Braskem, the largest thermoplastic resin producer in the Americas and a company committed to bringing to market products and solutions with high technical performance that are aligned with the principles of the low-carbon economy, announces the conclusion of the conceptual phase of the project to build a green propylene plant. In 2011, work will [...]
Those algal blooms that have blotted waterscapes around China and almost sabotaged the 2008 Olympics may soon have a useful purpose — fibers for high-tech fabrics. A Chinese company is aiming to mass produce the fabrics that could be used in protective clothing worn by firefighters and medical personnel as early as next year, [...]
BIOPOL 2011, the 3rd International Conference on Biodegradable and/or Biobased Polymers will be held 29-31 August 2011, at University of Strasbourg, France. Scientists from both academic and industrial laboratories who are interested in biodegradable and/or biobased materials are encouraged to participate with the aim to exchange up-to-date ideas on current research and new applications. [...]
Bayer MaterialScience has developed a new concept for a “green shoe” that uses a whole host of sustainable materials and technologies. These include renewable polyurethane feedstocks, raw materials for solvent-free coatings and adhesives, and a polycarbonate blend and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) based on renewable resources. In microcellular polyurethane elastomer systems for outer soles and [...]
According to a new technical market research report (BIOPLASTICS: TECHNOLOGIES AND GLOBAL MARKETS ) from BCC Research, the global market for bioplastics is expected to reach nearly 572,000 metric tons in 2010, and is expected to increase to more than 3.2 million metric tons in 2015, for a 5-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of [...]
Biotechnology: Researcher Jean-Paul Meijnen (TU Delft) has ‘trained’ bacteria to convert all the main sugars in vegetable, fruit and garden waste efficiently into high-quality environmentally friendly products such as bioplastics. There is considerable interest in bioplastics nowadays. The technical problems associated with turning potato peel into sunglasses, or cane sugar into car bumpers, have already [...]
New varieties of bioplastics will soon enter the market using renewable chemical building blocks While compostable plastics such as polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) and starch-based blends are becoming prevalent in the consumer packaging and food service sectors, the durable plastics market is anticipating other new materials made from renewable-based feedstock. Several renewable chemical [...]
BASF SE and Solix Biofuels, Inc. have signed an agreement to investigate the use of algae to produce certain chemicals for BASF. Solix is a leading developer of algae cultivation technology systems and will test multiple algae species in its proprietary growth system, AGS™, for BASF. As the world’s leading chemical company, BASF is [...]
Toyota Tsusho Corporation will establish the first global bio-PET integrated supply chain including, procurement of bio-ethanol, production of bio-mono ethylene glycol, tolling business of PET, and marketing of bio-PET. Toyota Tsusho will handle bio-plastics as sustainable material, and will reduce to use fossil fuel and not use food material for industrial purpose. Toyota Tsusho [...]
Keep saving your lids for the next time you need to buy some more shampoo or lotion at Aveda. The company accepts all polypropylene (plastic #5) lids for recycling at its stores, which you can quickly search for using Earth911.com.
Did you know that bottle caps are generally a different type of plastic than the bottles themselves? Put [...]
One of the often forgotten elements of recycling is the need to make new products out of the material collected. For America’s largest retailer, that material is going “to the dogs,” so to speak.
Walmart will begin selling pet products such as dog beds and cat scratching posts in its stores this month. Made by Worldwise [...]