Bio-based plastics manufacturer Novamont is launching enhanced versions of its Mater-Bi material, primarily for fruit and vegetable bags.
The third and fourth generation Mater-Bi is now available for the production of fruit and vegetable bags in those European markets where demand for compostable solutions is growing, also as a result of new national legislations restricting the use of traditional plastics.

From January 2017 all plastic fruit and vegetable bags for self-service in French supermarkets will have to be “home compostable” – that can be disposed of together with household food waste and sent for composting – and with a growing renewable component (minimum 30% in the first year to rise gradually to 50% by 2020 and to 60% by 2025).

The Novamont Group already offers “home compostable” applications with a renewable content above 30%, due to advanced green bio-chemical intermediates produced in the new Matrìca biorefinery in Porto Torres, Sardinia.

Fourth-generation Mater-Bi with a renewable content well over 50% will be available from September 2016, when the new Mater-Biotech plant in Bottrighe (Rovigo, Veneto) will open for production.

The new fruit and vegetable bags are currently undergoing blind tests in several European supermarket chains. They aredesigned to inclue features such as transparency, tear resistance, resistant to breakage and breathable.