Technological watch

• Several additives for biopolymers certified for industrial compostability
• Licocare RBW 102 Vita also certified biodegradable in soil

Licocare RBW Vita additives, based on >98% renewable content, enable biopolymer manufacturers and compounders to achieve faster processing with additional performance improvements especially in terms of glossier, smoother surfaces and higher durability for the final product. In addition, the certification of this additive as “OK compost INDUSTRIAL” brings the assurance that the additives added to the formulation of specific plastic products – such as yoghurt pot packaging or textile fibers – meet the stringent requirements of TÜV regarding compatibility with the industrial composting facilities used to recover biomass at the end of their use lifetime.

This OK compost INDUSTRIAL certification reinforces Clariant’s collaboration with its customers to advance biopolymers’ commercial adoption into an ever-wider range of applications. One example of a running partnership in this field is, as previously announced, with the UK-based Floreon-Transforming Packaging Limited, which develops and markets proprietary compounds based on PLA and containing 70-90% renewable, plant-based raw materials.

Furthermore, OK biodegradable SOIL has been awarded to Licocare RBW 102 Vita. This product can be utilized to enhance agricultural coatings for applications such as fertilizers, adjuvants and seeds. In these areas, Licocare RBW 102 Vita can contribute to better film forming and flowability, increased water resistance and anti-caking. In addition, the biodegradable feature can decrease the environmental impact of coatings in the soil.

These certifications are just the latest additions for the EcoTain® awarded Licocare RBW Vita solutions. Several products of the range carry also the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute’s Gold level Material Health Certificate.

“Converting bioplastics into commercially viable goods has long been limited, among the others, by the lack of suitable bio-based additives. Our performance-boosting, renewable solutions take on this challenge. And as they do not compromise the compostability or biodegradability of the final products, they make a valuable contribution to creating truly circular packaging and consumer goods, and reducing fossil waste generation”, states Manuel Mueller, Global Market Segment Leader, Clariant BU Additives.

Note: The Licocare RBW Vita range includes Licocare RBW 101 Vita, Licocare RBW 102 Vita, Licocare RBW 106 Vita, Licocare RBW 300 Vita and Licocare RBW 360 Vita.

For more information on EcoTain, Clariant’s sustainability excellence products visit: www.clariant.com/Ecotain

Source: Clariant, press release, 2020-06-24.