Bioplastic packaging market

Since petroleum price does not raise to a level to offset the high cost of PHA production, all the current commercially available PHA have only a limited market share of 1.4% in the bioplastic packaging market, for example. Figure 16.3 shows global bioplastic packaging market by product type, 2010(%). °... 

Packaging is the largest application area for bioplastics in North America with 41 % of total volumes in 2005. Other significant markets are loose-fill packaging foam and bags and sacks. 

The market of destructurized and complexed starch-based bioplastics accoimts for about 25,000 ton/year, 75% of which is for packaging applications, including soluble foams for industrial packaging and films for bags and sacks. The market share of these products accoimts for about 75-80% of the global market of bioplastics (162). 

Polymerization of a-hydroxycarboxylic acids, glycerol, 1,3-propanediol, and amino acids, either individually or as copol)oners, can generate commercially viable polymers [2]. Other researchers have shown that renewable-resource polymers, such as poly(lactic acid) and others, can be viably produced and these materials are currently on the market for biomedical and packaging apphcations [4,5]. Our goal is to develop low-cost bioplastics with comparable or even enhanced physical and chemical properties versus petroleum-based conunodity plastics. 

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