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NatureWorks: Profile on The Leading Manufacturer of BioPlastic Resin. - Thursday, January 07, 2010

An eco-profile is a useful tool for fully determining Ingeo's environmental impact. The profile adds up all of the inputs & outputs from our manufacturing process (like water to grow feedstocks, CO2 sequestered, energy to produce farming equipment, greenhouse gases emitted by our plant) from the field to factory gate...or from the corn being grown to boxes of Ingeo leaving our plant in Blair, NE. This calculation helps us determine Ingeo's impact on several indicators including greenhouse gas emissions and non-renewable energy use.

Guide To Sustainable Packaging Aims To Reduce Impact - Monday, December 07, 2009

The Sustainable Packaging Coalition this week released it a wide-reaching guide to making packaging more environmentally sound. The guide aims to help create industrywide standards for sustainable packaging, since companies currently use a variety of metrics to rate their own systems. The ratings look at the types of material used and how much energy and water they require, as well as their production, transport and impact on workers and the community at large.

Fungi offer alternative to Styrofoam - Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Ecovative Design has crafted an alternative to Styrofoam, made from biodegradable material derived from fungi and agricultural residues. Styrofoam is made with petroleum products, can't be recycled easily and is not biodegradable; yet, 35 million tons of it is produced each year.

Koreans Make Plastics Without Fossil Fuel Chemicals - Monday, November 23, 2009

(CNN) -- A team of South Korean scientists have produced the polymers used for everyday plastics through bioengineering, rather than through the use of fossil fuel-based chemicals.

Koreans Make Plastics Without Fossil Fuel Chemicals - Monday, November 23, 2009

(CNN) -- A team of South Korean scientists have produced the polymers used for everyday plastics through bioengineering, rather than through the use of fossil fuel-based chemicals.

After Dasani Test, Coke Begins Global Rollout of PlantBottle - Monday, November 16, 2009

Coca-Cola has begun the long-awaited global rollout of its PlantBottle and by the end of 2010 it expects to have sold more than 2 billion units. The multi-brand bottler began testing the plant-based PET bottle earlier this year on the U.S. West Coast, under the Dasani water brand. The bottle is made from a blend of petroleum-based materials and as much as 30 percent plant-based materials in the U.S.

Cereplast to Transform Algae into Bioplastics - Thursday, October 22, 2009

Cereplast, Inc., manufacturer of proprietary bio-based sustainable plastics, announced that it has been developing a breakthrough technology to transform algae into bioplastics and intends to launch a new family of algae-based resins that will complement the company's existing line of Compostables® & Hybrid® resins.

Target, CVS Put Plastic Bags in the Bull's-eye! - Monday, October 19, 2009

Just in time for the holidays, reusable shopping bags are about to go decidedly mainstream. Target (TGT), the fifth-largest U.S. retailer last year, will announce Monday plans to give customers a 5-cent discount for every reusable bag they use to pack their purchases.

Plastics, the environment and human health - Saturday, October 17, 2009

Technical Paper - Plastics have transformed everyday life; usage is increasing and annual production is likely to exceed 300 million tonnes by 2010. In this article a synthesis is made on the benefits and concerns surrounding the use of plastics and look to future priorities, challenges and opportunities. It is evident that plastics bring many societal benefits and offer future technological and medical advances. However, concerns about usage and disposal are diverse and include accumulation of waste in landfills and in natural habitats, problems for wildlife resulting from ingestion or entanglement in plastic, the leaching of chemicals from plastic products and the potential for plastics to transfer chemicals to wildlife and humans.

In Spain, Carrefour Equates Plastic Bags With Excrement - Friday, October 16, 2009

Carrefour Spain has joined the green movement with a campaign that equates plastic bags to excrement. The concept is straightforward, simple and easy to remember: "Plastic bags = shit."

Biodegradable polyolefins - Thursday, October 15, 2009

Technical Paper - Environmentally degradable polymers are the focus of a great deal of research around the world, which began over half a century ago with the recognition that plastics, particularly in packaging, were becoming a problem with regards to disposal.

Sobeys, Wegmans Continue Reducing Plastic Bags - Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Sobeys’ stores in Ontario have exceeded the province’s targeted guidelines for reducing plastic bags. Sobeys, which operates in Ontario under the Sobeys, Foodland and IGA banners, has reduced plastic bag use by 72 percent, compared to the province’s goal of a 50 percent cut, reports Supermarket News.

DuPont Launches First Product Using Plantic Material - Monday, October 12, 2009

Plantic is an AIM-quoted company engaged in the development and commercialization of a range of biodegradable plastics from naturally occurring high amylose starch. Previously, Plantic and DuPont Packaging and Industrial Polymers ("DuPont") jointly announced an agreement under which DuPont would, inter alia, market Plantic's starch-based sheet materials in North America and injection moulding resins globally, excluding Australia and New Zealand. This agreement was subsequently extended to cover Japan

Old Plastic Waste May Be The Newest Fuel Find - Thursday, October 08, 2009

Here's an interesting fact. Americans throw away 30 million tons of plastic every year and less than 7 percent of that is recycled. But now, a Washington, DC- based startup says it's come up with a unique solution, a solution that keeps plastic out of landfills and surprisingly, boosts energy supplies here in the U.S. As we here at the Foundation have said for years now, one day our landfills we become the next resource mining investment play.

Taking Aim At Plastic Bottled Water - Thursday, October 08, 2009

London may soon follow in the footsteps of Bundanoon, the Australian town that last week banned bottled water and set up drinking fountains for thirsty locals. The capital's first water stations will be set up this month in a move that could have serious repercussions for the £1.5bn-a-year bottled water industry, with companies finding it increasingly difficult to justify their carbon footprint as the quality of tap water improves.

Bio-Plastic Credit Cards Are Here - Wednesday, October 07, 2009

We can now make cards out of plants not oil. We have made it possible using a fibre called PLA, aka Ingeo™ - a natural plastic which looks and performs just like PVC plastic, but is much kinder to our environment. Ingeo™ cards are completely compostable. It's a new and refreshing change and part of the global movement towards more eco-friendly plastics. Your clients and customers will love it, and you'll get instant word of mouth – bingo.

Wipes that Soothe Your Eco-Conscience (and Baby's Bum) - Wednesday, October 07, 2009

I stumbled upon the first cradle-to-cradle baby wipe available from Elements Naturals. These wipes are made from Ingeo fiber, a man-made material that comes from 100 percent natural (no petroleum, baby!) renewable resources. You won't find any chemicals, chlorine, fragrance, or synthetic preservatives. (In fact, the second ingredient after water is aloe vera.) Plus, they're biodegradable and compostable.

NatureWorks investing in Latin America - Tuesday, October 06, 2009

Bioplastics manufacturer NatureWorks LLC is adding a distributor in Brazil for its Ingeo polylactic acid resin and in August will announce a major product launch in Colombia. “We are trying to develop a supply chain, and part of that is developing all the right channels,” said Salvador Ortega, business development manager for NatureWorks, at NPE2009, held June 22-26 in Chicago.

The Seven Sins Of GreenWashing To Watch Out For! - Monday, October 05, 2009

Manufacturers beware, the consumer is watching you! TerraChoice, is North America’s premiere environmental marketing agency, and they help grow the world’s most sustainable companies. As a science-based marketing firm, they help clients convert genuine environmental leadership into winning strategy, communications and positioning. They have developed a list of the seven sins of greenwashing and it's worth becoming aware of.

Partnership and blockbuster technologies are key to success! - Thursday, October 01, 2009

BEING GREEN might be in vogue, but when it comes to proving to investors that your technology works in a cheaper and sustainable way, only those with good management strategies and long-term planning will survive.

Natural, Recylable & Renewable Terms Resonate - Thursday, October 01, 2009

About 84 percent of consumers think of “green” products as those that are made of recyclable or reusable material, or include such packaging, according to new research from Grail Research. About 78 percent associate “green” products as being energy efficient or using renewable energy, according to “The Green Revolution” report.

The SPI Bioplastics Council - Tuesday, September 29, 2009

The SPI Bioplastics Council is a special interest group focused on the development of bioplastics as an integral part of the plastics industry through: 1. Educating the plastics industry, government and value chain. 2. Articulating clear and consistent descriptions of the different bioplastics options. 3. Providing strategic advice to the plastics industry, government and value chain and promote harmonization of environmental policies.

Fisher Goes Nuts Over Bio-Plastic Packaging - Tuesday, September 29, 2009

We package our products in a wide range of containers – jars, cans, flexible cello packages, cartons, stand-up resealable bags and sustainable packaging – in a wide range of sizes, from 1?2 ounce packages to 2,000 pound bulk totes. We are also able to provide custom-packaging solutions, such as resealable containers and fabric packaging, to meet your specific needs.

Performance Ingeo™ Meltblown Now a Reality - Thursday, September 24, 2009

NatureWorks announced at the 2009 International Nonwovens Technical Conference (INTC) being held in Denver that two grades of its low-carbon footprint Ingeo™ bioresin are now commercially available for the production of meltblown nonwovens, fabrics widely used in such products as wipes and filters. "As interest grows in polymers made from renewable resources, equipment manufacturers, process developers, and researchers have been exploring solutions that offer meltblown nonwoven fabrics that both perform well and achieve a lower carbon footprint than the existing petroleum-based incumbents," said Robert Green, director of fibers and nonwovens, NatureWorks. Green...

Plastic Made From Corn - Wednesday, September 23, 2009

In the 19th century, kerosene—the fuel that lit the lamps of the world—was made from whale oil. But whales were becoming harder and harder to come by, presaging a tenuous future for the world’s kerosene lamps. Fortuitously, a geologist named Abraham Gesner invented a way to distill kerosene from petroleum, which most people considered a useless, if abundant, substance. Today, we make most of our plastics from petroleum byproducts, and, in an interesting reversal, that resource is now in short supply. We are faced with a choice: either give up plastics altogether or find a different way to make them. Enter Ingeo, a plastic that is made from plants.

Sunchips Brand Changing the Future of Snack Food Packaging - Wednesday, September 23, 2009

SunChips, Frito-Lay’s popular line of multigrain snacks, announced today that in 2010 it will introduce the first fully compostable snack chip bag made from plant-based materials. The change is designed to significantly improve the environmental impact of its packaging.

CynerGreen Launches Bottle Free Programs for Hotels. - Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Simple, effective, visible green programs are among the easiest ways to send a message of corporate social responsibility. CynerGreen, a leading authority on sustainable hydration solutions in the hospitality industry, has launched Bottle Free programs designed for hotels and resorts. Becoming a Bottle Free hotel or resort is simple. By eliminating the purchase and distribution of plastic water bottles in retail areas, guestrooms, conference services, back of the house, and replacing them with a reusable solution, a hotel can become certified Bottle Free.

Sustainability of Petroleum-based Packaging Defended - Sunday, September 20, 2009

Companies should not look with “bane” upon petroleum-based packaging, even as more and more eco-friendly options become available, asserts Sterling Anthony, President of Sterling Anthony Consulting in a guest column at GreenerPackage.

New Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Research Creating Environmentally Friendly Bioplastics from Potatoes - Sunday, September 20, 2009

What do disposable food and beverage containers, disposable cutlery, frisbees, golf tees, greenhouse pots, and boomerangs have in common? They can all be manufactured as biodegradable products using vegetable starch. Corn is currently the preferred source for starches used in bioplastics as the crop is produced in large amounts in North America. The technologies for milling and fractionating the starches in corn are already well understood and available. Now research in Canada to create bioplastics from potatoes is getting a boost through the newly-created BioPotato Network. This federally-funded network, led by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, brings together scientists from governments, academia and...

Ford Researchers Look to Mother Nature for Clues on How to Create Greener, Lighter Plastics - Sunday, September 20, 2009

Ford researchers are taking a hard look at traditional, petrol-based plastics, turning to Mother Nature to help create composites that are durable, lightweight and better for the environment. While petroleum and glass fibers are typical ingredients associated with today's automotive plastics, Ford's research team is developing all-new composite recipes that include more natural ingredients such as soy flour, hemp, cellulose, and the sugars in corn, sugarbeets and sugarcane. Nature made Plastics currently make up approximately 10 percent of a vehicle, ranging from sight-unseen parts such as impact shields and engine covers to components drivers see and interact with everyday, including doors and instrument...

Could GMO Dandelions Replace Rubber Trees? - Sunday, September 20, 2009

Last year we talked about how scientists are looking for ways to make dandelions replace rubber trees as a source of latex. The up side is that latex from dandelions has fewer impurities than latex gathered from rubber trees, which means the material is better for things like medical gloves and even tires. However, in order to ramp up production of the raw material and make it a cheaper source than rubber trees, scientists have come up with a genetically modified flower that they've engineered to, essentially, bleed profusely.

Teijin Develops World's First Bioplastic Eyeglasses - Sunday, September 20, 2009

Teijin Limited and Teijin Chemicals Limited announced the development of eyeglass frames made from plant-based, heat-resistant bioplastic BIOFRONT, the world's first bioplastic to be used for all plastic parts of eyeglass frames, including the temples. The frames were developed in collaboration with Tanaka Foresight Inc., which manufactures and sells approximately 60% of all plastic eyeglass parts in Japan. The new BIOFRONT frames will be exhibited at the Tanaka Foresight booth during the International Optical Fair Tokyo (IOFT 2009) at Tokyo Big Sight from October 27 to 29. Tanaka Foresight eventually expects to sell between 50,000 and 100,000 pairs of BIOFRONT eyeglasses per...

Cereplast Granted Patent for Hybrid Resins - Sunday, September 20, 2009

Cereplast, Inc., manufacturer of proprietary bio-based, sustainable plastics, announced that the company has been granted patent protection for its breakthrough Cereplast Hybrid Resins® from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The USPTO Letter of Allowance describing patent 10,506,418 adds to the company's growing intellectual property portfolio. Currently, Cereplast holds a total of 48 patents and patent applications in the United States and abroad covering two families of resins: Cereplast Compostables® and Cereplast Hybrid Resins®. This new patent not only strengthens Cereplast's existing patent portfolio, but also protects the composition formulation of...

Bioplastics Added to RTP's Specialty Compound Product Families - Sunday, September 20, 2009

Global custom engineered thermoplastic compounder RTP Company has introduced a comprehensive line of engineered bioplastic specialty compounds that utilize resins derived from rapidly renewable resources. Initial bioplastic compounds based on polyamide, polyester, and polylactic acid (PLA) are available in grades providing conductive,......

Forever Plastic - Wednesday, September 09, 2009

Durable, high-tech, sexy and see through...we just can't seem to resist its glossy appeal. It seems so modern, it's hard to believe it's been around for 100 years! The early days of plastics were explosive: the first synthetic billiard balls blew up on impact! Over the years plastics have quietly permeated all parts of our lives. But what do we do with something that doesn't go away when we throw it way? Our oceans and dumps are filling u

Canadian Plastic Waste Facts - Wednesday, August 12, 2009

According to Stats Canada, in 2006 Canadians produced over 1000 kg of waste per person, up 8% from 2004. Of this total 835 kg went to landfills or was incinerated while 237 kg was diverted from landfill. Learn more here.......