The credit crunch could boost the uptake of biodegradable plastics for packaging as firms start to look at how to do things differently, according to the chief executive of Natureworks has exclusively told Packaging News.
Marc Verbruggen, speaking from the European Bioplastics conference in Berlin last month, said that even without the environmental benefits there was 'a pure economic argument' in favour of bioplastics.
'Even at dollars 70 for a barrel of oil, we are in a position to compete with traditional polymers, due to the economies of scale we have,' he said.
Verbruggen added that the sector 'had to be positive' about the election of Barack Obama
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to the Presidency of the United States.
'With Obama,
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we're likely to see more regulation and attention to alternative energy sources and around bioplastics,' he said.
At the conference, Natureworks confirmed the successful adoption by Italian mineral water firm Sant'Anna of the Ingeo biopolymer for its bottles.
'The huge volumes - Sant'Anna sold more than 650 million bottles last year - will help the development of reprocessing facilities for bioplastics,' said Verbruggen.
The possible negative impact of bioplastics on recycling streams has been a cause for concern in the UK, particularly among several supermarkets which have decided not to use bioplastics for that reason.
Verbruggen said that Natureworks was working with organisations such as Wrap to ensure the materials were correctly disposed of.
One of the options would be to turn the material back into lactic acid, as is being done by Belgian firm Galactic. 'This is an economically feasible way of getting rid of the waste material. And it's not something that might happen in 20 years' time; it's possible today and there's no reason why it couldn't work in the UK.'
Eamonn Tighe, UK and Ireland business development director, added that the bioplastics sector was looking to work together more to counter the misconceptions about bioplastics' impact on food supply, but it was also important to work on the product itself.
'Performance has to be the starting point, and then you can talk about the environmental benefits of using plants rather than oil,' he said.
NATUREWORKS FACTS
- Employs 120 staff worldwide
- Created by US firm Cargill in 1997. Japanese company Teijin bought 50% stake in 2007
- Natureworks biopolymer is sold under the Ingeo brand
- Ingeo is cornstarch-based polylactic acid (PLA)
- Marc Verbruggen appointed chief executive in June 2008.Packaging News
