France intends to introduce a 2019 bonus malware system to encourage consumers to use mostly recycled plastic, reports France-Presse (AFP). The project’s goal is to create more recycling points and use environmentally friendly materials.
How Far the Recycling Process Has Reached
According to a new UN report, 9 percent of the once-produced 9 billion tonnes of plastic products in the world were recycled. In recent years, things have evolved, but not all countries have reached the same level. For example, in Europe, 31 percent of the nearly 26 million tonnes of plastic waste collected in 2016 were recycled, according to the European Federation of Plastics (PlasticsEurope), compared to about 10 percent in the United States.
Figures are also very different for different types of plastic. The polyethylene terephthalate from which the bottles are composed is processed and the recycled material can be used without any difficulty.On the contrary, yoghurt cups are burned, as the ingredients used in the automotive industry, because they are too expensive for recycling.
Among the shortcomings are still missing markets for recycled raw materials, higher prices vs. fossil materials, and doubts about the properties of these materials. In addition, most of the plastics simply do not collect separately.
What Are the Bioplastics
The generic term “bioplastics” can lead to confusion because it designates both bioproduct plastics (produced entirely or partially from natural renewable ingredients) and biodegradable plastic materials. Some may come from fossil resources.
Bioplastics can combine these two properties – bioproducts and biodegradable – but this is not always the case. Of 2.05 million tonnes of bio-plastic produced in 2017 in the world, less than half (880 thousand tonnes) was biodegradable according to the European Bioplastics Federation.
Production facilities for bioplastics are mainly concentrated in Asia (56 percent), which is also the main producer of traditional plastics, followed by Europe (18 percent) and North America (16 percent).
In 2017, 58 percent of the world’s bio-plastics were used for packaging, ahead of the textile industry (11 percent), consumer goods (7 percent) and automotive and other transport industries (also 7 percent).
What Is Their Market Share
World production of bio-plastics last year was 0.75 percent of the world market for polymers according to “Bioplastics”.
These materials are becoming more and more popular because of the environmental awareness of governments, companies and consumers: the European federation predicts growth of 19 percent in the world over the period 2017-2022.
However, their manufacturing costs remain a brake. “Composite plastics are two or three times more expensive than traditional plastics,” says Jean-Marc Neyne, responsible for sustainable development at the French “Sphere” Packaging Company.
As for plastics from bio-sources, they are “30 to 50 percent more expensive,” he adds. The increase in volumes, the improvement of production processes and the increased oil prices should contribute to their competitiveness.
How to Use It
Biodegradable plastics have the primary task of replacing conventional plastic in products that are more likely to end up in nature, such as fine bags or disposable kitchen containers. Industrials also work on the use of biodegradation techniques in the sea to combat ocean pollution.
Bioproduct plastics can replace any plastic originating from the petrochemical industry, as the produced molecule is the same. Some European countries have set thresholds for their inclusion in disposable bags. But to justify higher prices, bioplast manufacturers are trying to develop materials with new properties: lighter, healthier, and even environmentally-friendly.
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