What’s in your wallet: Biobased credit cards in the works
In New York, Mastercard and credit card makers Gemalto, Giesecke+Devrient, and IDEMIA have launched a partnership to replace virgin polyvinyl chloride in credit cards...
P&G forms joint venture to convert dirty diapers into useful products
In Italy, Procter & Gamble and Angelini Group are looking at recycling dirty diapers into items such as furniture and textiles.
The two companies founded...
UK potato farmers beat Big Snack to biodegradable packaging
In the United Kingdom, two farmers have developed crisp packaging that biodegrades in just 26 weeks in home composters.
Sean Mason and Mark Green used...
Biodegradable coffee pods launched in Austria
In Austria, two companies are marketing the world’s first biodegradable coffee capsule.
HomeGolden Compound, maker of the material, and packaging giant Alpla Austria jointly developed...
China’s first bioplastics plant begins operations
In China, thyssenkrupp has commissioned a biobased polylactic acid using technology developed by its subsidiary Uhde Inventa-Fischer.
The Changchun plant, China’s first bioplastics production unit,...
Potato-based cutlery wins Swedish design prize
In Sweden, a 24-year-old student has won the James Dyson design award for developing a bioplastic made from potato husk.
Pontus Norquist received the 22...
Novamont adds bioplastics capacity
In Italy, Novamont has expanded capacity for its ORIGO-BI biopolyester from 120,000 tons per year to 150,000 tons.
“Novamont's industrialization efforts over the last few...
Bioprocessing lab decades in the making finally opens in Illinois
In Illinois, a lab for researching biobased chemicals and fuels has finally opened after decades of delay. The Integrated Bioprocessing Research Center at University of...
Canada hands out a cool million to fund starch-based plastic development
In Canada, a project aimed at developing biodegradable plastics from cornstarch has been awarded $1 million in government funds. Western Economic Diversification Canada is...
Japanese company gets comprehensive with nano cellulose composites
In Japan, Green Science Alliance has developed a new process to incorporate biomass sources such as plants and waste woods with thermoplastics, creating composites...