PRO DUCT /02 THE PRODUCT. MATER-BI biodegradable and compostable by nature

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1 capitolo 2 il prodotto 75 CHAPTER 02 /02 PRO DUCT THE PRODUCT MATER-BI biodegradable and compostable by nature Mater- Bi is an innovative family of bioplastics that use vegetable components and biodegradable polymers, which are obtained from raw materials of renewable origin, and from raw materials of fossil origin. Products in Mater-Bi can be recovered by treating the organic fraction, and by energy recovery. Mater-Bi is also compatible with recycling plastics. VERSATILITY THAT CHALLENGES THE IMAGINATION. The Mater-Bi family enables the production of an extremely large number of everyday articles that are all biodegradable and compostable: MATER-BI biodegradable and compostable by nature agricultural sector packaging biofillers catering mulching; strings; shopping bags; bags for organic waste disposal; food packaging; packaging for electrical appliances; pots for nursery gardening; bags for fruit and vegetables biofillers (e.g. tyres) accessories toys plates; cutlery; drinking cups; trays;

2 chapter 02 the product 77 THE MARKET PRESENCE AND SECTORS OF USE Novamont is present in the most important markets around the world: from Europe to Asia, from the Americas to Australia, as explained in pages Indeed, thanks to the versatility of Mater- Bi, the companies that are clients of Novamont are able to transform it into a vast range of finished products. The main sectors of use include: AGRICULTURE CATERING Commercial and Collective differentiated WASTE COLLECTION Organized RETAIL TRADE APPLICATIONS AND EXAMPLES The characteristics of Mater-Bi are such that it can be processed using normal production plants. The number of applications and of products obtained entirely benefit the final consumers. APPLIED TECHNOLOGIES OF MATER -BI film Shopping bags, bags for differentiated waste collection, food packaging, bags for fruit and vegetables. thermoformed articles Tubs and rigid containers for foods, compostable pots for nursery gardening. additives Biofillers (e.g. tyres). Furthermore, Novamont has made available to their clients the brand website, the aim of which is to provide a web portal that is open to the experiences of the company s Italian partners, in the main product sectors. industry More information can be found on the company website: and on the product website e.g.: Automotive Packaging Personal hygiene and care Pets (animal accessories) Gifts and fancy goods expanded plastics Packaging Loose Fillers that have excellent shock-resistant properties, ideal for pharmaceutical products, laboratory equipment, convenience products extruded products Cotton buds, drinking straws, flexible pipes for agriculture. injection moulded products Disposable cutlery, pens, combs, toys.

3 green FOCUS GreenFOCUS chapter 02 the product 79 THE THIRD GENERATION MATER-BI Increase in the renewable raw material content THE SAFETY OF THE PRODUCTS Mater-Bi is managed in accordance with procedures that are in line with the integrated quality, environment and safety system, to ensure the safety of the operators and the integrity of the product itself, in view of the subsequent transformations by users. Safety of the Operators Conformity to the European Regulations 1907/2006 (Reach) Conformity to the Laws that Govern the Sector of Materials and Objects Intended to Come into Contact with Foods. Mater-Bi is a family of plastic materials that are not dangerous (as defined in EC Regulations 1272/2008). Processing and technical cards provide indications on how to process them safely. The different grades of Mater-Bi are designed to be biodegradable and compostable, in other words, to provide an innovative option for a plastic, namely, organic recycling (composting and anaerobic digestion). Biodegradable grades are currently being studied in a marine environment. DECREASE further decrease in the use of fossil feedstock A specific procedure pertaining to the OHSAS18001 system assesses the performance or suitability of new incoming raw materials. These are approved, after an assessment procedure, which begins with pilot tests and ends with industrial trials. In particular, account is taken of: All of the life phases of Mater-Bi are examined in terms of their impact on health and safety: Development of the product concept Research and development Certification Manufacturing and production Improvement in the technical and environmental performance Marketing and promotion Warehouse, distribution and supply Use and service Disposal, reuse or recycling. During the reporting period, no reports were received by the company, of cases of failure to conform to regulations and voluntary codes, in terms of the impact of products on health and safety during their life cycle. 1 The different Mater-Bi s are indicated as grades and each is identified by a different code.

4 chapter 02 the product 81 USE OF THE RESOURCES THE VISION THE CHOICES: YES TO RENEWABLE SOURCES TO REDUCE THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT TO INCREASE THE INDEPENDENCE FROM FOSSIL RESOURCES novamont uses new technologies and new, industrial supply chains, based on the use of renewable raw materials and energy: Mater-Bi contains renewable substances and substances of fossil origin. The former come from industrial farming crops, by extraction (for example, starch), or by extraction followed by modification (for example, the monomers from vegetable oils). The current use of farmland per tonne of Mater-Bi (for film applications) is approximately: Resources must be assessed carefully, as they are not all equivalent in terms of sustainability. Irrespective of the origin, every resource must be used in a conscious way, in an economic process based on: reduction of the exploitation of resources; efficient use of resources; optimization of the logistics of supplying, whenever possible; reduction of environmental impacts. Products that derive from renewable raw materials can make an important contribution to sustainable development, particularly when they have a broader range of disposal options (biodegradability and compostability). Application solutions have a lower environmental impact, and opportunities are created for developing integrated systems from start to finish, involving farmers and industry in a common project (Biorefinery). Starch is a substance that has an important industrial use in a variety of sectors (for example, paper), and is produced from non-transgenic maize, that is, maize that is not genetically modified, grown in Europe with traditional-type farming practices2. The starting vegetable oils also come from non-transgenic crops, other than palm and soya. No deforested land or virgin soil is used to produce the raw materials. MAIZE 0,03 hectares VEGETABLE OILS 0,14 hectares The practice of irrigation is not used for vegetable oils. Other substances of natural origin used in smaller quantities (additives) require about 0.01 hectares per tonne of Mater-Bi. 2 According to current regulations, the reference threshold for ingredients for foods to be considered nongenetically modified is 0.9%. All of the maize starch purchased from the supplier used by Novamont satisfies this requirement.

5 green FOCUS GreenFOCUS chapter 02 the product 83 MATRÌCA: THE BIOREFINERY INTEGRATED INTO THE TERRITORY The Matrìca biorefinery is based on a close collaboration between industry, farming, the world of research and local authroities, and on a series of sustainability criteria: a c taking into consideration already existing industrial areas, by recovering otherwise abandoned sites that are no longer competitive; b applying lowimpact, proprietary technologies, the first in the world for obtaining bioproducts; MATRÌCA from basic chemistry to green chemistry 1 2 Joint-venture CREATED WITH VERSALIS (ENI Group) for reconversion of the petrochemical factory of Porto Torres, in Sardinia, to a biorefinery integrated into the territory, with a local farming chain currently being developed. LOW-IMPACT TECHNOLOGY first of its kind in the world, the result of Novamont research. identifying marginal land suitable for the sustainable production of biomass from local, long-term, low-input crops, that are not in conflict with farming production for food purposes, and close to the factory; d using biomass in all of its components in order to achieve maximum value. 3 THE MATRÌCA PRODUCTS are a range of chemical intermediates and of new proprietary products for the sectors of bioplastics, biolubricants, personal hygiene products, plant products, additives for cleaning and for the tyre and plastic industries.

6 chapter 02 the product 85 The testing of new crops on Italian soil, to increase the range of vegetable sources that can be grown with smaller environmental loads, suitable to feed the biorefinery is continuing. (CYNARA CARDUNCULUS) In 2014, agronomic testing continued on this crop and on other oleaginous crops that are complementary to cardoon, and are of potential interest to industry. Cardoon is a low-input, dry crop, of which all components are used: oil, a high-protein flour that can replace the soya currently imported to feed animals, and a series of interesting molecules that have extremely strong antioxidant properties are obtained from the seeds. The vegetable waste is also used to satisfy the energy needs of the entire industrial process. THE PHILOSOPHY THAT LIES BEHIND NOVAMONT S BIOREFINERY PROJECT IS THE CREATION OF AN AGRO-INDUSTRIAL SYSTEM THAT IS SUSTAINABLE FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL POINT OF VIEW: BIOREFINERIES INTEGRATED INTO THE TERRITORY FOR PRODUCTS OF RENEWABLE ORIGIN WITH HIGH ADDED VALUE PRODUCTS WITH ADDED VALUE, FOR LOW ENVIRONMENTAL- IMPACT APPLICATIONS THAT EXPLOIT THE LOCAL BIODIVERSITY INTEGRATION OF INNOVATIVE AND PROPRIETARY TECHNOLOGIES THE ADVANTAGES NO COMPETITION WITH FOOD CROPS CONVERSION OF ABANDONED INDUSTRIAL SITES, OR OF SITES THAT ARE NO LONGER COMPETITIVE, FROM A PRODUCT-BASED ECONOMY TO A SYSTEM-BASED ECONOMY

7 chapter 02 the product 87 VALUE CREATION SCHEME creation of value along the whole Mater-Bi production chain RENEWABLE RAW MATERIALS PRODUCTION PLANTS CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MATERIAL FINISHED PRODUCTS USE END OF LIFE Raw materials from traced and certified biomasses Integrated biorefineries Use of electrical energy that comes 100% from renewable sources Integrated management systems (ISO 14001, ISO 9001, OHSAS 18001) Certified biodegradability and compostability, in different environmental contexts Performance that is better than, or comparable to nonbiodegradable products Significant indirect effects Suitable for disposal by organic recycling: composting anaerobic digestion Furthermore: biodegradation in natural environments, in the event of accidental release. compatible with the recycling of traditional plastics, up to 10% it can be sent to an incinerator, to recover energy. compost

8 chapter 02 the product 89 THE MATERIALS t TOTAL OF NON-RENEWABLE MATERIALS 1 1. This value is the sum of: raw materials, materials connected with the process (e.g. lubricants), and materials used for packaging t renewable TOTAL OF DIRECT MATERIALS t ENERGY energy consumed GJ GJ GJ GJ methane electrical energy steam only Novara self-generated thermal energy only Terni 2. By direct materials, we mean those present in the final product t non-renewable The company does not use any recycled material for production purposes. Various raw materials used in the production of Mater-Bi are of a renewable nature, that is, they are made available every year, by farming.

9 chapter 02 the product 91 SPECIFIC CONSUMPTION TRENDS STANDARDIZED TO NOVAMONT TERNI IN 2009 (2009 CONSUMPTIONS =1) 1,40 1,20 1,00 0,80 0,60 0,40 1,00 1,00 1,00 0,96 0,94 0,79 0,84 0,73 0,63 1,02 1,05 0,88 0,85 0,72 0,74 1,30 0,93 The energy intensity was calculated as the ratio between the total energy consumed within the company and the quantities of Mater-Bi and Origo-Bi produced in The energy consumed includes: electricity, methane and selfgenerated energy from the combustor. 3,05 GJ/t ENERGY INTENSITY only Terni 0,20 0,00 0, In Terni, a combustor is in operation for the thermal oxidation of refluents with a high content of organic substances that come from the polymerization process. When the combustor is out of order, these refluents are sent to external solvent recovery plants, or, as a last resort, to the cooperative treatment plant. purchased steam (edison) electricity methane The graph shows the trends relating to the specific consumptions of steam, methane and electricity, which have been standardized to the 2009 values. The specific consumptions were obtained from the ratio between the total consumption of the corresponding utility and the overall quantity of Origo-Bi and Mater-Bi produced in the reference year (2014). The low specific consumption of methane, in 2011, was due to the high productivity of the plants. The increases in methane recorded since 2012 are due to the progressive increase in the amount of self-generated steam, which, in 2014, reached 100%. With reference to the specific consumptions of electricity, we can see a reasonably constant trend that is always below the reference value (2009). The increase in specific consumption in 2014, with respect to 2013, is also linked to the self-generation of steam and of demineralized water. Thermal energy from refluent combustion GJ for the demands of the production plant

10 chapter 02 the product 93 PARTICULAR CHARACTERISTICS WATER BIODEGRADABILITY AND COMPOSTABILITY terni WITHDRAWN FROM WATER TABLE (m 3 ) CONSUMPTIONS FROM AQUEDUCT (m 3 ) piana di monte verna WITHDRAWN FROM WATER TABLE (m 3 ) CONSUMPTIONS FROM AQUEDUCT (m 3 ) NOVARA CONSUMPTIONS FROM AQUEDUCT (m 3 ) The characteristics of the water table do not indicate a high degree of vulnerability, and the water table does not interact with protected, natural areas. Furthermore, the withdrawal does not interfere with the local communities, as the site is lies in an area that has a high density of water tables. MATER-BI BIODEGRADABLE IS A FAMILY AND OF MATERIALS THAT ARE COMPOSTABLE These two properties make it possible for a plastic material to be recovered through For the Piana di Monte Verna site, the wastewater from the laboratories goes to the purification plant, where it is purified and then reused by the evaporative cooling towers. ORGANIC RECYCLING OF ORGANIC SOLID WASTE (composting and anaerobic digestion) and are specified by the European norm EN Together with its sister norm EN 14995, EN was produced on a mandate by the European Commission, and is a reference point for manufacturers, public authorities, composters and consumers.

11 chapter 02 the product 95 LABORATORY TESTS: MINIMUM RESULTS DEMANDED BY THE STANDARDS CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COMPOST C0 2 at least 90% BIODEGRADATION over 90% FRAGMENTATION 0 NEGATIVE EFFECTS low levels OF HEAVY METALS One of the most widespread BIODEGRADABLE PRODUCTS is the bag for collecting ORGANIC WASTE which is then sent to COMPOST PRODUCTION plants Biodegradability. That is, the ability of the compostable material to be converted into CO2, water and biomass, under the action of microorganisms. A biodegradation level of at least 90% must be achieved within 6 months. Disintegrability. That is, the fragmentation and loss of visibility of a material in the final compost, to the extent that it is indistinguishable from the compost itself. Over 90%, in weight, of the material tested must disintegrate to fragments smaller than 2 mm within 3 months. Absence of negative effects on the composting process. Low levels of heavy metals and the absence of negative effects on the final compost. The measurements are made on the starting material (whose levels of heavy metals must be below the precautionary levels reported in the norm), and in germination and growth tests of plants on the final compost, to highlight any ecotoxic effects. Composting is an aerobic biological process, which is controlled by man. It results in the production of a MIXTURE OF HUMIC SUBSTANCES. Vegetable or animal RESIDUES action of BACTERIA and FUNGI COMPOST A COMPOSTABLE SUBSTANCE MUST SATISFY EACH OF THESE REQUIREMENTS. 5 EN Requirements for packaging recoverable through composting and biodegradation Test scheme and evaluation criteria for the final acceptance of packaging. EN Plastics. Evaluation of compostability. Test scheme and specifications. Compost is an EXCELLENT FERTILIZER, as it is rich in humic substances and microorganisms that are useful to the soil. Its contribution of organic substances improves the structure of the soil and the bioavailability of nutrients (phosphor and nitrogen compounds).

12 chapter 02 the product 97 ADVANTAGES OF COMPOST COMPARED WITH THE DIGESTATE AND PEAT COMPOST Compost is a living material, which has n numerous advantages over other fertilizers, insofar as it is rich in beneficial microorganisms, and helps the soil structurally. Other fertilizers, including the organic ones, do not have the biological qualities of compost. For example, if the anaerobic digestate is sprayed directly onto the soil, without suitable stabilization through composting, it remains inactive from the microbiological point of view, as does peat, which is of fossil origin. BIODEGRADATION AT AMBIENT TEMPERATURES COMPARED WITH CELLULOSE Biodegradation and ecotoxicology tests have shown that some grades of Mater-Bi biodegrade completely into the ground at ambient temperatures, and do not have any negative effects on vegetable or animal life forms. This is supported by specific certifications (Vinçotte s OK Biodegradable Soil ) and makes it possible to use Mater-Bi in agriculture (for example, in mulch films). BIODEGRADATION UNDER COMPOSTING CONDITIONS COMPARED WITH CELLULOSE BIODEGRADATION (%) MATER-BI CELLULOSE BIODEGRADATION (%) MATER-BI CELLULOSE TIME (DAYS) TIME (DAYS)

13 chapter 02 the product 99 BIODEGRADATION IN THE SEA IN COMPARISON WITH PAPER BIODEGRADATION (%) MATER-BI CELLULOSE ASIA NORTH AMERICA For example, the oceanographer, Charles Moore, is monitoring the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, in the Pacific Ocean. AN AREA OF PLASTIC WASTE AS LARGE AS A CONTINENT. 10 TIME (DAYS) GREAT PACIFIC GARBAGE PATCH Novamont is also examining biodegradation under more difficult conditions, such as those of the marine environment. Seas and oceans are the point of arrival of an incredible amount of nonbiodegradable waste. Of this waste, it is plastic materials that are worrying the scientific community, because they are carried away by the currents to form huge accumulations. In the first 30 metres OF DEPTH pound of PLANKTON 6 pounds of PLASTIC* This problem must be resolved with education campaigns to increase environmental awareness. Furthermore, biodegradable plastics could be used in the production of nets and fishing equipment, which is easily dropped into the sea. 1 & *

14 green FOCUS GreenFOCUS chapter 02 the product 101 BIODEGRADABILITY AND COMPOSTABILITY CERTIFICATIONS from organizations throughout the world (USA, Australia, Belgium, Germany, Italy) It is, therefore, important to know how Mater-Bi behaves if it is accidentally released into the sea or into other natural environments. Studies on the biodegradation of Mater-Bi in the marine environment are underway, with the collaboration of a number of partners, including the Istituto Hydra, in Marina di Campo, near Livorno. MATER-BI put into NO LONGER VISIBLE plastic film MOIST SAND 9 months after the beginning of the test Most of the plastic film WAS NO LONGER VISIBLE at the end of the test, as it had biodegraded. 8 fmicb /abstract. Tosin M.,Weber M., Siotto M., Lott C. and Degli Innocenti F. (2012). Laboratory test methods to determine the degradation of plastics in marine environmental conditions. Front.Microbio. 3:225. doi: /fmicb

15 chapter 02 the product 103 INFORMATION ABOUT THE PRODUCTS Information collected by the company for its own products and the percentage of products the information has been collected for. Starting with the conception of a new formulation (grade) of Mater-Bi, the following ACTIVITIES are carried out, and the following DOCUMENTS are produced: 100% FOR ALL OF THE PRODUCTS < 100% FOR SOME PRODUCTS Activities Documents Activities Documents Product naming procedure which gives an unambiguous name to the new grade; Safety and technical data sheets Safety data sheets (a guide on how to use the product safely, with information about how to dispose of it correctly) Transmission of information about the sustainability of the products, not subject to procedure. Either as a result of market demand, or internal initiative, this Information about the environmental and social impact of the product: Type II declarations (in accordance with ISO 14021:1999) on the environmental are produced (these cover how to manage and handle the product correctly, for the Product processing sheet (when a safety data sheet is not required by law, uses LCA to characterize the products and systems in which they will be used. characteristics purposes of worker safety, and its technical the company provides information on how Compostability certificates. 90.9% of performance); to handle the product correctly and safely certified Mater-Bi grades, with respect to in a special document called the product all Mater-Bi grades sold. 99.5%, in weight, Industrialization of Mater-Bi, which is sold in granular form to plastic transformers processing sheet) of certified Mater-Bi, with respect to the total quantity of Mater-Bi sold. Technical data sheets (Information on the physical-mechanical properties of the products, and instructions on how to transform them into finished articles) VERIFICATIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS In 2014, there were no cases of failure to conform to regulations or voluntary codes concerning the information and labelling of the products. In the same year, the company began the ISCC certification procedure, in order to be able to produce specific grades with certified sustainable starch.

16 chapter 02 the product 105 SATISFACTION OF THE CUSTOMERS Novamont is careful to satisfy and protect its customers, and welcomes any requests that might lead to an improvement in the quality of its products. To this end, a system for measuring customer satisfaction was set up, which includes the following monitoring instruments: SODDISFAZIONE COMPLAINTS PRODUCTS reports of customer satisfaction analysis of the complaints and returns, by the customer, of the product ordered ORDERED QUESTIONNAIRES analysis of the increase in the product ordered questionnaires developed by Novamont, sent to the customer THE QUESTIONS IN THE QUESTIONNAIRE WERE ABOUT: Customer Service How easy it is to contact our Customer Service by phone Level of politeness of our staff Ability to understand your demands How quick we were to respond to your demands Completeness of the responses obtained Services/Logistics Ability to respect the delivery times set out in the contract Completeness of the documents Suitability of the packaging Product quality/ Assistance The extent to which the quality conforms to the contractual requirements Constancy of the quality standard over time Willingness and competence on the part of the technical assistance to provide quick and thorough answers When values are not in line with expectations, the necessary corrective actions are implemented. As it was in the past, also in 2014, the questionnaire on customer satisfaction was sent to the customers that had significant turnovers. Every question in the questionnaire has 4 possible answers, to determine the level of satisfaction: from 1 (dissatisfied), to 4 (very satisfied). The survey of Customer Satisfaction showed an improvement over the

17 chapter 02 the product 107 THE IMPACTS AND POST-CONSUMPTION PHASES previous year. In 2014, an improvement plan was implemented for more structured management of the observations and requests of customers, that could be shared throughout the company, through the work of the customer assistance function and by implementing procedures to improve the quality and service to the customers. In the same year, the new products introduced onto the market were enhanced, to respond to the requests and demands of the customers. SATISFACTION AVERAGE, PER SECTOR Customer Service Mater-Bi is an intermediate product. Consequently, it does not have its own phase of use, but is used by transformers to create a multitude of final products. In this sense, it is not possible to schedule or carry out any actions that reduce any impacts later on. RECYCLING As it is a raw material used to manufacture products, Mater-Bi does not have a post-consumption or recycling phase. Any recycling will only concern the final products that use this raw material. Mater-Bi is distributed primarily in octabins, on pallets, and a small amount is sold loose. Neither the octabins nor the pallets are recovered (throwaway packaging). Services / Logistics Product quality / Assistance 2,8 3,0 3,2 3,4 3,6 3,8 average by sector 2012 average by sector 2013 average by sector 2014 Levels of satisfaction 1 dissatisfied 2 not very satisfied 3 satisfied 4 very satisfied APPLICATIONS In any case, the properties of Mater-Bi, such as its biodegradability, provide the opportunity to create applications that are suitable for recycling together with organic waste, with a benefit for the environment. For example, tableware, cups, bags, etc. For finished products made of Mater-Bi, the potential for recycling and disposal together with the organic fraction of waste is 100%