UK contract moulder BEC Group has announced that is can now process a range of plant-based bioplastics.
Despite some reservation in the industry, BEC says it has found bioplastic mouldings to require little machine adjustment from typical thermoplastics and to produce a very similar end product.
The BEC range includes bioplastics made from raw materials of renewable sources that are compostable (meaning the material converts entirely to non-toxic material such as CO2) either in an at home composting environment or through industrial compostability in line with the EN 13432 standard. A spokesperson for the company told InterplasInsights.com that the new materials are all in part, or fully plant-based.
The spokesperson also confirmed that there are three materials available in the range, one of which is industrially compostable to an EN 13432 standard, another which decomposes entirely to C02 in 12 weeks with a wall thickness of 0.5mm, and a third material which is also home compostable.
The company is in the process of testing the home compostable materials to determine accurate timelines for compostability and wall thicknesses, they added.
Material selection dependent, the range can be used for both single use and multiple use applications. Typical applications include enclosures, golfing tees, containers, carrying straps. The range is also appropriate for food contact such as cups and cutlery.
Bioplastics are plastics made from at least some renewable source with varying degrees of compostability. They can be derived from sources such as sugarcane, soybeans, and straw amongst many others. Currently accounting for around 2% of the plastic produced globally each year, the bioplastics market is predicted to grow by 11% in the next eight years.
Paul Holland, BEC’s Head of Design and Innovation comments; “Bioplastic formulations and their compostability have improved enormously over the last few years. BEC are therefore delighted to be able to provide our customers with plastic alternatives that are better for the environment whilst maintaining many of the necessary properties of the plastics typically used. We’re always happy to discuss new specific applications and projects for bioplastics, so feel free to get in touch.”