Global demand to increase more than fourfold by 2013 Global demand for bioplastics, whichinclude plastic resins that are biodegradableor derived from plant-based sources,will rise more than fourfold to 890,000metric tons in 2013. This extraordinarygrowth will be fueled by a number offactors, including consumer demand formore environmentally-sustainableproducts, the development of bio-basedfeedstocks for commodity plastic resins,and increasing restrictions on the use ofplastic products, particularly plastic bags.Most importantly, however, will be theexpected continuation of high crude oiland natural gas prices, which will allowbioplastics to become more cost-competitivewith petroleum-based resins.Looking ahead to 2018, world bioplasticsdemand is forecast to reach nearly twomillion metric tons, with a market valueof over $5 billion.
Non-biodegradable plastics to be primary demand driver Biodegradable plastics, such as starchbasedresins, polylactic acid and degradablepolyesters, accounted for the vastmajority (nearly 90 percent) of bioplasticsdemand in 2008. Double-digit gainsare expected to continue going forward,fueled in part by the emergence ofpolyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) -- such asMIREL resins from Telles -- on thecommercial market. However, nonbiodegradableplant-based plastics will bethe primary driver of bioplastics demand.In the next few years, Dow Chemical andBraskem are each planning to open plantsin Brazil that will produce polyethylenefrom bio-based ethanol. Other firms areexpected to open bio-based polyvinylchloride and polypropylene facilities. Asa result, demand for non-biodegradableplant-based plastics will increase fromjust 23,000 metric tons in 2008 to nearly600,000 metric tons in 2013.
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Asia/Pacific market to catch Western Europe Western Europe was the largest regionalmarket for bioplastics in 2008, accountingfor about 40 percent of worlddemand. Bioplastics sales in the regionbenefit from strong consumer demand forbiodegradable and plant-based products,a regulatory environment that favorsbioplastics over petroleum resins, and anextensive infrastructure for composting.Going forward, however, more rapidgrowth in demand will be found in theAsia/Pacific region, which will becomethe equal of the West European market by2013. Gains will be stimulated by strongdemand in Japan, which has focusedintently on the replacement of petroleumbasedplastics. Other world regions, suchas Latin America and Eastern Europe,will see stellar gains in bioplasticsdemand from a very small 2008 bsae.
World bioplastic production to shift from developed to developing countries Currently, world bioplastics production isheavily concentrated in the developedcountries of North America, WesternEurope and Japan. This will changedramatically by 2013, as China isexpected to open over 100,000 metrictons of new bioplastics capacity. Furthermore,once the planned bio-basedpolyethylene and polyvinyl chlorideplants come online, Brazil will becomethe world’s leading producer of bioplasticsin 2018.
Study coverage Details on these and other findings arecontained in a new Freedonia industrystudy, World Bioplastics, available for$5800. It presents historical demand data(1998, 2003 and 2008) plus forecasts for2013 and 2018 by resin (e.g., starchbased,polylactic acid, PHAs, petroleumbased,bio-based polyethylene, bio-basedpolyesters, bio-based polyamides),market (e.g., packaging, nonpackaging),world regional market and for 12 majornational markets. In addition, the studyalso considers key market environmentfactors, evaluates company market shareand profiles 34 global industry players.
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