At the 17th EUBP conference held last week as a hybrid event in Berlin, a running theme was the proposal for a Regulation on Packaging and Packaging Waste published just days before. Combined with the newly presented EU policy framework on bio-based, biodegradable, and compostable plastics, it is evident that the bio-based plastics industry will be looking at a number of changes in the near future.
Of the three speakers representing the European Commission at the conference, it was Silvia Forni of the Directorate-General for Environment (DG ENV) who, in her keynote, gave a run-through of the policy framework. Noting that bio-based plastics offer both opportunities and challenges, she emphasised that conditions must be met by these materials to deliver overall positive environmental outcomes. She also clarified that reduce, reuse and recycle are the ‘first principle - no single models’ are envisaged and no generic claims of ‘bio-based’ or ‘biodegradable’ are permitted to be made.
Conditions to be met relate, for example, to the type of biomass content: the framework specifies the use of secondary feedstock versus primary, and the use of long-lived versus short-lived products. Biodegradation is a system property, she explained, hence the requirement that the time frame and specific environment for biodegradation be specified. No claims of biodegradation may be made in respect of litter-prone products and in general, biodegradable plastics should be used for products intended to remain in the environment, such as mulch film. Regarding compostability, she said the framework specified 4 products that must be compostable: tea and coffee bags, tea and coffee single-serve systems, very light carrier bags, and adhesive stickers used on vegetables and fruit. Otherwise, packaging should preferably be recyclable rather than compostable. In addition, only industrially compostable plastics are to receive the label ‘compostable’, with the disposal route via biowaste clearly marked.
While the Commission will continue to fund research into bio-based plastics and their role in the circular economy, the focus will be on the difference in greenhouse gas emissions between fossil-based and bio-based plastics - and how big the reduction achieved by using bio-based plastics is, - the potential applications of biodegradable plastics, and additional aspects, such as the time frame for home composting.
The conference, which featured over 40 speakers and moderators, was hailed as a success. It was attended by close to 360 people, over 300 of whom participated in person in Berlin. The 2-day programme was a full one, with presentations on topics ranging from best practices in food waste collection, standardisation and certification to end-of-life options and new applications. The annual presentation of key industry data showed that continued, robust growth is expected in the industry.
Industry and policymakers agreed on the necessity to work closely together to establish an adequate environment for bioplastics. EUBP Conference bioplastics industry set to engage with political stakeholders on upcoming legislation. As Hasso von Pogrell, Managing Director of EUBP noted in his presentation on the most recent data, misinformation about bioplastics continues to be a problem. Better communication will be key if bioplastics is to be regarded as a sustainable solution at scale. The Commission is currently acting on a number of misconceptions about these materials, in terms of their potential to become litter, contaminate recycling streams, compete with the food supply or even the use of arable land. Already, he said, production is migrating - inevitably to be followed by the knowledge, expertise, and accumulated experience if we continue down this path.