Bioplastic Growth In Food And Beverage Packaging Hinges Upon Technology

By Isaac Fletcher, contributing writer, Food Online

While many trends and drivers affect the growth and acceptance of bioplastics in food and beverage packaging, technological advancements and the ability to process cheaper forms of cellulose are key to bioplastics overcoming the hurdles thwarting widespread market success

Packaging markets currently account for more than 60 percent of all global-bioplastic production, making packaging the most important sector for the future of bioplastics. The growth of bioplastic consumption in the packaging industry is closely linked to the prices of traditional polymers, such as those created with oil and natural gas. The increasing cost of oil and gas has created the opportunity for bioplastics to capture more of the packaging market.

In addition to cost, bioplastic growth has been enabled by a new generation of biorenewable technologies. Improvements in production and processing technology used to create building block chemicals, monomers, polymers, compounds, and various other components are leading to better performance. Furthermore, better technology has provided the economic incentives necessary to motivate the market acceptance of bioplastics.

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Second- and third-generation cellulose conversion technology for non-food inputs — corn husks, grass, and wood — are expected to soon become economically viable. Because cellulose waste is the lowest-cost material among those suitable for creating bioplastics, the ability to better convert these materials will push bioplastic production prices down. Of course, lowering prices sharpens bioplastics’ competitive edge over other polymer products.

The development of future technology will undoubtedly provide numerous new types of bioplastics for packaging and methods for their production. Technological advancements will improve the production methods of traditional bioplastics as well, providing more options for manufacturers looking to implement bioplastics into packaging practices. One major improvement will be the ability to offer varying degrees of biorenewability and biodegradability. This ability is key to gaining market traction, as the hurdle of biodegradability has stunted acceptance.