The Spanish Association for Standardization, UNE, in line with its firm commitment to innovation, has published the second document in a Series of Foresight Studies. Its objective is to support the industrial implementation of new technologies and innovative solutions by developing technical standards that Spanish entities will lead at the European and international levels, thus contributing to the development of the Spanish industrial fabric.
The first of these studies focused on the use and recovery of residual biomass in the agri-food sector, and the second focuses on bioplastics.
Bioplastics are derived from vegetable products such as soy oil, corn, potato starch or the wastewater treatment process, unlike conventional petroleum plastics. Its development aims to reproduce the intrinsic beneficial characteristics of plastics and reduce their impact on the environment.
The European Commission is working on a new policy framework on biological, biodegradable and compostable plastics. In recent years, it has also developed policies and initiatives to promote biodegradable plastics and bioplastics, both in its strategy on bioeconomy and in its Strategy and Plan for a Circular Economy in Europe and in the Green Deal. It also makes a major effort to finance R&D&I in this sector through the Horizon Europe programme.
To prepare this new Foresight Study, UNE analyzed information gathered from various sources, including European R&D&I projects in which it has participated and continues to participate as a standardization partner, several of which are dedicated to bioplastics.
To check the information collected, as well as to discuss possible standardisation activities, the opinion and knowledge of representative agents of the value chain have been collected, such as: CEISLAB, Asociación Española de Industriales de Plásticos (ANAIP), Instituto Tecnológico del Plástico (AIMPLAS), Centro tecnológico del calzado y del plástico (CETEC), Instituto Tecnológico del Embalaje, Transporte y Logística (ITENE), Asociación Nacional de Recicladores de Plásticos (ANARPLA) andç Asociación Española de Plásticos Biodegradables Compostables (ASOBIOCOM).
Main conclusions
Standardisation is a strategic tool for introducing and consolidating the use of bioplastics in the market. Subjects subject to standardisation include defining concepts, parameters and specifications of products for their characterisation, correlation of testing with the final product, specific use according to applications, traceability of materials and their production, as well as the production conditions of the operation.
Another conclusion highlighted by the Study is the need to involve public administrations, research centres, product manufacturers, associations of these companies and related stakeholders, as well as waste managers, for the sector development and the development of standards.
