European Bioplastics (Berlin / Germany; www.european-bioplastics.org) has launched a guide to environmental communications in response to concerns about false or misleading claims about the environmental benefits of bioplastics products. “Together with the bioplastics industry, we want to set a new benchmark for good environmental communication – all along the value chain,” said Andy Sweetman, chairman of the industry association. When communicating the environmentally beneficial properties of products, it is essential that claims are flawless and there is no “greenwashing”, European Bioplastics said.

The 30-page guide, "Environmental communications guide for bioplastics", was developed with an international working group of member and non-member experts, and is particularly relevant to the packaging sector, European Bioplastics said. It provides ISO compliant guidelines for environmental communication, as well as recommendations regarding claims such as „bio-based", „biodegradable", „compostable" and „CO₂ neutral".

European Bioplastics is also offering workshops on environmental communication. The first will take place in Berlin / Germany on 5 November 2012, ahead of the association’s annual conference.

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“Environmental communications guide for bioplastics” as a PDF document