Bioplastics at Olympics 2012

UK's National Centre for Biorenewable Energy, Fuels and Materials (NNFCC) noted that compostable plastics will be widely used next year at the London 2012 Olympic Games. The NNFCC and British Printing Industries Federation have been working with the London Organizing Committee for the Olympic games to ensure compostable food packaging is part of the event.

The parties involved have committed to sending zero waste direct to landfill during the Games, with a minimum of 70% to be reused, recycled or composted. Bioplastics will be used in fast-food wrappers, sandwich boxes and drink cartons, the NNFCC said.

After they are disposed of, the materials will be suitable for anaerobic digestion (AD), allowing them to be made into renewable energy. An estimated 6.5 million people will attend the London Olympics and in the space of just 17 days will generate over 3,300 tonnes of food packaging waste.

Good times to invest now in bioplastics production. I do wonder if some of these materials will be imported outside the UK. The only bioplastic companies right now that I am aware of based in the UK are Innovia (cellulose-based films under the tradename NatureFlex) and Nuplas (developing second generation PLA under the tradename G2PLA).