Bioplastics: Sustainable materials for building a strong and circular European bioeconomy
Plastics dominate our lives and are found in almost every human-built environment. We find them in our clothes, our houses, our places of work and almost all common consumer goods – including toys, televisions, smartphones and computers, to name but a few. Through the twentieth century and beyond, plastic has become a truly indispensable material for modern civilization.
Policy challenges and EU action
However, plastics are increasingly problematic from an environmental and sustainability perspective. It is estimated that by 2050, the world’s oceans could contain more plastic than fish (by weight) and that plastics production will account for a greatly increased share of global oil use and GHG emissions. The current system of plastics production is mainly linear, with heavy reliance on non-renewable, fossil feedstock, has low levels of re-use and recycling, and suffers from high levels of leakage into the surrounding environment. The EU, through its Circular Economy Action Plan, is dedicated to stimulating Europe’s transition to a circular economy that will boost competitiveness, foster sustainable economic growth and result in the creation of new jobs. As a major source of growth and jobs, the European plastics industry must also be included in this transition – for this purpose, the European Commission is due to adopt a new strategy on plastics as part of the CE Action Plan by the end of 2017.
A new but growing industry
Bioplastics can play an important role in this transition. Encompassing a whole family of materials with different properties and applications, bioplastics can be made from renewable resources such as crops and wood, or from waste streams such as the residues of food processing. With the emergence of more sophisticated materials, applications, and products, the global market is already growing by about 20 to 100 % per year. By 2021, it is expected that Europe will possess around a quarter of the world’s bioplastics production capacity.
Supporting European research initiatives
This CORDIS Results Pack is highlighting the results of eight innovative projects that have benefited from funding from the EU’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) that are making important scientific and innovative contributions to such an exciting and potentially game-changing industry. Featured projects include BIOREFINE-2G, which has developed commercially attractive processes for efficient conversion of side-streams from biorefineries, to be used as precursors for bio-based polymers including biodegradable polymers. Meanwhile the BRIGIT project has produced new tailor-made biopolymers produced from lignocellulosic sugar waste for highly-demanding fire-resistant applications, whilst SYNPOL researchers gave themselves the task of propelling forward the sustainable production of new polymers from feedstock. Finally, the EUROPHA project aimed to reduce the costs of PHA biopolymer and expand its applications as a 100 % compostable food packaging bioplastic. Through these and other projects that are currently underway as part of FP7’s successor programme, Horizon 2020, Europe is determined to cement itself as a leading global player in bioplastics manufacturing and innovation and ensure that bioplastics become truly sustainable material of the twenty-first century.
