Bio-based plastics and recycled plastics in packaging

Biosourced plastics and recycled plastics are developing in both plastic and flexible packaging, which can combine different plastics or plastics with other materials (hereafter included in the notion of plastic packaging for simplicity's sake). They represent a complementary source of supply to virgin plastics of fossil origin for packaging manufacturers, bringing new functionalities and creating added value for packaged products.

In this context, it seems appropriate to focus on post-consumer recycled plastics, since recycling production off-cuts is a better reflection of the processor's sound management of raw materials, and is standard practice for most manufacturers. What's more, recycling post-consumer plastic waste involves special collection, sorting and recycling constraints.

The term "biosourced" plastic is preferred to "bioplastic". Indeed, "bioplastic" is subject to different interpretations at international level, and refers more generally to biosourced and biodegradable plastics. Biosourced plastics, like all biosourced products, are partially or totally derived from biomass, in accordance with standard EN 16575. Thus, the ability of a plastic packaging to biodegrade under certain conditions is considered here as a functionality added to the packaging, and for which certain biosourced plastics may be of particular interest.

First, we need to present the current plastic packaging market, which is a key element in understanding the present and future development of recycled and bio-sourced plastics in packaging. Next, we'll take a closer look at the current market for recycled plastic packaging, and the obstacles and levers for developing these materials. Finally, an analysis based on the same model will be carried out on biosourced plastics.