A European project for bioplastic foam

Date:2009-5-27 10:19:00

Coordinated by Novamont, ReBioFoam is a research program on a water-soluble plastic from non-food agricultural resources.
 
Research programs follow one another but are not alike in the field of bioplastics. Funded by the European Union and coordinated by the Italian Novamont, ReBioFoam aims to create in a few years, a new water-soluble plastic from non-food agricultural resources. Key applications? The protective packaging. Once finalized, ReBioFoam should be able to replace the plastic used in the expanded field of protection such as polystyrene (EPS), polyurethane (EPU) and polyethylene (EPE). Beyond that it is made from agricultural resources not designated for food, which is a response to the "ethics” problem that characterizes some bioplastics, one of the strengths of ReBioFoam is a transformation process which only consumes few energy. The expansion of the resin is in fact obtained by using a technology of microwave heating which takes advantage of the water naturally present in the raw material. The project, involveing 8 European countries - Italy, Poland, Spain, Czech Republic, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom - is given 4 years to complete. Based in Novara, Italy, Novamont is a manufacturer of bioplastics. The company employs 170 employees and achieved a turnover of 62 million, including marketing of Mater-Bi, a plastic made from corn starch.