Global Status of the Production of Biobased Packaging Materials

Abstract

Bioplastics from renewable origin are a new generation of plastics able to significantly reduce the environmental impact in terms of energy consumption and green‐house ef‐fect in specific applications. Bioplastics perform as traditional plastics when in use and are completely biodegradable within a composting cycle. Today bioplastics and partic‐ularly starch‐based plastics are used in specific industrial applications where bio‐degradability is required. Examples are composting bags and sacks, fast food service‐ware (cups, cutlery, plates, straws, etc.), packaging (soluble foams for industrial pack‐aging, film wrapping, laminated paper, food containers), agriculture (much films, nur‐sery pots, plant labels), hygiene (diaper back sheet, cotton swabs).Moreover new sec‐tors are growing outside biodegradability, driven by improved technical performances of bioplastics versus traditional materials, as in the case of biofillers for tires. The market of starch‐based bioplastics in 1999 has been estimated at about 20,000 t/a, with a strong incidence of soluble foams for packaging and films. Bioplas‐tics from renewable origin, either biodegradable or non‐biodegradable, still constitute a niche market which requires high efforts in the areas of material and application devel‐opment; the technical and economical breakthroughs achieved in the last three years, however, open new possibilities for such products in the mass markets and specifical‐ly in food packaging. This paper will review the recent industrial achievements of bioplastics in the sector of packaging, taking in consideration their in‐use performances, biodegradation behav‐iour and environmental impact.

Filmes de amido: produção, propriedades e potencial de utilização

“…Dentre os filmes de amido produzidos em escala industrial e já comercializados está o Mater-Bi  , filme de amido de milho, batata e trigo, produzido na Itália pela NOVAMONT, e que já é empregado comercialmente em sacos de lixo e outras aplicações (BASTIOLI, 2000). O Paragon  , filme empregado como embalagem de alimentos que necessitam do controle de trocas gasosas, é produzido pela AVEBE na Holanda, por sopro em multicamadas com amido de batata, ácido polilático e polihidroxi-alcanoato (VILPOUX; AVEROUS, 2003).…”

Effects of Incorporating Polycaprolactone and Flax Fiber into Glycerol-Plasticized Pea Starch

“…The idea of bioplastics is rooted in the quest for eco-friendly products. For instance, bioplastics are capable of significantly reducing environmental impact such as energy consumption and greenhouse effect in certain applications (Bastioli 2001).…”

Characterisation of solution cast cellulose nanofibre – reinforced poly(lactic acid)

“…PLA is being commercialised as a food packaging polymer for short shelf-life products in common applications such as containers, drinking cups, and overwrap and lamination films [1]. However, the thermal properties and water vapour and gas barrier properties of PLA are inferior to those of conventional petroleum-based polymers [2,3]. To tailor the properties of PLA it is desirable to combine the polymer with reinforcing elements.…”