The demand for plastic packaging, of which a small part is bio-based, has increased strongly in Europe. Litter and Plastic Soup scandals put the desirability of plastics in food packaging and tableware high on the agenda.

There is growing enthusiasm about bioplastics. Today, demand exceeds supply and there is increasingly more clarity about which direction to pursue. The focus is on a combination of renewable and recyclable. And compostable when it’s worthwhile. We haven’t heard the last word about this yet.

A world without plastics is inconceivable. Over the past 70 years, synthetic polymers have found their way into all corners and cracks of our society. No wonder: they are versatile, strong and light. They offer us a tremendous freedom of form and protect us, our food and consumer items from outside influences. But they also produce a great deal of non-degradable waste. This is where the challenge lies.