Biobased

The bio-based polyethylene’s features are very similar to the traditional fossil-fuel based products. The difference is in the raw materials origin: in bio-based polyethylene they come from renewable vegetable sources (biomasses). Just like the traditional plastics, it is 100% recyclable. With regard to the Greenhouse emissions, the bio-based polymers have a lower impact than the fossil-fuel based polymers. This is due to the fact that, in order to produce a plastic of fossil origin, a high quantity of energy is involved in oil extraction and refining. On the contrary, the renewable biomasses regenerate seasonally and they mainly absorbe the atmospheric CO2, which is then converted (through the photosynthesis) into the components that are necessary for the plants growing.

Renewable Resources are natural CO2 compensators, as they absorb a part of the CO2 produced by the process of planting and arvesting. Several data pubblished by one of the main bio-based polyethylene producers analytically show how bio-based PE’s GWP (Global Warming Potential) is much lower than that of a fossil-fuel-based polyethylene: in some cases it can even compensate distribution and/or transformation environmental impact.

The minimum biobased material content in these products is 30%. This feature can be communicated to the final customer with the use of specific logos

CROCCO SPA SB has already developed many products containing bio-based polyethylene: a specific stretch film for food wrapping (bio-cling) and a film for industrial use (both with at least 40% of bio-based material)