Award 2008 - Bioplastics
Award 2008 - Bioplastics Awards - 2009 The winners of the third Bioplastics Awards organized by European Plastics News (EPN) were announced in Munich, Germany, on 3 December 2008. bioplastics MAGAZINE as a media partner of this award presents the winners below. We are particularly proud that EPN asked bioplastics MAGAZINE to be part of the judging panel for the next awards. So we are happy to ask our readers to supply suggestions for the Bioplastics Awards 2009. Your entry should say: 1. What your product, service or development is (up to 200 words) 2. What your product, service or development does (up to 200 words) 3. Why you think your product, service or development should win an award (Up to 200 words) 4. What your company or organisation does Your entry should also include photographs and may be supported with samples, marketing brochures and/or technical documentation. You find a pdf-form for such entries at our website or at www.bioplasticswards.com. The 2008 winners are: Best Innovation in Bioplastics Biopolymer Network – New Zealand Expanded PLA Foaming Process The New Zealand-based research partnership Biopolymer Network has developed a simple and cost effective process for producing low density expanded PLA polymer foams suitable for many applications currently catered for with expanded polysytrene. The development involves a controlled process for impregnation and pre-expansion of PLA beads using carbon dioxide as a blowing agent. Careful control of the impregnation process conditions avoids premature foaming of the beads, which can be stored and processed using existing EPS processing equipment. A key attraction of the technology is its ability both to substitute a petrochemical- based polymer with a biobased alternative together with its elimination of hydrocarbon-based blowing agents. Foams with densities down to 30 g/litre and with good resilience and impact properties have been achieved using the technology with commercially available PLA resins. No polymer pre-treatment is required and the carbon dioxide blowing agent can be recovered during processing. Biopolymer Network has trialled the technology on existing m a n u f a c t u r i n g plant and is currently securing patent protection. Best Bioplastics Processor Gehr Plastics – Germany Semifinished products While bioplastics are quite widely used in the packaging industry, access to the materials in other sectors of industry has been less easy. German semi-finished products producer Gehr Plastics has taken that on board in its EcoGehr product line, which makes renewable and natural fibre reinforced materials available to plastics fabricators for the first time. Gehr Plastics has invested considerable R&D effort into preparing itself for the introduction of its EcoGehr product line, which includes polymers ranging from PLA through to castor-oil derived polyamides such as PA 6.10 and 11. It has already supplied products for evaluation in markets as diverse as snow-ski core materials and cosmetics components. As the first semifinished plastic producer to assemble a full range of bio-based and renewable semifinished plastic products, Gehr Plastics has marked itself out as a pioneer in bioplastics processing. bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/09] Vol. 4
Best Bioplastics Application – Packaging Amcor Flexibles – UK Compostable fresh produce pack Amcor Flexibles worked with packaging specialist Flextrus, to develop the packaging for the UK retailer Sainsbury’s So Organic wild rocket salad. Sainsbury’s requirements for the pack was to deliver a home compostable product that would retain barrier performance and heat seal integrity in the wet environment required for fresh salads. The companies developed the Natureplus TDH2 product around a film structure comprised of Innovia’s Natureflex cellulose film combined with a proprietary compostable sealing layer. No adhesive layer is required. The solution overcomes the moisture sensitivity of the cellulose film, enabling it to deliver seal performance similar to a PET/PE laminate and to run at line speeds similar to traditional alternatives. The TDH2 film is produced by Flextrus and converted to bags by Amcor. Award Best Bioplastics Application – Non-Packaging Formax Quimiplan – Brazil Renewable TPU shoe components Thermogreen is the latest range of counters and toe puffs (structural shoe components) from Brazilian footwear industry supplier Formax Quimiplan and is the first industrialscale application of renewable thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) in the shoe industry. Counters and toe puffs are technically demanding parts that reinforce the shoe structure and are essential in maintaining them. The TPUs used to make the Thermogreen products were developed for the application by Merquinsa of Spain. Aside from the sourcing of renewable materials, they also provide a lower activation temperature, making further energy savings possible during moulding. Bioplastics Marketing Initiative Nestlé Confectionery – UK Quality Street brand recycling campaign Nestlé Confectionery’s decision to repackage its market leading UK chocolate sweet range meant communicating the end-of-life options for a wide variety of packaging materials. The company’s solution was to develop its ‘Recycling Cycle’ story board. Printed on the base of every tin, it promotes how each element in the packaging should be handled or recycled at the end of life, including the specially developed range of home compostable cellulose twist wrappers developed for the project by Innovia Films. The ‘Recycling Cycle’ makes it very clear to consumers that the plastic twist wraps will decompose on the home compost heap. Personal Contribution to Bioplastics Oliver P. Peoples CSO and co-founder, Metabolix With the first commercial scale Mirel PHA production plant set to begin production this year at Clinton, Iowa, USA, Oliver P. Peoples is closer now than ever to realising the dream of seeing biotechnology research converted into large scale production of bioplastics. A graduate of molecular biology from the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, Oliver joined the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US as a research scientist in its Department of Biology in 1988. In 1992, Oliver cofounded Metabolix with MIT microbiologist Anthony J. Sinskey and took on the position of Chief Scientific Officer with responsibility for all of its scientific programmes. Read all details about Oliver P. Peoples achievements as well as more info about the 2008 and 2009 Bioplastics Awards at www.bioplasticswards.com Chris Smith (EPN) and Angela Beatriz Stroeher, Market Development Manager Formax Quimiplan bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/09] Vol. 4
