BASF focuses on Ecovio and Ecoflex

New biodegradable plastic for special packaging: Paper cups and shrink film are the first two applications for BASF’s new biodegradable plastic Ecovio® FS. Consequently, the two grades optimized for this purpose are called Ecovio FS Paper and Ecovio FS Shrink Film. Ecovio FS consists of PLA (polylactic acid) and of the new Ecoflex® FS. This Ecoflex FS is partially bio-based and its structure accounts for the new product properties. (Photo: BASF / Bischof + Klein, 2009)

BASF will focus on its products Ecoflex® and Ecovio® as biodegradable and compostable plastics for agricultural use. As a consequence, business with the additive Envirocare® for oxo-biodegradable plastics was terminated effective July 1, 2010. Envirocare was part of the Ciba AG range and is used to manufacture polyethylene mulch films for agricultural use.

Expanded Ecoflex plant in Ludwigshafen to go on stream at the end of 2010
BASF has supplied biodegradable plastics for the manufacture of mulch films and other applications for many years in the form of Ecoflex and Ecovio. A 60,000 metric ton capacity expansion of the Ecoflex plant in Ludwigshafen is planned for the end of 2010 to meet rising market demand. “BASF has opted for biodegradable plastics that are fully biodegradable and compostable in accordance with standards such as European norm EN 13432,” said Jürgen Keck, head of global business for biodegradable plastics at BASF in Ludwigshafen. “These standards are important from our point of view. They demand certain environmental features that our products can offer.”

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More information: www.basf.com

BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany

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