. Jamplast is the ninth company to join the Bioplastics Council.

SPI's Bioplastics Council was created in order to provide a forum for resin and additive suppliers, as well as processors, equipment suppliers, and distributors, to promote the development of bioplastics. Other members of the group are Arkema, BASF, Cereplast, DuPont, NatureWorks, PolyOne, Teknor Apex, and Telles, the joint venture formed by Metabolix and ADM. "The SPI Bioplastics Council is pleased to see its membership ranks continue to grow and is excited to have its first distributor member join the organization," said Melissa Hockstad, SPI's VP, science, technology, and regulatory affairs. Frederic Scheer, founder, chairman, and CEO of Cereplast, is the Council's chairperson for 2010.

"We are excited to join the SPI Bioplastics Council to help support the development of bioplastics," stated Jamplast president John Moisson Jr. "Our company began working with NatureWorks prior to them building the plant in Blair, NE, and since then have been a strong advocate of bioplastics for the North American market. We have added a number of bioplastics suppliers and additive manufacturers to represent as the market has embraced these new materials." In addition to its headquarters facility, Jamplast stocks inventory in its 75,000-ft² distribution facility in Mt Vernon, IN and works with 22 contract facilities in the U.S. and Canada.

The Council earlier this year announced its objectives for 2010. Those include continuing to build a close relationship with the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture's BioPreferred Program, and working with other federal agencies involved in "bio" issues. It will also continue educational efforts to clarify bioplastics-related marketing claims.

Jamplast presented at last June's NPE trade show in Chicago as part of a forum on bioplastics at which one processor presented this case study of his company's switch from PS and PP to polylactic acid for injection molded desktop pencil holders.