Abstract
Bioplastics are defined as plastic resins which are either biodegradable, produced from plant-derived raw materials, or both. Although bioplastics have begun to achieve some degree of commercial success, the industry is still in an embryonic stage. For biodegradable plastics, the market will continue to evolve as products become more widely available and performance is improved to more closely approximate that of conventional polymers such as PE, PP, PET and PS. Development of brand-new biodegradable plastics is unlikely in the near term, as the most promising candidates for commercial viability - including starch-based resins, polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) and cellulose- based resins - have already been identified. Rather, future innovation will come from efficiency improvements in the production process and the development of compounds and copolymers which optimize the performance of these resins. Non-biodegradable plant-based plastics, such as bio-based versions of PE and PVC, have yet to enter the commercial market, although significant capacity is planned for the near future. For this segment of the bioplastics industry, market success will depend mostly on lowering production costs so that prices are in line with the petroleumbased resins they compete with. Additionally, marketing efforts on the part of resin producers and product fabricators will also be a key factor, as effectively promoting the bio-based nature of these resins will lead customers to give bioplastic products preference over similarly priced traditional plastics.