by Chris Smith - PRW.com

7 June 2008 – Mazda has signed a collaborative research agreement with Hiroshima University to develop a range of polypropylene bioplastics for automotive use from non-food derived cellulosic biomass.

The project will use so-called “second generation” bioplastics manufacturing technology making use of non-edible high cellulose content vegetable matter such as plant stalks or wood shavings.

This will be used to create a range of bioplastics that - unlike current bioplastic resins produced from corn, maize, or sugar cane and beet feedstocks - will not risk competition with food production.

The Japanese car maker and its academic partners hope to have a cellulosic-derived bioplastics material ready for use in car components by 2013.

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