Starpol Stanleco will use the PLA in its version, called Starpol 2000 in a deal with NatureWorks. PLA can be produced from maize and other plants. It is a biodegradable, compostable plastic material. The material is available in a range of blends and can be used in sheet or film form for a diverse range of products including food containers. Stanelco said its Starpol 2000 has been approved for all food contact in the EU following analysis and testing carried out by the Packaging International Research Association (PIRAInternational). Food contact approval has also been granted for Starpol 2000 for fruit and vegetables in the US, with tests continuing for contact with all other food types to meet Food and Drug Administration standards. Starpol 2000 is a PLA available in both flexible and rigid forms

Mater-biDue to the characteristics of biodegradability and compostability, Mater-Bi products allow to optimize waste collection and management, to reduce environmental impact and to contribute to the development of virtuous systems with significant advantages along all the production-consumption-disposal cycle.

Characteristics

Mater-Bi biopolymers can be classified according different typologies or grades. The vegetable components are of various kinds (cellulose, glycerin, natural fillers and non-genetically modified starch obtained from various crops) and are all extracted from plantations that do not exploit virgin or deforested land.For example, corn starch, traditionally one of the first plant components to be used in Mater-Bi, is a substance that has been widely used for decades as an industrial additive to produce a large number of products such as paper. The corn used is not genetically modified and is grown in Europe following the usual agronomic practices adopted by European farms. It is extracted directly from the grains and subjected to physical changes designed to maintain its natural characteristics. This makes the process efficient, reducing the use of resources to a minimum. The grades of Mater-Bi containing starch are covered by a wide range of patents and present highly diversified structures in which the starch either forms a complex with the other polymer components or presents a very fine dispersed morphology, which makes the products particularly tough.

Other grades of Mater-Bi do not contain starch but simply biodegradable polymers produced using raw materials coming from renewable sources or fossil-derived raw materials. The substances obtained from fossil resources are only used when their renewable equivalents are not available on an industrial level. Vegetable oils used as a raw material for polymers come from non-genetically modified crops (no use is made of palm oil or soybean oil).The properties of Mater-Bi grades vary considerably. As regards their mechanical properties, the products range from those with a low modulus and extremely high toughness to stiff products that tend to be brittle. As for their transparency, the products range from lactescent to transparent. All commercial grades may be transformed using blow moulding, casting, extrusion/thermoforming and injection moulding machines for traditional plastics.Mater-Bi waste may therefore be recovered through biological recycling (that is, composting and anaerobic digestion) together with kitchen and garden waste. Biodegradation in household compost and soil is also guaranteed for many grades. The biodegradability of the waste can certainly not be taken as an excuse for dumping it in a wood or the sea but, if an accidental spillage takes place, Mater-Bi will undergo biodegradation even in the marine environment.

Cereplast (Country: USA, Europe, India)Biobased carbon content: 30-100%

Product: Cereplast creates a wide range of biobased, compostable and sustainable bioplastic resins to meet surging consumer and industrial demand for alternatives to traditional plastics.

Material: Cereplast Compostables resins are made from renewable resources and are ecologically sound substitutes for fossil fuel-based plastics, replacing nearly 100% of the petroleum-based additives used in traditional plastics. The resins are starch-based and gluten-free, made from corn, tapioca and potato starches that primarily come from the American Midwest. Cereplast Compostables resins are used for single-use disposables and packaging including cups, straws, cutlery, and bags. Cereplast Sustainables resins are biobased, replacing up to 95%+ of the petroleum content used in traditional plastics. The resins are suitable for durable applications and can be used in a range of markets including automotive, consumer goods, fashion accessories, consumer electronics, medical packaging, cosmetics packaging, toys, furniture, office supplies, home accessories, and construction. The Cereplast Sustainables family includes the Cereplast Bio-polyolefins grades (formerly named Cereplast Hybrid Resins), which provide a lower carbon footprint compared to conventional resins. Learn more about their third-party Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).

PSMPSM BIOPLASTICAll-natural corn based resins for blown film, thermoforming, injection molding, and foaming manufacturing applications. Resins are biodegradable, compostable, and sustainable and contain no petrolium products. Often PSM resin can be run on existing equipment used for plastic processing without modifications. Superior to other bioplastics in terms of its very high heat resistance (can be used for microwavable food containers), its competetive price, and the fact that it is readily available in very large volumes. PSM is an excellent fit for disposable items, especially in the food service and packaging fields because of its high heat characteristics, resistance to fats and oils, and biodegradability. PSM is water soluable or photo degradable, but degrades quickly in soil, compost conditions, or sea water.

Biopar BIOP Biopolymer Technologies AG offers potato starch based biodegradable biopolymers for producing polyethylene products. Its bio-plastic granulates are used in various applications, such as mono-films, co-ex films, injection molding, blow molding, thermo forming, barrier packing, food packing, fruit and vegetable packing, carrying bags, waste bags, paper, textile, lubricants for oil drilling, glues, and wall paints, as well as in food and non-food, low and high barrier, breathable and non breathable, laminating, coating, printable without corona treatment, and polyolefin multi layered combinations.

PlanticPlantic is a bioplastic developed by Plantic Technologies Limited that is known for its edibleness and its tendency to disperse swiftly in water. It is a material that is derived from high-amylose corn starch that is used in food and beverage packaging. Notable companies such as Visy Industries and Nestl use have started using this product due to its advantages and environmentally friendly properties.

Evercorn"GRASTAR" provides a superior excipient suitablefor Orally Disintegrating Tablets (ODTs)GRASTARCharacteristicsAdequate hardness and disintegration characteristics when tableted directlyHigh fluidity for tablet formationEasy to handle in tableting processComprised of 100% NON-GMO cornstarch

Mobility and tablets properties of GRASTAR and Corn Starch compared