Europe's bioplastics research agenda took a concrete step forward in mid-October, when the EU's Horizon Europe programme was reported to have funded BioPackMan, a four-year project to develop high-performance biodegradable packaging that can replace fossil-based plastics in food, home-care and personal-care applications.
Led by the National Technical University of Athens, the project brings together around 20 partners from 10 European countries, with a total budget of about €9.5 million. It runs from June 2025 to May 2029. Its core materials are two biodegradable polymers: PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate), produced by fermentation by Ireland's Bioplastech, and PLA (polylactic acid), supplied by Belgium's Futerro. The team will also work with PBS/PBSA copolymers, PLA-based blends and bio-based additives, and aims to validate six packaging demonstrators at semi-industrial scale under a Safe-and-Sustainable-by-Design framework.
The project matters because it names the industry's central technical challenge: single-polymer compostable packaging often falls short on barrier performance, heat resistance or processability. BioPackMan's answer is combination — pairing PLA with PHA to close that gap.
For buyers, the practical takeaway is timing. BioPackMan is research, not a product launch; its demonstrators are still years from the market. What is available today is certified PLA-based packaging, tested to ASTM D6400 and EN 13432 for industrial composting conditions. The direction of travel is clear — compostable packaging is moving toward higher performance — but any compostability claim still needs a certificate and a composting facility behind it.
Disclaimer: Product descriptions, specifications, and certification references in this article are provided for general information. Compostability claims (including ASTM D6400, EN 13432, and GB/T 19277) refer to industrial composting conditions; commercial composting facilities may not be available in all communities. Certifications apply only to the specific products listed in the relevant certificates. For current certification documentation, contact Greenstar@greenstarmaterial.com.