NPE Goes Green with Bioplastics

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These color sample plaques, superimposed on a typical film application, show some of the colors developed by Teknor Color Co. unit, an NPE exhibitor, specifically for use with bioplastics. The carrier resin used in the color concentrates is itself a bioplastic.

Medtech Pulse is celebrating Earth Day by giving you some ecofriendly information: Bioplastics will be a prominent part of this year's NPE show, according to The Society of the Plastics Industry Inc. (SPI), which produces the event every three years. NPE2009 will be held June 22–26, 2009, at McCormick Place in Chicago.Sustainability has become an increasing focus of a variety of industries, and the plastics industry is certainly no exception. Frequently cited among the main ecological offenders, plastics are undergoing a green redesign with the development of bioplastics.NPE2009 will showcase a variety of emerging bioplastics made from such renewable and biodegradable natural resources as corn, castor beans, soybeans, potatoes, and tapioca, among others. In addition to the 16 companies whose booths will be at least partially dedicated to bioplastics, a number of other exhibitors on the show floor will be introducing additives and processing equipment for use with these emerging materials. NPE organizers also report that three raw materials companies will be discussing their bioplastics manufacturing endeavors while 39 different companies, agencies, and consortia will be giving conference presentations on bioplastics technology and business tactics. Bioplastics will also be one of four technology focuses in the Emerging Technologies Pavilion.“At the last NPE in 2006, bioplastics were still something of a curiosity, but at NPE2009 literally dozens of organizations will have something important about bioplastics to say or demonstrate,” says Melissa Hockstad, SPI vice president in charge of the Materials Suppliers Council and the Bioplastics Council. “There will be implications for every major plastics market, from appliances and automotive, to electronics and medical, to sporting goods and packaging.”If you're looking to learn more about sustainable materials and manufacturing for medical devices, visit our related archives. Also, check back with MPMN in July for a special feature on green packaging for medical devices.