HÜRTH – As the global manufacturing sector continues to look for new alternatives to polymers derived from petrochemicals, the growth rate of bio-based polymers exceeded the rate of fossil fuel derived synthetics for the very first-time last year.
Although bio-based polymers still represent just 1 per cent of all polymer production, the demand for them grew 8 per cent in 2020 – double the growth rate of conventional polymers, according to new figures released by the Nova Institute in Germany.
“The only way for polymers, plastics and chemicals to become sustainable, climate-friendly and part of the circular economy is the complete substitution of fossil carbon with renewable carbon from alternative sources: biomass, CO2 and recycling,” said the organisation.