Bioplastics Market

Because of the fragmentation in the market and ambiguous definitions it is difficult to describe the total market size for bioplastics, but estimates put global production capacity at 327,000 tonnes. In contrast, global consumption of all flexible packaging is estimated at around 12.3 million tonnes.

COPA (Committee of Agricultural Organisation in the European Union) and COGEGA (General Committee for the Agricultural Cooperation in the European Union) have made an assessment of the potential of bioplastics in different sectors of the European economy:

Catering products: 450,000 tonnes per year

Organic waste bags: 100,000 tonnes per year

Biodegradable mulch foils: 130,000 tonnes per year

Biodegradable foils for diapers 80,000 tonnes per year

Diapers, 100% biodegradable: 240,000 tonnes per year

Foil packaging: 400,000 tonnes per year

Vegetable packaging: 400,000 tonnes per year

Tyre components: 200,000 tonnes per year

Total 2,000,000 tonnes per year

In the years 2000 to 2008, worldwide consumption of biodegradable plastics based on starch, sugar, and cellulose - so far the three most important raw materials - has increased by 600 %. The NNFCC predicted global annual capacity would grow more than six-fold to 2.1 million tonnes by 2013. BCC Research forecasts the global market for biodegradable polymers to grow at a compound average growth rate of more than 17 percent through 2012. Even so, bioplastics will encompass a small niche of the overall plastic market, which is forecast to reach 500 billion pounds (220 million tonnes) globally by 2010.