【PLASTICS NEWS】Bioplastics alliance looks to guide
supply chain
Amanda McCormack, June 11, 2014 02:00
AM,EUROPEAN PLASTICS NEWS
The Bioplastics Feedstock Alliance (BFA), a group of
brand owners including Coca-Cola Co. and Unilever NV, is assessing criteria for
sustainable biomass production in the wake of data that suggests global demand
for bio-based and biodegradable plastics is set to rise yearly by 19 percent.
Using biomass has two clear advantages, says the European
Bioplastics Association — renewability and availability. The organization
states that in 2012 bioplastics output was 1.4 million metric tonnes but it
estimates that this will grow to reach 6 million tonnes by 2017.
In November 2013, BFA was formed by some of the world's
major consumer brands as a forum focused on increasing awareness around the
environmental and social performance of potential feedstock sources for
bio-based plastics.
BFA consists of eight founding companies: Coke, Danone,
Ford Motor Co., H.J. Heinz Co., Nestlé, Nike Inc., Procter & Gamble Co.,
Unilever and World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
Erin Simon, manager of packaging and material science for
WWF, said of the alliance: “The WWF supports the responsible management of
natural resources while meeting the increasing demands of a growing population.
“As a part of this commitment, WWF has helped convene the
Bioplastic Feedstock Alliance in order to enable progress toward realising its
important objectives to protect the future of nature.”
Consumers want sustainable products
Coca-Cola backed this sentiment, with a representative
telling European Plastics News: “Consumers across the world increasingly are
looking for more sustainable products, including those made from plant-based
plastics. With increasing rising market demand for food and fiber in the coming
decades, responsible sourcing of these materials is the key to enabling
sustainable growth.
“This alliance will go a long way in ensuring the
responsible management of natural resources used to meet the growing demand for
bioplastics.”
The majority of bioplastics are currently derived from
plants, such as corn, wheat and soy. The emergence of biofuel and a debate over
land use has also highlighted worries over the potential for land competition
between bioplastic feedstocks and crops.
However, the European Bioplastics Association, the
organization representing the interests of Europe's bioplastics industry which
states that it has a good link with the BFA, points out that land competition
is not currently a concern.
“Only around 0.01 percent of the global agricultural area
are used to grow feedstock for bioplastics. In contrast 97 percent are used as
pastures to grow food and feed,” said Kristy-Barbara Lange, the head of
communication for European Bioplastics Association.
Looking to the future the BFA is aware of the problem and
the WWF says bioplastics on their own will not create the competition, but a
move from non-renewable resources, especially for fuel, paired with the need to
feed a growing population will do so. It states sustainability of resources is
key.
BFA says it is planning to monitor bioplastic feedstocks
and therefore help to create strong, transparent supply chains.
“Currently, BFA members are looking at commonly accepted
criteria for sustainable biomass production systems in order to understand how
to identify and mitigate specific risks for particular feedstocks. Risks will
vary depending on the feedstock and the region of the world and production
management systems in use. By gaining greater visibility into their supply
chains and identifying risks, BFA members can better address those
opportunities for improvement,” claimed WWF's Simon.
Coherent supply chain
John Williams, a consultant in the bio-based materials
industry, says he feels positive about what BFA can potentially achieve, as
long as it avoids becoming just a “talking shop”. He sees the alliance
eventually putting a stamp of approval on the supply chain, offering
“...bioplastics producers a coherent supply chain with a direction on what the
key brand owners are looking for, not only technically but logistically”.
The European Bioplastics Association meanwhile says it
hopes BFA will be able to provide a practical result that is fit not only for
large global companies, but also for the small- and medium-sized companies that
currently dominate the bioplastics industry.
This article is cited from:https://reurl.cc/AqaxOj