The Application of Bioengineering Plastics in Automobile Industry --

　　Bioplastics are plastics made from natural materials such as starch, which are formed by microorganism. It is renewable and therefore environmentally friendly.

　　Reports suggest that the global market for bioplastics will grow rapidly and is expected to grow at an annual rate of 8-10 per cent, from $1 billion in 2007 to $10 billion in 2020. New applications in the automotive and electronics sectors will boost demand for bioplastics, although packaging will continue to dominate the market and its share is expected to decline from 65 per cent in 2007 to 40 per cent in 2025. By 2025, Asia will be a leader in the bioplastics market, accounting for about 32 per cent of the market, followed by Europe at 31 per cent and the United States at 28 per cent. Asia will take the lead largely on the basis that genetically modified plants will grow rapidly. Bioplastics accounted for about 10-15 per cent of the plastic market in 2007 and are expected to reach 25-30 per cent by 2020. Thanks mainly to the improved performance of bioplastics technology, technological innovation will be extended to