The world market for biodegradable plastics, or bioplastics "is registering double-digit growth, if it continues at this rate, is expected to reach the figure of 6,000 million (4,634 million euros) in 2015 and to double to 12,000 million dollars in 2025.
While currently 65% of bioplastics is used to produce packaging for food and beverages, it is expected that in 2025 a quarter of them destined for the automotive and electronics sector, with a higher profit margin. The biodegradable plastics industry also believes that medicine is one of its key niche markets, and is expected to use in this sector will generate profit margins ten times greater than those that currently have the cups and plastic utensils . According to forecasts by the European Bioplastics Manufacturers, production capacity will more than triple between 2007 and 2011, to a figure of 1.5 million tonnes, also in 2025, will be used by 15% to 20 % less oil for production of plastics, and instead will be used as raw material plants, algae and bacteria.
As an analysis of the global production of bioplastics, are now about 500 companies engaged in production and processing of bioplastics. Because the sector is characterized by high growth and numerous innovations, represents a significant magnet for entrepreneurs and investors. For this reason, it is expected that the number of companies dedicated to bioplastics to become 5,000 in ten years, a figure ten times higher than today. The consultant Helmut Kaiser notes that, worldwide, less than 3% recycled plastics, compared with 30% of paper and 35% of metals. Numerous attempts to convert plastic waste into bags and clothes have attracted much attention from the media, but did not reduce the mountains of waste plastics, or the accumulation of plastic trash on artificial islands which deform the sea.
Biodegradable plastics are gaining popularity because a growing number of consumers prefer to buy organic products. However, to produce bio-plastics are increasingly used agricultural land, which would otherwise be earmarked for food production. Maize is the main source of bioplastics and its use for this purpose competes with its use as food, tortillas in Mexico and corn flakes in Japan. The increased demand and subsequent price increases have meant that the staple is getting more expensive. The complexity of the situation has forced the UN to warn politicians and industry leaders that the trend towards organic plastics could affect food security.
To produce bio-plastics are increasingly used agricultural land would go for food production
In a world where more than one billion people go to bed hungry every day, the choice between saving oil and provide a meal a day requires rethinking our business models. In addition, one cup made of bioplastic is no different from one made with fossil fuels. Once they are trapped in a landfill without air or heat, neither is degraded.
Innovation
Obtaining raw materials for plastics has forced scientists and entrepreneurs to rethink the strategy. NatureWorks, a Japanese-American joint venture company created by Cargill and Teijin, continues to use corn as source of starch. This has generated a debate on the use of genetically modified corn, which now dominates the U.S. market and has entered the force in Europe with the recent announcement that NatureWorks will double its production in the Old Continent to 140,000 tonnes per year. Furthermore, the debate goes beyond genetics, since for the cultivation of corn is needed much more of fertilizers and herbicides to grow soybeans.
Yoshihiro Shirai Professor, Institute of Natural Sciences belonging to the Kyushu Institute of Technology (ITK) in Japan, chose a simple but very innovative solution to this problem. He noted that restaurants in Japan throw away large quantities of food. Given the large accumulation of trash at local landfills and the widespread desire to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, Professor Shirai studied all existing techniques and designed together with his colleagues and students an acid production unit polilático (APL) in which the raw material is waste of foods rich in starch. Although the starch content is less than the difference in the corn, their model is financially compelling and beneficial effects on the environment are greater than any other method of bioplastics production, especially production of APL from corn.
Initial economic gains
Fukuoka City had put in place by a composting program to reduce the amount of waste in landfills. Japan is an island with little living room and taxes that apply to landfills are the highest in the world. Do not get in landfills discarded food restaurants generates profits: instead of paying for municipal services to pick up trash, restaurants pay the producer of plastic to do so. Far from genetically modified maize, which needs a lot of irrigation and therefore empty aquifers, Professor Shirai created the first factory in collaboration with Ebara environmental company, which aims to achieve the goals of zero waste and zero emissions. It is also the largest manufacturer of jets in Japan.
The production volume is very small compared to the 100,000 tons produced bioplastics industry. This implies that Professor Shirai could not use the usual technological processes for economic reasons. Therefore chose a simple fermentation process generates APL night in batches. Although conversion rates are much lower than those obtained with corn, the cost in terms of energy derived from transport and processing is only a fraction of the normal market, and also production can be adjusted depending on the size local landfills.
The opportunity
Professor Shirai and ITK did not have the ambition to create a new industry, but its main purpose was to demonstrate that small-scale processing of food waste in plastics made with APL was feasible from a technical and commercial. Even with a production capacity of one ton a day, the process is viable commercially, simply because the selling price of plastic bags used for garbage collection is ten times greater than the cost of its raw material : oil.
It is likely that the large margin of profit to attract new entrepreneurs to the market. The bags made from fossil fuels would be replaced with bags of polymers made from discarded food and the production of these polymers would not affect the production of food for human consumption. Furthermore, it would eliminate emissions of methane from the decomposition of food and would extend the economic life of landfills. Actually, it's a business model that could apply entrepreneurs around the world.
Gunter Pauli is the author of 'The Blue Economy'
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