Despite aggressive efforts to reduce the amount of packaging and materials being used, we still have an unquenchable appetite for plastics and year on year demand continues to grow. Making plastics from renewable resources rather than petrochemicals is one of the most promising ways to cut greenhouse gas emissions and reduce our reliance on oil and gas.<\/b><\/p>\n
“We are seeing strong growth in the industry at present and this increase in demand is heading in only one direction, by 2030 our projections suggest bioplastics will represent 10 per cent of the global plastics market,\u201d this is according to Dr John Williams, Head of Materials at the NNFCC, the UK\u2019s National Centre for Biorenewable Energy, Fuels and Materials.<\/p>\n
“The sector is rich with innovation and we should capitalise on this by supporting the industry through sensible investment and forward thinking legislation,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n
But without mandated targets, what is driving the market? Government intervention such as the European Bioeconomy Strategy & Action Plan is helping to break down the barriers facing the industry but it is really brand owners who are driving growth.<\/p>\n