Alfapac, first trash bags biodegradable made 100% from potato starch

Alfapac trash bags are made from potato starch and its use has great benefits for the environment. A gesture for the future of the planet, as its use in the domestic economy is the best alternative to the consumption of manufactured plastic garbage bags.

100 Bags of garbage 100 percent biodegradable, available in different sizes can be obtained from 15 potato starch, and are bioplastics, compostable, recyclable and free of CO_2. Also, taking advantage of their environmental benefits, they can become fertilizer for organic agriculture contributing to fertilization of crops, gardens and fields.

All the properties of Alfapac are guaranteed by the standard EN 13432 which sets out the procedures of analysis for the biodegradability and its ability to turn them into fertilizer.

Development in Spain of biodegradable plastic bags is an initiative of the Government to make them available to the supermarkets in Spain and to raise awareness among Spanish consumers. This initiative reaches Spain, two years after the success of France by the Group Sphere following the launch in 2006 of Alfapac 100 percent biodegradable. The new generation of trash bags has become the first range of biodegradable household bags sold in mass distribution and currently accounts for the French company 67 percent of its business.

The development of conventional plastics is faced with the near depletion of fossil resources; bioplastics derived from vegetable chemical development represent a serious solution to a problem which today is economic, social and environmental.

Despite the fact that the raw materials derived from oil and gas represent only 4 percent of oil consumption, the experts consider that reservations be exhausted in a few years 35/70. Taking into account the supply oil has more and more difficulty in meeting a demand that is in strong growth, the costs of oil continue to rise, 12 dollars in 1999 to more than $80 in 2007.

Even the costs of raw materials such as polyethylene that consequently assumes the evolution of the oil price: 500 euros per tonne in 1999 to 800 in 2001 to reach the 1,300 euros in 2007.

The end of the common policy in 2013 obliges the world of agriculture to find other sources of funding and consequently other markets. The non-food industry such as energy or chemistry constitutes an extraordinary opportunity for European farmers.

The European plastics industry is not to make the textile industry of the 21st century. It currently suffers a great competition in Asian countries which relies on low costs of production as well as wild dumping.

Innovation in all its forms has been the key to the development of this sector in the last 30 years and is still the innovation that will allow you to continue the production of tomorrow and tomorrow.

Contrary to the plastics derived from fossil resources, bioplastics do not generate without the additional greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, the use of renewable biomass reduces global warming: the CO₂ produced by degradation (or incineration) comes from the CO₂ absorbed by plants in the atmosphere during its growth. Turns through photosynthesis, plants grown later to replace the biodegradable products.

Optimize the management of waste becomes a point of first order. The subsidiaries 'incineration' and 'recycling' have very significant evolution margins, for its part, the subsidiary 'manure' gives rise to a great political interest and should structure and develop in the coming years.

In this context, the Group Sphere, the European leader and 4th World in bags of garbage and food packaging has given a new strategic orientation to his group acquiring the 50 percent of Biotec & Co. KG in 2005 and 60 percent of the factory of starch d´Haussimont in 2007. It is so the Sphere group takes part in all subsidiaries of bioplastics.

Plastic: matter can deform under the action of an outside force and return.

Biopolymers: polymer present in living or synthesized by these organisms. They include polymers derived from renewable resources that can polymerize to make bioplasticos.

Bioplasticos: plastics made from biopolymers. They are biodegradable in accordance with the standard NF EN 13432: 2000. It describes the essential requirements relating to biodegradable packaging and composting. It allows to determine the biodegradation and the disintegration of the packaging, in a marked time and thus control the concentration of heavy metals and the absence of. Eco-toxicity. Tax of 90 percent biodegradation threshold must be reached within a maximum period of 6 months.

Biodegradation: is the digestion by micro-organisms, after decomposition and under the influence of the moisture of the oxygen and temperature. The result is the formation of water, carbon and biomass.

Compostability: analysis of the amount of payment after the biodegradation (chemical degradation) and the break-up (physical degradation).

Compost: raw material used as natural manure to agricultural production.

Bioplast is a new generation of resins bioplásticas arising from the research laboratory and the development of Biotec GmbH & Co. KG. They are made with potato starch. This tuber offers great advantages, as the yield per hectare and the level of starch. The acquisition of 60 per cent in the Group Sphere of factories Haussimont starch (Champagne Ardenne) allows the Biotec company to achieve a high quality of starch.

Potato starch is the basis of Bioplast and allows, after transforming it, the power of offering an odourless indispensable condition for its application in food packaging (films, trays, pots, etc.).

Bioplast is the first bioplasticos without plastic, allowing to obtain more homogeneous products and avoid problems of waste and water during the transformation. They meet the following European standards: 94/62/EC, the absence of heavy metals in officially recognized 2002/72/EC packaging for food contact. Handled as a traditional plastics. Thus, specialists should not make any additional structural investment but, simply adapt transformation parameters to the Bioplast.

Also, products manufactured in bioplast can be colored with biodegradable materials and be printed with inks, water, they can take advantage of the brand 'ok compost' and 'compostable'. Bioplast range consisting of five references covers a large number of both rigid and flexible applications.

No matter the method of application or transformation, Bioplast resins offer the same results as any thermoplastic derived from oil. The idea of ' biodegradable = fragile ' is absurd and antiquated, a bag made in Bioplast will have the same resistance to one of the same thickness made of polyethylene. Bioplast products are preserved and are stored as traditional products; Since that single disintegrate and biodegrade to come into contact with micro-organisms. Therefore they are used in the same conditions as the plastics derived from oil.

The main uses of bioplastics

Food packaging or not: all kinds of bags, light films, small glasses, trays...

Industrial packaging: films and particles of draughts.

Products for agriculture: films of straw and tape.

Hygiene products and several: rods, plastic plates, napkins...

Some plant-based polymers are also used in the automobile industry (for technical parts).