BASF has granted a license to China’s Red Avenue New Materials Group to produce and sell certified compostable aliphatic-aromatic co-polyester (PBAT) conforming to the German group’s quality standards.

Red Avenue plans to build a 60,000 t/y PBAT plant in Shanghai, using BASF`s process technology. Start-up is scheduled for 2022. BASF will take output of the plant for its ecoflex biopolyester production. 

The Ludwigshafen chemical giant sees the global market for certified compostable and bio-based plastics is as growing by around 15 % annually. As new laws and regulations in many countries specify the use of compostable materials in packaging, agricultural mulch films and bag applications, the positive market development is expected to continue, it said.

“Our successful bio-polyester ecoflex and the innovative ecovio are already giving us significant participation in this growing market,” said Olivier Ubrich, head of BASF’s global business unit Specialty Polymers, adding that “the  additional available PBAT capacities will substantially strengthen our position.”

BASF introduced its ecoflex biopolymer in 1998. Used as a blend with other renewable raw materials to compound ecovio, it counts as a certified compostable biopolymer. Typical applications for ecovio are organic waste bags, cling film, fruit and vegetable bags, as well as agricultural mulch films and food packaging applications.