Cheaper and more effective bioplastic packaging for food, pharma and cosmetics

17-Aug-07

Netherlands-based Purac, a producer of lactic acid for the food sector, has invested in new lactides that will contain (L+) and D(-) lactic acids and will potentially provide the food, pharma and cosmetics industries with cheaper and more effective bioplastic packaging. The new lactides will be sold to companies for use in bio-plastics to enable them withstand greater heat as it will withstand temperatures of up to 175 Celsius. The new materials will be suitable for applications as diverse as hot-fill bottles, microwaveable trays, temperature resistant fibres and electronics. Demand from consumers and regulatory bodies for environmentally-friendly packaging and mandates from giant supermarkets are forcing food packaging suppliers to replace existing packaging with high-quality forms of biodegradable materials. Purac has tried to bridge the technology gap that currently restricts the plastics industry to accelerate the PLA market growth. The technology will reduce costs and investments for the bio-plastics industry and significantly contribute to the growth of the PLA market as compounds for a wide variety of new high-end applications can now be produced.