Five national European bioplastics organisations have joined hands to set up Bioplastics Organisations Network Europe (BON Europe), a collaboration aimed at connecting initiatives across the bioplastics industry both on the EU level and within the member states themselves. Under the umbrella leadership of European Bioplastics (Berlin / Germany; www.european-bioplastics.org), which will coordinate its activities, BON Europe will “push for an economically and politically favourable landscape for bioplastics in Europe,” said European Bioplastics chairman François de Bie.

The network will promote legislation to encourage bioplastics’ usage, equal access to and use of renewable raw materials and also promote a waste management infrastructure for bioplastics. Other efforts include standardisation, sustainability assessments and lobbying work.

The founding members of BON Europe are Belgian BioPackaging (www.belgianbiopackaging.be), Club Bio-plastiques (Paris / France; www.bioplastiques.org), Holland Bioplastics (Amsterdam / The Netherlands; www.hollandbioplastics.nl), Nordisk Bioplastförening (Helsingborg / Sweden; www.nordicbioplastic.com) and the Verbund kompostierbare Produkte (Berlin / Germany; www.derverbund.com).