Biopolymers and Plastics: Expectations and Reality

On May 12th, Judy gave the Opening Keynote at Biopolymers 2014 -- a Symposium bringing together key innovators in the bioplastic and biopolymers industry organized by Smithers Rapra -- entitled "Biopolymers and Plastics: Expectations and Reality." 

The promise of transforming traditional petroleum based value streams for polymers and plastics to biobased ones has seen its fits and starts. Larger investments in the first decade of the 21st century are declining and the specter of new, abundant and cheap hydrocarbon sources looms large on the horizon. How will biobased systems compete on the three key parameters for success: cost, performance and scale? And will the results be enough to transform expectations to reality?