The industry association European Bioplastics presented a positive outlook for the global bioplastics industry at its 17th EUBP conference. According to the latest market data, which was compiled in collaboration with the Nova Institute, production capacities are set to increase significantly by 2027.
According to information from European Bioplastics there is a new dynamic for global bioplastics production. According to the report, production capacities will increase from around 2.23 million tonnes in 2022 to around 6.3 million tonnes in 2027 rise.
Bioplastic alternatives are available for almost all conventional plastics and the corresponding applications. Due to the strong development of polymers such as PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoates), polylactic acid (PLA), biobased PAs (polyamides) and the steady growth of biobased polypropylene (PP). production capacity will continue to increase significantly and diversify over the next five years.
The The largest area of application for bioplastics remains packaging with 48 per cent (1 million tonnes) of the total bioplastics market in 2022. However, the data also confirms that bioplastics are already being used in many other sectors and that the application portfolio is continuing to diversify. Segments such as automotive and transport, agriculture and horticulture as well as electrics and electronics will continue to moderately increase their relative share in the coming years.
In terms of regional capacity development, Asia remains the most important production centre, accounting for just over 40% of the bioplastics currently produced in this region. A quarter of production capacity is currently still located in Europe. However, Europe's share is expected to decline significantly over the next five years. Asia, on the other hand, is expected to have exceeded the 60 per cent mark by 2027.
„We will see an impressive increase in bioplastics production over the next few years. The big question, however, is whether Europe will still play a significant role in the world league of bioplastics or whether it will relinquish its leading role in the field of innovative sustainable materials? Investments in infrastructure as well as in research require the right political and economic framework conditions. Therefore, European policy should use the many initiatives related to the European Green Deal to utilise bio-based and compostable plastics in order to clearly recognise and promote bio-based and compostable plastics.“
Hasso from Pogrell, Managing Director of European Bioplastics
The area under cultivation for renewable raw materials for the production of bioplastics is estimated to be 0.8 million hectares in 2022, making up still only accounts for just over 0.01 per cent of the global agricultural area of five billion hectares. With the estimated growth in global bioplastics production over the next five years, the proportion of land used for bioplastics will increase to less than 0.06 per cent. „In relation to the available agricultural land, this proportion is still minimal. There is therefore no competition between renewable raw materials for food and animal feed and the production of bioplastics„, says von Pogrell. „Over 90 per cent of global agricultural land is used for pasture, feed and food. This is also of crucial importance in the political debate on the use of land for the bio-based industry.“
Source: European Bioplastics
