Abstract
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS
THIS REPORT CONTAINS
- Descriptions of various applications, including compost bags, loose-fill
packaging, medical/hygiene products, agricultural, and paper coatings
- The current market status of biodegradable polymers, with data for 2010,
estimates for 2011, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs)
through 2016
- An overview of the major drivers for the U.S. market, including mandated
legislation and prospective increases in landfill pricing
- Analysis of the market on a global basis, both from a market and
application perspective
- Information on the major global players in the industry.
SUMMARY FIGURE
GLOBAL BIODEGRADABLE POLYMER MARKET BY APPLICATION, 2010-2016
(MILLION POUNDS)
Source: BCC Research
REPORT SCOPE
INTRODUCTION
STUDY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The objective of this study is to provide an analysis of the global
biodegradable polymer market. According to most sources this market has not
yet realized its potential because of several critical yet unresolved issues.
REASONS FOR DOING THE STUDY
Although biodegradable polymers have been commercial for more than 20 years,
this niche market is beset with a variety of roadblocks led by high prices,
lack of industrial infrastructure in the United States, and a strong global
legislative mandate to increase the usage of these materials.
New biodegradable polymers are being introduced, accompanied by a continuing
withdrawal of other products. As well, key companies are entering and
leaving this market, with more of the former rather than the latter.
The industry has been characterized by new technologies, tightening
environmental restraints, and very unstable oil prices among other issues.
This combination of factors necessitates a realistic appraisal of the impact
of these polymers over the next 5 years. High oil prices are said to be a
major driver for biodegradable polymers.
SCOPE OF REPORT
Although the term “biodegradable polymers” is well known, there
are few truly universal standards in place, nor is the fate of these materials
in composting mediums clear in many instances. In addition, the major drivers
for growth in North America stem from mandated legislation. Some such mandates
are in place, but, so far, many have not been promulgated.
The controversy within the industry as to which materials should be considered
biodegradable continues unabated. Several materials in question include
polyolefin-based compositions containing starch and polymers containing
aromatic groups that microorganisms have difficulty utilizing in their
metabolism.
Part of the current debate revolves around defining an acceptable period of
time for biodegradation to be completed. Almost all carbon-based materials
biodegrade, given an acceptable period of time.
This report includes polymers that producers market as fully biodegradable.
Most define a fully biodegradable polymer as a polymer that is completely
converted by microorganisms to carbon dioxide, water, and humus.
In the case of anaerobic biodegradation, carbon dioxide, methane, and humus
are the degradation products. However, many within the industry insist on a
time period for degradation such that the terms biodegradability and
composting are not synonymous. The issues concerning biodegradable versus
compostable resins is discussed in detail.
Polymers derived from renewable resources (non-petroleum-based) are not
covered unless they are considered biodegradable since many polymers derived
from renewable resources are not biodegradable.
This report covers the chemical types of biodegradable polymers along with
their properties, production, producers, and applications. The companies
involved will be detailed in terms of their products, including trade names,
and their impact on the market. Definitions and standards, market drivers,
biodegradation testing, environmental issues, composting, and relevant
technologies will also be discussed.
An examination of global consumption is provided along with considerable
information regarding North American, Western European, and Asian products,
technologies, markets, and companies.
SOURCES
Following a detailed analysis of available information that included trade
literature, articles and technical/marketing presentations and papers, and
company literature, interviews were conducted with key producers, marketers,
and trade associations in order to realistically assess market size, growth
rates, company involvement, and other important factors impacting the market.
ANALYST' S CREDENTIALS
Research analyst Mel Schlechter has more than 40 years of experience in the
chemical industry and specializes in plastics market research. He has been
with BCC Research for more than a decade and holds a B.S. in chemistry, an
M.S. in organic chemistry, and an M.B.A. in marketing.
Table of Contents
Biodegradable Polymers
Chapter - 1: INTRODUCTION - Complimentary
- STUDY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
- REASONS FOR DOING THE STUDY
- SCOPE OF REPORT
- SOURCES
- ANALYST' S CREDENTIALS
- RELATED BCC REPORTS
- BCC ONLINE SERVICES
- DISCLAIMER
Chapter - 2: SUMMARY
- Table 0 : GLOBAL BIODEGRADABLE POLYMER MARKET BY APPLICATION, THROUGH 2016
- Figure 0 : GLOBAL BIODEGRADABLE POLYMER MARKET BY APPLICATION, 2010-2016
Chapter - 3: TERMINOLOGY
- BACKGROUND
- ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
- BIO-BASED
- DEGRADABLE AND BIODEGRADABLE
- “COMPOSTABLE” AND “BIODEGRADABLE” ARE NOT
INTERCHANGEABLE
- CONCLUSION
Chapter - 4: BACKGROUND/HISTORICAL
- OVERVIEW
- THE BIOPOLYMER-SYNTHETIC POLYMER GAP
- NICHE MARKETS
- NEW EMPHASIS
- STILL HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS
- INTEGRATION OF BIODEGRADABLE PLASTICS WITH DISPOSAL INFRASTRUCTURE
- EARLY STARCH-BASED MATERIALS
- INTRODUCTION OF COMPOSTABLE BAGS
- CONTINUED R&D
- EARLY ENTRANTS
- IMPORTANCE OF LOOSE-FILL
- OTHER FACTORS
- BIOPOLYMERS, CONVENTIONAL PLASTICS, AND BIODEGRADABLE PLASTICS
- NATURAL OR SYNTHETIC
- THE MOVE TO RENEWABLE SOURCES
- EXTENDING THE RECYCLING LOOP
- PROCESSING
- PROPERTIES
- DEFINING BIODEGRADABLE POLYMERS
- PUBLIC ATTITUDES
- ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
- COMPOSTING
Chapter - 5: BIODEGRADABLE POLYMERS BY CHEMICAL TYPE
- OVERVIEW
- POLYLACTIC ACID
- POLYESTERS
- BIODEGRADABLE POLYMER BLENDS
- STARCH-BASED BIODEGRADABLE PLASTICS
- OTHER TYPES OF BIODEGRADABLE POLYMERS
- GENETICALLY MODIFIED (GM) BIODEGRADABLE POLYMERS
- OXO-BIODEGRADABLE PLASTICS
- ADDITIVES
Chapter - 6: BIODEGRADABLE POLYMER PRODUCERS/SUPPLIERS
- BACKGROUND
- PLA PRODUCER HISTORICAL REVIEW
- GLOBAL PLA PRODUCERS/SUPPLIERS
- GLOBAL STARCH POLYMER PRODUCERS
- GLOBAL BIODEGRADABLE POLYESTER PRODUCERS
- Table 5 : GLOBAL PHA AND OTHER BIODEGRADABLE POLYESTER PRODUCERS/SUPPLIERS
Chapter - 7: MARKET ESTIMATES AND FORECASTS
- BACKGROUND
- OVERVIEW
- GLOBAL BIODEGRADABLE POLYMER MARKET BY APPLICATION
- GLOBAL BIODEGRADABLE POLYMER MARKET BY REGION
- GLOBAL DEMAND AND GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF INDIVIDUAL BIODEGRADABLE
POLYMERS
Chapter - 8: APPLICATIONS
- OVERVIEW
- PACKAGING
- MEDICAL
- OTHER APPLICATIONS
Chapter - 9: DEFINITIONS AND STANDARDS
- OVERVIEW
- CONFUSION IN DEFINITIONS
- SOME TECHNICAL ASPECTS
- ASTM STANDARDS
- COMPOSTABLE AND BIODEGRADABLE ARE NOT SYNONOMOUS
- EARLY FTC STANDARDS
- STANDARDS OUTSIDE NORTH AMERICA
- RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
Chapter - 10: ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
- BACKGROUND
- SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL
- CONSUMER PERCEPTIONS ABOUT BIODEGRADABLE POLYMERS
Chapter - 11: DEGRADABILITY OF RESINS
- POLYOLEFINS
- POLYSTYRENE
- PVC
- OTHER THERMOPLASTICS AND THERMOSETS
- MODES OF DEGRADATION OF SELECTED BIODEGRADABLE POLYMERS
- EFFECT OF POLYMER STRUCTURE ON BIODEGRADATION
- COMPOSTING
Chapter - 12: GLOBAL BIODEGRADABLE POLYMER ACTIVITIES
- OVERVIEW
- UNITED STATES
- EUROPE
- ASIA
Chapter - 13: VIEWPOINT ON BIODEGRADABLE POLYMER FUTURE
Chapter - 14: ORGANIZATIONS AND SYMPOSIA
- BIODEGRADABLE PRODUCTS INSTITUTE (BPI)
- THE FIRST PLA BOTTLE CONFERENCE
- FIFTH EUROPEAN BIOPLASTICS CONFERENCE
Chapter - 15: PRICING
- Table 19 : U.S. LIST PRICES FOR SELECTED BIODEGRADABLE POLYMERS, 2010
Chapter - 16: PATENTS
- COMPATIBILIZED BLENDS OF BIODEGRADABLE POLYMERS WITH IMPROVED RHEOLOGY
- PROCESS FOR SOLVENT-BASED EXTRACTION OF POLYHYDROXY ALKANOATES FROM BIOMASS
- HYPERBRANCHED POLYMER MODIFIED BIOPOLYMERS, THEIR BIO-BASED MATERIALS AND
PREPARATION
- POLYLACTIC ACID RESIN, TEXTILE PRODUCTS OBTIANED THEREFROM AND PROCESSES
PRODUCING TEXTILE PRODUCTS
- PROCESS FOR PREPARATION OF BIODEGRADABLE POLYMERS AND RESINS FROM PROTEINS
AND PLASTICS OBTAINED THEREBY
- METHOD FOR PRODUCING SEMICRYSTALINE POLYLACTIC ACID ARTICLES
- POLYLACTIC ACID SHRINK FILMS AND METHODS OF CASTING SAME
- METHODS FOR PREPARING BIODEGRADIBLE MICROPARTICLE FORMULATIONS CONTAINING
PHARMACEUTICALLY ACTIVE AGENTS
- POLYMER BLENDS OF BIODEGRADABLE OR BIO-BASED AND SYNTHETIC POLYMERS AND
FOAMS THEREOF
- BIODEGRADABLE POLYMERS FOR USE WITH IMPLANTABLE DEVICES
- BIODEGRADABLE POLYMERS
Chapter - 17: COMPANY PROFILES
- BASF
- BIOCORP, INC.
- BIOLOGISCHE NATURVERPACKUNGEN GMGH & CO. KG (BIOTEC)
- BIOMATERA
- BIOMER
- BIOPOLYMER TECHNOLOGIES AG (BIOP)
- CEREPLAST
- DANIMER SCIENTIFIC/MEREDIAN
- EARTHSHELL CORPORATION
- FABRI-KAL
- FKUR PLASTICS CORP.
- FUTERRO
- GALACTIC SA
- HUHTAMAKI, INC.
- INNOVIA FILMS, LTD
- JAPAN CORN STARCH CO., LTD
- METABOLIX
- MITSUI CHEMICALS
- NATUREWORKS LLC
- NOVAMONT
- PLANTIC TECHNOLOGIES LTD
- PLAXICA
- POLYONE
- PURAC AMERICA
- PYRAMID BIOPLASTICS GUBEN GMBH
- RODENBURG BIOPOLYMERS B.V.
- RTP CO.
- SYNBRA TECHNOLOGY
- TEKNOR-APEX
- TEIJIN
- TIANAN BIOLOGIC MATERIAL COMPANY
- TIANJIN GREEN BIO-SCIENCE CO., LTD.
- TORAY
- TOYOBO COMPANY, LTD
- TREOFAN GERMANY GMBH & CO. KG
- UHDE INVENTA-FISCHER GMBH
- ZHEJIANG HISUN BIOMATERIALS CO.
Chapter - 18: APPENDIX
- SELECTED ACRONYMS USED IN REPORT
- SELECTED GLOSSARY OF TERMS
List of Tables
- Summary Table : GLOBAL BIODEGRADABLE POLYMER MARKET BY APPLICATION,
THROUGH 2016
- Table 1: TYPES OF PRODUCTS MADE WITH MATER-BI
- Table 2: SELECTED PRODUCERS OF STARCH-BASED BIODEGRADABLE POLYMERS
- Table 3: GLOBAL PLA SUPPLIERS
- Table 4: GLOBAL STARCH POLYMER PRODUCERS/SUPPLIERS
- Table 5: GLOBAL PHA AND OTHER BIODEGRADABLE POLYESTER PRODUCERS/SUPPLIERS
- Table 6: GLOBAL BIODEGRADABLE POLYMER MARKET, THROUGH 2016
- Table 7: GLOBAL BIODEGRADABLE POLYMER MARKET BY APPLICATION, THROUGH 2016
- Table 8: GLOBAL BIODEGRADABLE POLYMER MARKET, BY REGION, THROUGH 2016
- Table 9: GLOBAL DEMAND FOR POLYLACTIC ACID, BY APPLICATION, THROUGH 2016
- Table 10: PLA MARKET BY GLOBAL REGION, THROUGH 2016
- Table 11: GLOBAL DEMAND FOR STARCH-BASED PLASTICS BY APPLICATION, THROUGH
2016
- Table 12: STARCH-BASED PLASTICS MARKET BY GLOBAL REGION, THROUGH 2016
- Table 13: GLOBAL DEMAND FOR PHA AND OTHER BIODEGRADABLE POLYESTERS, BY
APPLICATION, THROUGH 2016
- Table 14: PHA AND OTHER BIODEGRADABLE POLYESTERS, BY GLOBAL REGION,
THROUGH 2016
- Table 15: KEY ASTM STANDARDS RELATED TO BIODEGRADABLE POLYMERS
- Table 16: ASTM TESTS AND SPECIFICATIONS BY TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT
- Table 17: TIME LAG FOR VISUAL CHANGE DURING DEGRADATION FOR SELECTED
MATERIALS
- Table 18: TIME LAG FOR DEGRADATION PROCESS OF SELECTED MATERIALS
- Table 19: U.S. LIST PRICES FOR SELECTED BIODEGRADABLE POLYMERS, 2010
- Table 20: APPLICATIONS FOR AND BENEFITS OF NATUREWORKS PLA
List of Figures
- Summary Figure : GLOBAL BIODEGRADABLE POLYMER MARKET BY APPLICATION,
2010-2016
- Figure 1: GLOBAL BIODEGRADABLE POLYMER MARKET, 2010-2016
- Figure 2: GLOBAL BIODEGRADABLE POLYMER MARKET BY APPLICATION, 2011-2016
- Figure 3: GLOBAL BIODEGRADABLE POLYMER MARKET, BY REGION, 2010-2016
- Figure 4: GLOBAL DEMAND FOR POLYLACTIC ACID, BY APPLICATION, 2010-2016
- Figure 5: PLA MARKET BY GLOBAL REGION, 2010-2016
- Figure 6: GLOBAL DEMAND FOR STARCH-BASED PLASTICS BY APPLICATION, 2010-2016
- Figure 7: STARCH-BASED PLASTICS MARKET BY GLOBAL REGION, 2010-2016
- Figure 8: GLOBAL DEMAND FOR PHA AND OTHER BIODEGRADABLE POLYESTERS, BY
APPLICATION, THROUGH 2016
- Figure 9: PHA AND OTHER BIODEGRADABLE POLYESTERS, BY GLOBAL REGION,
2010-2016
