Wacker Chemie (Munich / Germany; www.wacker.com) has developed biodegradable plastic products made from its “Vinnex” polymeric binding agents and renewable materials such as starch and flour. The products, which were developed with customers, will biodegrade within 180 days under industrial composting conditions, Wacker said. Importantly, they can be processed in the same way as petroleum-based plastics – by injection moulding, extrusion, vacuum forming or thermoforming, it added. Potential applications include packaging, catering products and gardening products. Wacker said the renewable raw material content of the polymer blends is at least 65%.

Vinnex vinyl acetate-based polymeric binding agents can be combined with renewable raw materials such as starch, PLA and PHA.