Global Markets and Technologies for Bioplastics

February 16, 2012

Wellesley, Mass. – According to a new technical market research report, GLOBAL MARKETS AND TECHNOLOGIES FOR BIOPLASTICS (PLS050B) from BCC Research (www.bccresearch.com), the global market for bioplastics totaled more than 850,000 metric tons in 2011 and is expected to increase to more than 3.7 million metric tons in 2016, a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 34.3%.

The global market for bioplastics can be separated into four regions: Europe, The Americas, Asia, and the rest of the world. 

The European region amounted to nearly 307,000 metric tons in 2011 and is expected to increase at a CAGR of 32.1% to reach more than 1.2 million metric tons in 2016.

The Americas have values nearly identical to those of the European region. In 2011, the market segment totaled more than 307,000 metric tons, and in 2016, that volume should reach nearly 1.3 million metric tons, a CAGR of 32.9%.

A smaller market, Asia held nearly 195,000 metric tons in 2011 and in 2016 that volume should reach nearly 1.1 million metric tons, a CAGR of 41.1%.

The rest of the world, a region made up of Africa, former Soviet states, the Middle East, and Australia, totaled more than 44,000 metric tons in 2011. By 2016, that volume should reach 132,000 metric tons, a CAGR of 24.5%.

One of the fastest-growing materials’ sectors in the past four years has been the production of plastics from renewable resources referred to as bioplastics. The main driver is an interest in reducing use of petroleum as a feedstock because of its contribution to climate change, its pricing volatility, and its occasional role as a political weapon.

Global economic weakness slowed growth of bioplastics demand from 2009 to 2011, but support from powerful companies such as Coca-Cola, H.J. Heinz, Ford, AT&T and Toyota is spurring real growth of the renewably sourced plastics business. Another important factor is the Chinese government’s growing support for agricultural development in areas such as bioplastics as a way to prop up the standard of living in the country’s rural regions. Major indigenous producers of starch plastics and other types of bioplastics are rapidly emerging, changing the shape of the marketplace. Brazil and Thailand also are emerging as bioplastics-producing powerhouses.

Due to the growing concern about climate change and negative health impacts of many existing materials, this report will be of interest to anyone who sells, designs, or manufactures products that are or could be made from polymeric materials. This report also will be of value to individuals who are helping to establish public policy concerning issues ranging from limits on use of plastics packaging to potential limits on use of vinyl compounds in medical applications.

In addition to PLS050B, BCC also has published PLS054A, PLS055A, and PLS056A.These reports cover bioplastics markets with focuses, respectively, on the Americas, Europe, and Asia.

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Global Markets and Technologies for Bioplastics( PLS050B )
Publish Date: Feb 2012    

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