2010 1028 platt and levine sbc_spc_openforum_102810 final
- 1. What Makes a Sustainable Biomaterial? Brenda Platt, SBC Co-Chair Presentation to the Sustainable Packaging Coalition Open Forum October 28, 2010
- 2. Overview • Intro to the Sustainable Biomaterials Collaborative • Framework for Sustainable Biomaterials – Biomass Feedstock Sourcing – Production and Use – End of Life • Market-Based Tools – Purchasing Specifications – Working Landscape Certificates www.sustainablebiomaterials.org
- 3. Sustainable Biomaterials Collaborative As You Sow Center for Health, Environment and Justice Clean Production Action * The Sustainable Biomaterials Environmental Health Fund * Green Harvest Technologies Collaborative is a network of Health Care Without Harm organizations working together to Healthy Building Network Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy * spur the introduction and use of Institute for Local Self-Reliance* Lowell Center for Sustainable Production * biomaterials that are sustainable Sustainable Research Group Pure Strategies from cradle to cradle. The RecycleWorld Consulting Collaborative is creating Science & Environmental Health Network Seventh Generation sustainability guidelines, National Campaign for Sustainable Ag. engaging markets, and promoting * Steering committee policy initiatives.
- 4. Biomaterial – Wonder Material? • “renewable” • “green • “eco-friendly” • “sustainable” • “environmentally neutral” • “safe and better” • “easy on the environment” • “return to nature without a trace” www.sustainablebiomaterials.org
- 5. Confusion Source: www.ensobottles.com www.sustainablebiomaterials.org
- 6. Not All Bioproducts Created Equal • Biobased content • Additives and blends • Material feedstock type • Recyclability • Feedstock location • Performance • Biodegradability • Products • Commercial compost sites • Home composting • Marine environment • Anaerobic digestion www.sustainablebiomaterials.org
- 7. Challenges with Bioplastics • Concern over genetically modified organisms (GMOs) • Desire for sustainably grown biomass • Need to develop adequate composting programs • Concern with nanocomposites and fossil-fuel-plastic blends • Lack of adequate labeling • Concern over contamination of recycling systems www.sustainablebiomaterials.org
- 8. Genetically Modified Crops • Can be toxic, allergenic or less nutritious than their natural counterparts • Can disrupt the ecosystem, damage vulnerable wild plant and animal populations and harm biodiversity • Increase chemical inputs (pesticides, herbicides) over the long term • Deliver yields that are no better, and often worse, than conventional crops • Cause or exacerbate a range of social and economic problems • Are laboratory-made and, once released, harmful GMOs cannot be recalled from the environment. Source: http://www.nongmoproject.org/ www.sustainablebiomaterials.org
- 9. What We Put Into Corn… • Average of over 120 lbs. nitrogen fertilizer per acre • Among the highest levels of herbicide and pesticide use for conventional crops • Irrigation water • Proprietary hybrids
- 10. What Else is Produced • Soil erosion and nutrient run-off and leaching • Water, air, soil, health and biodiversity impacts of chemical use • Pressure on alternate land uses • Reduced rural economic benefit from agricultural production
- 11. Survey Data: feedstock types and sources • China • India – Bulrush – Fallen palm leaves – Bagasse • Thailand/Vietnam – Tapioca starch – PSM (Plastarch Material) – Grass fiber – Corn – Bagasse – Chinese PLA • Malaysia – PHBV* – Palm fiber – PBS** • USA – Cornstarch – NatureWorks PLA – “Natural total chlorine-free pulp” – Recycled wood fiber *polyhydroxybutyrate-polyhydroxyvalerate **polybutylene succinate (petrochemical + succinic acid) www.sustainablebiomaterials.org
- 12. Path from Field to Producer “The source product is from Brazil, then turned into cornstarch in China, then the starch is used in our manufacturer’s facility.” “Feedstocks grown in Midwestern US. Manufacture the resin in Hawthorne, CA today, but plan to manufacture in Seymour, IN shortly.” www.sustainablebiomaterials.org
- 13. Recyclable? www.sustainablebiomaterials.org
- 14. Where’s Waldo? Identifying and Sorting Bio-Bottles Courtesy of Eureka Recycling, Minneapolis, MN (www.eurekarecycling.org)
- 15. Tricky? At 120 feet per minute on a 30” wide conveyor line – It sure is! Courtesy of Eureka Recycling, Minneapolis, MN (www.eurekarecycling.org)
- 16. Defining Sustainable Life Cycles by Principles • Sustainable feedstocks / Sustainable agriculture • Green Chemistry / Clean Production • Closed Loop Systems / Cradle to Cradle / Zero Waste “Just because it’s biobased, doesn’t make it green” www.sustainablebiomaterials.org
- 17. A Sustainable Bioeconomy • Provides the food, fuel, fiber and materials we need • Protects and enhances the environment • Benefits family farms, rural communities and society • Is fair and responsive
- 18. Biomass Feedstock • Avoid hazardous chemicals • Avoid GMOs • Conserve soil & nutrients • Biological diversity • Sustainable agriculture plan • Protect workers
- 19. Manufacturing • Support sustainable feedstock • Reduce fossil energy use • Avoid problematic blends & additives • Avoid untested chemicals and engineered nano particles • Design for recycling & composting • Maximize process safety/reduce emissions • Green chemistry • Protect workers 19
- 20. End of Life • Compostable or recyclable • Biodegradable in aquatic systems • Adequate product labeling • Adequate recovery infrastructure
- 21. Blends: Steps to Best Practices Avoid Plastics w/ POPs in life cycle or manufactured w/ high hazard chems (PVC, PS, ABS, PC, PU) OK Blend with more preferable plastics (e.g., PE, PP, PET) Improving Compostable Better Blend only bioplastics Best Pure bioplastic Fully compostable & recyclable www.sustainablebiomaterials.org
- 23. Recognition Levels • Bronze → Baseline Criteria → Easily Verifiable Criteria • Silver • Gold → Highest Level → More challenges to Verify Criteria www.sustainablebiomaterials.org
- 24. Criteria: Biomass Production Criteria Recognition Level Biobased (organic) carbon content Product must be >90% Bronze Product must be >95% Silver Product must be >99% Gold Genetically Modified Plants No plastics may be made directly in plants Bronze GM crops allowed in field with offsets Bronze No GM biomass allowed in field Silver Sustainably grown biomass Forest and brushland-derived biomass Bronze Agricultural crop biomass Gold Protection of biomass production workers Gold www.sustainablebiomaterials.org
- 25. Next Steps • Vetting Products → Develop auditor product assessment protocol → Manufacturers submit products for review → Beta-test product assessment protocol • Work with purchasers to beta-test bid specs • Expand working landscape certificates www.sustainablebiomaterials.org
- 26. Parting Thoughts • Life cycle thinking – taking a • Transitioning from fossil fuels to “principle-based” approach to renewable, biobased feedstocks sustainable materials – Biobased not inherently better – Define what we want – Need criteria & standards for – Set priorities defining sustainable biomaterials • Sustainable feedstocks and plastics across their life cycle • Green chemistry – No GMOs in field • Cradle to cradle – Inherently safer chems – Concerns with nano – Reuse, recycle, compost www.sustainablebiomaterials.org
- 27. David Levine Co-founder & Executive Director The American Sustainable Business Council is a growing coalition of business organizations and businesses working to advance policies that support a vibrant, just and sustainable economy Founding Partner, Green Harvest Technology Steering Committee, Sustainable Biomaterials Collaborative
- 28. It can be different! Feedstocks Crops can be part of a sustainable farming system But markets and policies need to support it
- 29. The WLC program is a first, crucial step to create truly sustainable biomaterials. In this phase, the focus is on driving more sustainable production of commodity crop feedstocks for use in biomaterials refining. Further stages will emphasize direct sourcing of these more sustainable feedstocks and, ultimately, a transition toward perennial grasses and other more sustainable feedstocks.
- 30. WLC Goals • Farmers receive a higher and more stable price for sustainable production • Expanded production of sustainable feedstocks • Growth of markets for sustainable products WLC Farmer in Minnesota • Begin movement towards The “Ultimate” Green Job! perennial biomass feedstocks
- 31. www.workinglandscapes.org • Support existing family farmers economically to transition to sustainable farming practices • Enable bioplastic customers to support more sustainable crop production • Do not require “identity-preserve” infrastructure and additional transaction costs
- 32. 2010 Corn Production Criteria www.workinglandscapes.org • No GMO varieties • No continuous cropping • Soil testing and fertilization according to state criteria and test results • No use of known human or animal carcinogenic chemicals • Use of cover crops or at least 70% of residues left on entire field • Creation of whole farm plan that includes biodiversity and energy aspects
- 33. General Statistics • 8680 lbs of corn per acre, anticipated average yield • 3472 lbs of PLA per acre • 2.5 lbs of corn for 1 lb of PLA • Each certificate is equivalent to 1 acre
- 34. Farmers Certifies farm practices Contracts with farmers Companies Contracts for WLC
- 35. Growth of program • 50 acres 2007 and 2008 • 86 acres 2009 • 500 acres 2010
- 36. WLCs in 2010 • Stonyfield Farm is first major buyer of WLCs – Shifted to PLA for multipack yogurt cups • Supports over 500 acres of more sustainable corn production – Equivalent to 200 million cups
- 37. WLC available to companies • A pound for pound answer for transition • Assisting businesses to transition to biobased materials and products Joe , WLC Farmer • Enable bioplastic customers to support more sustainable crop production • A pathway to more sustainable biobased production
- 38. Working Landscapes Certificate 2010 Pricing Consumption Consumption $/lb Acres $/acre (MT) (lbs) $0.0259 Up to 10 (22,000 lbs) 6 acres and under $90/acre $0.0230 10 to 99.99 22,000 to 220,378 lbs 6.33 to 63 acres $80/acre 220,400 to $0.0213 100 to 999.99 63 to 635 acres $74/acre 2,203,977 lbs 2,204,000 to $0.0207 1,000 to 9,999.99 635 to 6,347 acres $72/acre 22,039,977 lbs 22,040,000 to 6,347 to $0.0204 10,000 to 99,999.99 $71/acre 220,399,977 lbs 63,479 acres Above $0.0203 100,000+ Above 63,479 acres $70.50/acre 220,400,000 lbs
- 39. Transitioning to Next Generation • Biomass crops offer a way out of the food crop overlap • Reduce energy and water inputs and GHG emissions • Increase biodiversity and wildlife habitat and environmental benefits • Other issues do emerge
- 40. Market Support for Sustainable Farming and Bioplastic Feedstocks • Sustainability standards labels and standards • Offset programs • Local and environmentally-preferential programs • Informed eaters • Innovative companies • Businesses working together to build demand for sustainable feedstocks and materials
- 41. Policy Support for Sustainable Farming and Bioplastic Feedstocks • Conservation Stewardship Program is a good beginning for providing incentives for sustainable practices • Biomass Crop Assistance Program • With new emerging threats from global warming, need more support for diverse crop production to meet adaptation and fertility needs • Incentives for advancing domestic feedstock production and biobased product manufacturing
- 42. Comments? Questions? Brenda Platt SBC, Co-Chair Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Co-Director [email protected] 202-898-1610 ext 230 For information on the purchase of Working For information on the Working Landscapes Landscapes Certificates: Certificate criteria and verification: David Levine Jim Kleinschmit SBC, Steering Committee Member SBC, Steering Committee Member American Sustainable Business Council, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, Executive Director Rural Communities Program Green Harvest Technologies, Founding Partner Director [email protected] [email protected] 917-359-9623 612-870-3430 www.sustainablebiomaterials.org