Plant Based Products Council
PBPC
PBPC represents businesses large and small in the United States and internationally, including the European Union, who are committed to guiding the evolving global economy toward more sustainable and responsible consumer products and packaging through greater use of plant-based materials (sometimes termed “bioproducts”).
ID: 800630740712-86
Lobbying Activity
Response to Food waste reduction targets
27 Oct 2021
The Plant Based Products Council (PBPC) appreciates the opportunity to provide input to this initial consultation on the proposed Policy Framework on biobased, biodegradable, and compostable plastics. PBPC represents businesses large and small in the United States and internationally, including the European Union, who are advocating for a shift toward a more circular bioeconomy through greater adoption of renewable, plant-based materials supported by appropriate end-of-life infrastructure. PBPC members represent a large portion of the plant-based product value chain including biobased plastic producers, converters, and consumer goods companies looking to incorporate biobased, biodegradable, and compostable plastics into their product offerings.
In considering how the plant-based products industry can play a role in tackling food waste, biobased compostable plastics present a unique opportunity. This unique class of plastics can divert large amounts of food waste from landfills when used in compostable food packaging applications. As consumers dispose of packaging, any food waste that accompanies it will join it in a composting facility rather than a landfill where it would have contributed to methane emissions. Additionally, many non-compostable biobased plastics can be recycled along with more traditional plastics and even some compostable biobased plastics have the potential to be recycled in the future. All these products can be designed around a circular lifecycle rather than one that ends as waste. From growing the feedstock, to recovery of these products, either through composting or recycling, to growing the next crop or manufacturing the next product, the value of these products are preserved.
PBPC looks forward to the opportunity to submit more robust formal comments to the European Commission as it rolls out its next public consultation on the proposed food waste reduction targets.
Read full responseResponse to Policy framework on biobased, biodegradable and compostable plastics
27 Oct 2021
The Plant Based Products Council (PBPC) appreciates the opportunity to provide input to this initial consultation on the proposed Policy Framework on biobased, biodegradable, and compostable plastics. PBPC represents businesses large and small in the United States and internationally, including the European Union, who are advocating for a shift toward a more circular bioeconomy through greater adoption of renewable, plant-based materials supported by appropriate end-of-life infrastructure. PBPC members represent a large portion of the plant-based product value chain including biobased plastic producers, converters, and consumer goods companies looking to incorporate biobased, biodegradable, and compostable plastics into their product offerings.
PBPC believes that biobased, biodegradable, and compostable plastics are essential to the transition to a circular global economy. These materials can be derived from a host of different biobased feedstocks including traditional agricultural crops, non-traditional crops, and agricultural residues. Additionally, these unique plastics have the potential to help tackle numerous environmental challenges faced around the world. For example, methane emissions can be reduced by compostable plastics used in food packaging. Rather than end up in a landfill to contribute to methane emissions, food waste is diverted to composting facilities where it will become a valuable soil amendment that increases the carbon sequestration abilities of soil where it is applied. Compostable plastics are just one example of how biobased, biodegradable, and compostable plastics can contribute to a more responsible global consumer economy. More broadly than compostable biobased plastics, biobased plastics in general are an effective tool to help in the transition to a future based on renewable resources and a circular economy.
PBPC looks forward to the opportunity to submit more robust formal comments to the European Commission as it rolls out its next public consultation on the proposed Policy Framework for these unique materials. PBPC hopes to be a positive resource for the Commission as it considers critical questions such as: clear definitions for this class of plastics, labelling requirements, biobased content measurement methods, and common applications for these plastics in consumer products.
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