Biodegradable packaging material and its development and application (2)

Fourth, the prospects of China's environmental protection packaging material market

Biomaterials, as the material with the most potential for development, have broad market prospects. China is a country with a large population, and therefore it is also a big demanding country for biomaterials and packaging materials. However, China's biomaterials and devices have only a single domestic product, the technology is backward, research and industry are out of touch, 70%-80% rely on imports, and the low level of basic research directly restricts the development and application of new technologies and new materials. So far, the main intellectual property of biological materials is still in developed countries such as the United States, Europe and Japan.

The development of biological materials in China has not yet become a real industry. The research on biological materials has not yet received sufficient economic support. It is not only related to the low level of our basic research, but also disconnected from scientific research institutions and industrial sectors, and the industrial sector has not fully understood biological materials. Material is related to the important position in the future world economic industry. Of course, this has not yet brought good economic benefits to the company and has not been inseparable from the investment enthusiasm of the company. To solve the problem and change the status of China's dependence on imports of biological materials, scientific research departments and industrial organizations need better mutual trust and cooperation. As the relevant departments and research institutions increase the emphasis on PHA research and development, China will produce more and more production and application of intellectual property rights. Due to the diversity of the structure and function of PHA materials, PHA will be able to adapt to a variety of different application requirements. In particular, PHA production meets the requirements of sustainable development and may become a major pillar industry.

Now in the environmental protection packaging material market, because the country's laws are lagging behind developed countries, the market has not yet been fully exploited, and large international companies have not given sufficient attention. As long as we can compete technically with the international level, then China's bio-packaging materials will have a strong market competitiveness and will occupy a favorable position in the future where market demand will inevitably expand.

Biodegradable packaging materials are optimized at ever-accelerating speeds

In the past few years, biodegradable bio-sourced packaging materials have been optimized at an ever-increasing rate. Next-generation products have better performance and more attractive prices. The growth rate has been greatly accelerated. Although this product appeals to consumers, biodegradable packaging materials are still a special market that continues to grow.

Recent studies in several countries have shown that consumers are very interested in biotech packaging materials, and more interesting is that consumers pay more for this reason. A recent study by Grapentine, a US market research agency, found that 41% of American consumers and 59% of European consumers are eager to purchase foods packed in environmentally friendly materials made of natural materials. About 77% of European consumers are willing to pay 5 cents more for this, and 74% of American consumers are willing to pay 10 cents more.

These directions confirm that a study conducted by the International Biodegradable Polymers Association and Working Group (IBAW) in Germany in 2001 found that one-third of the consumers who purchased Carsil’s survey found that they are willing to purchase Euros 0.15. Shopping bags, and for a biodegradable yoghurt box, they pay an extra €0.05.

However, it is worth noting that the performance of the two roles of citizens and consumers in the same person may be very different. As citizens, people may be willing to pay more for biodegradable packaging materials for environmental protection, but in the supermarket, most consumers are careful.

Renewable resources

Biopolymers are divided into different types according to their source and processing method. The first type is the packaging material directly extracted from natural materials; the second type is the material synthesized from renewable biochemical monomers; the third type is microorganisms. Or packaging materials produced by genetically modified bacteria.

Naturally biodegradable packaging materials generally contain polysaccharides and whey, casein, wheat bran, soy, collagen and other proteins made of starch and cellulose such as potato, corn, wheat, bran, and rice, and even Can use food industry residues.

Starch is widely used as a raw material in this market because of its low price. Moreover, after the starch is made into a thermoplastic, it has excellent carbon dioxide and oxygen barrier properties and good processability.

Better water resistance

The main problem with starch as a raw material is that it is easy to absorb water. In order to achieve a better waterproof effect, it is necessary to mix with other natural or synthetic degradable polymers, or add different sources of additives.

Through the action of the modifiers and additives, these mixed substances have higher or lower moisture sensitivity and gas tightness. Thermoplastic starches contain 70% to 90% starch, but 40% to 60% of starch is a mixture of many, and the use of additives increases the cost of raw materials. Therefore, the research in this area is mainly to reduce the amount of additives, such as the use of new nano-components rather than starch or modified clay particles.

Unmodified cellulosic materials, such as paper or cardboard, have poor airtightness and moisture resistance and are therefore rarely used as packaging materials unless they are dry goods. Modified cellulose and cellulose derivative materials, mainly polymers such as polycarbonate, are still somewhat expensive to use in this regard.

Product variety

Polylactic acid (PLA) is an example of a synthetic biodegradable packaging material. PLA is made from lactic acid monomers and provides different properties in different food packaging areas.

PLA can be made into a crystalline or transparent form that can be blown, injected, and coated, either alone or in combination with other natural materials. For example, PLA is often mixed with starch to improve degradation performance and reduce costs.

The third type of biodegradable packaging material is made of microorganisms, including polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), and polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is the most common. The current price of PHAs is still relatively high, but from the technical point of view, the use will be very wide, blow molding, injection molding, film, coating can be. It can also be mixed with biodegradable materials such as thermoplastic starch. An interesting feature of PHAs for food packaging is the very low water vapor transmission rate, which is close to low density polyethylene.

Biopolymer market

According to IBAW's statistics, biodegradable packaging materials are a special small market. The figures for 2001 show that the consumption of biodegradable products in the EU is 2.5-3 million tons, while that for traditional polymers is as high as 35 million tons. The Plastic Packaging Association expects that the amount of traditional polymers used in 2010 will reach 55 million tons. IBAW expects that the amount of biodegradable products will reach 500,000 to 1 million tons by then. Biodegradable materials may eventually occupy 10% of the market.

This optimistic estimate is based on the continuously improving performance of biodegradable products, including water resistance, airtightness, transparency, printability, and processing performance.

Although the price of biodegradable products is still higher than that of traditional polymers, it will gradually decrease in the future. First, starch-based polymers then spread to other materials. Ultimately, increasing consumer demand will drive the growth of materials for biodegradable packaging materials.

Improved image

The actions taken by some of Europe’s major retailers to promote biodegradable packaging materials reflect the increase in consumer demand.

Mario, Sales Director, IPER, Italian Chain Store

Spezia stated that customers are more interested in foods that are produced and packaged in an environmentally friendly way. They know the benefits of packaging materials produced from renewable sources. IPER has more than doubled its usage since the introduction of biodegradable packaging materials in 2002.

At present, the amount of biodegradable packaging materials used in the packaging of fresh foods such as cooked foods and cheeses is very limited. The shrinking film for packaging cucumbers, mesh bags for oranges, cling film for packaging vegetables, and thermoforming for convenience foods The same is true for boxes and the like. Higher water vapor barrier properties can keep fruits and vegetables fresh, while polylactic acid's air tightness can make products more fresh and crisp.

All in all, biodegradable packaging materials will continue to make progress as environmentally-friendly alternatives to traditional polymers. In particular, retailers are more interested in promoting development in this area than food manufacturers because they control the fresh food market.

The advantages of biopolymers

Undoubtedly, the higher price of biodegradable materials compared to conventional polymers must be taken into account when comparing the advantages of both. In addition to environmental protection, the advantages of biodegradable materials are also:

Marketing advantages: This packaging material is conducive to promoting the concept of environmentally friendly foods;

Functional advantages: prolong shelf life, air tightness, edible, spinning static, convenient, hygienic, biodegradable, etc.;

Legal/Cost Advantages: According to the European packaging waste disposal regulations, centralized stacking is one of the ways in which packaging materials are recycled and reused. Some countries impose lower taxes on biodegradable materials.

Product Identification Tag

Biodegradable packaging materials must meet the requirements of European Standard 13432. Qualified products can be labeled with biodegradable labels to ensure that the product has this property.

Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Poland have already received this label. For the degradable packaging materials that are processed with special processing systems, a hexagonal logo will be added. This logo has already been used in Germany and will soon be introduced into the UK. .

IBAW hopes to coordinate the certification and labeling of biodegradable materials globally. The United States and Japan's Biodegradable Polymer Association also holds similar views. The Institute of Biodegradable Polymers in the United States and the Japan Association of Biodegradable Polymers have reached an agreement on the promotion and coordination of product certification.

Source: China Packaging Industry