Bioplastics

Climate friendly

Circular economy at it`s best.

Optimized CO2 footprint

Versatile application possibilities

Bioethylene reduces greenhouse gas emissions

Bio-based plastics play a key role in a sustainable bioeconomy, as they replace fossil resources and promote the circular economy. By using bioethanol instead of fossil ethylene, climate-friendly, biodegradable plastics can be produced.

One example is polylactic acid (PLA), which is made from corn starch and lactic acid. These technologies reduce the carbon footprint of products and support the industry in achieving its net-zero targets.

Bio-based plastics offer a promising opportunity to reduce the environmental impact of the plastics industry. Research and development in this area aims to expand the variety of bio-based plastics available and improve their properties in order to create a sustainable alternative to conventional plastics.

Sustainable – biodegradable – versatile – customizable – reduced environmental impact

Bio-based plastics, also known as biodegradable plastics or bioplastics, are a special class of plastics that are made from renewable, biological raw materials. In contrast to conventional plastics, which are obtained from fossil fuels such as crude oil and natural gas, bio-based plastics are based on plant materials or microorganisms. This more environmentally friendly alternative to conventional plastic has gained in importance in recent years and is used in a variety of applications.

Raw materials: Bio-based plastics are mainly produced from renewable raw materials. Common sources include plants such as corn, sugar cane, potatoes, beets and algae. Some bio-based plastics are also made from animal sources such as milk protein or fish by-products.

Types of bio-based plastics

Polylactide (PLA):

PLA is a bio-based plastic made from fermented lactic acid. It is biodegradable and is used in packaging materials, disposable tableware and textiles.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA):

A special macroalgae is added to the feed. The result is groundbreaking, as methane emissions from cattle can be reduced by up to 90 % on average.

Polyhydroxybutyric acid (PHB):

PHB is a bio-based plastic made from plant-based sugar. It is biodegradable and is used in packaging and medical devices.

Starch-based plastics

These plastics are made from starch extracted from plants such as corn or potatoes. They are biodegradable and are used in disposable tableware and packaging materials.

Advantages:

They reduce dependence on limited fossil fuels, reduce greenhouse gas emissions during production and, in certain cases, can be biodegraded, thereby helping to reduce plastic waste.

Challenges:

The production of bio-based plastics can be more expensive than that of conventional plastics. The infrastructure for the collection and disposal of bio-based plastics must be improved to ensure that they are properly degraded. In addition, not all bio-based plastics are biodegradable and the environmental impact can vary depending on the material and application.

Bioplastics - and what does this have to do with BIOTECH ENERGY?

“Not all plastics are the same”

Bio-based plastics play an important role on the road to a sustainable bioeconomy. They enable us to additionally utilize our circular economy for the outstanding property profiles of these materials. Fossil resources not only emit climate-damaging CO2, but are also becoming increasingly expensive.

Today, ethylene from fossil gasoline is the central building block in the manufacture of many plastic products.
With its technology, BIOTECH ENERGY can replace many ethylene-based plastic products with bioethanol and use them for CO2-neutral, degradable bioplastics.

The plant uses previously extracted corn starch to produce polylactic acid (PLA). This is first converted to lactic acid by microorganisms. The resulting lactic acid is the raw material for the subsequent chemical process steps.

The process helps to reduce the carbon footprint of products, from jet fuel to plastics, while maintaining the same performance. Converting bioethanol into bioethylene helps the industry to reduce its carbon emissions and achieve its net zero targets.

BIOTECH ENERGY provides a technology that addresses the global challenges of environmental protection, climate protection and food security in one. The biotech company extracts renewable energy from biotechnological processes, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, it promotes sustainable food production and processing in order to meet the global demand for food.

BIOTECH ENERGY liefert eine Technologie, die die globalen Herausforderungen Umweltschutz, Klimaschonung und Ernährungssicherheit in hilft zulösen. Das Biotech-Unternehmen extrahiert erneuerbare Energie aus biotechnologischen Prozessen und reduziert damit Treibhausgasemissionen. Gleichzeitig fördert sie nachhaltige Lebensmittelproduktion und -verarbeitung, um die weltweite Nachfrage nach Nahrungsmitteln zu decken.

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