According to European Bioplastics, the association representing the industry in Europe, bioplastics are not just one single material, but comprise a whole family of materials with different properties and applications that comply with one of the following three features: biobased, biodegradable or both.
The term ‘biobased’ means that the material or product is derived — at least partially — from biomass, such as corn, starch, sugar cane, cellulose or other raw materials that are not included in the human or breeding food chain. Biodegradable means that the material can perform a chemical process during which microorganisms convert materials into natural substances, without the need for any artificial additives. Biobased and biodegradable are not, therefore, synonyms, as the biodegradation process does not depend on the resource basis of a material, but rather is linked to its chemical structure.
Biome Technologies plc is a growth oriented, commercially driven technology group. The Group’s primary activity is the development of its fast growing business in bioplastics. The Group comprises two divisions: Biome Bioplastics and Stanelco RF Technologies.
