Ingeo News: Volume 13, Issue 1
November 2018
NatureWorks Announces New Sustainable Agricultural Goals in Global Commitment
We're proud to announce we, along with other companies representing 20% of all plastic packaging produced globally, have signed the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment to eliminate plastic pollution at its source. The Global Commitment is led by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, in collaboration with UN Environment.
From our earliest days, NatureWorks has been committed to supporting sustainable agricultural practices for our 1st generation feedstocks. In signing the Global Commitment, we have recommitted ourselves to bold, new goals for growing the renewable feedstocks that we form into performance materials like Ingeo and Vercet.
In signing this agreement, we commit to 3 actions:
- By 2019: 60% of our feedstock will be certified as sustainably and responsibly managed via the independent, 3rd party-administered chain of custody program ISCC PLUS.
- By 2020: 100% of our feedstock will be certified as sustainably and responsibly managed via the independent, 3rd party-administered chain of custody program ISCC PLUS.
- By 2025: we ensure that 100% of new feedstocks for additional manufacturing capacity will be certified as sustainably and responsibly managed via an independent 3rd party-administered program.
We join companies such as PepsiCo, Danone, Walmart, Unilever, SC Johnson and 250+ more in signing this global commitment. Read More...
Innovation Takes root 2018
The 6th biennial Innovation Takes Root forum was held September 10-12th in San Diego, CA. We proudly welcomed 340 attendees from 25 countries, showcased 22 exhibitors, and had the support of 27 event sponsors.
Featured speakers included representatives from Electrolux, PepsiCo, Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Michelman, Ahlstrom, Danone, and more. The reviews we received were excellent and we hope to see you at the next Innovation Takes Root! Read More...
“I strongly recommend Innovation Takes Root. It’s for sure a good opportunity to understand and to see what happens in this area of biopolymers. It’s an international event, not just on PLA. I think it’s well done, well-managed, and well-organized. It was a good investment for me.” – Marco Garilli, Innovation Expert – Polymers at Electrolux
APR guidelines now include pla
The APR Design® Guide for Plastics Recyclability is the most comprehensive resource outlining the plastics recycling industry's recommendations in the marketplace today.
Even though PLA recycling collection systems are limited in North America, the APR Design Guidelines now include PLA in anticipation of development and growth of future PLA recycling programs. Read More...
Ingeo coffee capsules launch in europe
Gea is a compostable, next generation coffee capsule made with Ingeo. The new capsule is the first in the world that combines compostability, oxygen barrier, and an improved taste and aroma experience for the consumer.
The Gea capsule is the result of a two-year joint development process between Flo and NatureWorks that created a compostable capsule aimed to deliver on the high-performance requirements of the most demanding roasters. Read more...
Ingeo refrigerator liners save energy
NatureWorks presented the first of its kind refrigerator liners made from Ingeo at NPE 2018. Refrigerator liners are usually made of high-impact polystyrene and refrigerator makers use about 500,000 metric tons of the tough polymer annually. A sizable amount of that need could be replaced with energy-saving Ingeo options.
There are a few beneficial uses of Ingeo in refrigerator liners. One is the sustainability of the polymer; it's biobased and has a smaller carbon footprint than polystyrene. Ingeo is also more resistant to food oils. The real value of Ingeo, however, is in the energy savings. Ingeo’s barrier properties can be leveraged to increase the energy efficiency of refrigerators by 7-15% annually over the life of the appliance. Read more...
bioplastics get tougher and greener
Consumer appliance giant Electrolux has created what it says is the world's first bioplastic concept refrigerator. The fridge —with all its visible plastic parts made of Ingeo bioplastic—is part of the company's strategy to make more sustainable home appliances. Read More...
PARTNER UPDATES
ZERO WASTE INITIATIVES
green sports alliance summit 2018
NatureWorks sponsored the Green Sports Alliance Summit 2018, which set the stage for leaders in the sports industry, private sector and government, nonprofit and academia to share successes and lessons learned through ideas to further promote healthy and sustainable communities where we live and play.
NatureWorks' own Business Development Leader in Performance Packaging, Doug Kunnemann was able to work with Mercedes-Benz Stadium and local partners, Cowart Mulch Products and ERTH Products to achieve a 99% waste diversion rate during the Summit. The process to set up the partnerships and logistics to make the event zero waste was presented at a successful workshop to share learnings with other venues hoping to implement similar systems. Read More...
food waste collection: cic in nyc
A new pilot program by the Consorzio Italiano Compostatori (CIC) in NYC increased food waste collection 400% by implementing a collection strategy originally developed in Italy using in-home collection bins and compostable plastic bags made with Ingeo from Novamont.
FOOD SERVICEWARE
NEW STUDY SHOWS VALUE OF COMPOSTABLE FOODSERVICE PACKAGING AS FEEDSTOCK IN COMPOST PRODUCTION
Results of a new six-phase study confirmed that compostable food-service packaging can be effectively used as a feedstock in commercial composting facilities.
The testing, funded by the Foodservice Packaging Institute and the Biodegradable Products Institute, showed that foodservice packaging performed as well as wood and other traditional feedstocks. Read more...
BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION
the revolution starts under your feet
With iD Revolution, Tarkett introduced the first cradle-to-cradle Gold-certified modular resilient flooring, made with Ingeo-based materials. Using innovative and abundant raw materials in its conception, iD Revolution is the result of Tarkett’s proven expertise in materials and experience of developing sustainable, innovative solutions. Read More...
On September 17th, Tarkett's iD Revolution received a Green World Environment Award in Ankara, Turkey. They were recognized as a Global Gold Winner in the Innovation category.
NONWOVENS
Tea bags made with Ingeo nonwovens awarded at world tea expo
Ahlstrom-Munksjö Fiber+ biomaterials tea bag was awarded the “New Product Innovation Showcase Award” for sustainable packaging at the World Tea Expo in June. As part of the company's focus on sustainability, the new "Fiber+" product range offers a plastic free, certified compostable version of traditional heat sealable materials combining high performance with special focus on reducing the environmental impact at end of life.
INDUSTRY NEWS
- Updated Bioeconomy Strategy from EU Commission, European Commission
- Future Directions in Advanced Biomaterials, International Plastics News
- Plastics Proliferation Transitioning to Bioplastics Boost, Biofuels Digest
- Goodbye Petroleum, Hello Bio - Bio-based multi-layer transparent films are now a reality, Sukano.com
EVENTS
December 4-5 | Berlin, Germany
NatureWorks' Senior Materials Scientist, Osei Owusu, will present study, "Improving the Energy Efficiency of a Refrigerator-Freezer through the Use of a Novel Cabinet/Door Liner Based on Ingeo Biopolymer."
Polymers for 3D Printing - AMI
December 11-12 | Dusseldorf, Germany
NatureWorks' Applications Development Engineer, Deepak Venkatraman, will speak on forging ahead in industrial 3D printing applications with PLA, Tuesday, December 11th.
Compost 2019: USCC Conference & Trade Show
January 28-31 | Phoenix, Arizona