These are plastics made from plants. The starch contained within the plant is processed to produce a polymer. It is actually possible to produce most polymers from bio materials, but the bio plastics London Bio Packaging uses most commonly are PLA (Poly-Lactic Acid) and Mater Bi. Bio-plastics behave in a similar way to conventional plastics and are suitable for most packaging applications. However, unlike finite oil based plastics which take millions of years to form and 100 of years to degrade, they are annually renewable and suitable for composted (nature’s way of recycling) within 12 weeks. The carbon footprint of Bio-plastic is therefore much lower.
Plant Starch Material (PSM) is a flexible packaging material which has not been refined into a bio-plastic. Usually made from corn or potatoes it comes from renewable crop, has a low carbon footprint and is compostable. PSM is heat resistant making it particularly suitable for hot food applications and ideal for cutlery.
The waste material produced once sugar cane has been harvested for the sugar syrup is called bagasse. This fibrous material is a renewable resource. There is not currently adequate information on the associated carbon emissions, but as this is a waste product, it will by definition be saving carbon as it replaces what would otherwise be a requirement for some virgin material manufacture. Sugar bagasse is turned into packaging products from its raw form using a process of heating, pulping and then pressurised moulding. These are heat resistant and microwaveable making them ideal as hot food containers and best of all, naturally compostable.
rPET (recycled polyethylene terephthalate) is the most common plastic that is being recycled back into primary applications (i.e. bottles recycled back into bottles and not ‘down-cycled’ into lesser products like park furniture). Recycled plastics reduce the amount of fossil fuel resources, have a lower carbon footprint than virgin plastics, divert material from landfill and can themselves be recycled.
Recycled paper products contribute to the diversion of material from landfill and results in less land being given over to commercial forestry which can have a negative impact on biodiversity. Sustainable forest paper ensures that the forests from which the paper comes and managed so as not destroy the forest, to promote biodiversity and protect any indigenous peoples.