News World’s first
News World’s first automatic shrink wrapper for PLA film With the collaboration of Plastic Suppliers, Inc., Columbus OH, Polypack Inc. from Pinellas Park FL, has developed a series of shrink packaging machines capable of running biodegradable, compostable Earth-First ® PLA film, made with NatureWorks ® PLA resin. Polypack‘s Bio-Wrapper series includes both total closure (form/fill/seal) retail wrappers and sleeve (bullseye) wrap bundlers. The stainless steel Bio-Wrapper is engineered as a complete unit with a double insulated shrink tunnel that reduces energy consumption and was displayed at PACK EXPO in Chicago from 29 October – 2 November 2006. www.polypack.com Biodegradable Lipstick Tube CARGO cosmetics from Toronto, Canada is doing its part to reduce the amount of waste generated by cosmetics. The company recently released the world‘s first completely biodegradable lipstick tube. Instead of petroleum based plastic, these botanical lipstick tubes are made from PLA. The lipsticks marketed under the name “PlantLove Botanical Lipstick” come boxed in flower paper, a recycled paper embedded with wildflower seeds. Simply moisten, plant, and wait for a bouquet of wild flowers to grow! www.cargocosmetics.com photo: Cargo Cosmetics Pira offer Report on Biodegradable Packaging UK based consultancy Intertech Pira offer a study entitled “The Future of Global Markets for Biodegradable Packaging“. According to an abstract from this report, the global production capacity for biodegradable polymers has grown dramatically since the mid-1990s. In 2006, global production capacity for biodegradable polymers was around 360,000 tonnes compared with 20,000 tonnes in 1995. Future projects indicate that total production capacity is set to reach 600,000 tonnes by 2008. Renewable resource based biopolymers such as starch and PLA account for around 85% of the total production capacity with synthetic biopolymers accounting for the remaining 15%. This biodegradable packaging report covers all types of packaging materials, including rigid, flexible and foamed materials. Processes covered include thermoforming, injection moulding, blow moulding, and extruded blown or cast film used for pre-packed fresh foods, other foods, non-foods and food service. Measuring market volumes in terms of plastic processors’ consumption of biodegradable polymers for packaging production, The Future of Global Markets for Biodegradable Packaging provides in-depth analysis of biodegradable packaging markets to 2011. The study as available at www.intertechpira.com for 5,200 € / 6,500 US-$. bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/07] Vol. 2
News The +1 Water “bio-bottle”, a first in Canada bioplastics MAGAZINE invites to 1st PLA Bottle Conference PLA for bottle applications are a highly topical subject, especially in the light of increasing crude oil prices. The stretch blow moulded PLA bottles used by Biota or Natural Iowa (USA), Belu (UK) +1 Water (Canada) and Vitamore (Germany), as well as reports in the trade press, have aroused significant interest from the PET and beverage industry. That‘s why bioplastics MAGAZINE is organising the 1st PLA Bottle Conference to discuss the possibilities, limitations and future prospects of PLA for bottle applications. The conference is being held on the 12th and 13th of September 2007 in the Grand Elysee Hotel in Hamburg, Germany. During the 1½ day conference experts from companies such as Purac, Uhde Inventa-Fischer, Natureworks, Netstal, SIG Corpoplast, Wiedmer, Treofan, Sidaplax, SIG Plasmax, Doehler, Colormatrix, Polyone, Ihr Platz, Interseroh, and more, will share their knowledge and contribute to a comprehensive overview of today‘s opportunities and challenges. On the afternoon of Thursday September 13th delegates will visit SIG Corpoplast, the manufacturer of the stretch blow moulding equipment that is used to produce the Biota and the Belu bottles. +1 Water bottled water company from Montreal, Canada, announced it is the first and only company in Canada to use fully compostable plastic water bottle. Fresh spring +1 Water bottles are made from Natureworks PLA. A second socially responsible dimension of +1 Water is their affiliation with WaterCan and Ryan‘s Well Foundation in Canada, and Operation Hunger in South Africa. +1 Water donates 20% of their profits to these organizations to help provide communities in need with access to safe, clean water. Unlike most people living in North America and Europe, there are over one billion people in the world that do not have access to safe drinking water, as stated on the +1 Water-website http://plusonewater.ca. Because of this, an estimated 4,500 children die every day due to lack of water or water borne diseases! With each bottle of +1 Water consumed customers are guaranteed to get refreshing, 100% pure natural spring water and at the same time ensure +1 more person gets access to life sustaining, safe drinking water as well. http://plusonewater.ca www.pla-bottle-conference.com www.bioplasticsmagazine.com bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/07] Vol. 2
