Bioplastics Market Trends and U.S. & E.U. Outlook

SUMMARY

Introduction

Today's world without plastics is incomprehensible. Bio-based and biodegradable plastics are a very promising innovation for both industry and the economy. Bioplastics are indeed plastics, but very special plastics. Compostability is the main material property, which differentiates bioplastics products from conventional plastic material. This enables the organic recycling of bioplastics products.

"Bioplastics is a concise-and suitable name for biodegradable plastics whose components are derived entirely from renewable raw materials."

Biopolymers have taken a place of large potential source of feedstock for biodegradable plastics because of their plentiful presence, variety of their chemical structure, the biodegradability and their non toxicity. One or more biopolymers combine to form Bioplastics. Even though biopolymers are biodegradable, it is not necessary Bioplastics made from those biopolymers will degrade with same enzyme system. Bioplastics are actually biodegradable plastics. There are two ways to produce Bioplastics, either by using petroleum resources or plant based. Petroleum based Bioplastics never fully decompose, pollute land and water ecologies. Due to limited petroleum resources, their prices and also their disposing problem, demand for biodegradable plastics (which produces carbon di oxide and water) is growing.

"The image of a natural, nontoxic, sustainable and environmentally friendly product has been the driving force." says Clover Chang, Assistant Director, USGC/ Taiwan.

Nationally (USA), less than 6 percent of all waste plastic gets recycled, compared with recycling rates of 50 percent for paper, 37 percent for metals and 22 percent for glass, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

According to the BASF, per capita consumption of plastics would increase to more than 300lbs by 2010 as compared to 223 lbs in 2001 in USA, whopping increase by 36%. It is clear from this figure that the plastics consumption will increase as the development of new products and demand raises. These plastics are conventionally made from petrochemicals and it's by products. As the petrochemical sources are depleting and the rise in prices results in researching other alternatives.

These alternatives are the second generation of plastics in the form of bioplastics which are not only biodegradable, but also advantageous to our environment, requires lesser energy in processing bioplastics than conventional plastics, releases Co2 and water after degradation, recycle carbon in our environment thereby reducing Co2 production and stabilizing the environment and produces more fertile soil after degradation rich in nutrients and good for further farming.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Introduction

• Figure 1-1 Per Capita Bioplastics Consumption

2. Materials Used to Manufacture Bioplastics

• Figure 2-1 Flow Diagram of Biodegradable Plastics and Their Types

3. Industry Overview and Company Activity

• Enterprise (Manufacture) Commercialization U.S.(Company Name, Contact, Production Unit, Production Capacity, Plant Source, Product Name, Application, Technology and Customer)
  • 3.1.1 ∼ 3.1.18 (Total 18)
• Enterprise (Manufacture) Commercialization EU.(Company Name, Contact, Production Unit, Production Capacity, Plant Source, Product Name, Application, Technology and Customer)
  • 3.2.1 ∼ 3.2.6 (Total 6)
• 3.3 Material Maker Participants (Material Used to Manufacture Bioplastics) US (Company Name, Contact, Production Unit, Production Capacity, Plant Source, Product Name, Application, Technology and Customer)
  • 3.3.1 ∼ 3.3.23 (Total 23)
• 3.4 Material Maker Participants (Material Used to Manufacture Bioplastics) EU (Company Name, Contact, Production Unit, Production Capacity, Plant Source, Product Name, Application, Technology and Customer)
  • 3.4.1 ∼ 3.4.21 (Total 21)
• 3.5 Major Bioplastics Companies Excluding U.S. and E.U. (Company Name, Contact, Production Unit, Production Capacity, Plant Source, Product Name, Application, Technology and Customer)
  • 3.5.1 ∼ 3.5.16 (Total 16)
• 3.6 Biodegradable Additives and Colorants
• 3.7 Enterprise R&D Center (Organization Name, Contact, R&D Location, Budget, # of Staff, Research Theme, Application, Technology, Partner)
• 3.8 R&D Center/Institute and University R&D (Organization Name, Contact, R&D Location, Budget, # of Staff, Application, Technology, Partner)
• 3.9 Venture Capital (Organization Name, Contact, R&D Location, Budget, # of Staff, Application, Technology, Partner)

4. U.S. and E.U. Bioplastics Market Size and Forecast 2007∼2011

• 4.1 U.S. Market Size and Forecast by Production Volume 2007∼2011
  • Table 4-1 Market Size and Forecast by Production Volume
  • Figure 4-1 Market Size and Forecast by Production VolumeResearcher Comments
• 4.2 E.U. Market Size and Forecast by Production Volume 2007∼2011
  • Table 4-2 E.U. Market Size and Forecast by Production Volume
  • Figure 4-2 E.U. Market Size and Forecast by Production Volume
  • Researcher Comments
• 4.3 U.S. Market Size and Forecast by Revenue 2007∼2011
  • Table 4-3 U.S. Market Size and Forecast by Revenue
  • Figure 4-3 U.S. Market Size and Forecast by Revenue
  • Researcher Comments
• 4.4 E.U. Market Size and Forecast by Revenue 2007∼2011
  • Table 4-4 E.U. Market Size and Forecast by Revenue
  • Figure 4-4 E.U. Market Size and Forecast by Revenue
  • Researcher Comments
• 4.5 U.S. Market Size by Plant Source in 2007
  • Table 4-5 U.S. Market Size by Plant Source in 2007
  • Figure 4-5 U.S. Market Size by Plant Source in 2007
  • Researcher Comments
• 4.6 E.U. Market Size by Plant Source in 2007
  • Table 4-6 E.U. Market Size by Plant Source
  • Figure 4-6 E.U. Market Size by Plant Source
  • Researcher Comments
• 4.7 U.S. Market Size by Technology in 2007
  • Table 4-7 U.S. Market Size by Technology
  • Figure 4-7 U.S. Market Size by Technology
  • Researcher Comments
• 4.8 E.U. Market Size by Technology in 2007
  • Table 4-8 E.U. Market Size by Technology in 2007
  • Figure 4-8 E.U. Market Size by Technology in 2007
  • Researcher Comments
• 4.9 U.S. Market Size by Application in 2007
  • Table 4-9 U.S. Market Size by Application in 2007
  • Figure 4-9 U.S. Market Size by Application in 2007
  • Researcher Comments
• 4.10 E.U. Market Size by Application in 2007
  • Table 4-10 E.U. Market Size by Application in 2007
  • Figure 4-10 E.U. Market Size by Application in 2007
  • Researcher Comments

5. U.S. and E.U. Market Share Forecast 2007∼2011

• 5.1 U.S. Market Share Forecast by Maker 2007∼2011
  • Table 5-1 U.S. Market Share Forecast by Maker
  • Figure 5-1 U.S. Market Share Forecast by Maker
  • Researcher Comments
• 5.2 E.U. Market Share Forecast by Maker 2007∼2011
  • Table 5-2 E.U. Market Share Forecast by Maker
  • Figure 5-2 E.U. Market Share Forecast by Maker
  • Researcher Comments
• 5.3 U.S. Market Share by Technology 2007
  • Table 5-3 U.S. Market Share by Technology
  • Figure 5-3 U.S. Market Share by Technology
  • Researcher Comments
• 5.4 E.U. Market Share by Technology 2007
  • Table 5-4 E.U. Market Share by Technology 2007
  • Figure 5-4 E.U. Market Share by Technology 2007
  • Researcher Comments
• 5.5 U.S. Market Share by Applications 2007
  • Table 5-5 U.S. Market Share by Applications
  • Figure 5-5 U.S. Market Share by Applications
  • Researcher Comments
• 5.6 E.U. Market Share by Applications 2007
  • Table 5-6 E.U. Market Share by Applications
  • Figure 5-6 E.U. Market Share by Applications
  • Researcher Comments

6. New Development in the U.S. and E.U.

• 6.1 Source of Plant
• 6.2 New Application & Technology

7. Technology Trends and Bottle Neck (Hearing Industry Experts - Specify Personal ID)

8. Future of Market in the U.S. and E.U.

• 8.1 Market Potentiality for End User Applications
• 8.2 Market Driver and Obstacle
  • 8.2.1 Market Drivers
  • 8.2.2 Obstacles

9. Regulatory Issue in the U.S. and E.U.

• 9.1 ASTM(USA)
• 9.2 European Standards (CEN, DIN)

10. Interviews with Bioplastics Company

• Questions
  • Q1: What are the key R&D technology and bottleneck?
  • Q2: What is cost for future, 3-5 years for now?
  • Q3: When will bioplastics supply meet U.S. demand?
  • Q4: In the future, will bioplastics exports from U.S. be considered? If so, what environment or conditions are needed?
• 10.1 ∼ 10.8 (Total 8)

Appendix A: Scale up challenge at Nature Works plant bolds back PLA market growth

Appendix B: Exclusive Research Papers

Appendix C: List of Distributors in Bioplastics

Appendix D: Nature Works World Wide Customers