Frequently Asked Questions about bioplastics

What exactly are bioplastics?
Bioplastics are materials that are either made from renewable raw materials, are biodegradable – or both. For industrial applications, the distinction between bio-based and biodegradable is particularly important.

Are all bioplastics biodegradable?
No. There are bioplastics made from renewable raw materials that are not biodegradable (e.g., bio-based PE), and vice versa. Both properties should be considered separately.

Can bioplastics be recycled?
Many bio-based plastics, such as bio-PE or bio-PET, are chemically identical to their fossil counterparts and can be easily recycled. Biodegradable plastics, on the other hand, are generally not intended for conventional plastic recycling.

Where are bioplastics already being used today?

Packaging: Films, trays, tubes
Technical parts: Injection-molded components
Consumer goods: Stationery, household items, toys
Branded products: Promotional items, sustainable packaging solutions
Medical field: PLA-based disposable products

What are the advantages of bioplastics?

Reduction in the use of fossil resources
Lower carbon footprint
Partially biodegradable or compostable
Based on renewable raw materials

Are bioplastics suitable for mass production?
Yes. There are now bioplastics that are stable and processable enough for series applications – even in demanding industries such as packaging, consumer goods, or automotive.

Is the use economically viable?
In many cases, yes – especially when factors such as carbon footprint, circular economy, EU regulations, or brand image are included in the overall evaluation. GREEN B2B also offers customized CO₂ comparison analyses for this purpose.

What raw material sources are there, and why is this important?
1st generation: e.g., corn, sugarcane (good availability, but competes with food production)
2nd generation: e.g., wood, straw (more sustainable, no competition with food)
3rd generation: e.g., CO₂, algae, bacteria (highly innovative, partly still under development)

The origin of the raw materials influences image, sustainability assessment, and certification potential.

What does “industrially compostable” mean?
It means that the material breaks down under controlled conditions in industrial composting facilities – but not necessarily in a home garden compost.

Are bioplastics inherently more environmentally friendly?
Not automatically. The entire life cycle assessment (raw materials, processing, transport, disposal) must be considered. Nevertheless, they offer great potential for CO₂ reduction.

Competition with food production – is that a problem?
For 1st generation raw materials, yes (e.g., corn, sugarcane). Raw materials from the 2nd and 3rd generations avoid this problem because they are based on waste or microorganisms.

Can bioplastics be processed on existing machines?
Often yes – however, adjustments may be needed in temperature control, drying, or cycle times. GREEN B2B actively supports process integration and also provides samples for test runs.

What about certifications and standards?
GREEN B2B supports certifications such as:

Compostability (e.g., EN 13432)
Food-contact compliance
OK-biobased (e.g., TÜV Austria)

Certificates increase credibility with business partners and consumers.

Frequently Asked Questions about bioplastics

What exactly are bioplastics? Bioplastics are materials that are either made from renewable raw materials, are biodegradable – or both. For industrial applications, the distinction between bio-based and biodegradable is particularly important.

Are all bioplastics biodegradable? No. There are bioplastics made from renewable raw materials that are not biodegradable (e.g., bio-based PE), and vice versa. Both properties should be considered separately.

Can bioplastics be recycled? Many bio-based plastics, such as bio-PE or bio-PET, are chemically identical to their fossil counterparts and can be easily recycled. Biodegradable plastics, on the other hand, are generally not intended for conventional plastic recycling.

Are bioplastics suitable for mass production? Yes. There are now bioplastics that are stable and processable enough for series applications – even in demanding industries such as packaging, consumer goods, or automotive.

Is the use economically viable? In many cases, yes – especially when factors such as carbon footprint, circular economy, EU regulations, or brand image are included in the overall evaluation. GREEN B2B also offers customized CO₂ comparison analyses for this purpose.

What does “industrially compostable” mean? It means that the material breaks down under controlled conditions in industrial composting facilities – but not necessarily in a home garden compost.

Are bioplastics inherently more environmentally friendly? Not automatically. The entire life cycle assessment (raw materials, processing, transport, disposal) must be considered. Nevertheless, they offer great potential for CO₂ reduction.

Competition with food production – is that a problem? For 1st generation raw materials, yes (e.g., corn, sugarcane). Raw materials from the 2nd and 3rd generations avoid this problem because they are based on waste or microorganisms.

Can bioplastics be processed on existing machines? Often yes – however, adjustments may be needed in temperature control, drying, or cycle times. GREEN B2B actively supports process integration and also provides samples for test runs.