Here at Biobased Maine, we’re always saying that there’s a rising global demand for biobased products. This is absolutely true. Just ask us for numbers and data if you’re curious about the “demand” we’re talking about. One of the fastest growing areas is bioplastics, particularly for the food and beverage market.

Here’s the latest:
The global bioplastics market is projected to reach $30.8 billion by 2020 (according to Allied Market Research). This means a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 14.8% from 2015-2020.

What’s driving this growth? A rising environmental awareness among consumers and a desire for biodegradability. In short, people want less toxic products that are made from renewable materials and companies like the idea that their packaging will break down easily and biodegrade.

Other key findings of the Allied Market Research study include the fact that rigid bioplastics are growing the fastest, Europe is the highest consumer, and PLA (polylactic acid, a biopolymer) will be the fastest growing segment in the biodegradable plastics market.

Speaking of PLA, did you know that Biobased Maine was responsible for turning Maine potato waste into PLA? That’s right. With some help from the University of Maine, we successfully converted agricultural waste from Maine’s potato farms into the biopolymer PLA. This work was funded by the Maine Technology Institute. From this project, we actually learned that potato waste isn’t the best feedstock for making PLA. Maine trees are actually better. Our current work is focused on converting Maine trees into high-value products, like PLA. Drop us a line if you’re interested in learning more about our work.

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