Bio-based, compostable and sustainable plastics manufacturer Cereplast (El Segundo, California / USA; www.cereplast.com) has signed a multi-million dollar contract with RI.ME. Masterbatch (RI.ME., Mozzate / Italy; www.rimemasterbatch.com) to supply bioplastics resins for use in the Italian company’s masterbatch process. The contract runs until December 2011, but the US company says it is already in discussions to extend the deal to other RI.ME. lines.

As part of the deal, Cereplast will provide RI.ME. with its “Compostable 3000” film grade, which the Italian company will use in its masterbatching processes to produce both carry-out and compostable trash bags. The US company says it will begin the bio resins shipments in September.

A proprietary patented formulation, Cereplast’s “Compostable 3000” includes “Ingeo” PLA from NatureWorks (Minnetonka, Minnesota / USA; www.natureworksllc.com) and a copolyester from BASF (Ludwigshafen / Germany; www.basf.com) and reportedly has an excellent balance of puncture strength and toughness. The film grades can be processed on existing blown film extrusion machines, Cereplast emphasises.