The bioplastic market - Italy (2024)

1.2 World market

Global production of bioplastics is expected to grow strongly between **** and ****, from *,*** to *,*** thousand tons, an increase of ***.* percent. This trend reflects a significant increase in global interest in sustainable materials and a likely response to environmental pressures to reduce the use of traditional plastics. The most pronounced growth is expected starting in ****, suggesting an expansion of production capacity and increased adoption of bioplastics in the coming years.

World production of bioplastics World, ****-****, thousands of tons Source: ****

Regarding the types of polymers used, in ****, **.* percent of bioplastic materials are biodegradable while **.* percent are non-biodegradable bioplastics.

Bio-based polymers are PE, PET, PA, PP, PEF, PTT while biodegradable ones are PBAT, PBS, PLA, PHA, Starch-based plastics, Cellulose-based plastics. In ****, the largest market share, **.*%, is PBAT, followed by starch-based plastics, **.*%, and PLA, **.*%.

Polymers for bioplastics by use World, ****, percent Source: ****

1.3 The European market

the European bioplastics market is projected to expand strongly from **** to ****, from *.** million tons to *.** million tons, a growth of **.* percent. The annual increase indicates a gradual adoption of bioplastics in Europe, likely fueled by more stringent environmental policies and interest in sustainable materials. Growth is steady, with an acceleration particularly evident between **** and ****, when the market is expected to almost double its current size.

European bioplastics market size Europe,****-****,Million tons Mordor Intelligence

1.4 The Italian Market

the value of the Italian bioplastics market shows a seesaw trend between **** and ****. After an initial decline from *.** billion in **** to *.** billion in ****, the market gradually recovers, returning to * billion in **** and reaching *.* billion in ****. This overall increase of **.* percent from the low point in **** suggests a recovery and expansion of the sector, likely due to increased demand for sustainable materials and the implementation of environmental policies that encourage the adoption of bioplastics.

Italian Bioplastics Market Value Italy,****-****, Billions of euros Lapresse.it;The Sun ** Ore

The graph shows the turnover of Italian companies in the "Manufacture of articles of plastics" sector (***) from **** to ****, with varying values but a dramatic decline in the last year. After a significant increase, peaking at $**.** million in ****, turnover drops sharply to $**.** million in ****, indicating a market contraction or potential shift to alternatives. We chose to use ATECO code **.* to also analyze the bioplastics sector, in the absence of a specific classification, because it includes both conventional plastics and bioplastics. This approach provides an overview of the market, including the innovative and sustainable products that are emerging within the sector.

Turnover of enterprises in the Manufacture of plastic articles sector ATECO **.* Italy,****-****,Million ...

1.5 Import and Export

Analysis of imports and exports of bioplastics is complicated by the lack of specific codes in the Harmonized System (***), one of the most popular bioplastics, and HS ****.**, which includes starch-based bioplastics under the category "Other polymerization products in primary forms." These two codes represent the most accurate classification for bioplastics and are the best to use for obtaining import and export data in the sector, despite the difficulty in distinguishing bioplastics from conventional plastics within trade statistics.

The graph shows trends in Italian imports and exports of "other polyesters in primary forms" (***) from **** to ****. Exports are generally higher than imports in all years, maintaining a positive trade balance. After a decline in exports in **** and ****, a significant recovery is observed from ****, peaking in **** at $***.** million. In ****, however, exports fall slightly to ***.** million. Imports follow a similar trend, but with less pronounced changes, rising from ***.** million in **** to a high of ***.* million in ****, then falling to ***.** million in ****.

The coverage rate, which measures the ratio of exports to imports, has remained above *.* throughout the period, indicating a steady trade surplus. This rate varies from a low of *.** in **** to a high of *.** in ****, signaling an increasing advantage in exports over imports, although ...

1.6 Areas of Application

Plastics made from plant-based raw materials are potentially a solution for solving environmental issues in those applications where existing alternatives do not allow. According to the European definition, bioplastics are those plastics that are derived from plant-based materials and have the properties of being biodegradable and compostable or having both properties (***).biodegradability of plastics and biobased origin are, therefore, two very different concepts: it is possible for *** percent plant-based materials not to be biodegradable and for materials from fossil sources to biodegrade.

Currently, the most important application areas for these polymers are the production of bags for collecting the organic waste fraction, shopping bags, and in agriculture.

Sector applications biodegradable polymers Italy, ****, % Source: ****

2.1 Need for plastics in Europe and Italy

Plastics have a wide variety of properties that have made them indispensable in multiple applications. Europe consumes **.* percent of all global plastic production, after China, which is the largest consumer of plastics, **.* percent, and the U.S., **.* percent.

Plastic consumption by region World, ****, percent Source: ****

Europe has increased plastic consumption over the years has increased and is steadily increasing, between **** and **** consumption is projected to increase by *.*%.

Plastic use in Europe Europe, ****-****, Million cubic meters Source: ****

Italy is the second largest consumer of plastics in Europe: *.* million tons of fossil polymers were consumed in ****, corresponding to almost *** kg per person. In Europe, ** percent of virgin plastics are produced using oil and natural gas as raw materials, and fossil fuels are also used to generate the heat needed during the production process. This results in the release of about *.* kg ofCO* into the atmosphere for every kg of plastic, considering the production phase alone. IfCO* emissions related to the extraction and refining of fossil fuels are also examined, the production of * kg of plastic results in a total of about *.* kg of directCO* emissions.

Forty-two percent of the plastic consumed in our country is used in the packaging and disposable sector, ...

2.2 Demand in terms of production

the production sold of plastic articles in Italy, according to ATECO code **.*, shows significant growth from **** to ****, with some fluctuations. After an initial value of €*.** billion in ****, the sector declined slightly in **** and ****, then recovered strongly in **** with €*.** billion and peaked at €*.** billion in ****. In ****, production sold drops to *.** billion, although it remains above pre-pandemic levels.

Production sold of plastic articles ATECO **.* Italy,****-****,Billions of euros Istat

The production of plastic articles in Italy, measured in quantity (***), fluctuated between **** and ****. Starting from *.** million tons in ****, production grew steadily to reach *.** million in ****. In ****, the peak of the period is observed with *.** million tons, probably due to increased post-pandemic demand. However, in ****, production drops to *.** million tons, signaling a slight contraction. Production realized in quantity of plastic articles ATECO **.* Italy,****-****,Million tons Istat

2.3 Online interest in "Bioplastics"

Online interest in "bioplastics" in Italy between **** and **** showed a fluctuating trend, with some significant peaks and several declines. At the beginning of the period, the interest index was around **.*, then dropped to **.* in November ****. From there, interest rose gradually, reaching a first peak in February **** (***). However, in August **** there is a sharp drop to **, followed by a rise back up to a high of **.* in May ****. After another drop, interest rises again in September **** with **.*, then falls back to a low of ** in October ****.

Online interest in "Bioplastics" Italy,****-****,Google trend index Google Trends

The map shows the online interest in "bioplastics" in different Italian regions between **** and ****, with Puglia clearly emerging as the region with the highest level of interest, indicated by the value ***. Different groups of regions show moderate interest: Umbria, Abruzzo, Piedmont and Basilicata are around the ** value, followed by Emilia-Romagna, Lazio, Campania and Tuscany with an interest level of **. Lombardy, Sicily, Veneto, Sardinia, Calabria, Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Marche record a value of **, while Liguria stands at **. Trentino-Alto Adige shows limited interest with a value of **, and Valle d'Aosta turns out to be the only region with no interest recorded, indicated with the value *.

3.1 Active companies in the Bioplastics sector

The graph shows a significant decline in the number of enterprises active in the plastics articles manufacturing sector in Italy, according to ATECO code **.*, between **** and ****. After a gradual decline from ****, when **** enterprises were recorded, to **** enterprises in ****.

Active enterprises in the sector of Manufacture of plastic articles ATECO **.* Italia,****-****,Migliaia Istat

The number of people employed in the manufacturing of plastic articles sector in Italy, represented by ATECO code **.*, shows stability from **** to ****, fluctuating between ***,*** and ***,***. However, a sharp decline is observed in ****, with employment falling to ***,***, marking a decrease of **.* percent from the **** peak.

Employment in the sector of Manufacture of plastic articles ATECO **.* Italia,****-****,Migliaia Istat The table shows the evolution of the number of enterprises in Italy, broken down by legal form, in the plastic articles manufacturing sector between **** and ****. The largest category is "Limited Liability Companies," which remains relatively stable, increasing from *,*** enterprises in **** to *,*** in ****. "Sole proprietors, freelancers and the self-employed" show a significant decline, dropping from *,*** to *,*** over the same period. "General partnerships" and "Limited partnerships" also show a steady decrease. The least represented categories are "Social cooperative societies" and "Other partnerships other than SNCs and SASs," both with very low values ...

3.2 The Value Chain

The value chain of bioplastics begins with the production of renewable raw materials, such as corn, sugarcane, potatoes or other biomaterials, which are transformed into monomers through chemical processes or fermentation. These monomers are then polymerized to create biopolymers, which form the basis of bioplastics. Next, the biopolymers are processed by processors to produce bioplastic materials in various forms, such as films, granules or composite polymers. These materials are then used to create finished products in various industries, mainly in packaging, but also in the automotive, agricultural and consumer goods industries. Once used, bioplastic products, depending on their composition, can be biodegradable or compostable, and their end-of-life includes options such as industrial composting, recycling, or decomposition in the natural environment. The involvement of different stages, from raw material suppliers and polymer producers to end users and disposal infrastructure, makes the bioplastics value chain complex and interconnected, with an increasing focus on sustainability and the circular economy.

3.3 The main market players

Novamont

A leader in the Italian bioplastics market and among the most important worldwide, Novamont is known for the production of Mater-Bi biopolymer, a biodegradable and compostable bioplastic used mainly in packaging applications, biodegradable shopping bags and agricultural products. The company is at the forefront of developing products with low environmental impact and actively promotes the circular economy.

Bio-on

A company specializing in the production of PHA (***) bioplastics derived from agricultural wastes, such as molasses and sugarcane. Bio-on's biopolymers are fully biodegradable in the natural environment, making them ideal for sustainable applications. The company stands out for its commitment to producing high value-added bioplastics for the cosmetics, automotive and packaging industries.

Maip Group

This Italian group is engaged in the development and production of sustainable polymeric materials and bioplastics. Among the group's products are environmentally sustainable biopolymers called IamNature, which are biodegradable and compostable, used mainly in the packaging and automotive sectors.

Industrie Chimiche Forestali (***)

Specializing in the production of sustainable bioplastics and adhesives, ICF has developed several product lines with applications in the footwear, leather goods, automotive and packaging sectors. The company has a strong focus on finding innovative and sustainable solutions to reduce the environmental impact of plastic ...

4.1 Three types of bioplastics

the bioplastic materials are not all the same; based on their origin and end result, they are divided into * categories:

Source: ****

below you can visually see how the materials are divided.

Source: ****

4.2 Prices

The graph shows a slight decrease in industry output prices for the manufacture of plastic articles (***) in Italy, from *** in September **** to *** in October ****. From this point, the value stabilizes and remains constant at *** until September ****, indicating a phase of stagnant prices without change for almost a year.

Monthly industry output prices for Manufacture of plastic articles ATECO **.* Italia,****-****,centinaia Istat

4.3 Start up

Startups that create bioplastics from organic waste exist and are growing in order to increase the circular economy and decrease environmental impact.

Agromateriae: Hailing from Emilia Romagna, affiliated with the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, the company produces new plastic materials from agro-industrial waste, which it transforms into green raw materials to serve industry. The waste management of farms is improved, while satisfying the plastics world's hunger for new green materials. The first product launch is Wine Plastics filler, a technological powder made from wine waste that can be blended up to ** percent to all existing plastics and bioplastics. According to the company, Wpl increases the mechanical properties of the material, lowers production costs by up to ** percent, and makes the material highly eco-friendly. Splastic: A sustainable, biodegradable and compostable alternative to petroleum derivative made from food waste. In this case from milk. They produce granules for making films for packaging, or different granules, depending on the type of object to be made. They also differ in the raw material: they use food waste, so they do not involve land use. Packtin: is a circular economy project that helps to re-issue recovered raw materials (***) into the production process. From these ...

4.4 The phenomenon of Dumping

The phenomenon of dumping in the bioplastics sector in Italy has had a significant impact on the domestic market. In ****, turnover in the compostable bioplastics supply chain fell to *** million euros, registering a **.* percent decrease from ****, when turnover had reached *.** billion euros . This decline is attributed, in part, to the import of low-cost products of questionable quality, often from the Far East, which have exerted unfair competitive pressure on Italian producers.According to Luca Bianconi, president of Assobioplastiche, behind these imports lies probable support from local governments, making dumping no longer sustainable and damaging the economic viability of domestic production .This unfair competition has contributed to a significant reduction in the sector's turnover, which in **** dropped to *** million euros, registering a **.* percent decrease compared to ****. In addition to dumping, the sector has also been adversely affected by the spread of illegal products and the presence of non-compostable materials in the collection of wet waste, which compromise the quality of the compost produced and hinder the recycling of compostable bioplastics. To counter these phenomena, it is essential that the relevant authorities intervene with effective measures, such as the introduction of stricter import controls and the application of penalties for dumping practices. In ...

5.1 Standards

EN *****:**** Requirements for packaging recoverable by composting and biodegradation - Test scheme and evaluation criteria for final acceptance of packaging.

this is a harmonized standard of the European Committee for Standardization concerning the characteristics a material must possess in order to qualify as biodegradable or compostable. For a material to be defined as "compostable," it must possess the following characteristics:degrade by at least ** percent in * months;have a thickness less than a maximum value that allows disintegration in a composting cycle;the material must have no adverse effects on the composting process; low concentration of heavy metals and other potential contaminants.

EN *****:**** Plastics. Biodegradable mulching films for use in agriculture and horticulture. Requirements and test methods.

Specifies requirements for biodegradable films, manufactured from thermoplastic materials, to be used for mulch applications in agriculture and horticulture. The standard defines:

the methods for assessing biodegradability in soil and for excluding ecotoxicity effects in the environment, as well as for defining the mechanical and optical properties of the films so that they can ensure adequate performance in the field, directions for identifying and marking films so that biodegradable sheets can be recognized by operators; good practices for the use of biodegradable sheeting.

The ...

5.2 Developments favorable to bioplastics

Plastic Tax

The European plastic tax is a uniform rate on non-recycled plastic packaging waste produced in each Member State, effective as of January *, **** and amounting to €*.*/kg.** The cost to Italy, net of the flat-rate reduction, is expected to be around €*** million/year. These contributions are allocated to the European budget, which is in turn used to finance the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (***).

The Italian plastic tax was introduced in Budget Law **** and was supposed to come into effect in the summer of ****, but was then postponed to January ****, to July ****, to January ****, and again to January ****.the Italian plastic tax applies to the consumption of Manufatti Con Singolo Impiego (***), i.e., manufactured products made with the use, even partial, of fossil plastic material, having the function of containing, protecting, handling and delivering goods. Products, therefore, that are not designed to be reused multiple times during their useful life. Examples of MACSIs are plastic bottles and caps, food packaging, Tetrapak containers, detergent bottles, polystyrene and bubble wrap used to protect goods, and plastic films used to wrap pallets. Excluded from the application of the Italian plastic tax, however, are MACSIs that are compostableand the plastic contained in MACSIs that ...

6.1 Segmentation

• Kanèsis
• Agromateriae
• Betalife
• Cereplast
• Novamont
• NaturePlast