The otherwise nominal bioplastics sector is all set to take a leap in the coming years. According to European Bioplastics Association, the global production capacity for bioplastics is projected to grow four times by 2011 and churn out approximately 1 mln tons of products on to the market. The factors in favour of the bioplastics are the hefty packaging taxes introduced in the Europe and the US , surging oil and feedstock prices that are making conventional polymers more expensive and the European directives designed to establish an infrastructure for compostable bioplastics collection. However, the road to the growth of bioplastics sector is not free of hindrances, some of which include the lack of infrastructure, uncompetitive market, high cost to end users compared to conventional plastic, lack of waste collection and composting, genetically modified (GM) origin of the products, the proportion of bioplastics that is biodegradable and the magnitude of land requirement for the same.

Conventional plastics have scored over bioplastics in terms of price. In the past, bioplastics packaging has cost roughly 20% to 100% more than the petroleum-based plastic thus attracting a meager response. However, stringent packaging taxes imposed in Europe and US combined with the escalating oil and feedstock prices are leveling the field for bioplastics with petroleum-based plastics. According to Plastics Exchange in Chicago , as a result of the rising oil prices the price of resins like polypropylene (PP) has risen about 45%.

Additionally, the European regulations are helping the cause of bioplastics. Among them is European Commission (EC) Landfill Directive, which calls for diversion of 65% of organic waste away from the landfill between now and 2016. Another key directive is the EC Biowaste directive which entails the recycling of food waste to agricultural land. These regulations are likely to fuel the demand and investment needed to set up an infrastructure for biowaste composting and collection. The current figures show that only 1% of the bioplastics in the Europe and US are composted. The rest is discarded to be shipped off to a landfill site, where, in the absence of oxygen required for biodegradation, it releases methane; or it gets tossed into the recyclable plastics bin, where it risks contaminating the waste stream.

Nonetheless, the recently developed standard ISO 15270:2008 - "Plastics - Guidelines for the recovery and recycling of plastics waste," an international standard and technical framework devised to develop an infrastructure for the global plastics recovery and recycling market had been initiated. The standard specifies terms and definitions related to plastics recovery and provide a framework for understanding different plastics recovery options. Relevant industry bodies and the stakeholder associations have contributed to bring together their opinions regarding essential requirements and good practices to form a global standard to develop a sustainable market for products manufactured from the recovery and recycling of plastics. The emerging plastic recovery and recycling sector will welcome the global standard as it provide a technical framework and effective practices to follow and aid growth for plastics recycling.

Another looming distress over the use of bioplastics and biopolymers is the inadequate production. Natureworks LLC, the American producer of the best known biopolymer Polylactic Acid (PLA) shunned the PLA plant in Blair , Nebraska having the production capacity of 300 mln pound/year. Nevertheless, the interest of PLA in the industry is growing rapidly particularly amongst the packaging and processing fraternity. A considerable amount of research is directed towards boosting the performance of PLA and camouflaging its properties to that of polystyrene. Naturewoks has already unveiled the plans to bring out two new foam grades using PLA in the market and also develop the first thermoformed trays of PLA foam in North America thereby expanding PLA's penetration in rigid packaging beyond clear, thermoformed containers for fresh produce, baked goods, and delicious foods. A key ingredient in the low-density foam grades is a chain-extender additive called CESA-extend from Clariant Additive Masterbatches. At 0.4% to 0.7% loadings, this masterbatch significantly raises PLA's intrinsic viscosity (I.V.) and melt strength, which historically have been its Achilles' heel in foam extrusion and in blow molding. NatureWorks' development partners are using the latest generation of patented Turbo-Screws technology from Plastic Engineering Associates. For PLA foam, the low-shear design reduces energy input and facilitates, better mixing and heat transfer while using less energy. Besides, Polnox Corp. has come out with a biodegradable anti-oxidant which protects the PLA from heat degradation racing ahead of other PLA additives. Other new material expected to be live this year end developed at University of Massachusetts will enhance the shelf life three to four times.

As far as the question of natural resource is concerned, land requirement for bioplastics is far too below that of biofuels. In USA , the land needed for bioplastics is 300 times lower than the same required for biofuels. In the near future, the bioplastics industry will run on the base provided by the biofuels, thereby making use of the lignin-cellulose.
Furthermore, there is a growing concern on how environment friendly bioplastics is. A standard EN13432 requires 90% of the bioplastic to convert to CO 2 , water and inorganic compounds within 3 months. The composted plastic is tested for its breakdown and toxic standards. As per the current figures, there is a 5% threshold of material residues after degradation of bioplastics. In addition to the lab tests, the bioplastic compost has to be tested for the harmful chemicals on sensitive plants. It is believed that soil contamination is a potential risk from the formation of chemical residues post degradation of the composted plastic.
An additional apprehension surrounding the bioplastics has been the genetically modified (GM) origin of the many bioplastics products from the US . However, t he GM DNA converting into a plastic is negligible as it is destroyed in the nascent stage of conversion of corn into a DNA. Metabolix is using biotechnology to grow polymers within the crop plants as well sa using E.coli bacteria to create the PHA polymer within their cells. According to Metabolix, no trace of GM is present in its final product (Mirel), or in any of its by-products. Otherwise, unless a US-based bioplastic company actively sources non-GM dextrose for cornstarch, the bioplastic is likely to contain genetically modified DNA, given that the 73% of US corn is genetically modified. Other companies like Novamont and Natureworks prevent using GM feedstock. They involve the third party certifier to test the products.
Also, the fact that not 100% bioplastics are biodegradable is another matter of consideration. More often than not, the compostable plastics are starch-based derived from cereal crops like corn, rice, and the like. Novomont's �Mater-Bi' is an example of a starch-based biodegrable plastic. On the other end of the compostable plastics lay petroleum-based �specific synthetic polyesters.' BASF's �Ecoflex' is an ideal example of the petroleum-based biodegrable plastics. Otherwise, Brazil 's Braskem has produced green ethylene which originates from renewable resources but is neither biodegradable nor compostable. Automobile companies like Ford, Toyota and Mitshubishi are also paying attention towards bioplastics for production of the auto components. Ford has already manufactured some minor car interiors using soy-based biodegradable plastic foams. To provide dual advantages of composting and recycling, Natureworks' corn derived �Ingeo' made from Polyactide (PLA) is both biodegradable and recyclable. PLA Ingeo races ahead of other plastics as the recovery of Lactic acid is far more effective than obtained from mechanically recycling other petroleum-based plastics.

Considering the multiple factors, bioplastics will emerge as a major sector considering the renewable, recyclable, biodegradable and compostable nature of bioplastics.