What’s up? Degradable plastics’ acceptance, says research

The Freedonia Group, a Cleveland, OH-based industry market research firm, rightly notes that the degradable plastic industry “has been on the verge of commercial success for decades.” However, limitations such as their expense, lack of availability in large quantities, and performance drawbacks kept them lagging behind petroleum-based resins and limited to niche markets. This situation began to change in the early 2000s, as OEMs, retailers, and consumer groups became more interested in environmentally friendly products.

“At the same time, the availability of biodegradable plastics increased significantly due to expansions by key producers,” says the recently released report. The result is that U.S. demand for degradable plastics is forecast to rise 16.6% per year to 325 million lb in 2014, valued at $380 million. PLA and starch-based plastics currently dominate the markets, and both are expected to see strong growth. PLA will experience faster gains—more than 20%/year through 2014—due to increased availability, greater processor familiarity, and performance enhancements that will expand potential applications.

The strong outlook for degradable plastics is prompting the development of new products, the report notes. One of those is polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), which saw negligible sales in 2009. However, rapid growth over the next 10 years should boost the product up among the leading types of degradable plastics, says The Freedonia Group. —Clare Goldsberry