Synbra Technology bv, Etten-Leur, Netherlands, is currently finalizing the certification of the world’s first particle foam to receive a Carbon Neutrality verification in compliance with the PAS 2060 standard. BioFoam is a PLA-based particle foam made from renewable resources.

BioFoam is comparable to Airpop (EPS-expanded polystyrene). It looks similar in structure and has more or less the same properties as Airpop. The major difference is that Airpop is made of polymers that are based on fossil raw materials (a finite resource). The raw material for BioFoam consists of biopolymers, which are made of vegetable materials (an infinite resource). This makes BioFoam the first foam to have an organic base. The consequence is that BioFoam, like Airpop, can be reused. In addition, it is biodegradable and it can be industrially composted at high temperatures under the influence of moisture and bacteria. BioFoam is durable and is suitable for long-term use in virtually all technical and packaging applications.

Based on renewable resources, BioFoam is extremely environmentally friendly. After use BioFoam can be either re-formed into a new foam product or recycled into solid PLA. Besides that it’s got the unique possibility to be fully composted. Since 2009 BioFoam is a C2CCM (Silver) certified foam – the first foam to obtain this certification. It is already used in many applications and has become a driven product innovation within many industries.

During composting biodegradable blends of fossil and bio-based plastics on the market still may release fossil CO2 , and this is not the case for BioFoam, which is fully bio-based. It was the first foam to be awarded the Cradle to CradleCM certificate and has also received a material health certificate from EPEA-Hamburg certifying that BioFoam is free from any CMR substance. Unlike any other particle foam on the market, only CO2 (taken from the atmosphere) is used as a blowing agent. No VOC’s are emitted during production. BioFoam is a certified food-approved material. Without addition of a flame retardant it meets the Euro class E fire standard.

New Product Developments

In December 2016 BioFoam E-PLA has been approved as a material that can be in the entire range of a large furniture retail chain and has also been approved as filler protection in furniture products. In January 2017 it was approved as a buffer protection material by several white goods producers.

Already starting up in 2006, Synbra Technology invented, developed and patented this material. Through its converting companies, Synbra Group wants to become the leading supplier of sustainable and biodegradable particle foam. Synbra Group companies, such as IsoBouw, Synprodo, Plastimar and Styropack, are already using the BioFoam material in series production for the white goods sector, ice cream packaging and the pharmaceutical sector, amongst others. Besides its own production facilities, Synbra is setting up a network of pioneering partner companies in the USA, the UK, Italy and in other European countries and is seeking coverage in strategic markets.

Purac werkt samen met Synbra