Foreword
This month, there is one obvious standout story,
dealing with food packaging. As far as plastic waste is concerned, packaging is
one of the applications under greatest scrutiny, as manufacturers pursue
policy’s demands for greater rates of recycling. Some biobased plastics offer a
unique solution to this problem, through being compostable. These form an ideal
material for use in food packaging, as they can be disposed of in the same way
as food waste, meaning no separation of product and packaging need take place
before disposal. These biobased plastics can also have interesting additional
properties which further increase their suitability as food packaging: we have
previously reported on chitosan packaging made from seafood waste that can act
as an oxygen-absorber, extending the shelf-life of food. This month, seafood is
once again involved, as we have a story about another ground-breaking biobased
plastic for food packaging. A research team in Thailand has developed a polymer
film that seafood can be dipped in before storage. The film is,
first-and-foremost, edible, and thus needn’t be removed before consumption, but
also has........
Other News this Month Includes:
Policy
- Political agreement on EU single-use plastics directive
- European Bioplastics responds to EU single-use plastics directive
- European Circular Plastics Alliance launched
Markets
- NFU to champion biobased plastics
- BASF withdraws from Synvina partnership
- Synthace secures investment
- Stora Enso joins wood-to-fibres venture
Research & Development
- Edible film could kill seafood pathogens
- Leaf achieves qualification milestones for Glycell process
- Biobased chemicals to improve energy efficiency
Polymers
- Carbolice announces enzyme solution for compostable PLA
- Ecovia's first US BioPreferred polymer
- AGRANA releases plastic made from 50% starch
- PLAnet partnership to promote use of PLA
- Sicomin awarded Bureau Veritas certification
- Total Corbion launches Thailand PLA plant
Chemicals
- Circa receives clearance to sell biobased, non-toxic solvent in EU
- AGRANA to produce betaine from sugar in Austria
- Cathay Industrial Biotech expands production capacity in China
Consumer Products
- Plant-based coating for dishwasher tablets wins Unilever funding
- Stora Enso and Sulapac to release compostable straws
- Corona beer to be packaged with plant fibre six-pack rings
Patents
Events
Price Information