Another major class that I would like to briefly address is the topic of bioplastics. Bioplastics have been observed a bit recently, promoted very strongly, very much in focus. Honestly, it is certainly not a silver bullet to say that everything we consume today with plastic, we replace it with bioplastics and with that the world is in order again. And we feel good, do something good for our health, the environment, and ourselves. The issue is far more complex. That's why there are just two or three short impulses about this.

Among bioplastics itself, there is a relatively wide range, which can be divided in different ways, into a wide variety of types of biopolymers, which can be of plant origin or, again, of animal origin. When looking at bioplastics, you may have already come across the abbreviations PHP, PLA, TPS, etc., used in chemistry. According to which the formulas conceal that a very fast, very chemical topic becomes, when you then look at translation into the real building materials, materials, it is still relatively manageable, as of today, what bioplastics actually exist.

A very old bioplastic, which is a very nice definition for me when you look at the history of plastic a bit, from when do you talk about plastics according to the definition. Linoleum is one of the very, very early plastics that was developed. A conglomerate consisting of natural materials, a plastic that does not occur naturally, which in turn consists of natural materials in its individual inventory, but natural raw materials. Typical bioplastic, if you use the definition here.

Here in Stuttgart, we are relatively involved in the diverse automotive industry and some of my close circle of friends and acquaintances who are working; from these sources I know that there is a great deal of research and development in these areas. First, to make the overall balance sheet of these companies greener, bluer, healthier. A whole range of bioplastics are already in use here, often not even noticeable because, for example, used as door paneling, then laminated over again, is as immediately imperceptible. As I said, this is still relatively rare in architecture so far.

In the area of floor coverings, there have recently been some very, very good developments in biopolymers with which large elastic floor coverings can be produced and manufactured. If you look at the definition of bioplastic, you will also find very different types here. I would like to give you a definition here. Bioplastics or bioplastics are plastics that are produced on the basis of renewable raw materials, which are then accordingly bio-based plastics. According to an alternative definition, bioplastics are biodegradable plastics, regardless of their raw material base.

You may have followed the discussion a bit, with the trash bags, which are now often found for organic waste. Made from bioplastic and compostable It's relatively easy to start your own experiment there. Take such a bioplastic trash bag and bury it in your garden. I can already anticipate that they will be relatively old and this bioplastic is, oh wonder, still there. Because quite a few of these bioplastics also require very specific requirements for biodegradability to be activated in the first place. If that is a certain temperature, let that be a certain pressure.

What I would like to say a bit by that. It is certainly another way forward, an approach for many healthy, new materials. But it is certainly not the only right path again here. The topic is much more complex than you might think at first glance under the name bioplastics. There are developments in the areas that are now able to bring otherwise commonly used plastics, thermoplastics, for example, onto the market as granules, masterbatches, which consist of purely renewable raw materials. Which at the moment still have the problem that they are one tick more expensive per gram than the otherwise oil-based plastics. That is why they are often not used.

Everyone can touch their own nose and say what is it worth to me that I also surround myself here with appropriate bioplastics, from furniture to everyday objects. As a result, a cent or two more is being invested here to move away from petrochemical plastics towards more renewable, truly biodegradable plastics.

There are a whole range of plastics that are probably no longer even noticed today. Interestingly enough, I had already mentioned that the rediscovery of old-fashioned materials is taking place again and again, especially in the area of bioplastics. Cellglass, cellophane, one of the very, very early plastics are among them. It's just, as you know, packaging of this very, very crackling, transparent paper. A typical bioplastic that has been on the market for a relatively long time.

Experiments are being made from these materials, which have otherwise been used primarily for packaging, to produce larger-format films. There is now a lot on the market when you start researching something, looking at it. The whole thing really goes so far that there are now also semi-finished products, such as felt, which is obtained purely from polylactic acid, which is also a typical raw material for various then bioplastics.

In the end, with this large class of bioplastics, you can say that there has been a wide range of bioplastics for a long time, if not from the very beginning, some have been forgotten, some have now been rediscovered. It is not the only way to be the savior here, but it is certainly a highly interesting area that will become increasingly important in the future.