bioplastics versus conventional plastics can they … · 2018-10-08 · most bioplastics contain a...
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BIOPLASTICS VERSUS CONVENTIONAL PLASTICS CAN THEY REALLY MAKE A SUSTAINABLE CASE FROM CRADLE TO GRAVE?
Dr Lucy Cowton – Product Sustainability Manager - Innovia Films
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Innovia Films
Manufacturing both ‘conventional plastic’ and ‘bioplastic’ films provides us with a uniquely balanced view of Plastics and Bioplastics… Production facilities in Europe, US &
Asia Pacific regions
Headquarters in Cumbria, UK
Strongly innovation and R&D led
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What Are Bioplastics?
Biodegradable, biobased or both
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Compostable Only
EcoFlex™ films Source: BASF
GS-PLA™ food service tub Source: Mitsubishi
Materials used on their own or in combination/blend with other biopolymers
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NatureFlex™ Colored Films
Ingeo™ PLA Yogurt Cups
No text
Ecovio™ Shrink Film
no
Mater-bi™ Fresh Produce Bags
Renewable & Compostable
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Identical performance to conventional counterparts but derived from renewable resources
Renewable But Conventional Polymers
Bio-derived PET Bio-derived HDPE
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Production Capacities Are Growing in Each Sector… Status 2012
Key Messages: (a) Both ‘Biodegradable’
and ‘biobased’ material-streams exhibit growth
(b) Additional Biobased growth is driven by Bio-PET (bottle market)
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The Sustainable Packaging Jigsaw…..
4 key elements to quantify the demands of the 4 key stakeholder groups
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Sustainably-sourced Bioplastics
Customers are at a junction…
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A three ply laminate pouch We could make it conventionally
Or we could make it ‘bio’…
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Raw Material Sustainability Process
End of life Functional Performance
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Conventional plastics are our benchmark for performance
So we’re looking for alternatives…
Superb functional performance: Barrier, optics, sealability, cost
Benefit from massive economies of scale and therefore often deliver impressive sustainable-process results But, petroleum derived and therefore fundamentally finite.
0% renewable resources
Extraction and processing is not always benign:
Deepwater horizon disaster spilt 4.9 million barrels of oil into Gulf of Mexico
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Raw Material Sustainability
Most bioplastics contain a % of readily renewable raw materials.
Renewable doesn’t automatically equal sustainable – but sustainability programmes are emerging
Unlike conventional plastics, bioplastics support the vision of a truly sustainable feedstock.
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Sustainability is a driving force in the market….. but how do we quantify renewability?
Validation
Third-Party Certification Now offered by providers globally
Growing Emphasis To ensure that all claims are validated
ASTM D6866 Confirms % biobased carbon (biomass content is a different calculation)
ASTM D6866 Carbon testing
90%
NatureFlexTM NK
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Process
Raw Material Sustainability
Functional Performance
End of life
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Process Management
LCA techniques are
excellent for measuring
process impacts
But often misused as a comparative
tool (apples to
pears)
Beware of different
databases & simplified process
calculations
Seek results & data specific to
material & producer when
possible
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All good packaging reduces carbon impact -- reduces waste & increases shelf life.
Thanks to economies of scale, conventional plastics often perform well on carbon footprints.
Bio-derived materials will dramatically outperform fossil-based – once greater economies of scale are achieved.
Carbon Footprint: The Key Messages
Dataset: Actual to 2013 based on Innovia Films LCA & forward look to incorporate planned investments & process improvements
GWP of Coated Cellulose film (kg CO2eq/kg)
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“InnPrint” Flexible Packaging Carbon Footprinter
Based on GaBi software and database Ensuring a fair material comparison
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Functional Performance
Raw Material Sustainability
End of life
Process
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Conventional Plastics Bio-based Conventional Compostable
Exceptional packaging performance: • Moisture & gas
barrier
• Optical properties
• Lightweight solutions
Identical functional properties to conventional plastics
Naturally permeable to moisture • First applications
were short shelf life produce
• Extensive R&D over 5 years has improved barriers
Functional Performance
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0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Starch NVS PLANVR
NENK
PETBOPP
g/100inches2/24hours
Compostable Films – Tropical MVTR
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Functional Performance
Renewable & Compostable Conventional Performance
Effective product protection is a fundamental sustainability indicator as the resources required to produce food are extremely high
cc & g/100inches2/24Hrs
An Interesting Question...
So, if we can now derive conventional polymers from renewable feed stocks…
why bother making compostable packaging?
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End of life
Process Raw Material Sustainability
Functional Performance
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We now readily recycle: • Metals, textiles, glass • Suitable paper and
paperboard • Suitable rigid plastics
What’s left..?
ORGANIC WASTE! The U.S. generates at least 60 million tons of it per year!
And so does Europe…
A Recycling Revolution is Underway…
Compostable packaging can follow and facilitate such organic recovery
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Anaerobic Digestion Unit Source: [email protected]
Casella Organics at Jordans Dairy
Organic Waste is actually Organic opportunity… Anaerobic Digestion Triple the Value: If 50 million tons of organic waste were recovered, this could deliver: • A saving of 75 million tons of fugitive
CO2 landfill emissions • 1.31 Billion gallons of biofuel • 42.5 million tons of fertilizing
digestate reducing the need for synthetic
fertilizer
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Compostable Carrier Bags
Organic Waste Bags
How Bioplastics Help
Collect & divert organic waste
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Compostable labels on compostable papers
Source: Berkshire Labels
Flexible packs recoverable with waste
eliminate source separation
Source: Amcor UK
How Bioplastics Help
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Enhancement of Other Materials Providing Compatibility at End of Life
Compostable, Repulpable Bioplastic Extrusions
For Disposable Cups & Plates
Source: BASF
Metallized, Cellulose Films Compostable or Repulpable Board Laminations
Source: API Laminates
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End of life
Process Raw Material Sustainability
Functional Performance
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Filmic Pouch Sustainability Wheel
0% RRM Fossil
Derived
0.5kgCO2eq/m2
MVTR <0.05
OTR <0.06 /100in2
Incinerate or
Landfill
Conventional Pack: 12µPET//8µALU//60µPE
48PET//0.00035ALU//2.5milPE
“Bio” Pack: 19µNFlex//20µmetNFlex//50µTPS 75gaNFlex//80metNFlex//2milTPS
55% RRM Managed Forestry
0.4kg CO2eq/m2
MVTR <0.2
OTR <0.06 /100in2
Ind Compost,
AD or Incinerate
Sources: Innovia Films, Novamont, based on GaBi, ASTM D6866 & lab tests
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Dr Lucy Cowton – Product Sustainability Manager - Innovia Films Presented to: AIMCAL Web Coating and Handling Conference
October 27-30, 2013, Charleston, USA [email protected]