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A prosperous future for environmentally biodegradable plastics in Central Europe
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Transcript of A prosperous future for environmentally biodegradable plastics in Central Europe
This project is implemented through the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme co-financed by the ERDF
A ROADMAP FOR ACTION – FROM SCIENCE TO INNOVATION IN THE
VALUE CHAIN
2
3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. PLASTICE PROJECT 4
2. MAIN CHALLENGES FOR CENTRAL EUROPE 5
3. VALUE CHAIN DEVELOPMENT 7
4. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 11
4.1. Characterization of the solid-state physical properties of polymers available on
the market 11
4.2. Characterization of the compositions and molecular structures of polymer
materials available on the market 12
4.3. Modification of polymer properties using chemical routes 12
4.4. Modification of polymer properties using physical routes 13
4.5. Optimization of the processing of environmental biodegradable polymers 13
4.6. Development support in industrial production processes 14
4.7. Research on functional properties 15
4.8. Biodegradation and compostability testing 16
5. CONTACTS 17
6. GLOSSARY 18
APPENDIX – CASE STUDIES 23
4
1. PLASTICE PROJECT
The PLASTICE project began in April 2011 under the Central Europe Program. In total, 13 partners –
including companies, business support organizations and research institutions – from Italy, Poland, the
Slovak Republic and Slovenia joined forces to identify barriers and to promote value chain
development for sustainable plastics, specifically environmentally biodegradable plastics.
The general project objective is “creating framework conditions for enhancing the development of the
biodegradable plastics market in Central Europe as an innovative test bed for new product
applications in selected industries”. The industry sector with the greatest immediate potential for
biodegradable plastics is the packaging sector (food containers, wraps, nets and foams). This sector
includes the production of plastic bags for the collection and composting of green waste and super-
market carrier bags that are increasingly subjected to environmental scrutiny. Biodegradable plastics
can also be used in a number of other disposable or single-use applications intended for general use
(disposable plates and bowls, cold drink cups, cutlery, etc.) or specialized applications (sporting
accessories, agriculture, etc.), although the applications are not exclusively limited to these sectors.
The roadmap presented herein aims to support application-oriented cooperation between research
institutions and companies in Central Europe in the field of environmentally biodegradable plastics. By
bringing together knowledge and competencies available in the respective institutions, this roadmap
helps to guide producers through the process from research to commercialization of new
environmentally biodegradable plastics and their applications. A set of case studies illustrates
important issues to be considered when starting the production of environmentally biodegradable
plastics and their applications.
This document was prepared within the Work Package 3 of the project Innovative Value
Chain Development for Sustainable Plastics in Central Europe (PLASTiCE), co-financed
under the Central Europe Programme by the European Regional Development Fund.
5
2. MAIN CHALLENGES FOR CENTRAL EUROPE
The plastics industry in the European Union is represented by more than 59,000 companies –
most of which are small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) - and is generating a turnover
of approximately 300 billion euros per year1. Although the economic downturn between
2008 and 2012 in the European Union has negatively influenced sales figures in many
industrial sectors, the plastics market in Central Europe is dynamically growing again after
going through a two-year depression. We have witnessed several mergers and acquisitions
in the plastics industry during the last three years, as well as growing market opportunities for
new applications in the automotive, aviation, medical, electronics and white goods sectors.
However, from the environmental perspective, the disposal of plastics is still of major concern
among European policy makers. Plastics are being applied almost everywhere, and the
demand for plastics increases every year. This creates severe challenges for waste
management and has a great impact on the environment because only a small fraction of
plastic waste is being recycled.
In March 2013, the European Commission launched the “Green Paper on a European
Strategy on Plastic Waste in the Environment”2 as part of a broader review of the European
waste legislation. Prior to this report, plastic waste was only addressed in the Packaging and
Packaging Waste Directive 94/62/EC, which included specific recycling targets for
household waste. The European Commission took an important step towards producer
responsibility in the waste management process in the Directive on Waste 2008/98/EC
(article 8). In 2011, the European plastics industry launched the idea of a zero plastics to
landfill principle by 2020. If the European Commission and the national governments follow
this recommendation, it would cause a severe challenge for Central Europe, where a major
portion of plastic waste still ends up in landfills.
The World Business Council for Sustainable Development foresees that the world will need a
4- to 10-fold increase in resource efficiency by 2050 to meet the demand for final products
and applications3. Presently, cheap plastic gadgets, fun articles, short life toys, plastic carrier
bags and other single-use products are often available at prices that do not reflect their full
environmental costs4. A system reflecting the true environmental costs, from the extraction of
raw materials to production, distribution and disposal, would help to consider other
solutions, for example, the introduction of environmentally biodegradable plastics.
1 Plastics – the Facts 2012, An analysis of European plastics production, demand and waste data for 2011, PlasticsEurope, 2012, page 3
2 Green Paper “On a European Strategy on Plastic Waste in the Environment”, Brussels, 7.3.2013, COM(2013) 123 final
3 Communication from the Commission to the European parliament, the council, the European Economic and Social
Committee and the Committee of the Regions, Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe, Brussels, 20.9.2011, COM(2011) 571 final, page 2
4 Green Paper “On a European Strategy on Plastic Waste in the Environment”, Brussels, 7.3.2013, COM(2013) 123 final, page 15
6
Although Europe as a whole has been a global leader in biodegradable plastics during the
past decade, the United States of America and Asian countries are dynamically developing
new applications. Central Europe is still lagging behind in its concern of the production and
consumption of biodegradable plastics applications. Industrial pioneers in this area involved
in the PLASTICE project noted the following barriers to overcome:
Functional properties of biodegradable plastics have to be improved;
Know-how on ways to increase the shelf life of biodegradable packaging should be
gained;
The implementation of the transformation process from traditional plastics to
biodegradable plastics should be better managed in close cooperation with external
partners, including material suppliers and research institutes;
The waste treatment systems should be provided with infrastructure to better segregate
biodegradable plastics from conventional plastics.
According to estimations from Global Industry Analysts Inc., the global market for
biodegradable polymers could achieve a volume of 1.1 million tons by 20175. To support the
development process of biodegradable plastics, the European Commission has set an
important milestone in its Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe: “By 2020, scientific
breakthroughs and sustained innovation efforts have dramatically improved how we
understand, manage, reduce the use, reuse, recycle, substitute and safeguard and value
resources. This has been made possible by substantial increases in investment, coherence in
addressing the societal challenge of resource efficiency, climate change and resilience, and
in gains from smart specialization and cooperation within the European research area.”6
More specifically, between 2014 and 2020, the European Commission will focus research
funding, among others, on supporting innovative solutions for biodegradable plastics.
Taking the above statement into account, increasing demand in packaging and single-use
product applications, growing awareness among end-users, pressuring landfill policies to
ban plastics, unpredictable petroleum costs in the next decade and technological progress in
biodegradable polymers are among the main drivers for developing the biodegradable
plastics value chain in Central Europe.
The roadmap for value chain development is focused on environmentally biodegradable
plastics, specifically compostable polymers (according to EN 13432, EN 14995,
ASTM D6400, ASTM D6868, ISO 17088, AS 4736, AS 5810 and ISO 18606), designed to
be disposed of in municipal and industrial aerobic composting facilities; based on renewable
and non-renewable resources; applied in packaging, catering or agriculture; and available
on the European market on a medium to large scale.
5 Biodegradable polymers. A global strategic business report, 2012 (www.strategyr.com)
6 Communication from the Commission to the European parliament, the council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee
of the Regions, Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe, Brussels, 20.9.2011, COM(2011) 571 final, page 9
7
3. VALUE CHAIN DEVELOPMENT
The value chain structure for environmentally biodegradable plastics is comparable to the
value chain for traditional plastics. However, in the case of traditional plastics, more
attention is focused on the recycling and reuse processes, whereas the degradation and
composting processes are taken into account with respect to environmentally biodegradable
plastics.
In each stage of the value chain, there are specific research and development hurdles to
overcome.
Companies willing to set up a biodegradable plastics production facility or planning to
modify existing processes for new biodegradable plastics applications will likely face one of
the following questions, for which this roadmap delivers a first set of answers. For more
information, contact the national information point of contact in your country.
Research institutions
Ra
w m
ate
ria
ls s
up
plie
rs
Pro
duce
rs a
nd
co
m-
po
un
de
rs o
f e
nvi
ron
.
bio
de
gra
da
ble
pla
stic
s
Downstream industries
(food packaging,
cosmetics,
pharmaceutics,…)
Distributors, retailers of biodegradable
packaging
European Directives on waste management
National laws on waste management
Certification systems
Re
use
an
d re
cyclin
g
Co
mp
ostin
g
Public and non-profit organizations responsible for awareness raising campaigns, training and advice
Rig
id o
r fl
exi
ble
pla
stic
con
vert
ers
Distributors, retail-
ers of products in
biodegradable
packaging
Co
nsu
me
rs
Characteriza-
tion of polymers
available on the
market
Modification of
polymer proper-
ties using chemi-
cal and physical
routes
Processing
of
polymers
Designing
effective
industrial
production
conditions
Application
properties of
environmentally
biodegradable
plastic products
Biodegradation
and
compostability
testing
8
Question 1: What type of biodegradable
polymers will fit best with my current
processing technology?
You should consider characterizing the solid
-state physical properties of polymers
available on the market.
Such activities include assessment of the
thermal stability, softening temperature and
mechanical properties.
This will allow you to select the most
promising polymer on the market for the
current processing technology as well as the
foreseen application.
You can find more information on page 11.
You might also consider characterizing the
compositions and molecular structures of
polymers for specific applications.
Question 2: How can I make sure that the
selected biodegradable polymer material
has the appropriate properties for my
applications? Which parameters should I
take into account to guarantee product
quality and biodegradability at the end of
the product life cycle? How can I verify
reproducibility of the polymer material I am
supplied with?
You should consider characterizing the
compositions and molecular structures of
polymer materials available on the market.
Such activities include an assessment of the
properties of final products, determination of
impurities affecting processing of the
material as well as the content and type of
filler.
This will allow you to select the proper
polymer material for your applications and
ensure that each polymer material lot
delivered by your supplier meets the
expected quality standards. You will also
obtain insight on the specific storage
(humidity, sunlight and temperature) and
processing conditions for the selected
polymer materials, as well as on the shelf life
conditions for products based on these ma-
terials. You will be able to obtain
information on the non-recyclable fractions
of your product.
You can find more information on page 12.
Question 3: How can I chemically adjust the
properties of available polymer materials to
my specific production needs?
You should consider modifying the polymer
properties using chemical routes.
Such activities include the application of
chain extenders, introduction of functional
groups and surface modification of the
product (e.g., foil for better printing).
This will allow you to tailor the properties of
the material to your specific requirements.
You can find more information on page 12.
You might also consider a research project
that could result in a patentable process.
Question 4: How can I adjust the properties
of commercially available polymer
materials by physical means to meet my
special needs?
You should consider modifying the polymer
properties using physical routes.
9
Such activities include the formation of
multicomponent materials through the
addition of plasticizers, compatibilizers,
fillers (preferably biodegradable) or
blending with another biodegradable
polymer.
This will allow you to tailor the properties of
the material to your specific requirements,
one of them being a decrease in the price of
the material.
You can find more information on page 13.
You might also consider specific research
aimed at substantially improving the
processing parameters, ultimate properties
and application performance of the
material.
Question 5: What should I do when
problems occur during processing on my
production line?
You should consider optimizing the
processing of biodegradable polymers.
Such activities include identifying the most
appropriate temperature conditions in each
of the production stages. In most cases,
processing problems arise from the low
thermal stability of biodegradable plastics.
If the processing temperature is higher than
the critical temperature, the material may
undergo degradation, leading to a
decrease in molecular weight and a drop in
viscosity. You could consider lowering the
processing temperature or decreasing the
residence time in the processing equipment.
If this is impossible (e.g., the melting
temperature of the material is too high),
applied research is recommended,
including the application of stabilizers,
chain extenders, plasticizers or other routes
that result in a decrease of the detrimental
effects of degradation.
This will allow you to use your equipment in
its current condition or with small
modifications to the technology procedure
without the need to invest in an entirely new
production line.
You can find more information on page 13.
You might also consider applied research
leading to the development of an
appropriate procedure for processing a
particular biodegradable material with the
chosen equipment and conditions.
Question 6: How should I conform or adapt
the production parameters of my
technology process?
You should consider development support
for the industrial production processes of
your product.
Such activities include testing of the
biodegradable plastic material under
laboratory production conditions, pilot
testing for new products and on-the-spot
adaptation of the technical parameters of
the technology process.
This will allow you to reduce the risk of
failure and minimize the costs of the product
start-up stage.
You can find more information on page 14.
10
Question 7: How can I obtain insight into the
functional properties of my biodegradable
product?
You should consider analyzing the functional
properties of your product in concrete
application areas.
Such activities include the determination of
the aging properties of polymer materials,
barrier properties of polymer materials (gas
permeation), thermo-mechanical properties
of polymer materials, durability and
shelf-life properties.
This will allow you to offer a product on the
market that meets the specific transport,
storage, shelf-life and composting
requirements.
You can find more information on page 15.
Question 8: How can I confirm that my
product is really compostable according to
industrial or home composting standards?
You should consider biodegradation and
compostability testing.
Such activities include the determination of
heavy metal contents, testing of
disintegration and fragmentation and
eco-toxicity testing (plant growth on
compost).
This will allow you to obtain information on
whether your product is eligible for
certification and for receiving respective
symbols or marks. You will be able to inform
final consumers about the compostability of
the product.
You can find more information on page 16.
Question 9: How can I determine the
percentage of renewable/biogenic carbon
in my product?
You should consider determining the
biobased content according to the ASTM
D6866 standard.
Such activities include the determination of
organic carbon content and determination
of renewable/biogenic carbon content
using one of the methods described in the
ASTM D6866 for isotope activity
determination.
This will allow you to obtain information on
the percentage of biobased contents in your
material, which is important for certification
and marketing activities on promoting the
sustainability of your products.
11
4. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Here, you will find an overview of the research and development activities to be taken into
account when considering the development and production of environmentally
biodegradable polymers, the production of environmentally biodegradable plastics products
or when planning to use environmentally biodegradable packaging for your products.
4.1. Characterization of the solid-state physical properties of polymers available on
the market
If you want to… …consider the following research activity … to obtain more
information on…
Estimated
delivery time
Select a polymer
with appropriate
thermal stability
features
Analysis of the thermal stability (degradation
temperature) of single- or multi-component
materials (by thermogravimetric analysis,
from RT to 900°C in an inert atmosphere or
air)
The temperature range in
which the polymer can be
safely processed
3 days
(single
sample)
7-14 days
(up to 10
samples)
Obtain insight on
the thermal
degradation
behavior of a
polymer
Analysis of the thermal stability and mass
spectrometry of volatiles (by TGA-MS, from
RT to 900°C) and changes in molecular
weight (GPC)
The degradation fractions
released by the polymer
during thermal treatment
3 days
(single
sample)
7-14 days
(up to 10
samples)
Assess the
specific softening
temperature of a
polymer
Analysis of thermal transitions (glass,
crystallization and melting transitions by
determination of the transition temperatures
and of the respective specific heat incre-
ments; crystallization and melting enthalpies
by differential scanning calorimetry in the
temperature range of -100°C to 250°C with
liquid nitrogen cooling), 2 scans per sample
The processing
temperature window, the
setup of processing
parameters and the
temperature range of use
of a processed item
14-30 days
(depending
on the
number of
samples)
Verify the
mechanical
properties of the
polymer material
Evaluation of mechanical properties at room
temperature (elastic modulus, stress and
strain at yield and break by tensile testing
with statistical analysis of the results for a
minimum of 8 specimens)
Material performance in
terms of strength, rigidity
and deformability
14-35 days
(depending
on the num-
ber of sam-
ples)
Verify the thermo-
mechanical be-
havior of the
polymer material
in specific
conditions
Determination of the viscoelastic relaxations
(by dynamic mechanical analysis in single-
or multi-frequency modes in the temperature
range of -150°C to 250°C)
Long-term behavior of the
material (potential aging);
material response to
vibrational strain.
21-30 days
Determine if a
fraction of the
polymer is
crystalline
Structural analysis of the crystal phase (by
wide angle X-ray powder diffraction)
Dependence of the solid-
state material behavior on
the amount of crystallinity
14 days
12
4.2. Characterization of the compositions and molecular structures of polymer
materials available on the market
4.3. Modification of polymer properties using chemical routes
If you want to… …consider the following research activity … to obtain more
information on…
Estimated
delivery time
Obtain insight on
the composition
of insoluble or
cross-linked
materials
Determination of the solid-state properties
using infrared spectroscopy (FTIR, Fourier
Transform Infrared spectrometer)
The type of polymer and
functional groups present
in the polymeric material
7-14 days
Determine if there
is any filler in the
material
Characterization of the material solubility
and determination of the polymer
percentage in the plastic
The content and type of
insoluble filler 7-21 days
Obtain insight on
the composition
of the soluble
fraction of the
material
Characterization of the polymer in the
plastic by NMR (nuclear magnetic
resonance) spectroscopy
The chemical structure of
the selected polymer
(statistical content of
particular units)
7-21 days
Determine if your
polymer material
has suitable
molecular weight
for the specific
application
Evaluation of the polymer molecular weight
using the GPC technique (gel permeation
chromatography)
The molar mass, molar
mass dispersity as well as
branching degree
7-21 days
Identify which
organic additives
your plastic
contains
Analysis of the additives using mass
spectrometry (LCMS-IT-TOF, hybrid mass
spectrometer)
The chemical structures of
the organic additives 7-21 days
Determine
whether your
PHA is a physical
blend or
copolymer
Sequence analysis of PHA using NMR and
mass spectrometry techniques
The chemical homogeneity
of the PHA samples 7-21 days
If you want to… …consider the following research activity … to obtain more
information on…
Estimated
delivery time
Obtain insight on
the ultimate
properties and
processing
parameters
Determination of the physical properties of
polymeric materials
The mechanical
properties, viscosity, flow
curves, gas permeation
and flammability of the
material
3-14 days
Identify how to
change
properties of the
commercially
available
material
Modification of polymers to achieve specific
properties, i.e., crosslinking of polymers for
better solvent resistance
The development of
tailored material
according to specific
requirements
30 days
(up to 2 years
in the case of
tailored
applied
research)
Understand how
to achieve spe-
cial surface prop-
erties
Modification of polymers to achieve specific
properties, i.e., increased polymer surface
polarity for better printability, adhesion and
thermal and oxidative stability
The development of
tailored surface material
properties to specific
requirements
30 days
(up to 2 years
in the case of
tailored
applied
research)
13
4.4. Modification of polymer properties using physical routes
4.5. Optimization of the processing of environmentaly biodegradable
polymers
If you want to… …consider the following research activity … to obtain more
information on…
Estimated
delivery time
Change
properties by
adding
low–molecular
weight additives
Modification of the properties of a particular
polymer by adding low-molecular weight
additives, e.g., plasticizers, chain extenders,
stabilizers, or by blending with small
quantities of another polymer to achieve the
desired properties
The development of a
tailored material
according to specific
requirements
30 days
(up to 2 years in
the case of
tailored applied
research)
Change
properties by
blending with
other polymers
Blending two polymers over their full
concentration range to give the desired
properties, achieved by modification of the
interface and compatibility of the
components
Development of
tailored material
according to your
requirements
30 days
(up to 2 years in
the case of
tailored applied
research)
Change
properties by
adding fillers
Preparation of composites based on a
polymeric matrix with tailored properties via
modification of the interface
The possibilities to
lower overall material
costs by adding
low-cost additives with
marginal or no
changes in required
properties
30 days
(up to 2 years in
the case of
tailored applied
research)
If you want to … …consider the following research activity … to obtain more
information on…
Estimated
delivery time
Optimize the
processing route
for a particular
polymer material
Determination of the processing parameters
of selected polymer materials
The parameters of the
new production line to
be installed or the
technology procedure
manual for your current
production line
7-30 days
14
4.6. Development support in industrial production processes
If you want to… …consider the following research activity … to obtain more
information on…
Estimated
delivery time
Determine
whether your
production line
will be capable
of processing the
selected polymer
material for film
production
Laboratory scale production of films,
including research on processing and
blending, production of master batches
combined with injection molding, production
of specimens for material testing and
recording of the rheological properties
The pilot conditions for
material processing 7-14 days
Determine
whether your
production line
will be capable
of processing the
selected polymer
material for
flexible packag-
ing production
Laboratory scale production of flexible
packaging
The behavior of the
melting and film
blowing processing
properties of the
product you intend to form
7-14 days
Identify the most
appropriate
processing
parameters
Support of pilot production on-site
The processing
parameters that allow you
to minimize quality and
cost risks
1-45 days
Obtain insight on
possible changes
that might occur
in the physical
properties of the
material after
processing
Controlling the mechanical properties of the
product during the production process, i.e.,
mechanical property measurements (Instron
model 4204 tensile tester)
The probability of
degradation and
crystallization in the
processing and
product storage stage as
well as the additives you
should consider
7-14 days
Verify whether
the material
molecular prop-
erties change
during processing
Controlling the molecular weight of the
product after the production process
The degree of
degradation of the
material during processing
7-21 days
15
4.7. Research on functional properties
*Average delivery time, including preparation, testing and reporting. Times can vary based
on the actual laboratory queue
If you want to… …consider the following research activity … to obtain more
information on…
Estimated
delivery time
Obtain insight on
product durability
under specific
storage and
usage conditions
Xenotest method used to determine the
material behavior in natural conditions
Product shelf life and
lifetime 120 days*
Obtain insight on
the ecological
impact of the
material
Determination of the total organic carbon
and bio-based content of the polymer
materials
How much renewable
carbon is in your
material
30 days*
Understand how
gases are trans-
mitted through the
product
Testing the permeability of water vapor,
oxygen and carbon dioxide
Possible applications
of the product in
downstream industries
(fresh food, frozen
food)
14 days*
Identify possible
applications for
selected materials
and products
based on them
Determination of tensile properties (stress at
break, elongation at break, modulus of elas-
ticity, etc.)
Determination of tear resistance
Determination of impact resistance using the
free-falling dart method
Mechanical properties
for specific
applications, such as
durability
14 days*
Understand more
about closure and
sealing
opportunities of
your material or
product
Sealing properties (max load at break,
sealing resistance, etc.)
Hot-tack seal testing
How and under which
conditions your
material seals
14 days*
Obtain insight on
the
physical-chemical
properties of the
product
DSC (differential scanning calorimetry) and
FT-IR (infrared spectroscopy)
The application tem-
perature range of your
product and its
suitability for specific
applications
7 days*
Determine
whether your
product is appro-
priate for food
applications
Sensory analysis
Overall and specific migration testing of low
-molecular substances into foodstuffs
How taste and smell
are transferred from
the material to the
food product
What substances travel
from the material to the
food product
30-60 days*
Verify the
presence of
dangerous
impurities
Testing of the monomer content in plastic
materials and of the emission of volatile
substances
The processing risks
leading to difficulties in
certification 30 days*
16
4.8. Biodegradation and compostability testing
If you want to… …consider the following research activity … to obtain more
information on…
Estimated
delivery time
Verify how
quickly your ma-
terial
disintegrates in
compost
Disintegration testing under laboratory
condi t ions: pre l iminary tes ts of
biodegradation on the packaging material
using simulated composting conditions in a
laboratory-scale test according to EN
14806: 2010
The compostability
potential of your material 120 days
Understand how
well your
material
biodegrades
Degradation under laboratory conditions:
hydrolytic degradation test in water or a
buffer solution (degradation tests of
biodegradable polymers in simple aging
media to predict the behavior of the
polymers)
The degradation
potential of your
material in specific media
Up to 180
days
(depending
on the type
of
materials and
the standard)
Understand how
well your
material
biodegrades
Degradation and compostability testing
under laboratory conditions: laboratory
degradation in compost using a
r e s p i ro me t ry t e s t ( Res p i r o me te r
Micro-Oxymax S/N 110315, Columbus
Instruments, for measuring CO2 under
laboratory conditions according to EN ISO
14855-1:2009 - Determination of the
ultimate aerobic biodegradability of plastic
materials under controlled composting
conditions - Method by analysis of evolved
carbon dioxide - Part 2: Gravimetric
measurement of carbon dioxide evolved in a
laboratory-scale test)
The compostability
potential of your
material
Up to 180
days
(depending
on the type
of
materials and
the standard)
Obtain feedback
on whether your
product might
receive the
necessary
certification and
labels
(Bio)degradation and compostability testing
at composting facilities (tests of
biodegradable material in an industrial
composting pile or a KNEER container
composting system)
The conditions for
getting your product
certified and obtaining the
right to mark it with a
compostability label
Up to 180
days
(depending
on the type
of
materials and
the standard)
17
5. CONTACTS
For more information contact your national information point.
For Italy,
Austria
University of Bologna, Department of Chemistry ‘G. Ciamician’
Mariastella Scandola, Professor, head of the Polymer Science Group
Tel./Fax: +39 0512099577/+39 0512099456
E-mail: [email protected]
For Czech
Republic,
Slovak
Republic
Polymer Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences
Ivan Chodak, Senior scientist, Professor
Tel./Fax: +421 2 3229 4340 / +421 2 5477 5923
E-mail: [email protected]
Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava
Dušan Bakoš, Professor
Tel./Fax: +421 903 238191, +421 2 59325439, fax +421 2 52495381
E-mail: [email protected]
For
Slovenia,
Balkan
States
National Institute of Chemistry, Laboratory for Polymer Chemistry and
Technology
Andrej Kržan, Senior research associate
Tel./Fax: +386 1 47 60 296
E-mail: [email protected]
Center of Excellence Polymer Materials and Technologies (CO PoliMaT)
Urska Kropf, Researcher
Tel./Fax: +386 3 42 58 400
E-mail: [email protected]
For Poland,
Baltic States
Polish Academy of Sciences, Centre of Polymer and Carbon Materials
Marek Kowalczuk, Head of the Biodegradable Materials Department
Tel./Fax: +48 32 271 60 77/+48 32 271 29 69
E-mail: [email protected]
COBRO—Packaging Research Institute
Hanna Żakowska, Deputy Director for Research
Tel./Fax: +48 22 842 20 11 ext. 18
E-mail: [email protected]
18
6. GLOSSARY
Polymer - macromolecule composed of many repeating units.
A polymer (poly-mer from Greek: poly - many, meros - parts) is normally considered to be an
organic compound, although inorganic polymers are also known. Polymers can contain
thousands of repeating units (monomers) arranged in a linear or branched fashion and can
reach molecular weights greater than one million Daltons (Dalton = g/mol).
Polymers are found in nature or are man-made (artificial, synthetic). Natural polymers
(= biopolymers) are specific and crucial constituents of living organisms. Polymers are mainly
polysaccharides (e.g., cellulose, starch and glycogen) and proteins (e.g., gluten, collagen
and enzymes), although many other forms are also known, such as lignin and polyesters. Man
-made polymers are a large and diverse group of compounds not known in nature. They are
synthesized through chemical or biochemical methods. The global annual production of
man-made polymers was estimated to be 230 million tons in 2009 (Plastics – The Facts
2010).
The main use of man-made polymers is in the production of plastics. Polymers are
distinguished from plastics in that they are pure compounds, whereas plastics are formulated
materials ready for use.
Biopolymer – polymer formed by living organisms.*
Biopolymers (= natural polymers) are crucial constituents of living organisms, including
proteins, nucleic acids and polysaccharides. They are mainly polysaccharides (e.g.,
cellulose, starch and glycogen) and proteins (e.g., gluten, collagen and enzymes), although
many other forms are also known, such as lignin, polyesters, etc. Alternative 1: fully or
partially bio-based polymer (CEN/TR 15932:2009)
* Adapted based on PAC, 1992, 64, 143 (Glossary for chemists of terms used in biotechnology (IUPAC
Recommendations 1992)), definition on page 148
Plastics – polymer-based materials that are characterized by their plasticity.
The main component of plastics (from Greek: plastikos - fit for molding, plastos - molded) is
polymers, which are “formulated” by the addition of additives and fillers to yield the
technological material – plastics. Plastics are defined by their plasticity – a state of a viscous
fluid at some point during its processing.
According to EN ISO 472: Plastics - Material that contains a high polymer as an essential
ingredient and that can be shaped by flow at some stage in its processing into finished
products.
Biodegradation – breakdown of a substance by biological activity.
Biodegradation must involve the action of living organisms in the degradation process;
however, it can be combined with other abiotic processes. Biodegradation occurs through
the action of enzymes applied either as digestive systems in living organisms and/or as
isolated or excreted enzymes. Organisms carry out biodegradation on substrates that are
19
recognized as food and serve as a source of nutrients. The end products of biodegradation are common products of digestion, such as carbon dioxide, water, biomass or methane. This
final step is known as ultimate biodegradability or biological mineralization. For practical
purposes, the rate of biodegradation and the final products of biodegradation should be
known.
Biodegradable plastics (Environmentally biodegradable plastics) – plastics susceptible to
biodegradation.
The degradation process of biodegradable plastics can include different parallel or
subsequent abiotic and biotic steps; however, it must include the step of biological
mineralization. Biodegradation of plastics occurs if the organic material of plastics is used as
a source of nutrients by the biological system (organism).
Biodegradable plastics can be based on a renewable-biomass (i.e., starch) or
nonrenewable-fossil (i.e., oil) feedstocks processed in a chemical or biotechnological
process. The source or process by which biodegradable plastics are produced does not
influence the classification as biodegradable plastic. The biodegradation rate of a plastic
item depends, in addition to the specific plastics formulation, also on the surface-to-volume
ratio, thickness, etc.
Compostable plastics – plastics that biodegrade under the conditions, and in the timeframe,
of the composting cycle.
Composting is a method of organic waste treatment conducted under aerobic conditions
(presence of oxygen) where the organic material is converted by naturally occurring
microorganisms. During industrial composting, the temperature in the composting heap can
reach temperatures up to 70 °C. Composting is conducted in moist conditions. The
composting process takes place over months. It is important to understand that
biodegradable plastics are not necessarily compostable plastics (they can biodegrade over
a longer time period or under different conditions), whereas compostable plastics are always
biodegradable. The definition of criteria for compostable plastics is important because
materials not compatible with composting can decrease the final quality of compost.
Compostable plastics are defined by a series of national and international standards (i.e.,
EN13432 and ASTM D6900), which refer to industrial composting. EN13432 defines the
characteristics of a packaging material to be recognized as compostable and acceptable to
be recycled through composting of organic solid waste. EN 14995 broadens the scope to
plastics used in non-packaging applications. These standards are the basis for a number of
certification systems.
According to EN 13432, a compostable material must possess the following characteristics:
Biodegradability: capability of the compostable material to be converted into CO2
under the action of microorganisms. This property is measured through the standard
EN 14046 (also published as ISO 14855 - biodegradability under controlled
composting conditions). To demonstrate complete biodegradability, a biodegradation
level of at least 90 % must be reached in less than 6 months.
Disintegrability: physical fragmentation and loss of visibility in the final compost
measured in a pilot-scale composting test (EN 14045).
20
Absence of negative effects on the composting process
Low levels of heavy metals and absence of negative effect on the final compost
Home composting differs from industrial composting by the lower temperature in the composting heap. A plastic material must be specially tested to prove compostability under
home composting conditions.
Bioplastics – a plastic material that is biodegradable, bio-based or both.*
The term in the primary definition is widely used in the plastics industry and less in the scientific
community.
Alternative use 1: may also mean biocompatible plastics (CEN/TR 15932).
Alternative use 2: natural plastic material. There are very few known bioplastics. A leading example is
polyhydroxyalkanoates – natural thermoplastic polyesters.
* European Bioplastics
Bio-based plastics – plastics based on biomass (excluding fossilized biomass).
Plastics can be fully or partially based on biomass (= renewable resources). The use of
renewable resources should lead to a higher sustainability of plastics. Although fossil sources
are natural, they are not renewable and are not considered a basis for biobased plastics. For
defining the extent to which plastics are bio-based, see Biobased carbon content. Biobased
materials are often referred to as biomaterials, although, in professional use the terms are not
synonyms (see Biomaterial). The use of this term as a synonym to the term biobased plastics is
inappropriate and should thus be discouraged.
Biomass – material of biological origin, excluding fossilized and geologic materials
(= renewable resources) The terms biomass and renewable resources describe the same
materials from the aspect of source and time of replenishment. Renewable resource is a
resource that is replenished at a rate comparable to its exploitation rate. Biomass can be of
animal, vegetal or microbial origin.
Biobased – derived from biomass.
Biobased carbon content – content of biomass-derived carbon as mass fraction of total
organic carbon in a material.
Biobased carbon content is precisely determined by measurement of the 14C isotope content.
(14C in renewable resources is much higher than in fossil sources and the half-life is 5730
years). This method is the basis for the ASTM D6866 standard: Standard Test Methods for Determining the Biobased Content of Solid, Liquid, and Gaseous Samples Using Radiocarbon Analysis. More standards on this basis are currently under development. Certificates and
certification logos based on ASTM D6866 are available for materials of different biobased
content. “Biobased content” has the same meaning according to ASTM D6866. Closely rela-
ted “biomass content” is defined as the mass fraction of biomass sourced material (CEN/TR
15932:2009).
21
Biomaterial – material for biomedical applications
See definitions issued by the international Society for Biomaterials:
http://www.biomaterials.org/index.cfm
Sustainability – a general term that describes the resource burden of a process or product.
There are two main scopes in which sustainability is presented. The narrower focuses
exclusively on the use of material and energy resources. The broader takes account of wider
social aspects and considers sustainability to be composed of economic, social and resource
sustainability. The latter definition is seen as less well-defined because of the arbitrary nature
of parameters and criteria used, while the former has a more technical aspect.
Sustainability is most commonly described by the definition that arose at the Rio conference
on climate change: The use of resources without jeopardizing the ability of future generations to do so as well. A different definition focusing on material and energy renewability was
coined by R. Baum, Sun based in real-time. The point of both definitions is that sustainability
is not compatible with terminal and exhaustive consumption of resources. The second
definition acknowledges the sun as the sole source of energy (also needed for biomass
creation).
Key tools identified to evaluate sustainability can be grouped into four main categories:
1. Tools for Sustainable Governance (e.g., GGP);
2. Methods and tools for assessing environmental, economic and social impacts (e.g.,
LCA);
3. Tools for environmental management and certification (e.g., EMAS);
4. Tools for sustainable design (e.g., ecodesign).
Sustainability is commonly measured by the use of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), a systematic
and objective method for evaluating and quantifying the energy and environmental
consequences and potential impacts associated with a product/process/activity throughout
its entire life cycle from the acquisition of raw materials until its end of life (“from cradle to
grave”). In this technique, all phases of a production process are considered as related and
interdependent, making it possible to evaluate the cumulative environmental impacts. At an
international level, LCA is governed by the ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 standards. LCA is the
main tool for implementing ‘Life Cycle Thinking’ (LCT). LCT is fundamental as a cultural
approach because it involves considering the entire product chain and identifying which
improvements and innovations can be made to it.
LCA is also known as life-cycle analysis, ecobalance, and cradle-to-grave analysis.
22
Sources:
1. Plastics – The Facts 2010, European Plastics, 2010 http://www.plasticseurope.org/
documents/document/20101006091310-final_plasticsthefacts_28092010_lr.pdf
2. IUPAC. Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. (the "Gold Book"). Compiled
by A. D. McNaught and A. Wilkinson. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford (1997).
XML on-line corrected version: http://goldbook.iupac.org (2006-) created by M. Nic,
J. Jirat, B. Kosata; updates compiled by A. Jenkins.
3. EN ISO 472 Plastics - Vocabulary
4. Technical report CEN/TR 15932: 2010 Plastics - Recommendation for terminology and
characterisation of biopolymers and bioplastics, European Committee for Standardiza-
tion, Brussels, March 24, 2010.
5. ASTM D883 - 11 Standard Terminology Relating to Plastics (including literature related
to plastics terminology in Appendix X1)
6. EN 13193:2000 Packaging – Packaging and the environment – Terminology
7. EN 13432:2000 Packaging - Requirements for packaging recoverable through compo-
sting and biodegradation
8. EN 14995:2006 Plastics: Evaluation of compostability
9. Council of the European Union, Improving environmental policy instruments. Council
conclusions, Brussels, 21 December 2010.
23
APPENDIX—CASE STUDIES
Posters, presented at 3rd International PLASTiCE Conference THE FUTURE
OF BIOPLASTICS
CS 1A — Testing of markers for easy identification of biodegradable plastics in the
waste stream
CS 1B — Testing of markers for easy identification of biodegradable plastics in the
waste stream
CS 2B — Systematic approach for sustainable production for bioplastics - Composting
CS 3 — Sustainable plastics materials in hygiene products
CS 4&5 — Production of packaging for eggs made from BDPs
CS 6A — Introduction of biodegradable plastics into drinking straw production
CS 6B — Introduction of biodegradable materials into production of twines for
agriculture
Innovative value chain developement for sustainable plastics in Central Europe
INTRODUCTION
Biodegradable plastics when properly disposed with organic waste are in appearance indistinguishable from non-degradable plastics. In some
processes they are excluded from the organic waste stream and are incinerated or landfilled. This completely annihilates the potential of biodegradable
plastics to be integrated in the natural material cycles. A solution is the introduction of a labelling method that is simple for application to different
compostable materials, simple for use in the waste management system and should be as specific as possible to avoid counterfeit products were tested.
PROCESS
CONCLUSION
Printing on biodegradable materials is feasible both in laboratory and industrial scale
The main risk is verification of the separation of biodegradable bags marked with markers from nonbiodegradable due to the to small amounts of
printed material to be tested in real situation of waste management.
When using dyes for marking biodegradable materials/products it is feasible to use existing technology and materials that are already available on
the market. This way we can solve the identification problem of biodegradable plastics in the waste management system and make sure that
compostable plastics do not end up in the landfills but are properly disposed.
UV marker printing should be no more than 48 hours after extrusion process for better print quality.
CS 1A—Testing of markers for easy identification of biodegradable plastics in the waste stream
U. Kropf1, S. Gorenc2, P. Horvat3, A. Kržan3
1Centre of excellence Polymer Materials and Technologies PoliMaT, Tehnoloski park 24, 100 Ljubljana 2Plasta production and trade, Kamnje 41, 8232 Šentrupert 3National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana
IR DYES
IR dyes are an attractive option since the IR spectral range is less occupied
than the UV spectral range. No commercial IR dye was directly available.
An IR pigment (100 g in total) that was turned into dye which was modified
several times in order to achieve the most suitable texture and adhesive
properties to be applied on the selected plastic materials—Bio PE and PLA.
As printing substrate two bioplastic materials (bioPE and PLA) in form of a
40 μm thick film on a roll were used. Both materials were treated with
corona on the surface to achieve better printing results.
PRINTING and DETECTION
Laboratory IGT printing was used to simulate flexography.
Printing on paper Printing on plastics
NO problems Very thin film—extension and twisting
Bad adhesion of the dye—issue solved with
modification of the dye
Figure 1 From top: 1) paper with
normal dye 2) paper with IR dye 3) PLA with
IR dye 4) PLA with normal dye 5) PE with
normal dye 6) PE with IR dye (paper be-
hind)
Under visible light different materials printed with different dyes have the
same appearance. Trouble with adhesiveness can be observed in Figure 1.
With an IR detector normal black dye is invisible and the IR black dye is
visible as black. Detection is possible with an IR camera.
IR spectrum of the print without IR dye and with IR dye on paper and PLA
film
Figure 2 IR reflection spectrums of the
paper samples. Through the entire UV the
sample is black (very low reflection), VIS
and NIR if the dye does not contain IR
pigment. With the addition of the pigment
one can observe no changes in UV or VIS
but a significant difference in IR where the
reflection increases.
UV DYES
A commercially available UV dye was tested.
SELECTION OF THE MATERIALS and PRODUCTION OF FILMS
Two materials certified as biodegradable were selected:
Ecovio F FILM EXP (supplier BASF AG) and Prismabio 91319 (supplier
FIPLAST srl). The total quantity of material used for testing, was approx.
600 kg. The transformation of materials was made from LDPE MFI 2 to
biodegradable material – without problems – only correction was
reduction of temperature profile to 150 °C. Prior to processing it was very
important to dry materials (3 hours at 55 °C to 60 °C). Films used for
production of UV marked biodegradable bags were prepared by the
blown film extrusion process on a mono-layer KUHNE line:
PRINTING and DETECTION
Flexography UV pr int ing was
performed on Kleine 2+2 equipment.
For UV printing it is possible to use
solvent or water based printing inks.
For the purposes of this study (part of
detection with UV ink) we have
decided to use solvent based printing
ink Termosac Rivelatore UV 012465,
manufacturer Colorprint srl. Printing did
not cause any additional problems.
Figure 5: Left: Control of print during flexoprinting. Right: UV photo of the Ecovio bag printed with UV marker.
Type of extruder Φ70 mm with 30D
Balloon diameter Max. 1600 mm
Type of screw low temperature screw
Die head Φ 250 mm with GAP 1,2 mm
Capacity up to 260 kg/h
Winder 2x Kolb 1800 mm
Thickness 7 - 40 μm Figure 3: Blown film extrusion
Figure 4: Blown film extrusion
This project is immplemented through the Central Europe Programme co-financed by the ERDF
25
Innovative value chain developement for sustainable plastics in Central Europe
Three kinds of plastic bags (GP2, BP2, GP1) with different types
of masterbatches—exposition tests
INTRODUCTION
The case study concerned the testing of markers for biodegradable plastic products to improve the identification of biodegradable materials in the
municipal waste stream. A producer of biodegradable bags and a composting facility for biodegradable waste were involved. After selection of
commercially available markers, printing and identification tests were performed on plastic bags. The participants in the case study focused on the
development process of biodegradable plastic products with markers with the aim to verify viable solutions for future application. Cooperation between
the Centre of Polymer and Carbon Materials on the one hand and the Institute of Low Temperature and Structural Research Polish Academy of Sciences
and the Faculty of Environmental Engineering of the Wrocław University of Technology on the other hand, allowed to verify ava ilable solutions on the
market and to prepare masterbatches containing different types of markers. With the selected markers the company Bioerg performed coloration of
granulate for the preparation of labeled bags (MaterBi with 10% masterbatches, final content of marker 1%).
PROCESS
CONCLUSION
The case study showed that these kinds of markers do not fit for manual selection of biodegradable bags in traditional waste streams. However they could be applied in full automated selection systems.
CS 1B—Testing of markers for easy identification of biodegradable plastics in the waste stream
M. Musioł, W. Sikorska, G. Adamus, M. Kowalczuk, J. Rydz, M. Sobota Polish Academy of Sciences, Centre of Polymer and Carbon Materials 34. M. C. Sklodowska St., 41-800 Zabrze, Poland
This project is immplemented through the Central Europe Programme co-financed by the ERDF
In the next stage Bioerg produced labeled bags and delivered them to the
Centre of Polymer and Carbon Materials for composting tests under laboratory scale.
The laboratory degradation test of labeled bags no. B-P2 was
performed in Micro-Oxymax respirometer (COLUMBUS INSTRUMENTS S/N 110315), to
see the behaviour of the bags in laboratory compost. During the
incubation, the samples gradually disintegrated, however the particles were still able to
emit light. This is an important finding in case this kind of bags end up in regular waste
streams:
Respirometer Micro-Oxymax COLUMBUS INSTRUMENTS S/
N 110315 and composting tests at the laboratory scale
Testing of the segregation effectiveness was conducted at the Sorting and Composting Plant in
Zabrze. The labeled bags after UV irradiation were placed on the moving belt. After turning off the
lights, the waste stream was observed. The test showed that acceptable results could only be reached
under full dark room conditions, what is difficult to achieve in existing waste selection plants.
26
Innovative value chain developement for sustainable plastics in Central Europe
CONCLUSION
The experiences in the case studies showed that the joint R&D scheme is necessary to initiate a wide cooperation process between all partners in the biodegradable plastics value chain in Central Europe.
Additionally one of the critical success factors is the full cooperation of the staff of company.
Some cooperation initiatives highlighted new issues and framework conditions for successful production of biodegradable packaging, implementation of these kinds of packaging under market conditions and
selection and final composting of such packaging.
CS 2B—Systemic approach for sustainable production for bioplastics - Composting
M. Musioł, W. Sikorska, G. Adamus, M. Kowalczuk, J. Rydz, M. Sobota Polish Academy of Sciences, Centre of Polymer and Carbon Materials 34. M. C. Sklodowska St., 41-800 Zabrze, Poland
INTRODUCTION
The international project PLASTiCE is devoted to the promotion of new
environmentally friendly and sustainable plastic solutions. The main goal of
this Project is elaboration a transnational roadmap for technology transfer
from science to biodegradable plastics industry based on a joint R&D
scheme. A roadmap for a transnational R&D scheme will allow companies
to enter much quicker into a technology transfer process in the future and to
relay on the expertise from a transnational team of researchers.
The communication present the results one of the case study 2B „Systemic
approach for sustainable production for bioplastics - Composting“, which
concerns mainly the selective organic waste collection and studies of the
biodegradation process of plastic packaging.
PROCESS
The idea behind the case study 2B is to set up a separate waste stream
process by way of delivering grocery shops and super markets
biodegradable waste bags (from Bioerg company) to select organic waste
at the source. The Społem chose two shops as a place for implementation
of this case study. Waste bins with the bags were installed near fruit and
vegetable departments. The super market staff disposed organic waste to
the bins. Waste was collected in the period 01.08 - 30.09.2012 with a
frequency of once a week. The total amount of collected waste was 1280
kg, this means an average of 640 kg of organic waste per month from two
stores. Next, the composting facility in Zabrze (A.S.A company) received
organic waste from the selected stores in order to perform composting
process.
The containers consisted approximately of 40% kitchen organic waste,
20% leaves, 20% branches and 20% grass. The conditions in container
were computer-controlled, which allowed to read the current temperature
of the process. [M. Musiol M; J. Rydz; W. Sikorska; P. Rychter; M.
Kowalczuk Pol. J. Chem. Tech. 2011, 13, 55]
This project is immplemented through the Central Europe Programme co-financed by the ERDF
Waste bins with biodegradable bags in Społem shops and schematic diagram of the organic recycling of
packaging materials
27
Innovative value chain developement for sustainable plastics in Central Europe
INTRODUCTION
Hygiene products are mostly single use/disposable products and are therefore contributing to large amounts of plastic waste. A short market research
identified compostable tampon applicator, biodegradable surgical tweezers, blisters, diapers for children and elderly and also pet products as possible
bioplastics applications. According to market demand we have selected to perform test production of biodegradable tampon applicators and single use
surgical tweezers.
PROCESS
MATERIAL REQUIREMENTS
The most important requirements for those products is their safety. A product that comes in contact with human body must not have any negative effects.
Within the EU tampons have to follow the European General Product Safety Directive 2001/95/EC on general product safety. The directive holds
manufacturers responsible for providing products that are safe to use. Article 2 of the directive sets requirements that need to be fulfilled for a product to
be recognized as safe (safe product). Technical and processing requirements: only few processing changes can be made.
SELECTION OF THE CS APPLICATIONS AND TEST PRODUCTIONS
Based on the market demand, material properties and molding requirements we have selected the following two applications: tampon applicator and
surgical tweezers.
CONCLUSION
The production of biodegradable tampon applicators and biodegradable tweezers was not fully successful, however is developed further. It is time
consuming to find the right material for production of specific hygiene/medical device products and the process must be taken case by case. Because
bioplastics have different processing properties some adjustments in the production process are necessary (time, pressure, molds, etc.).
With adjustments processing of bioplastics is possible with conventional equipment. Introduction of bioplastics into production of hygiene products is time
consuming but feasible.
CS 3—Sustainable plastic materials in hygiene products
A. Zabret1, U. Kropf2, P. Horvat3, A. Kržan3,
1 Tosama, Vir, Šaranovičeva cesta 35, 1230 Domžale, Slovenia 2 Centre of excellence Polymer Materials and Technologies PoliMat, Tehnoloski park 24, 100 Ljubljana, Slovenia 3 National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
TAMPON APPLICATORS
Tampon applicator is a simple tool for inserting a tampon into the human
body. A tampon applicator consists of two tubes, one bigger and one
smaller and is presented in the picture below. At the moment tampon
applicators are made from PE. The current market demand for tampons in
the EU is approximately 15-20 billion tampons per year.
TEST PRODUCTION OF TAMPON APPLICATORS
Tampon applicators are produced by injection molding. Technical
requirements are given according to processing limitations of the existing
production technique.
6 materials were tested: 3 starch based materials and 3 PHA materials.
An acceptable
prototype on which
artificial ageing is
currently carried out.
This project is immplemented through the Central Europe Programme co-financed by the ERDF
SIMULATED COMPOSTING
Project partner 11 established a method for simulated composting of plastic materials described according to the standard EN 14806 “Packaging -
Preliminary evaluation of the disintegration of packaging materials under simulated composting conditions in a laboratory scale test.
Figure: Left: Glass reactors for determination of disintegration (one is full, three are empty – photo taken in the
middle of the preparation) Reactors are placed into large thermostatic chamber kept at 58 oC ± 2 oC. Total
capacity of the box is up to 15 reactors (more if smaller reactors are used). The box itself was custom made for
the intention of determination of disintegration within the PLASTiCE project. Right: Thermostatic chamber for
determination of disintegration of plastic materials in controlled laboratory conditions.
SURGICAL TWEEZERS
Tweezers are a useful and simple tool, used in medicine. We decided to
produce tweezers from a PHA-based material because they are resistant
to higher temperatures and would likely be suitable for steam sterilization.
TEST PRODUCTION OF TWEEZERS
Tweezers are produced with injection
molding. One injection cycle produces
16 tweezers and each cycle uses cca.
100 g of the material although the mass
of each tweezer is only 4.7 g; 25g of
the material goes for a massive sprue.
Processing temperature of PHA was
lower than the temperature for conven-
tional plastics. Also the overpressure at
the end of the extruder was lower (5X)
and the pressure profile in the extruder
is lower. The obtained tweezers were
well formed and had acceptable
performance.
ADDITIONAL PROCESSING OF THE TWEEZERS
Because tweezers used in medical applications need to be sterile we
tested how the water steam sterilization influences the products. Steam
sterilization negatively affected closing and torsion of the forceps and the
brittleness of the material increased. Other methods of sterilization might
be better suited for this material.
28
Innovative value chain developement for sustainable plastics in Central Europe
INTRODUCTION
This case study concerned the preparation of compostable material suitable for processing by blistering technology possessing the required mechanical
properties and acceptable price. The aim was to develop fully compostable packaging for eggs, serving as an example of successful application for
other companies that are not sure about benefits of these kind of applications.
CS 4 & 5— Production og packaging for eggs made from BDPs
Polymer Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (Slovakia)
University of Technology in Bratislava,(Slovakia)
PROCESS
The material made from biodegradable plastics was adjusted on laboratory scale for packaging for eggs, especially regarding ultimate properties, price and processing parameters. Pellets made from a new biodegradable blend (based on PLA and PHB) was prepared in four slightly different alternatives mainly differing in processing details, with the aim to various processing parameters to be able to adjust the blend for fixed conditions in the pilot experiment.
Twin-screw extruder for pellets preparation
Product prototypes
The four compositions were tested under laboratory conditions regarding
foil extrusion and consequent vacuum thermoforming. All compositions
showed good processability both in extrusion and in thermoforming of
6-pack egg packaging, similar to reference materials, namely polystyrene
(used nowadays) and polylactic acid (standard biodegradable material
supposed to be easily processed).
In the meanwhile an external company made a thorough economic
analysis (feasibility) of the production for three different kinds of packaging.
Thermoforming process study
CONCLUSIONS
Biodegradable material suitable for vacuum thermoforming was tested and
packaging for eggs has been produced under laboratory conditions. This
case study confirmed that industry and the research sector can overcome
specific challenges in the production process and that it is possible to
develop new biodegradable blends in a relative short period of time.
This project is immplemented through the Central Europe Programme co-financed by the ERDF
29
Innovative value chain developement for sustainable plastics in Central Europe
CS 6A—Introduction of biodegradable plastics into drinking straw production
P. Horvat1, A. Kržan1, U. Kropf2, M. Erzar3
1National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana 2Centre of excellence Polymer Materials and Technologies PoliMaT, Tehnoloski park 24, 100 Ljubljana
3 Pepiplast d.o.o., Cesta goriške fronte 46, 5290 Šempeter pri Gorici
INTRODUCTION
Drinking straws are disposable single-use products with a long history and although straws are small they result in a substantial amount of plastic waste
that is often dispersed in nature. Biodegradable plastic straws offer the same convenience as classic drinking straws with no or limited downside of the
plastic waste issue. With this CS we could ease the transition of drinking straw production from conventional materials to bioplastics.
PROCESS
CONCLUSION
From food contact testing results we can conclude that bioplastics can be used for food contact, important is that we take into consideration actual use
conditions and do not use all materials for all purposes.
Although the material was intended for production of straws some processing adjustments e.g. temperature, pressure, screw rotation, production speed,
etc. were necessary. Because production of straws from biodegradable materials is already well established elsewhere the producer of the material
could offer us the right material.
The implementation of biodegradable plastics into straw production was fast and simple because we had a partner with long history of production of
biodegradable straws. The company is also producing their own equipment for production of straws and knows how the machines are working and their
wealth of experiences was also one of the main reasons why this case study was concluded so quick.
We conclude that there is a significant benefit when the operator has long time experiences with production of similar or the same products, knows the equipment and if we have the material intended for exactly this product.
The main advantage is the existence of the material intended for specific use, which allowed CS 6A to proceed with relative ease.
FOOD CONTACT TESTING
Drinking straws are a product that is intended to come in contact with
foodstuff. Due to lack of information regarding overall migration from
bioplastics we tested several products made of bioplastics to see if they
are suitable for use in food contact applications.
We analyzed the overall migration of non-volatile substances from
bioplastic items such as packaging and utensils into aqueous food
simulants. The tested samples were commercially available products made
of polylactide (PLA) and thermoplastic starch (TPS). For all 7 tested items
and/or materials it can be expected that they may come in contact with
foodstuffs. Testing was performed according to the standard EN 1186 in a
laboratory accredited according to EN ISO/IEC 17025. Test methods for
overall migration into aqueous food simulants a) by article filling, b) by
total immersion, and c) by cell were used. The materials were exposed to
aqueous solutions simulating actual use conditions and up to three
migration cycles were performed. FT-IR spectroscopy was used for sample
characterization and for identification of migrated substances. Total
migration was quantified using the evaporation method.
Figure 1: Migration cell,
dismantled (left) and during the migration (right)
The migration of non-volatile substances from bioplastics was determined
by evaporation method. Overall migrations from all PLA samples and most
TPS samples was below the level of detection, only one overall migration
from TPS foil was above the legal limit but the product was not intended to
come in contact with foodstuff (bags).
PRODUCTION OF STRAWS
Conventional straws are made from PP and the plan was to replace PP
with a bio-based and biodegradable material which was already
prepared to be used for production of this specific product. The used
material was PLA based blend MaterBi CE01B.
In the conventional production the set-up of the system was well optimized
and the system was very stable. This is crucial since a very high throughput
(900 pcs/min) must be reached in order to have a sustainable production.
When switching to the bioplastics optimizing the new set-up of the system
was quite complicated. A number of times the system collapsed only one
step before it was set up. After suitable conditions were found the system
was stable.
The production temperatures were lower than for PP. The biggest
difference when comparing PP straws and straws made from bioplastics is
in mass (biodegradable is approx. 50 % heavier) but this could still be
improved. We also tested production of straws with hinges (knees) and
observed no problems.
Figure 2: Introduction of melt through the
cooling system and into the haul-off.
Figure 3: Left: The production line from the extruder to the haul-off (first
part) and the rotary cutter (second part) Middle: System for collection of
straws, Right: PepiPlast/PLASTiCE biodegradable straws
This project is immplemented through the Central Europe Programme co-financed by the ERDF
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Innovative value chain developement for sustainable plastics in Central Europe
The company involved in the Case Study produces polypropylene twines for agricultural use and joined the Case Study with the intention to substitute the
polyolefin used for production with a biodegradable polymer.
Material change over time for twine production
Selection of the polymer
All materials taken into account as potential candidates were thoroughly characterized using a range of techniques (DSC, DMTA, TGA, TGA-MS, XRD,
SEM, FTIR, mechanical properties etc.), in order to allow final selection of the materials to be processed at the company’s p lant. Only two potential
candidates were selected for twine production, based on proven soil biodegradability and commercial availability:
Polyester (A)
Polyester Blend (B)
Twine processing trials and characterisation of the product
After some trials with Polymer A at the factory’s production line, where
problems with polymer film stretching after extrusion were experienced,
laboratory trials on a small-size extrusion machine (fig. 1) were carried out.
The results using Polymer A were encouraging and a demonstration twine
was produced (fig. 2). Mechanical properties of the thread were in the
range expected for the twine application.
Polyester B didn’t provide good results.
CONCLUSION
Important points to be taken into consideration for potential substitution of the presently used polyolefins with biodegradable polymers for twine
production are:
Biodegradability in soil is a fundamental requirement
The material must stand the applied high draw ratio after the extrusion
The twine mechanical properties (strenght) must comply with application requirement
Price of new polymer is a crucial factor
CS 6B—Introduction of biodegradable materials into production of twines for agriculture M. Scandola, I. Voevodina
University of Bologna, Chemistry Department “G. Ciamician”, Selmi 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy
This project is immplemented through the Central Europe Programme co-financed by the ERDF
Advantages of twines from biodegradable polymers for
agricultural applications:
Ploughing-in of soil-biodegradable twines after use instead of
collecting them from the field and disposing as waste
Improving the quality of the soil by using twines with added
fertilizers to be released in soil in a controlled manner
Main parameters considered in selection of biodegradable polymers for
their use in twine production:
biodegradation in soil
appropriate mechanical properties
acceptable price
Steps of the Case study:
analysis and selection of biodegradable polymers available in the
market
characterization of physico-chemical properties of selected
polymers
twine processing trials
characterization of the product
Simplified scheme of production line
for twines at the company site
Figure 1 Figure 2
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32
Plastics are a fellow traveller of modern life with whom we have an ambivalent relationship:
we love the convenience of plastics but hate them for polluting our environment. Newly
developed "bioplastics" are biodegradable or made from renewable resources, to make
use of plastics more sustainable. PLASTiCE promotes a joint research scheme that exposes
producers to the possibilities of the new plastics while also creating a roadmap for actions
that will lead to commercialization of new types of plastics.
Better plastics produce less waste
www.plastice.org