production

In 2001, the annual consumption of BDP products in the European Union was estimated to be 25,000-30,000 t. This equals a turnover of approximately 100 million EUR. BDP technology is now in a growing phase - an example of which being the first large production plant currently being built: Cargill-Dow, 140,000 t PLA as of 2002. Some enterprises have already announced a further increase in production: BASF (+ 40,000 t by 2004), Cargill-Dow (+ 140,000 t, within the next few years). In addition, Novamont, market leader with a production capacity of about 35,000 t in 2001, is also expecting to show continuing dynamic development. In 2002 RRM are already dominating in BDP manufacture.

Renewable Raw Materials (RRM) already took the Leadership!

 

 

Source: IBAW & Private Announcements (World)

 

This growth is due to continuing technological development. Today, BDP products are technically matured and marketable in certain fields of application, e.g. agricultural foils, service packaging and packaging in general. In many countries of the EU BDP products have entered markets now. In England, the Netherlands or Italy consumers already can buy BDP packed products in retail stores. Packaging is the biggest market segment in volumes that is viable for BDPs. With an consumption of more than 12 million Tons, it clearly leads the plastic market segments in Europe (total consumption of approx. 35 Million Tons; 2010: 55 Million Tons).
Today BDP products are more expensive than their fossil collegues, but this can change in future.
Renewable Raw Materials like sugar, starch or celluloses are used to produce BDP.
But synergies are used and fruitful: Often a petrochemical element is needed to guarantee the polymer‘s expected characteristics.

Whether a polymer is „biodegradable“ or „compostable“ depends sustantially on the type of chemical bond in the polymer and on the properties of the monomer. Renewable resources are not the only feedstocks for BDP, petrochemical ones are available, too.

Please check the IBAW-Website for further information:www.ibaw.org