 |
| |
Biodegradable plastic Ecoflex® |
Advantages for customers and the environment
It’s a plastic, but bacteria and fungi convert it into water, carbon dioxide and biomass almost as quickly as they would a banana skin. We’re talking about Ecoflex®, a completely biodegradable polyester that BASF manufactures from petrochemical raw materials. This innovative material can be used to produce compostable packaging and films.
|
 |
Renders food packaging resistant to water and grease
Approximately 80 percent of the sales volume is currently used in applications in which Ecoflex® improves the functionality of renewable raw materials: The plastic renders food packaging made from starch or paper resistant to water and grease and thus encourages its growing use. A further application for Ecoflex® is for agricultural sheeting.
|
|
Benefits for consumers and the environment at the fore
Ecoflex® was first presented in 1995 at the K trade fair for plastics. The product was commercially available three years later. Although there are numerous conceivable uses for biodegradable plastics, Ecoflex® was developed for specific applications from the outset. The innovative product supplements traditional materials in those areas where the benefits for consumers and the environment are at the fore. For example, BASF developed the first biodegradable foodwrap in 2001.
|
|
Market leadership achieved after three years
The annual production capacity for Ecoflex® in Ludwigshafen is currently 8,000 metric tons. Three years following the launch, BASF has achieved market leadership in the field of synthetic biodegradable materials. In 2001, sales have climbed 35 percent compared with the previous year, and double-digit growth rates are expected in the coming years. In the medium term, BASF anticipates the global market for biodegradable materials at over 100,000 metric tons. Due to the success of Ecoflex®, the Styrenics division has started to plan for a capacity expansion.
|
|
Prizewinners
Andreas Garbe,
Dietmar Heufel,
Dr. Ursula Seeliger,
Gabriel Skupin
Dirk Stärke
Dr. Uwe Witt
Dr. Motonori Yamamoto
|
|
|
|
|
|
