Bioplastics and Sustainability
THE NATUR-TEC® ADVANTAGE
Products created from biobased and compostable polymers offer many distinct advantages for brands seeking a sustainable alternative to conventional plastics (or recycled conventional plastics). Circule packaging solutions give you the power to reduce your environmental impact. Our innovative biobased and compostable solutions use less material (reducing overall product weight and carbon footprint), provide material traceability via sustainable renewable feedstocks, and integrate into the circular economy.
Higher Performance...Less Material
Circule™ packaging provides a significant strength advantage over traditional plastics and uses less material (ex.18 micron bag vs 50 micron bag). When coupled with our bio-content, this translates into a substantial net carbon reduction. In addition, the lower weight of the packaging as compared to conventional PE also translate into net carbon savings from a transportation and freight perspective.
Data based on existing commercialized solution.
Circule™ packaging solutions contain 58% carbon of which 30% is from sustainable and
renewable carbon feedstock. Conventional plastics, such as polyethylene, is comprised of
85% fossil fuel derived carbon.
Material Traceability and Compliance
Circule™ packaging made from Natur-Tec® formulations provides raw material traceability ensuring compliance to the strictest ROHS and RSL requirements. This ensures there are no harmful additives such as heavy metals, phthalates, etc. and that all products come from reliable feedstocks and are free of any unwanted contaminants or pollutants. Circule™ packaging also ensures compliance with many global standards including ASTM, ISO, and EN standards. Learn more by visiting our Regulatory and Policy page.
Natur-Tec® resins deliver consistent and feedstock controlled transparent film that allows for in-line scanning, increased strength, and product consistency. This material consistency and control is not possible with post-consumer recycled content.
Sustainable Renewable Feedstocks
The bio-content used in Circule™ packaging is sourced from annually renewable feedstocks such as corn, cassava, sugarcane, sorghum, etc. Our solutions offer up to 35% biobased content reducing your reliance on materials derived from fossil fuels, and the biobased content of all Natur-Tec® solutions is verified by independent 3rd party laboratories based relevant on ASTM, EN, and ISO standards. This ensures both the biobased content of our products, and the associated reduction in carbon footprint from using biobased feedstocks and less total material.
End of Life
Circule™ packaging solutions are engineered to be fully compostable in compliance with ASTM D6400, EN 13432, and ISO 17088. This enables our packaging to become apart of valuable compost with the power to restore soils as our biobased and compostable plastics break down in the composting process. Composting is the best end-of-life disposal method for organic materials and certified compostable packaging and results in heat, carbon dioxide, and moisture rather than harmful greenhouses gases. Learn more about regulatory and policy compliance here.
Integrate Into The Circular Economy
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation tells us that only 2% of plastics are closed-loop recycled…This creates tremendous amounts of waste and often results in pollution from discarded plastics.
Cicule™ sustainable biobased and compostable packaging solutions enable participation in closed loop recycling systems and integrate into a circular economy. Learn more about the circular economy and sustainable packaging
The Danger of "Degradable" Plastics
In both film extrusion and injection molding applications, there are additive technologies where bio-additives (such as starch) are added to traditional plastic (such as PP, PE, PS, etc.) and falsely marketed as compostable and biodegradable. These oxo-degradable products are often marketed as being biodegradable when they are only degradable.