BIO-BASED COMPOUNDS | MATERIALS
Widening scope for bioplastic materials
Bio-based plastics compounds combine renewable materials sourcing with conventional thermoplastic processing. Jennifer Markarian reports on market developments
Bioplastics can be described as bio-based polymers made from biomass (eg renewable, typically plant-based) sources rather than fossil-based carbon. As the market evolves, some innovators are seeking to harness additional naturally derived bio-based polymers, and others are expanding the types of available bio-based polymers from the growing number of chemicals being synthesised from bio-based feedstocks. Some bioplastics are suited for single-use, short-term applications, and some are suitable for long-term, durable applications. At the end of life, some materials may be compostable (under specified conditions, such as industrial or domestic), or they may be potentially recyclable. Bioplastic compounds made with polylactic acid
(PLA), thermoplastic starch (TPS) and the family of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) typically include a range of additives to improve processability, as the goal is usually to enable processing on equipment
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designed for conventional plastics. These bioplas- tics have found success in various applications, with the ability to be processed using extrusion, injection moulding, and thermoforming, said presenters at AMI’s Bioplastics 2025 conference in Cleveland, Ohio, US in August. US consumers were reported to have a positive
perception of compostable bioplastics. In particu- lar, compostable plastics for packaging, food service, or bags to collect food waste are beneficial for diverting food residue away from landfills to composting (ie organics recycling), which reduces greenhouse gas emissions from food in landfills and fits the concept of a regenerative materials economy. In countries where incineration is used, compostable packaging is beneficial for diverting biowaste from incineration to organic recycling, said the European Bioplastics association. Com- postable materials are specified for certain applica-
Main image: Erthos has developed bioplastic
compounds for a variety of applications and processes, including injection moulding
November 2025 | COMPOUNDING WORLD 27
IMAGE: ERTHOS
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