Wood-based cellulose fibers in view of the Single-Use Plastics Directive

The EU Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD) has already led to major changes and challenges in the nonwovens market. Product compositions that have been proven over many years in terms of their performance must be questioned, as they now no longer meet the required sustainability criteria. In fact, plastic-based fibers are not only characterized by diversity and some positive properties, they are also of fossil origin and non-biodegradable. This ultimately contributes to large amounts of plastic waste being found in our environment worldwide, especially in our oceans. The amount is equivalent to one truck load/minute or 12 million tons/year. Approx. 8% of this waste can be attributed to the nonwovens industry. A diaper made of plastic materials can take up to 450 years to disappear from the environment. © 2022 Deutscher Fachverlag GmbH. All rights reserved.