Read the full post in Biopact.
Bioplastics made from cellulosic biomass, such as forestry or crop waste, offer a smarter way to use biomass than turning it into liquid biofuels. Per hectare of crops grown or per quantity of biomass, cellulosic bioplastics offset more petroleum and GHG emissions than liquid cellulosic biofuels (previous post). Most of these next-generation bioplastics, which no longer rely on easily extractible starch or sugar like that found in corn or sugarcane, are made from a limited range of feedstocks and research is still in an early stage. However, German engineers from the Fraunhofer Institute have already added a new feedstock for bioplastics and show the final product is ready for market. The plastics are made from what’s called ‘liquid wood’, a lignin-rich product.
