Global bioplastics capacity is expected to more than double between 2010 and 2015, with demand driven by the development of new applications, according to a report presented by industry association European Bioplastics (Berlin / Germany; www.european-bioplastics.org). Production capacity is forecast to rise from 724,000 t in 2010 to more than 1.7m t by 2015, says the report, which was developed in cooperation with the Hannover University of Applied Sciences and Arts in Germany. “The encouraging trend in production capacity allows us to assume that the figures presented today will even be exceeded in the coming years,” remarks Hasso von Pogrell, managing director of European Bioplastics.

The study predicts that production capacity for bio-based commodity plastics will overtake that of biodegradable materials. Last year, biodegradable materials accounted for 428,000 t of production capacity and bio-based commodity plastics accounted for 296,000 t. This ratio will be reversed in the next few years, with bio-based commodity plastics expected to account for nearly 1m t in 2015, says Hans-Josef Endres of Hannover University. Production of biodegradable materials will also grow substantially and is expected to reach 714,000 t by 2015, he adds. Demand for bioplastics is being strengthened as the materials move into new applications beyond packaging, says European Bioplastics. Applications range from automotive parts and electronic components to toys and carpets.

Europe is the largest market for bioplastics and is the leader in R&D but the strongest growth in production capacity is in Asia and South America, the association says. The competitiveness of European industrial sites must, therefore, be improved, supported by improved framework agreements and regulations, it adds. In Italy, a ban on non-biodegradable plastic shopping bags introduced in January 2011 is creating additional demand for biodegradable plastics. Italy was the first European country to impose such a ban – see Plasteurope.com of 05.01.2011 – and the EU recently expressed interest in possibly imposing a union-wide ban as well – see Plasteurope.com of 24.05.2011.