New scientific arguments in favour of industrial use of food crops / Choice of feedstock dependent solely on efficiency and sustainabilit (BILD)

Berlin (ots) -

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The nova-Institute has recently published a paper on agricultural
feedstock use in industrial applications shedding light on the
controversial public debate surrounding the industrial use of food
crops or so-called first generation feedstock. The core finding
asserts that efficiency and sustainability assessed on a case-by-case
basis should be the sole criteria in judging the choice of feedstock
used. The institute further stresses that the real issue is land
availability for growing biomass for different purposes.

The paper refers to studies asserting that, even after satisfying
food demand of a rapidly growing world population, enough arable land
would remain available for purposes other than food production. The
best usage of these areas is achieved by considering the land-
efficiency of different crops. Studies show that many food crops are
more land-efficient than non-food crops. According to the paper, they
require less land to produce the same amount of e.g. fermentable
sugar (commonly used in biotechnology processes) than non-food crops
or so-called second generation feedstock, e.g. lignocelluloses.

"Efficiency and sustainability should be the leading criteria when
selecting renewable feedstock for industrial purposes, such as the
production of bioplastics", said Hasso von Pogrell, Managing Director
of European Bioplastics, embracing the paper as a welcome
contribution to the discussion. "If the industry were to neglect the
use of first generation feedstock at this point in time, it would do
a disservice to society and the environment", he added. "In addition
to being currently more efficient, the use of food-crops for
industrial purposes has the major advantage that, in times of food
crisis, these crops could be reallocated to food use".

European Bioplastics is in favour of promoting the use of second
or even third generation feedstock for industrial purposes. However,
as long as food crops continue in many cases to represent the most
efficient feedstock by far, discrediting their use would be misguided
and a step in the wrong direction in achieving the European
Commission sustainability targets. "This often very emotional
discussion needs to be steered into a more fact based direction",
continued Mr von Pogrell. "Only two percent of the global
agricultural area is actually used to grow feedstock for material
production and only 0.006 percent is used in the production of
bioplastics, compared to 98 percent used for food, feed and as
pastures", he concluded.

These findings echo the conclusion of a study recently published
by the World Bank, according to which an increase in food prices is
largely influenced by the oil price. Biofuels and, by extension,
bioplastics play a negligible factor here. The study looked at food
commodities such as corn, wheat, rice, soybeans and palm oil and
compared commodity prices to energy prices, exchange rates, interest
rates, inflation, income and a stocks-to-use ratio to determine which
of these drivers had the most impact on food prices.

For more information, refer to the European Bioplastics' "facts &
figures" brochure: http://ots.de/5uDDQ

Information on land use is also presented as a graph in print
quality: http://ots.de/M4UXr

Download nova-Institute paper "Food or non-food: Which
agricultural feedstock are best for industrial uses?":
http://www.bio-based.eu/policy/index.php

European Bioplastics is an association representing the interests
of the bioplastics industry in Europe along the complete value chain.
Its members produce, refine and distribute bioplastics which are
defined as plastics that are either biobased, biodegradable or both.
More information is available at www.european-bioplastics.org

Press contact:
Kristy-Barbara Lange
Head of Communications
European Bioplastics
Marienstr. 19/20
10117 Berlin
Tel: +49 (0) 30 28482 356
Fax: +49 (0)30 284 82 359
press@european-bioplastics.org