Ingeo News: Volume 9, Issue 1

Ingeo Partner Updates

FILMS & CARDS

Precious Sticksters

In a first for the snack cheese industry, Clear Lam Packaging developed film for laminated flexible packaging that is 50 percent Ingeo with the remainder consisting of petroleum-based plastic. When formed into snack cheese bags, this material meets the manufacturing, freshness, and product protection criteria of the typical dairy case package while significantly reducing carbon footprint. Read more.

Gift, key, and other cards made from wood and Ingeo film

Sustainable Cards, the world’s leading manufacturer of wooden hotel key cards, gift cards, and retail point-of-sale signage, has earned the prestigious Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Chain of Custody certification. The FSC label provides the link between responsible production and consumption of forest products and enables consumers and businesses make socially and environmentally responsible purchasing decisions. A thin layer of Ingeo film protects the surface of the Sustainable Cards.

Package sealing tape wins award

The Association of International Metalilizers, Coaters, and Laminators awarded its 2012 Sustainability Award to Taghleef Industries for an Ingeo-based sealing tape. Unlike polypropylene or polyester tapes, the award winning Ingeo biaxially-oriented-film tape does not pose a problem for subsequent composting or recycling after the package enters the waste stream. Taghleef markets its transparent and solid white Ingeo tapes under the Nativia brand name. Read more.

FOOD SERVICEWARE

Ingeo cups on historic LAN Airlines flight

In March, LAN Airlines and Air BP Copec made the first commercial South American flight using second generation biofuels, demonstrating efforts to generate an increasingly sustainable operation. On board, passengers drank from Ingeo compostable hot and cold beverage cups. “In the framework of our first commercial flight using second generation biofuels, the use of compostable Ingeo cups, represented an additional contribution to the central objective of the event, which was to promote more sustainable operations for aviation in the region. In LAN, we are always evaluating such actions, which can contribute to our commitment to care and improvement of the environment”, said Enrique Guzmán, Environmental Manager at LAN Chile.

Two new distributors offer Ingeo food serviceware product lines

P&P International, Inc., Selma, CA, recently began offering its customers Ingeo-based food serviceware for the fast growing segment of the market interested in compostable plastic ware that enables diversion of food residuals from landfill to industrial compost facilities.

Water Billboards, by Buffalo Ridge Water, Canby, MN, is now carrying a complete line of BPI-certified compostable Ingeo food service ware including cups, glasses, plates, utensils, and garbage bags.

Happy Candy package carries more than candy

Handy Candy LLC has developed a versatile and frankly fun new fresh food package made from plant based Ingeo biopolymer. The “Handy Candy” package was a finalist at the 2011 Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit for innovative packaging, and Flavor Pic Tomato Co. was the first licensee to distribute. The unique package manufactured by Fabri-Kal consists of their Greenware® 7 oz. cup and matching dome lid with hole for easy on-the-go snacking, and lends itself to a variety of uses for grape tomatoes – individual servings, pre-packed salads, and grab-and-go snacks.

BagasseWare®

BioMass Packaging, a division of Excellent Packaging and Supply, is now offering a line of clamshell containers made from bagasse. To prevent leaking, these packages are lined with Ingeo film. The innovative clamshells are compostable and made with renewable materials, not oil.

Cradle-to-Cradle Activities

Ingeo recycling in Germany
Germany has one of the most developed waste recovery systems in the world, with nationwide collection of post consumer packaging materials. RE|PLA Cycle GmbH, owned by the company RECLAY, is a licensed waste disposal management provider in Germany. Since the beginning of the year, RE|PLA has begun collecting post-industrial manufacturing Ingeo scrap, closed loop event cups, and increasingly Ingeo and other PLA-based bioplastics packaging from the German Green Dot consumer waste recovery system. RE|PLA directs the collected waste towards re-processors and NatureWorks channels the rPLA to interested end-user markets. Read more.

Life cycle assessments demonstrate the benefits of biopolymers

Oliver Schmid, managing director of Proganic, which relies exclusively on biobased plastics says, “More and more customers are interested in biobased solutions, but only those that have distinct ecological advantages. We owe it to our customers to generate reliable data and make these solutions available to them.” To acquire the data, Proganic hired the Nova Institute to demonstrate low carbon footprint advantages. The institute conducted a comprehensive survey of available data. Researchers examined 30 different life cycle assessments of biopolymers including Ingeo. They summarized their findings by saying that they found unambiguously positive results for the widespread biobased plastics PLA and PHA/PHB. Here is a link to the Nova Institute’s findings. Read more.

In Europe look for the “seedling” logo for compostable bioplastics

Producers, converters, and users of products that are compostable according to the European standard EN 13432 / 14955 will soon be able to obtain the respected “seedling” logo through a new certification organization. The EU-wide established seedling eco-logo is now available through the Belgian certifier Vinçotte. NatureWorks has had a long relationship with Vincotte. In 2010 Ingeo was the first biopolymer to earn a four-star OK biobased rating from that organization.

NatureWorks in the News

• Study questioning eco-credentials of bio-based plastic flawed – NatureWorks
• Green Matter: Bio-based plastics stand up to sustainability scrutiny
• Biobased plastics – sustainability well on the way
• Bio-based plastics stand up to sustainability scrutiny
• Study compared bio-based plastics
• PackWebAsia on PLA sustainability
• New bio-based alloy Plexiglas® Rnew resin with NatureWorks’ Ingeo biopolymer offers exceptional performance characteristics
• NatureWorks displays Plexiglas Rnew
• NatureWorks and BioAmber form bioplastics joint venture
• Anuncian Joint Venture para comercialización de biopolímeros
• Bioplastics Recycling Options Expand
• NPE2012 Packaging Overview: Materials
• Resinas y aditivos en NPE 2012
• NatureWorks Receives 2011 Best of Minnetonka Award

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Ingeo Partner Updates cont.

A full line of Ingeo-based cups, bowls & lids

Vegware, packaging made from plants, is marketing single and double wall hot cups and soup containers and lids. The paper cups and bowls are lined with Ingeo. The lids are made from Ingeo. Vegware products are fully compostable. These foodservice items were manufactured by President Packaging, a foodservice disposables manufacturer, based in Taiwan.

DURABLES

Bioserie iPhone 4/4S covers now carry the USDA BioPreferred product label’s top rating – 100% biobased.

Launched in 2011, the USDA’s BioPreferred product label is designed to give consumers a credible way of identifying products that are biobased. The labels typically show the percentage of biobased content in the product – 50 percent, 75 percent, etc. Bioserie applied and was awarded a BioPreferred product label. The company could not have rated any higher when the USDA awarded it with a 100 percent BioPreferred product label for its Ingeo iPhone 4/4S covers.