On the way to bioplastics

What are biopolymers and how long have they been around?

Biopolymers are natural polymers. The prefix ‘bio’ denotes that the sources of biopolymers are living organisms and they are often biodegradable. They have been on the cosmetic market for the last few years mainly because they respond well to the growing market demand oriented towards sustainability.

What are they made of?

Biopolymers are completely natural, consisting of monomeric units that are bonded, forming chain-like molecules. They are made with a combination of natural fibres and waste. Biopolymers combine the processing capabilities of thermoplastic materials with renewable resources.

Where are they generally used? Where specifically in the cosmetics market?

The continuous growth of demand for biopolymers is driven by a variety of industries as they have various applications. In the cosmetic and health care markets, consumers are increasingly attentive to environmental issues: there is a high demand on eco-sustainable materials and consequently the industry is more and more requesting packaging made from biopolymers. Sustainability is one of the key elements of our company’s strategy, which is increasingly moving towards biopolymers that are derived from renewable resources and natural materials not linked to the food chain.

What advantages do they have over the conventional polymers? Where are there (still) vulnerabilities?

Biopolymers have several functional, economic and environmental advantages. They are made from plant raw materials, which are renewable and sustainable, unlike oil which is a limited and finite resource. Another main advantage of biopolymers is in waste processing as they are biodegradable, and some are also compostable. Moreover, the production of biopolymers uses biomass and not fossil resources, contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Finally, the environmental benefits of biodegradable packaging may be reflected in cost advantages. Despite the numerous and significant advantages of biopolymers, they are not free from disadvantages. First, like any product, uncontrolled use and bad disposal can contribute to the pollution of water and soil. Although biodegradable polymers naturally degrade and disintegrate by their very nature, there is always a possibility of damage, even to fauna, when a  product is ingested. Like many biodegradable polymers, clear labels are required to indicate correct disposal and recycling, to prevent them from contaminating the recycling processes of conventional plastics.

What could the near future of biopolymers and bioplastics look like? What potential do they have?

Innovations in the fields relating to biopolymers and the increasing consolidation of the global market and environmental regulations are expected to boost the demand for biopolymers in the near future. Bioplastics can make an important contribution to the circular economy, which aims to use products in the best way possible across the entire value chain, to keep them in usage for as long as possible and to recover them at the end of their service life. Thus in creating a product, the essential aspects are the combination between the respect for the three “R”s (reduce, reuse and recycle) and the design of the product itself, thus guaranteeing a continuous and sustainable product life cycle: from the choice to reduce the use of components and materials for their realization, to the possibility of reuse and the ease of recycling of the product.

What might the distant future look like or how would you like this future to look?

Looking towards the future, we are increasingly using biopolymers to produce recyclable and/or biodegradable cosmetic packaging by using injection moulding technology within the companies of the group. Thanks to the continuous research

and development of the team, we constantly work to develop packaging for the cosmetic industry that meets both environmental and sustainability requirements. It is important to always guarantee the functionality of the product, for the final consumer who is more environmentally conscious, but at the same time to renew by proposing increasingly green solutions. Ecobaralan is our product line of natural bioplastic items, to meet the growing market demand for ecofriendly products with a sustainable life cycle.