SPI to hold Innovation in Bioplastics Award at NPE 2015

WASHINGTON – For the first time, the winner of the 2015 Innovation in Bioplastics Award will be announced by the SPI and the SPI Bioplastics Council at NPE2015. SPI and its Bioplastics Council have been receiving submissions for the 2015 Innovation in Bioplastics Award since officially opening the competition earlier in September. Its announcement at NPE2015 gives the award reflects the importance of the bioplastics sector in the future of the plastics industry as a whole.

According to SPI President and CEO William R. Carteaux: “Bioplastics is just one of several innovative industry segments that offer the entire plastics industry the opportunity to position itself as the material of choice for the next several decades.” Thousands of green jobs are supported by the bioplastics  sector and the day-to-day ingenuity of bioplastics companies and their employees is worth being recognised, said Carteaux.

Past winners of the Innovation in Bioplastics Award include Avantium, which won the first award in 2013 for its development of polyethylene furanoate (PEF), a packaging material with superior barrier qualities that offered new opportunities to beverage makers. Teknor Apex won the 2014 Award for the development of Terraloy PLA compounds that exhibit both high-impact and heat-resistant properties. Entries to the contest are judged on innovation, sustainability measures as well as marketplace impact.

Companies can submit multiple entries for different bioplastics materials, products or processes, provided that they complete and submit a separate entry form for each innovation they submit. The award application can be found on the SPI Bioplastics Council’s website and entries will be accepted until Nov. 14, 2014.