Key facts:
- The market for biodegradable and compostable packaging is forecast to grow at 8.8% CAGR to reach 1.17 million tonnes in 2029.
- China is the largest consumer of biodegradable and compostable packaging in 2023, with a consumption share of 30%.
Consumption of biodegradable and compostable polymers for packaging will continue growing at a faster rate than petrochemical-based thermoplastic materials. Demand is driven by the growing desire of consumers, brand owners and governments to replace single-use fossil-based plastics with more sustainable packaging alternatives.
Definition:
In this report, biodegradable means polymers that can be broken down into carbon dioxide, water, and biomass by the natural action of microorganisms to significantly biodegrade within six months, a much shorter time period than the decades or centuries it takes conventional polymers to biodegrade.
For this report, compostable denotes a material that is able to be broken down into carbon dioxide, water, and biomass within a specific timeframe under specific conditions.
Key Questions:
- Is there a viable future for biodegradable and compostable packaging that can match materials based on fossil fuels?
- How are technical developments driving the market?
- How will biodegradable and compostable packaging compete with 'traditional' materials when it comes to performance properties?
- What does the end-of-life process look like for biodegradable and compostable packaging?
This report is essential to:
- Packaging raw material suppliers
- Packaging converters and manufacturers
- Retailers and brand owners
Table of Contents
Executive summary
Introduction and methodology
- Introduction
- Objectives
- Report scope
- Biodegradable and compostable polymer product types
- End use markets
- Geographic markets
- Definition
- Data
- Methodology
- List of polymer abbreviations
- Exchange rates
Market drivers and trends
- Introduction
- Sustainable programmes of retailers and brand owners
- Bioplastics' relative price competitiveness
- Massive increase in biodegradable polymer production capacities
- Global packaging market growth
- Framework conditions
- Bio-based
- Compostable
- EN 13432:2000 Packaging:
- EU regulatory developments for bioplastics
- Waste management for biodegradable and compostable packaging
- Plastic bag bans and taxes
The competitive landscape
- Overview
- Biodegradable and compostable polymers directly extracted from biomass
- Novamont Group
- Rodenburg Biopolymers Ltd
- Biotec GmbH & Co
- Ticinoplast launches 'NextFilm' line of compostable packaging film
- Pilot plant for TPS production launched in Poland
- Bioplastics starch plant opened in Russia
- Biodegradable plastics produced directly by natural/ genetically modified organisms
- Danimer Scientific
- Yield10 Bioscience Inc.
- CJ Biomaterials
- Lummus Technology and RWDC Industries to cooperate on PHA development
- Kaneka to expand PHBH production
- MAP Group buys insolvent Bio-on
- Paques Biomaterials and Loop to jointly produce polyhydroxyalkanoate
- Biodegradable plastics synthesised from bio-derived monomers
- NatureWorks LLC
- TotalEnergies Corbion
- PLA plant to be built on the Arabian Peninsula
- Futerro plans to build vertically integrated PLA plant in Europe
- New subsidiary unit for the production of flexible PLA copolymers
- Balrampur Chini Mills to enter PLA production in India
- Biodegradable polymers synthesized from petrochemical feedstock
- BASF AG
- SK Chemicals invests in new Vietnamese PBAT / PBS plant
- SK Capital Partners acquires majority stake in PVOH packaging producer
- Camm Solutions to expand PVOH production
Cutting-edge technology developments
- Overview
- Biodegradable plastics directly extracted from biomass
- Current starch-based biodegradable and compostable technologies
- Current cellulose-based biodegradable and compostable technologies
- Technology developments for biodegradable and compostable technologies directly extracted from biomass
- Novamont launches new Mater-Bi grade for extrusion coating
- Development of degradable bioplastic film with tapioca starch
- LG Chem and Gevo jointly developing a technology that creates 100% bio-based plastics from renewable sources of carbohydrates
- Biodegradable straw developed from new type of bioplastic film
- Gaia Biomaterials develops compostable material for drinking straws
- Biodegradable plastics synthesised from bio-derived monomers
- Current polylactic acid (PLA) technologies
- PLA technology developments
- Innovative flexible PLA film developed
- Bio-based cups from rPLA
- Launch of recycled PLA grades
- PLA-based thermoformable films
- Biodegradable polymers synthesized from petrochemical feedstock
- Current technology for aliphatic-aromatic copolyesters
- Current polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) technology
- Aliphatic-aromatic copolyester technology developments
- BASF launches biomass balanced Ecoflex PBAT to expand biopolymers portfolio
- Biodegradable polymers produced directly by natural/genetically-modified organisms
- Current polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) technology
- PHA technology developments
- CJ Biomaterials improvs PHA material performance properties
- Polymer chemists improve PHA thermal stability
- Paques Biomaterials produces PHA from waste streams
- PHA water bottle launched
- Bio-based, non-biodegradable plastic packaging solutions
- Bio-based polyethylene
- Polyethylene furanoate (PEF)
Biodegradable and compostable packaging by material type
- Overview
- Biodegradable plastics directly extracted from biomass
- Starch
- Cellulose acetate (CA)
- Biodegradable plastics produced directly by natural/genetically-modified organisms
- Polyhydroxy-alkanoates (PHA)
- Biodegradable plastics synthesised from bio-derived monomers
- Polylactic acid (PLA)
- Biodegradable polymers synthesised from petrochemical feedstock
- Aliphatic-aromatic polyesters
Biodegradable and compostable packaging by end-use market
- Overview
- Food packaging
- Beverages packaging
- Foodservice packaging
- Non-food packaging
Biodegradable and compostable packaging by region
- Overview
- Europe
- North America
- South & Central America
- China
- Rest of Asia-Pacific
- Middle East & Africa
Biodegradable and compostable packaging - challenges and opportunities
- Overview
- High relative cost of biodegradable and compostable polymers compared with petro-plastics
- Management of feedstock availability
- Performance properties of biodegradable and compostable polymers
- Product quality/consistency
- Higher density of biodegradable and compostable polymers compared to petro-based polymers
- Labeling and end-of-life management
- Competing pack types for bioplastics in the food and beverages market
- Flexible food packaging
- Rigid plastic food packaging
- Plastic beverage packaging