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New bio-resin for plastic containers

May 31, 2013  By Dave Harrison


May 31, 2013, Leamington, Ont. — Flower containers made of a new “green” bio-plastic material will soon be on the market.

May 31, 2013, Leamington, Ont. — Flower containers made of a new “green” bio-plastic material will soon be on the market.

The new material is produced using innovative technology developed at the University of Guelph.

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Competitive Green Technologies of Leamington received a repayable contribution of $360,000 from the Agricultural Innovation Program (AIP) to purchase and install equipment to produce biopolymer resin compounds from non-food biomass fibres.

These compounds are to be used as input for the plastic moulding industry to make products such as bins and flower pots.

The technology to formulate bio-resins was developed by the Bioproducts Discovery and Development Centre at the University of Guelph and the company has acquired a 10-year exclusive licence in North America.
 
"This investment has facilitated the commercialization of the first Canadian grown agricultural fibres based bio-composites for consumer markets,” says Mike Tiessen, president of Competitive Green Technologies. “It is truly a harbinger of the development of a local bio-economy – close to where the ag fibres are grown.”

The funding will help set the stage “for agri-innovation and help Canadian agriculture to integrate with the manufacturing sector, improve environmental sustainability and support an emerging bio-economy."

The announcement was made by MP Dave Van Kesteren (Chatham-Kent-Essex), speaking on behalf of Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. “This innovative Canadian-developed technology will enable producers to find new markets and add value to their products, boosting their bottom line.”

 This project was supported through the Agricultural Innovation Program – a $50-million initiative announced under Canada’s Economic Action Plan 2011. This program was part of the Government’s commitment to help Canadian producers benefit from cutting-edge science and technology and came to an end on March 31, 2013.
 
The new Growing Forward 2 policy framework that took effect on April 1 includes an AgriInnovation Program valued at up to $698 million over five years, designed to serve as a catalyst for innovation by supporting research, development and commercialization of new ideas that result in new products and technologies.
 
Growing Forward 2 includes an investment of more than $3 billion over five years in innovation, competitiveness, and market development.

For more information on this agreement and the new AgriInnovation Program, please visit www.agr.gc.ca/growingforward2.


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