Innovation

B4plastics provides an innovative solution for traditional plastic. Their bio-plastic is recyclable, biodegradable, and does not release microplastics in nature. Aside from the sustainable qualities of their products, they also use green waste to build their polymers. Raw materials such as sugar beet, wood, and grain waste are the core of this innovation. These materials are collected and processed locally.

As a result, their goods are more local, renewable, and energy-efficient than traditional ones, which ties to responsible consumption and production (SDG 12) because B4Plastics generates new products from materials that would otherwise be thrown away, but now they sustainably create value.

They currently offer four types of plastic, each with different qualities and properties; however, businesses can also ask B4Plastics to assist them with sustainable solutions for their plastic products or packaging; the applications are limitless. Three ways their plastics differ from traditional ones are that they are more local, reduce plastic waste, and make it easier for people to use ecologically friendly daily plastics.

Aside from products, they also provide a service called 'Licensing house.' This service provides companies with polymerization equipment the opportunity to partner with B4Plastics and use their library of biomaterials and procedures. This links with Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure (SDG 9), because it helps transform the plastic industry into a sustainable direction and offers a way to transition to the new bio-economy.

The radical innovation that B4Plastics offers consists of products and the ‘Licensing house’ service. Both of these have definitely, and will even more in the future, have an enormous impact on the market of plastics and others. This will translate into a new plastic industry and will impact a lot of other industries that use these materials. Because of these solutions, humanity will be able to combat the future plastic pollution, which is one of the big environmental problems that we are facing today.

Bioplastic is used in fishing gear, which benefits life below water (SDG 14), since, unlike competing items, it does not affect ocean life. If any of these materials are lost in the ocean, they will not cause pollution, because they are biodegradable.

Inspiration

Stefaan De Wildeman, the founder of B4Plastics, began his career as a biocatalysis scientist at one of the world's leading chemical and materials companies in 2008. He studied thousands of molecules at the company, but one day, he had an idea: "Mankind should be able to make bioplastics." He immediately quit his job as a biocatalysis scientist and began searching for bioplastics.

He had a book full of ideas and tried them until he found the magic bioplastic. It was not always easy, and he received a lot of criticism: "You are a dreamer! All plastics have been discovered already." But he did not give up, and one thing he knew for sure was, "Not all polymers have been made and tested. Not all. There must be more, and we will need to find them." His search was rewarded.

Overall impact

The innovation has already significantly impacted the planet because bioplastics are environmentally friendly plastics that ensure a better world. However, the innovation has also considerably influenced other companies in the region. With this new plastic industry concept, B4Plastics has already brought dozens of global brands to Limburg, inspiring and motivating many companies to develop solutions for problems we are already facing or will be facing in the future.

The impact of B4Plastics' innovation is also apparent in the company's turnover, which has already grown twenty times since its inception, illustrating the enormous interest and potential for this innovative company. The innovation also has a significant long-term impact. Flanders is striving for a sustainable Flemish economy. The energy crisis and the consequences of climate change emphasize the need to become less dependent on fossil fuels and to look more for alternatives. B4Plastics is living proof that it is possible to do.

Business benefit

Stefaan de Wildemans set out in 2014 to find biodegradable plastic in a natural habitat. At the time, being environmentally conscious was not a requirement. Stefaan knew the world would need bioplastics more than they realized. Knowing that there was a need, thus a demand, inspired him to launch B4Plastics. B4Plastics hired its first three employees in 2018, and their team currently consists of approximately thirty employees. In June 2019, they established a small production team, and in 2020, B4Plastics opened its first laboratory in Belgium, creating the world's most extensive physical library of novel ecological plastic materials.

Plastic is a widely used material, so there is and continues to be an enormous demand for the products. They also designed and built the first non-scale production plant and opened the new headquarters, where new specialty biomaterials are designed and developed. In 2021, the company opened the world's first specialty bioplastic production facility.

Despite the pandemic and the goal of growing more sustainable, they became one of the fastest-growing bioplastics companies in the world in 2021, with a fifteen-fold higher sales number than in 2017. The R&D Center of B4Plastics has made it possible for the bioplastics to be customizable since 2020. Before creating a new material solution, they check the chance of success. Based on the successful sales numbers and the future prospects this innovation raises economic prosperity, while also creating a healthier environment for everyone. The innovation will aid the future plastic pollution and will not create additional pollution through the use of fossil fuels. This makes that the innovation will have a net-positive impact, which links with Climate Action (SDG 13).

The last service that B4Plastics is currently providing is the licensing house. This is a library of new biomaterials and procedures; in that way, you can produce biomaterials from B4Plastics in your own company. While B4Plastics is still a business-to-business company, it will sell its products to customers via an online webshop soon.

Social and environmental benefit

Plastic pollution can be attributed to three significant factors:

1. Almost all plastic is made with fossil fuels because manufacturers want to save money.
2. People must be well-informed on how to use plastic responsibly.
3. Because plastic is difficult to reuse, it ends up in incinerators or, worse, in our environment. And in the worst-case scenario, it can be found in our food as microplastics.

The raw materials are used in various applications, and the company is currently working with four different types of technologies to reduce the risk associated with microplastics.

• FortePlastics are solid and sustainable plastics that are biologically degradable in 5 to 10 years, and they won the Food Planet prize of $2 million in 2021 for creating degradable fishnets and textiles through their Glaukos Project.
• Triggerplastics are used for products with a shorter operating time and will degrade immediately after. They are primarily used in cosmetics and packaging.
• RubberPlastics are noise or shock-absorbing materials that deteriorate in 6 to 60 months.
• Low-energy plastics are employed in energy-sufficient settings, such as sports clothes or healthcare goods.

The innovation benefits our planet by introducing environmentally friendly bioplastics that benefit a healthier environment. However, B4Plastics primarily focuses on Flanders and its surrounding areas in Europe, with its vision and business model designed to convert local materials into plastic products. Furthermore, the pressing issues of an energy crisis and the consequences of climate change highlight the urgency of reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

Interview

Leen Thys, Marketing communicator