FKuR Launches Bioplastic Development in Texas

Interesting new bioplastic compounds are emerging from a German company that is now gearing up operations in Texas.

FKuR, which has sold biocompounds mostly in Europe since 2003, considers itself a leader in the development of tailor-made compounds based on feedstocks such as wood and corn. Special additives have been developed with the Fraunhofer Institute to improve the processability of bioplastics, particularly on extruders.

FKuR Kunststoff GmbH produces and markets tailor-made biopolymer specialties on the basis of polylactic acid/copolyester (Bio-Flex), cellulose ester (Biograde) and wood-plastic-compound (Fibrolon). One product developed by the company is a writing utensil from Ritter-Pen that is 80 percent made from the renewable and compostable Biograde.

Interesting. But it still begs the question how does someone dispose of a ballpoint pen in an industrial composting facility in the United States? Is it greenwash or really an environmental improvement?