded together with a compostable resin and lined with GM-free cornstarch. The new soup container is made of a sturdy single wall construction with PLA cornstarch lining. The paper board is from a sustainable source and the matching lid is made of cornstarch bioplastic."
Since it was founded in 2006, Vegware has been working on offering a full product range which is compostable and therefore suitable for organics recycling. Founder and MD, Joe Frankel, explained, “Biodegradable materials do break down naturally over time, but the term ‘compostable’ means it all happens much quicker – under 180 days in the right conditions. It has taken years of R&D, but now our full range can be commercially composted together with food waste rather than go to landfill. It’s really exciting – now we can help our clients to save money with sustainable waste management as well as saving carbon and virgin materials. And of course we’re delighted to be eco market leaders.”
Yearly increases in landfill tax mean that from April 2011, commercial composting will become the cheaper option. The company works closely with the organics recycling sector and offers a UK-wide composting collection service for mixed packaging and food waste. After 6-12 weeks, the waste is reprocessed into compost, or biogas and topsoil.
The company reports that despite the current challenging economic climate, business is going well. They will be moving to larger premises and hiring new staff to cope with demand. Vegware has won several awards this year including its compostable hot cup lid winning ‘Best Disposables’ and a Green category commendation in the prestigious Caterer and Hotelkeeper Excellence Awards.
"The first major user for our compostable soup containers will be Otarian, the new international chain offering low-carbon healthy food in London and New York," concludes Lucy Frankel.
More info: www.vegware.com

Source:  www.packagingeurope.com/