Plastics: An obvious problem with no obvious solution

Biodegradable Alternatives to Plastics

Global production of plastics has soared over the past 50 years to meet consumer and industry demand. Some estimate at least 8 billion metric tons of plastic has been produced since 1950, most of which has ended up in landfill or as detritus scattered across the world.

At current production rates there will be around 12 billion metric tons of plastic circulating the planet’s ecosystem by 2050. That would mean we have more plastic in our oceans than fish.

How is innovation playing a pivotal role in providing alternatives to plastics? And who are the key players leading the way?

Biodegradable Alternatives to Plastics looks at innovation trends across this technology area and has uncovered the following insights:

• Significant investment and interest in biodegradable alternatives soared in the early 2000s, but has since stagnated
• German chemical company, BASF, is the market leader in this space in US and Europe
• Asia prioritises investment into innovation of biodegradable plastics and adhesive alternatives, with China, Japan and Korea accounting for 43% of inventions in this area.

Biodegradable Alternatives to Plastics report