Colombian company Lifepack is making eco-friendly biodegradable plates and cutlery out of old pineapple tops that would otherwise go to waste. In the same way, you can plant a pineapple top in your garden, you can plant these plates, and they will sprout in the soil because they contain seeds.

The plates are part of Lifepack’s latest effort to lessen plastic waste globally. The company has previously produced coffee cup sleeves and sandwich containers that contain seeds from various edible plants, including strawberry, cilantro, and amaranth.

Claudia Barona, the co-founder of Lifepack, said “We are using agricultural residues that people were just throwing away, and we are transforming them into useful products. That’s where we make a difference.”

Workers at Lifepack’s California factory can produce 10K eco-friendly plates on a busy day. The company collects its pineapple crowns from a nearby processing plant, Deli Agro Foods, whose owners don’t charge Lifepack for the material.

Gloria Estela Ramirez, Deli Agro Foods manager, said “We are trying to promote the creation of circular economies. And when it comes to our pineapple crowns, we think they couldn’t be in better hands. Lifepack is doing an important job, and it’s something we support.”

How Lifepack workers make the plates and cutlery:

• They shred pineapple tops.
• Mix the shreds with recycled paper.
• Flatten them into sheets.
• Leave them out to dry under the sun.
• Then, a machine presses them into form.

Andres Benavides, Barona’s husband and co-founder of Lifepack, added “We were not just designing a biodegradable plate. We wanted to go further and create a plate that generates life.”

Like most countries worldwide, Colombia is making efforts to reduce plastic waste. In some cities, informal “pickers” who collect recyclable materials from the trash are now employed as municipal workers. In 2017, the country also introduced a tax on single-use plastics that increases yearly.

The United States creates the most plastic waste in the world. One study shows that Americans’ contribution to global plastic waste has been vastly underestimated and is actually five times greater. On average, one American throw away 150 single-use cups and plates per year. That accumulates to over one million tons of plates — about the same weight as two Nimitz class aircraft carriers.

Most of that plastic waste is non-recyclable and ends up in landfills or our oceans. However, getting consumers to buy eco-friendly, biodegradable products is challenging. “When we started out a decade ago, people told us we were crazy. Here in Colombia, people were not very environmentally aware, and everyone just wanted to use whatever was cheapest,” Barona recalled.

One of the main reasons why consumers end up buying plastic over biodegradable is it’s cheaper. Lifepack’s plates cost roughly $2.50 per dozen — more than double the plastic plates’ price from a store in Colombia. Regardless, as consumers become increasingly environmentally conscious, Lifepack has capitalized on the growing demand for sustainable packaging, despite the higher price.

Since the company launched, demand has increased by up to 40%. Now, Lifepack’s plates are sold in three supermarket chains locally, and the company delivers dozens of orders via its website every week, with several customers in the USA.

Benavides explained “In an eight-hour shift, we can make anywhere from 6,000 to 12,000 plates. Currently, there is more demand than what we can supply, so we are sold out. But that means there’s a positive response from clients, and there’s a market for our product.”

Lifepack plans to update its equipment to increase production and eventually franchise the business and expand worldwide to help more countries reduce plastic waste.

Source: intelligentliving.co

South Australia has become the first state in the nation to ban the sale, supply and distribution of single-use plastics.

The Liberal government’s Single-use and Other Plastic Products (Waste Avoidance) Bill passed parliament on Wednesday, outlawing products such as straws, cutlery and beverage stirrers

However, the laws will not come into effect until early 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Environment Minister David Spiers says many South Australians has vocalised their support for the legislation.

“There has been significant community and industry support for swift action on single-use plastic products with many households and businesses across the state already taking steps to remove them,” he said.

“This will give businesses time to bounce back and properly prepare before the ban comes into effect in early 2021.

“This approach strikes an appropriate balance between the public’s desire for change and the needs of businesses.”

The measures will also allow for other items to be progressively added to the banned list.

South Australia was the first Australian state to introduce a container deposit scheme and the first to ban single-use plastic bags.

A number of cafes and restaurants across Adelaide are already plastic free as demand for sustainable products increases.

Source: 7news.com.au

The compostable materials AnBio have been successfully applied to produce AnEco branded products in Vietnam, welcomed by consumers, hotel chains and F&B businesses.

For the past 5 years, plastic waste pollution has been a big problem, becoming more and more serious and concerned by the entire Vietnamese society. Being the 4^th country with the largest amount of plastic waste discharged into the ocean (according to a report by the United Nations Environment Program), Vietnam is urgently making efforts to improve this issue. It sets the first priority to raise public awareness, reduce the use of disposable plastic products, and to use environmentally safe and sustainable alternative products.

Compostable products AnEco using AnBio materials

Grasping this demand of the society, An Phat Holdings has thoroughly researched and successfully produced compostable products AnEco using green materials provided by AnBio.

With various kinds of materials suitable for different production technologies and applications, AnBio has become the input materials for a wide variety of AnEco products:

– BG8800 is used to produce all kinds of AnEco bags including food bags, shopping bags and trash bags, applying blow-molding technology;

– Anbio S3 is used to produce AnEco straws, applying extrusion technology;

– BG4400 is used to produce AnEco cutlery, applying injection molding technology;

– Anbio CTR02 is used to produce AnEco glove, applying blow-molding technology.

Gradually improving machines, improving operating expertise and skills to match the technical features of the compostable materials AnBio, An Phat Holdings has been constantly developing AnEco green product range, starting with bags, then cutlery, straw, glove, etc.

Conquering the vast market

With their eco-friendliness as completely decomposing into humus, water, and CO2 within 6-12 months, all of AnEco’s products are quickly welcomed and loved in the Vietnamese market.

AnEco’s distribution system has been continuously expanding and the products are now present in most of large and small supermarkets across the country such as BigC, Lotte Mart, Aeon, Mega Market …

Furthermore, by 2020, AnEco has been exported to 20 countries around the world, conquering even the most demanding markets such as the US, Canada, Japan and many European countries (UK, Germany, France, Ireland, Netherlands, Austria, Finland, etc.).

Optimal production costs with AnBio raw materials

The special thing is that all of AnBio compostable materials can be applied on the production line of conventional plastic products. The necessary customization is done meticulously but does not require too much replacement or new investment. With technology and technical supports from AnBio experts, all common plastic product manufacturers are able to operate their lines to produce compostable products, meeting the growing demand of the market.

It can be said that the success of AnEco brand in Vietnam and other countries is the most convincing evidence of the feasibility, flexibility and vast potential of AnBio compostable materials. Currently, AnBio is cooperating with manufacturing partners in many different countries to deploy widely the application of this material, in order to realize its mission of “greening” the living environment for present and future generations.

TCVN 13114: 2020 is the first standard of Vietnam to help accurately define materials and products that are compostable.

In Vietnam, Vietnam Standards and Quality Institute (VSQI) – a science and technology organization under the Directorate for Standards, Metrology and Quality is the unit responsible for developing national standards and regulations.

Recently, VSQI’s Technical Division has successfully researched the National Standard TCVN 13114:2020 – Plastic capable of composting – Technical requirements and testing methods provide requirements for the plastic to be capable of composting, helping to reduce the current plastic waste problem.

TCVN 13114:2020 was officially announced on December 21, 2020. This is also the first Vietnamese standard to accurately identify materials and products that capable of composting.

With the strength of being the first Vietnamese enterprise to successfully produce raw materials and compostable products with many international certifications, An Phat Holdings has actively participated in contributing ideas to improve national standard – TCVN 13114: 2020.

Regarding compostable products researched and manufactured by An Phat Holdings, this is the first product line in Vietnam that is rated 100% environmentally friendly, decompose in 6-12 months, after decomposition produces humus, CO2 and water.

According to An Phat Holdings, these products are made from AnBio compostable materials supplied by AnBio Joint Stock Company (a member of An Phat Holdings). These materials are imported by AnBio from Europe or from An Phat Holdings’ factory in Korea.

Besides the potential of green products and materials provided by AnBio, An Phat Holdings also prioritizes investment in research and development of new materials and products, owns a team of experts. The Group always willing to share resources to promote the completion of standards for green materials and products in Vietnam.

After the success of TCVN 13114:2020, recently, on January 13, 2020, An Phat Holdings and Vietnam Standards and Quality Institute (VSQI) successfully signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in the field of mutual interest, period 2021 – 2023.

In the coming time, Vietnam will improve standards for environmentally friendly materials and products, making significant contributions to promoting the green consumption trend.

What does “biodegradable plastic” mean? Can biodegradable plastics help reduce plastic pollution? What policies should be in place to ensure that biodegradable plastics are beneficial to the environment, compared with non-biodegradable plastics?

In January 2021, the European Commission’s Scientific Advice Mechanism published two major documents dealing with these questions:

The SAPEA Evidence Review Report presents the latest scientific evidence on the biodegradability of plastics in the open environment.

The Group of Chief Scientific Advisors’ Scientific Opinion, informed by this evidence, presents key policy recommendations to inform the European Commission’s forthcoming policy framework on plastics.

In the Evidence Review Report, a working group of leading experts nominated by academies across Europe conclude that biodegradable plastic has a role to play in reducing the accumulation of plastics in the environment. However, its role is limited to some specific applications. In other cases, including single-use packaging and plastic bags, it would be better to reduce the amount of plastic we use — or to re-use it, recycle it, or, where we can, compost it in industrial plants.

The SAPEA experts also stress that calling something ‘biodegradable’ does not mean that it will biodegrade in all conditions. Whether an item will biodegrade harmlessly depends not only on the item itself, but which environment it ends up in, what it breaks down into, and how long that takes.

Informed by this evidence, the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors provide recommendations on which specific applications of biodegradable plastics in the open environment offer potential benefits over conventional plastics. The Advisors are seven eminent scientists, appointed in their personal capacities, who advise the European Commissioners on issues of public interest.

In their Opinion, the Advisors recommend:

• Limiting the use of biodegradable plastics in the open environment to specific applications for which reduction, reuse, and recycling are not feasible, rather than as a solution for inappropriate waste management or littering;
• Supporting the development of coherent testing and certification standards to realize the potential environmental benefits over conventional plastics;
• To promote the supply of accurate information on the properties, appropriate use and disposal, and limitations of biodegradable plastics and their applications to relevant user groups.

The recommendations will contribute to the forthcoming Commission’s policy framework related to bio-based, biodegradable and compostable plastics, and help define the main challenges and policy actions needed in this area.

Source: sapea.info

In the Evidence Review Report, a working group of leading experts nominated by academies across Europe conclude that biodegradable plastic has a role to play in reducing the accumulation of plastics in the environment. However, its role is limited to some specific applications. In other cases, including single-use packaging and plastic bags, it would be better to reduce the amount of plastic we use — or to re-use it, recycle it, or, where we can, compost it in industrial plants.

The SAPEA experts also stress that calling something ‘biodegradable’ does not mean that it will biodegrade in all conditions. Whether an item will biodegrade harmlessly depends not only on the item itself, but which environment it ends up in, what it breaks down into, and how long that takes.

Informed by this evidence, the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors provide recommendations on which specific applications of biodegradable plastics in the open environment offer potential benefits over conventional plastics. The Advisors are seven eminent scientists, appointed in their personal capacities, who advise the European Commissioners on issues of public interest.

In their Opinion, the Advisors recommend:

• Limiting the use of biodegradable plastics in the open environment to specific applications for which reduction, reuse, and recycling are not feasible, rather than as a solution for inappropriate waste management or littering;
• Supporting the development of coherent testing and certification standards to realize the potential environmental benefits over conventional plastics;
• To promote the supply of accurate information on the properties, appropriate use and disposal, and limitations of biodegradable plastics and their applications to relevant user groups.

The recommendations will contribute to the forthcoming Commission’s policy framework related to bio-based, biodegradable and compostable plastics, and help define the main challenges and policy actions needed in this area.

Source: sapea.info

The results of the European Bioplastics (EUBP) annual maket data update, presented today at the 15^th EUBP Conference, confirm the continued dynamic growth of the global bioplastics industry. “Our industry has successfully weathered the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. An the outlook for bioplastics is also promising as the global market is predicted to grow by 36% over the next 5 years”, says François de Bie, Chairman of European Bioplastics.

The global bioplastics production capacity is set to increase from around 2.1 million tonnes in 2020 to 2.8 million tonnes in 2025. Innovative biopolymers, such as bio-based PP (polypropylene) and especially PHAs (polyhydroxyalkanoates) continue to drive this growth. Since PHAs entered the market, the share of this important polymer family continued to grow. Production capacities are set to increase successfully almost sevenfold in the next 5 years. The production of polylactic acid (PLA) will also continue to grow due to new investments in PLA production sites in China, the US, and in Europe. Currently, biodegradable plastics account for almost 60 percent of the global bioplastics production capacities. PHA and PLA are bio-based, biodegradable, and feature a wide array of physical and mechanical properties.

Packaging remains the largest field of application for bioplastics with almost 47 percent (0.99 million tonnes) of the total bioplastics market in 2020. The data also confirms that bioplastics materials are already being used in many other sectors, and the portfolio of application continues to diversify. Segments, such as consumer goods or agriculture and horticulture products, continue to increase their relative share.

With a view to regional capacity development, Asia remains a major production hub with over 46 percent of bioplastics currently being produced there. Presently, one fourth of the production capacity is located in Europe. This share is predicted to grow to up to 28 percent by 2025.

The land used to grow the renewable feedstock for the production of bioplastics is estimated to be 0.7 million hectares in 2020 and continues to account for 0.015 percent of the global agricultural area of 4.7 billion hectares. Despite the market growth predicted in the next five years, the land use share for bioplastics will only slightly increase to 0.02 percent.

Source: bioplastics.org.au

The United Kingdom (UK) Government has issued a policy paper outlining a new tax, the Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT). This new tax applies to plastic packaging produced in, or imported into the UK, that does not contain at least 30% recycled plastic. Plastic packaging is packaging that is predominantly plastic by weight. It will not apply to any plastic packaging which contains at least 30% recycled plastic, or any packaging which is not predominantly plastic by weight. Imported plastic packaging will be liable to the tax, whether the packaging is unfilled or filled.

The UK Government has stated that the aim of this new tax is to provide an economic incentive for businesses to use recycled material in the production of plastic packaging, which will create greater demand for this material. In turn, this will stimulate increased levels of recycling and collection of plastic waste, diverting it away from landfills or incineration.

It has indicated that PPT will affect UK producers of plastic packaging, importers of plastic packaging, business customers of producers and importers of plastic packaging, and consumers who buy goods packed in plastic packaging in the UK. However, there will be an exemption for producers and importers of small amounts of plastic packaging.

The tax will take effect from April 2020. Key features of the tax include:

• The £200 per tonne tax rate for packaging with less than 30% recycled plastic, and will apply to plastic packaging manufactured in, or imported into the UK.
• There will be an exemption for businesses who manufacture and/or import less than 10 metric tons of plastic packaging in a 12-month period.
• The tax will not be chargeable on plastic packaging which:
• Has 30% or more recycled plastic content
• Is made of multiple materials of which plastic is not proportionately the heaviest when measured by weight
• Is manufactured or imported for use as immediate packaging of licensed human medicines
• Is in use as transport packaging to import products into the UK
• Is exported, filled or unfilled, unless it is in use as transport packaging to export products out of the UK

Source: gov.uk