NOVAMONT
"Mater-Bi" bioplastics selected for London 2012 / Catering items and packaging / Products meet European compostability standard
The “Mater-Bi” family of biodegradable and compostable bioplastics produced by Novamont (Novara / Italy; www.novamont.com) is being used for the production of compostable catering items and packaging at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Ranges of cutlery, straws, cups and lids have been produced by two of Novamont’s main processing partners, Ecozema (Santorso / Italy; www.ecozema.com) and SEDA (Naples / Italy; www.sedagroup.org). The products are guaranteed biodegradable and compostable by anaerobic digestion.
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) set a target for 70% of the waste produced at the event to be recycled, reused or composted in order to lessen the impact of the estimated 3,300 t of food and food-related packaging waste that will be generated. All food packaging products, where not readily recyclable, had to be certified in accordance with the European standard EN 13432 for compostability, which the starch-based Mater-Bi meets. LOCOG also required that PET containers must be kept separately for subsequent recycling and that the wrappers of sweets and snacks are collected to be sent to energy-from-waste facilities.
Commenting on the selection of Mater-Bi, Novamont managing director Catia Bastioli praised LOCOG for their far-sightedness in making the London Olympics a truly sustainable event, adding that she was proud that Novamont was able to play a part in it. “We need to take stock and show greater awareness regarding the issue of the end-of-life of so many everyday products,” Bastioli said. “We believe that bioplastics have a part to play in providing the solution to some aspects of this matter.”
LOCOG appointed a single supplier, London Bio Packaging (London / UK; www.londonbiopackaging.com), for all non-sponsored, food-related packaging and it selected Mater-Bi for its range of products. McDonald’s (East Finchley, London / UK; www.mcdonalds.co.uk), an Olympic sponsor, is also using Mater-Bi for its cups, cutlery, straws, lids and containers at the event.
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) set a target for 70% of the waste produced at the event to be recycled, reused or composted in order to lessen the impact of the estimated 3,300 t of food and food-related packaging waste that will be generated. All food packaging products, where not readily recyclable, had to be certified in accordance with the European standard EN 13432 for compostability, which the starch-based Mater-Bi meets. LOCOG also required that PET containers must be kept separately for subsequent recycling and that the wrappers of sweets and snacks are collected to be sent to energy-from-waste facilities.
Commenting on the selection of Mater-Bi, Novamont managing director Catia Bastioli praised LOCOG for their far-sightedness in making the London Olympics a truly sustainable event, adding that she was proud that Novamont was able to play a part in it. “We need to take stock and show greater awareness regarding the issue of the end-of-life of so many everyday products,” Bastioli said. “We believe that bioplastics have a part to play in providing the solution to some aspects of this matter.”
LOCOG appointed a single supplier, London Bio Packaging (London / UK; www.londonbiopackaging.com), for all non-sponsored, food-related packaging and it selected Mater-Bi for its range of products. McDonald’s (East Finchley, London / UK; www.mcdonalds.co.uk), an Olympic sponsor, is also using Mater-Bi for its cups, cutlery, straws, lids and containers at the event.
01.08.2012 Plasteurope.com [222983-0]
Published on 01.08.2012