Biobased plastic packaging
The Netherlands Institute for Sustainable Packaging (KIDV) regularly receives questions from companies about bio-based plastic packaging and biodegradable packaging. To give an answer to these and other questions, KIDV has drawn up the factsheets 'Biobased plastic packaging' and 'Biodegradable packaging'. Both documents are an update of the 2018 fact sheet 'Biodegradable plastic packaging' and have been produced in cooperation with CE Delft.
In this fact sheet, KIDV describes the main features of biobased plastic packaging. Details and more in-depth information can be found in the reports referred to.
Biobased plastics for packaging are used to replace fossil plastics. Wood, paper and cardboard can of course also be used as biobased packaging materials.
The following topics are discussed: definition and properties of bio-based plastics, the application of bio-based plastics in packaging, sustainability (CO2 impact, raw materials and waste phase). Opportunities and bottlenecks that have been identified will also be discussed. In addition, KIDV provides suggestions and considerations on the application of biobased packaging, as a means of action for companies, based on current government policy and recycling practices. The fact sheet will be updated as the development of new sorting techniques, new materials or new policy gives cause to do so.