Senbis Searches for the Holy Grail in Biodegradable Plastic

Senbis Polymer Innovations is a leading European innovator in the field of bioplastics. The company’s biodegradable fibers and plastics are used in many applications, such as nets and ropes for mussel farming and fishing, cords and ropes for agriculture, landscaping, and artificial grass fields. “We want to make an impact by focusing on plastics that have a high likelihood of ending up in nature. For those, we develop biodegradable alternatives,” says director Gerard Nijhoving.

Microplastics Found in the Human Body

The risk of pollution is particularly high in sectors like textiles, agriculture, fishing, landscaping, and sports. These industries contribute significantly to the 9 billion tons of plastic that end up in nature and oceans annually. Microplastics have even been found in fresh snow in Antarctica and the human body. Gent University researchers have calculated that humans consume an average of 11,000 pieces of microplastic annually through fish or shellfish. Animals, too, suffer from poisoning or choking due to plastic waste.

From Akzo Nobel's R&D to Senbis

Senbis is essentially a continuation of Akzo Nobel's former R&D department for yarns and fibers. The company primarily focuses on making plastics (polymers) more sustainable. “We aim to address microplastic pollution,” says Nijhoving. “We conduct extensive research into new bioplastics. With our in-house facilities and a team of experts, we combine the experience of a multinational with the flexibility of a startup. We also collaborate with many large companies to provide solutions.”

No Factories, Just Innovation

As a technology company, Senbis helps others in the plastics sector develop products. It also invests in creating biodegradable polymers. Senbis operates a fully equipped R&D polymer lab and testing facility but does not own large-scale factories or production machinery. Instead, it collaborates with other companies, particularly in its Emmen region. Its R&D activities are carried out by Senbis Polymer Innovations BV, while new products have been sold by Senbis Sustainable Products BV since 2021. “We don’t aim to become a large-scale producer. Instead, we seek partners to handle production, sales, and distribution on a large scale. For example, factories producing conventional plastics. We focus on what we do best: R&D and innovation,” explains Nijhoving.

Biodegradability Takes Priority

Senbis primarily examines how quickly its products break down in the environments where they are used. “The aim is to degrade as fast as possible in nature or the sea,” says Nijhoving. “But asking biodegradable plastic to meet heavy performance demands can be challenging. The key question is whether the product needs to last for one day or ten years. Bacteria and fungi must break down bioplastics in nature. Compost heaps are much more biologically active than soil or water. The seabed has almost no biological activity. For fisheries, we need polymers that degrade quickly but remain strong—an enormous challenge requiring difficult choices.”

Biodegradable Mussel Socks

Senbis has developed several alternatives for fisheries, such as biodegradable nets for mussel farming, commonly referred to as mussel socks. These nets are traditionally made from cotton, a material with high water consumption and pesticide use during cultivation. Senbis, in collaboration with partners, developed sea-biodegradable yarn as a cotton alternative. This bioplastic yarn is strong enough for the nets and degrades within a few months in seawater.

An Alternative to Dolly Rope

Senbis also developed a solution for the blue or orange plastic ropes used by bottom trawlers to protect their nets, known as dolly rope. Research by engineering firm Tauw shows that half of this plastic ends up in the sea due to wear and maintenance. Annually, this amounts to 50 to 100 tons of dolly rope in the Dutch North Sea alone. Made of polyethylene, it does not degrade in the ocean, often washing ashore and entangling marine animals and birds. Senbis began developing a biodegradable alternative six years ago and had it tested by five fishermen in 2020. “Currently, it’s too expensive for fishermen to adopt voluntarily. They’ll only use it if governments introduce regulations or subsidies. An outright ban is coming in 2027, but we hope to run much larger pilots before then,” says Nijhoving. “The material takes at least several months to break down and can still wash ashore in the meantime. It’s not magic or wizardry—it’s chemistry and biology. It takes time.”

Preventing Microplastics in Gardens

Senbis is also developing biodegradable bioplastics for agriculture, horticulture, and landscaping. Examples include compostable baler twine for hay bales, which is still in development, and compostable strings for growing tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers in greenhouses or hops for brewing beer. This year, Senbis introduced a biodegradable trimmer line: GreenLine. Trimmer lines, often made of nylon, are widely used by municipalities, gardeners, and homeowners for cutting grass and plants near objects or uneven terrain. These nylon lines frequently break into tiny pieces during use. “This means you’re spreading thousands of tons of microplastics into your garden or park that will remain there for a thousand years,” says Nijhoving.

The World’s First Biodegradable Artificial Grass Field

Senbis is also active in sports and recreation, developing biodegradable infill for artificial grass fields (GreenFill) and even fully biodegradable artificial grass. To combat microplastic pollution in these environments, Senbis collaborated with partners like Ten Cate Grass, EdelGrass, Antea Sport, and Sweco to create the GreenBlade artificial grass mat. This world-first biodegradable field was opened on September 20 at EHS’85 in Emmen. Made entirely from compostable materials, the field is filled with GreenFill infill.

This article was first published by Change Inc as part of a campaign with Green Chemistry, New Economy, by editor André Oerlemans. Read the full series on their site or at Change Inc.