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Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Laura Frazier" <farmgirlarts@gmail.com>
  • To: slowfooddc@lists.ibiblio.org, permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [permaculture] Compostable Packaging
  • Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2007 14:59:49 -0400

In an effort to begin replacing petroleum-based packaging, some major
corporations are turning to plant biomass (corn and potato starch) for
compostable packaging for foods. There are so many things we use that are
petro-based which will require replacement that it boggles my mind. If we
continue to turn to food sources for the replacements, what are we going to
eat? Very complex, eh?

Laura

* foodnavigator.com
Company to produce compostable food packaging*

By Ahmed ElAmin
11/10/2007- *The Instone Group has joined the race to grab a slice of the
biodegradable food packaging market by launching a subsidiary that will
target the produce and meat segments.*

New Ice, the new company, will develop, produce and market a range of
compostable food packaging. It will add more capacity in the market for
those processors who want to make the switch to more
environmentally-friendly packaging.

*"The company has been operating in stealth mode for a few years and is
months away from introducing a new class of biodegradable food and beverage
containers that are compostable,"* Instone stated.

The packaging will target packagers of produce, meats and poultry.

New Ice has applied for process patents covering its potato starch
formulation. The formulation replaces plastic and Styrofoam food container
products, the company claimed.

The packaging is being designed to conform to international ASTM 6400
standards for compostable materials.

New Ice is building its first manufacturing line in Durango, Colorado and is
currently testing pre-production products, said Giles Instone, New Ice's
founder. The company also has established offices in the UK and Australia.

*"We have spent the last six years researching and developing a new class of
products that will revolutionise the entire life cycle for compostable food
containers,"* he said. *"We've conceived an approach using a new process
that will give food packagers an opportunity to be environmentally
responsible, while protecting the quality of the food products that they
sell."*

The packaging products will not be available for a few months, he said.

New Ice is the not the first player to enter the biodegradable and
compostable packging market. Over the past five years packaging suppliers
have been introducing various forms of biodegradable materials to replace
plastics and foams.

These materials are made from a variety of plants, in the main corn, in
response to projections that consumers and recycling regulations will drive
demand for environmentally-friendly packaging.

Some companies predict that the market will grow by about 20 per cent a
year, and the products are an alternative to petroleum-based packaging such
as the widely-used polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

Earlier this month Cargill announced it was teaming up with Japan-based
Teijin to produce polylactic acid (PLA). A similar alliance has been formed
between DuPont and Plantic.

Materials such as PLA and PHA are made from a variety of plants.

To produce PLA manufacturers use a chemical polymerisation process to
transform renewable raw materials such as corn into a biodegradable
biopolymer.

Meanwhile biodegradable polymers such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), PHV
and PHB are produced by the actions of genetically modified micro-organisms.

Demand for bioplastics in Europe experienced its first boom last year,
according to a survey by the European Bioplastics Association, which has
about 70 members. Currently bioplastics account for less than one percent of
the European plastics market.

PLA is a plastic biopolymer, wholly derived from corn, which is compostable
and biodegradable * Copyright - Unless otherwise stated all contents of
this web site are (c) 2000/2007 – Decision News Media SAS – All Rights
Reserved. For permission to reproduce any contents of this web site, please
email our Syndication department: contact our Syndication
department<http://www.foodnavigator.com/feedback/index.asp?type=4&page=%2Fnews%2FprintNewsBis%2Easp%3Fid%3D80477>.
Full details for the use of materials on this site can be found in the Terms
& Conditions <http://www.foodnavigator.com/misc/misc.asp?idmisc=6>. *




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