PLASTIC PRODUCTS - Plastics and Environmental Sustainability - page 164

Table 4.10 Highest-capacity Bio-based Plastics by 2015

Source: From European Bioplastics/University of Applied Sciences and Arts
Hanover (2012).

Percentage a Comments
HDPE already in production
(Braskern) and used in US
packaging market

Plastic

Biopolyethylene 26

For example, single-serve fruit
juice (Odwalla) and yoghurt
drink (Dannon) and other
beverage (Tetra Pak) packaged in
bio-based HDPE

Biopoly(ethylene
terephthalate) b

17 Bio-based PET beverage bottles

(used by Coca-Cola and
Pepsi-Cola) already in the
market

Poly(lactic acid) 13 Manufactured in the United

States by NatureWorks and
already in the market in food
service applications

Poly(hydroxyalkanoates)
(PHA)

9 Compostable agricultural

products

Biopolyesters 8
Biopoly(vinyl chloride) 7 The ethylene for monomer is

obtained from bio-based ethanol

Bionylons 5

a Percentage of the total global production capacity.
b The estimate takes into account partly bio-based PET as well.

4.6.2.1 Bio-PE

Bio-PE is made from ethylene monomer derived from dehydration of
ethanol made by fermentation of corn or molasses. Both ethylene and
ethylene glycol (EG) can also be produced by cracking bionaphtha. With