BIOPLASTICS ARE BLOOMING – OR ARE THEY?

In this new world of environmental awareness and worldwide reliance on plastics, finding a way to create sustainable and eco-friendly plastics is a key initiative that could give the industry a complete facelift.

Because they are made almost entirely using renewable raw materials - usually consisting of plant matter or biomass - bioplastics could be an environmental revelation. The molecular structure of petroleum-based plastics and bioplastics is remarkably similar, and at the moment one of the only downsides is the cost of production. Here, Jonathan Wilkins, marketing manager of industrial automation components supplier European Automation, looks at the opportunities and challenges of implementing bioplastics on a large scale.

Demand for bioplastics is massively increasing, particularly from sectors like food packaging, utensils, construction materials, waste collection and carrier bags. However, most recycling centres are still not set up to deal with bioplastics and many do not handle them at all. Reducing society’s dependence on non-renewable fossil fuels is vital to protect our future ability to manufacture plastics, which otherwise would be under threat.

Growing demand for bioplastics brings with it the inevitable consequence that manufacturing and recycling costs will fall and the demand will start rising even faster.

It is worth noting that bioplastics are different from biodegradable plastics. Whereas bioplastics are made from biomass or plant matter, biodegradable plastics are usually petroleum-based plastics that partly degrade and decay through natural means on a compost heap. The process can take a long time, and the biodegradable aspect of the plastic does not equate to it being environmentally friendly or renewable — it simply reduces the amount of plastic lying around in landfill sites for generations.

In terms of the green effect of bioplastics, although reliance on fossil fuels is reduced, the process of converting the raw materials to plastic is an energy-intensive one, which can only be done using specialised equipment. This makes the initial phase of converting raw material into plastic far more complex and less efficient than the conventional way of manufacturing petroleum-based plastics.

However, in the long run, manufacturing bioplastics is more energy efficient than the conventional plastics, since it consumes sixty-five percent less energy than the manufacture of petroleum-based plastics, thereby augmenting the environmental argument. There is also an ethical argument that growing raw materials for use in bioplastics could reduce the amount of farmland available for feeding the world. However, with the industry at such an early stage, it is important to note that continuous improvements are made to fit the needs of industry, the environment and the world as a whole.

Indeed, the bioplastics industry is growing across the globe. The Freedonia Group Inc released a study at the end of 2013 showing that the bioplastics industry is set to grow 19 percent per year through until 2017, despite still being in the emerging growth phase.

In Western Europe, the demand is highest, with over half of the global appetite for bioplastics coming from this region. With European incentives for greener industry, it seems likely that the area will see further growth in the coming years, with China becoming a major consumer in the exported manufactured goods sector.

It is not just these regions that are seeing or anticipating growth. India saw its bioplastics market grow by thirty per cent in 2008, and was anticipated to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of up to nine per cent in the years leading to 2015. By 2017, it is estimated that the world bioplastics market will grow to the extent that almost one million metric tons will be produced each year, making it one of the fastest growing sub-sectors in the plastics industry.

Despite this impressive growth, the cost of manufacturing bioplastics is not inconsiderable, often being up to four or five times higher than that of conventional commodity plastics. Many manufacturers who are willing to take a chance in a new, developing and growing sector may be put off by the challenge of designing and implementing infrastructure and equipment to deal with the new materials. New processes and requirements include the need for organic waste disposal methods and biodegradation mechanisms, both of which require extensive and advanced infrastructure that otherwise might not be available.

Upgrading and repurposing existing infrastructure is an option for many, with current production lines being repurposed for the manufacture of bioplastics. This, along with sourcing compatible obsolete automation components, can help reduce costs significantly. It ensures that equipment can be repurposed without the need to allow costs to spiral out of control, keeping downtime and production costs to an absolute minimum. This, in turn, will allow the manufacturing costs of bioplastics to fall, helping to boost the industry as a whole.

Obsolete automation components for the plastics and packaging industry can be sourced and supplied by companies like European Automation (EPA). Some manufacturers prefer to simply upgrade or completely change the way they manufacture materials. However, when budgets are tight and time is short, fitting an entire new piece of equipment is often completely unnecessary since obsolete parts can be sourced quickly and effectively, thereby lowering manufacturing and maintenance costs.

A good industrial automation parts supplier will have a specialist call centre that caters for customers from any country and an excellent logistics network that can reach even the most remote locations in record time.

The reduced costs of repurposing existing equipment have effects that are far-reaching, with maintenance outlays reducing massively, allowing these savings to be passed on through the chain and reducing the overall cost of producing bioplastics. This, in turn, allows the industry to grow and increases demand more quickly, generating a sustainable, innovative and competitive bioplastics industry for the future of the pastics manufacturing market and for the world itself.