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Industrial uses for crops- Bioplastics

HGCA has launched a new leaflet outlining the opportunities available to UK growers from bioplastics and the potential use of UK cereals and oilseeds in bioplastic manufacture.

"Whilst the global market for bioplastics is currently small (0.1% total plastics production) there is tremendous potential, in an increasingly carbon conscious world, for this market share to increase," said Richard Safford, HGCA's industrial uses manager. "In the future, we expect there to be opportunities for UK farmers to provide sustainably-produced, low carbon feedstocks for bioplastics manufacture within the UK."
                                                                               
Europe is seeking to develop a low-carbon economy to abate global warming caused by gaseous carbon emissions from fossil fuels used for energy production, transport fuels and the manufacture of chemicals and plastics. Part of this development has seen biofuels included in transport fuels through Europe and interest is now growing in the production of plastics from renewable materials such as cereals and oilseeds (bioplastics).

The new leaflet on bioplastics is based on a new report published by HGCA, entitled Industrial uses for crops: markets for bioplastics (Report No 450). The report includes:

• Key drivers and barriers for the use of bioplastics
• End-of-life disposal options for bioplastics including life cycle analysis
• Bioplastic markets, feedstocks and products
• Potential manufacture of bioplastics in the UK

"The report is designed to have a wide audience ranging from growers, bioplastic resin and packaging manufacturers through to retailers," said Richard Safford. 

Click here for a copy of the leaflet 

Click here for a copy of the full report 

For further information:

Dr Myles Barker 0207 520 3963
myles.barker@hgca.com