Biopolymers match the price of oil-based plastics

Biopolymer price levels are now competitive with those for resins based on petroleum feedstock, the chief executive of corn-based polymer maker Cereplast told a US conference on Monday.

“This industry’s time has arrived,” Frederic Scheer declared at the National Corn Growers Association Annual Conference.

Advances in nanotechnology that the US firm has introduced into its process coupled with polymer processing advantages through lower temperatures support Cereplast’s confidence in the viability of the bioplastics market.

Scheer told the conference that current price levels for base resins based on conventional oil feedstocks lies between $0.62 and $1.60 a pound (£780-£2010 a tonne) while those for bioplastics range from $0.60 to $1.62 a pound (£755-£2040 a tonne).

“This means that the bio-based plastics world has now progressed to an era of pricing parity with traditional petro-based plastics feedstock,” Scheer said.

California-based Cereplast is expanding its capacity, moving into larger premises. “Our plans are to double our capacity by the summer of 2006, so we are acquiring new and more efficient equipment,” Scheer announced last month.

Source

prw.com March 07, 2006.

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