Bio-plastic is a biodegradable material that come from renewable sources and can be used to reduce the problem of plastic waste that is suffocating the planet and polluting the environment.
They are 100% degradable, equally resistant and versatile and already used in agriculture, textile industry, medicine and, over all in the container and packaging market. Biopolymers are already becoming popular in cities throughout Europe and the United States for ecological reasons: they are known as PHA.
A newly published report from information services and analytics company Clarivate Analytics Plc. exploring the bio-plastic innovation landscape draws a number of sobering conclusions.
They describe the sector as very immature, with no company or entity having a dominant or indeed competitive advantage position over any other.
From a commercial and trademarks perspective, biodegradable or recyclable plastics are not yet commercially attractive options. They currently comprise just 8% of total plastics trademark applications filed at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).
The good news is that developments are taking place and new bio-plastics based on a variety of feedstock are being explored. The reality is that the current situation around plastics and plastic waste cannot endure further impact on the environment. Reducing waste is only one piece to solving the plastics conundrum. Creating greater opportunities for re-use of existing plastics is another and global discussions surrounding the circular economy for plastics have gathered steam.