European

European
Bioplastics
Bioplastics
e.V. Marienstr.
e.V. Marienstr.
19/20 19/20
10117 Berlin
10117 Berlin European
European
Bioplastics
Bioplastics
e.V. e.V.
European Bioplastics e.V. Marienstr. 19/20 10117 Berlin European Bioplastics e.V.
Marienstr.
Marienstr.
19/20,19/20,
1011710117
BerlinBerlin
phonephone
+49.30.28
+49.30.28
48 23485023 50
fax faxMarienstr.
+49.30.28 48 19/20,
+49.30.28234859 23 10117
59 Berlin
phone +49.30.28
e-maile-mail 48 23 50
info@european-bioplastics.org
info@european-bioplastics.org
fax web
web +49.30.28 48 23 59
www.european-bioplastics.org
www.european-bioplastics.org
Position of European Bioplas tics e-mail info@european-bioplastics.org
web www.european-bioplastics.org

RECYCLING AND RECOVERY:

END-OF-LIFE OPTIONS FOR
BIOPLASTICS
Efficient waste management is key to the European Commis-
sion’s flagship policy goal of a resource-efficient Europe and its
circular economy vision. The EU Waste Framework Directive
(2008/98/EC, WFD) defines a five-step waste hierarchy rank-
ing the treatments of waste based on their ability to conserve
resources (see Figure 1).
waste treatment option – implementing the guiding principle
of the waste hierarchy, a circular economy.
Prevention, minimisation, and reuse
This step of the waste hierarchy requires the use of manufactur-
ing processes and materials that minimise resource use and
maximise the functional performance of the product. Plastics
have consistently proven their suitability, with products be-
coming increasingly thinner, lighter and stronger. The rules of
competition, and the economic and ecological demands of the
market lead to bioplastics increasing their performance and re-
source efficiency. Bioplastics packaging with increased barrier
properties can, for example, extend shelf-life of fresh produce
and therefore contribute to food waste prevention.

Also, there are already a large number of plastic and bioplastics

products, which can be reused multiple times.2

Mechanical recycling

The major share of bioplastics produced today is mechanically

Figure 1: EU waste hierarchy1
Bioplastics can be bio-based, like bio-based PE (polyethylene)
and bio-based PUR (polyurethanes), biodegradable, for exam-
ple PBAT (polybutylene adipate terephthalate), or both, such
as PLA (polylactic acid) and starch blends. The properties of
these various types of bioplastics make them suitable for a
wide range of applications for which they increase resource effi-
ciency, ameliorate performance, and support the most efficient
recyclable. Bio-based plastics that are chemically and physi-
cally identical to their fossil-based counterparts, but made from
biomass, are called drop-in materials, for example bio-based
PE and bio-based PET (polyethylene terephthalate). The only
difference to their fossil-based equivalents is that the polymers
are wholly or partly derived from biomass and feature a lower
carbon footprint than their conventional alternative. They can
be recycled in already well-established recycling streams3.

1
VR Recycling
19997 inNz,
VR 19997 this graph
Nz,shall
Amtsgerichtinclude mechanical,
Amtsgericht organic andUSt-IdNr.
Charlottenburg,
Charlottenburg, chemical recycling.
DE235874231
USt-IdNr. DE235874231
2
Carrier bags made from bio-based PE or PLA, or starch can be reused many times before the material wears out.
HypoVereinsbank
3
Several other bioplasticsRosenheim,
HypoVereinsbank BLZ
can beRosenheim,
mechanically 711
BLZ200
recycled, as711 77,
soon200 Konto
as the77,
needed6356800,
Konto 6356800,
volumes IBANIBAN
are available DE26
in 7112most
DE26
the market, 0077
7112 0006
0077
notably 3568 00,
PLA.0006 3568BIC/SWIFT HYVEDEMM448
00, BIC/SWIFT HYVEDEMM448
 EUBP supports reuse and recycling targets for plastic waste sation processes and the fabrication of new products. Chemical
European
European
Bioplastics
Bioplastics
e.V. Marienstr.
e.V. Marienstr.
19/20 19/20
10117 Berlin
10117 Berlin European
European
Bioplastics
Bioplastics
e.V. e.V.
that are progressive, incremental and based on separate recycling fits in well with the idea of a circular economy, and
European Bioplastics e.V. Marienstr. 19/20 10117 Berlin European Bioplastics e.V.
collection of household and other plastics. numerous successful Marienstr.
research projects
Marienstr. have
19/20,19/20,
1011710117been
Berlin conducted
Berlin
phonephone
+49.30.28
+49.30.28
48 23485023 50
in recent years. Marienstr. 19/20, 10117 Berlin
Correspondingly, EUBP supports the creation of a single fax fax
+49.30.28
+49.30.28
48 2348
59 23 59
phone +49.30.28
e-maile-mail 48 23 50
info@european-bioplastics.org
info@european-bioplastics.org
market for plastic recyclates; the combination of recycled EUBP calls for the support of more research and develop-
fax web
web +49.30.28 48 23 59
www.european-bioplastics.org
www.european-bioplastics.org
material and bio-based material represents a truly circular ment activities
e-mailin the area of chemical recycling and feed-
info@european-bioplastics.org
use of resources that is already accepted in the market. stock recovery
webto make large scale operations feasible and
www.european-bioplastics.org
thus become an additional valuable recovery option in the
Organic recycling
future.
Industrial composting and anaerobic digestion (AD), also re-
Energy recovery
ferred to as organic recycling, are the ‘circular’ end-of-life op-
tions for biodegradable, compostable plastics products such as If mechanical, chemical, and organic recycling, respectively, are
packaging. These are plastics that biodegrade within a specific not available, the next best option according to the EU waste
timeframe in clearly defined conditions (e.g. temperature, hu- hierarchy is for bioplastic waste to be incinerated, generating
midity, and the presence of microorganisms). The biodegrada- partly renewable energy through heat recovery. The renewable
tion process in an industrial composting facility is called com- (i.e. bio-based) share of the bioplastic material releases the
posting and converts the plastic into carbon dioxide, water, and same amount of carbon dioxide as originally sequestered by
biomass. In anaerobic digestion, the biodegradation process the plants, thus closing the material carbon loop.
is called biomethanisation and additionally produces methane
In case no higher ranked end-of-life options are available,
(biogas)4, which is used for the production of energy and/or
EUBP considers incineration with energy recovery a viable
fuels. In order to be suitable for industrial composting and AD,
end-of-life choice for bio-based plastics, due to its produc-
products and materials need to meet the requirements laid out
tion of renewable energy.
in the European norm EN 134325. The Packaging and Packaging
Waste Directive (94/62/EC, PPWD) defines organic recycling of Landfill
packaging and also sets the essential requirements for biode-
Because of its inherent environmental risks, landfilling is, ac-
gradable and compostable packaging.
cording to the EU waste hierarchy, the least desirable end-of-life
EUBP calls for the mandatory separate collection of biode- option. Despite steady progress in the EU’s efforts to reduce
gradable waste across Europe and to include waste with landfilling, it is still the most common waste disposal route in
biodegradability properties in the biowaste definition of the many European countries today.
WFD6.
EUBP supports the gradual phase-out of landfilling for any
EUBP also recommends the use of biodegradable, com- recyclable waste in Europe and appropriate measures to ex-
postable plastics products for food packaging and single- pand recycling and recovery of all types of plastic waste.
service food applications in cases where mechanical recy-
For more information, please see the EUBP Fact Sheet “Bio-
cling poses a challenge, or when packaging that is highly
plastics – furthering efficient waste management”.
contaminated with food waste, in order to minimize plastic
contamination of organic waste streams. About European Bioplastics

Chemical recycling European Bioplastics is the association representing the inter-

ests of the bioplastics industry along the entire value chain in
Chemical recycling, also known as feedstock recycling, means
Europe. Its members produce, refine, and distribute bioplas-
the recovery of the building blocks and monomers that a poly-
tics, i.e. plastics that are either bio-based, biodegradable, or
mer or plastic, respectively, is made of. The base materials ob-
both. More information is available on www.european-bioplas-
tained through chemical recycling can be used in new polymeri-
tics.org.
4
AD plants should ideally be combined with an aerobic composting step.
5
EN 13432 „Requirements for packaging recoverable through composting and biodegradation. Test scheme and evaluation criteria for the final acceptance of packaging“.
6
Biodegradable, compostable plastic bags help to optimise the collection of biowaste and its diversion from incineration and landfill to organic recycling.

Contact:
VR 19997 European
Nz,
VR 19997 Bioplastics
Amtsgericht e.V., Phone:USt-IdNr.
Charlottenburg,
Nz, Amtsgericht +49USt-IdNr.
Charlottenburg, 30 28 48DE235874231
23 50, Email: press@european-bioplastics.org, www.european-bioplastics.org
DE235874231
HypoVereinsbank Rosenheim,
HypoVereinsbank BLZ 711
Rosenheim, BLZ200
71177,
200Konto 6356800,
77, Konto IBANIBAN
6356800, DE26DE26
7112 0077 00060006
7112 0077 3568 00,
3568BIC/SWIFT HYVEDEMM448
00, BIC/SWIFT HYVEDEMM448
January 2017