Bio-on launches a brand-new line of cosmetic ingredients for sun protection made from biodegradable bioplastic

• The minerv bio cosmetics brand gains a new line of eco-friendly SPF (Sun Protection Factor) Booster products called minervPHB RIVIERA.
• The new cosmetic ingredients are micro powders made with Bio-on's revolutionary bioplastic, obtained from renewable plant sources and 100% biodegradable.
• Thanks to these ultra-green ingredients, cosmetics manufacturers will be able to significantly reduce the percentage of UV filters used in sun protection products and boost water-resistance. This means ecological products that respect both the planet and skin health can be made.

Bologna (Italy), 16 April 2018 - Bio-on is proud to present a brand-new line of cosmetic ingredients for sun protection made from its revolutionary, 100% natural and biodegradable bioplastic. The new products are part of the minerv bio cosmetics family of bioplastic micro powders presented in spring 2017 and designed for cosmetics that respect the environment and human health. This latest innovation is a series of ultra-green, high-performing SPF (Sun Protection Factor) Boosters designed to improve sun protection products.

Increased awareness of the harm caused by exposure to sunlight is accelerating the number of products with UV filters released on the market. Their purpose is to screen against UV radiation: UV-B rays, the most common cause of sun erythema and sunburn, and UV-A rays, which are responsible for more serious long-term effects: blood vessel damage, photoaging, photocarcinogenesis.
What people ignore is that, unfortunately, organic UV filters can be phototoxic and photounstable. The main goal of the scientific community is to find a way to limit their concentration in cosmetics formulas without compromising performance. This is where the new SPF Booster line developed for the minerv bio cosmetics brand comes in. These ultra-green ingredients (micro powders made from biodegradable bioplastic microscopic spheres or capsules) are designed to significantly reduce the percentage of UV filters used in the sun protection product and boost water-resistance.

The minerv bio cosmetics portfolio, which already includes texturizing powders for skin care and make-up, mattifiers, scrubs, and micro capsules for the controlled release of active substances, ideal for anti-ageing treatments, is now extended to include:

• minervPHB RIVIERA an SPF Booster suitable for all solar formulations
   
• minervPHB RIVIERA PLUS an innovative SPF Booster, enriched with antioxidants, ideal for total care products (skin care, make-up, hair care).

"RIVIERA represents another building block in our green cosmetics revolution," says Marco Astorri, Bio-on Chairman and CEO, "to make the personal care market truly sustainable and fully respect the ocean and the land. By continuing to find new solutions for the cosmetics sector, our company is setting a new standard thanks to our PHAs bioplastic."

The new line of SPF Boosters is the result of the innovative R&D done by Bio-on CNS, the Business Unit specialised in the development of cosmetic ingredients.

"The RIVIERA line is a success story from our Powder Boutique," explains Paolo Saettone, Managing Director of CNS Business Unit, "a site dedicated to advanced research, where our scientists play with our versatile biopolymer like tailors play with fabrics, seeking out the perfect morphology and technology to maximise performance. This fine work has created the RIVIERA micro particles, which are the perfect scattering centre element for UV rays."

All the PHAs (polyhydroxyalkanoates) developed by Bio-on are made from renewable plant sources with no competition with food supply chains. They can replace a number of conventional polymers currently made with petrochemical processes using hydrocarbons; they guarantee the same thermo-mechanical properties as conventional plastics with the advantage of being completely eco-sustainable and 100% naturally biodegradable.

Since 2007 Bio-on has been dedicated to changing the world of plastic, to reduce pollution for a more sustainable future and preserve nature thanks to its exclusive, innovative know-how in bio-based and eco-compatible plastics development.

Starting in summer 2018, all minerv bio cosmetics products will be made by Bio-on Plants, Bio-on's first industrial plant dedicated to the production of cosmetic ingredients. Located in Castel San Pietro Terme (Bologna), it will produce 1000 tons/year of PHA micro powders (polyhydroxyalkanoates) over an area of 3,000 m² with an overall investment of 20 million Euro.

The company website, http://www.minerv-biocosmetics.com provides further details on this new family of products, the exclusive patent and a series of documents in PDF.

Press information:
Simona Vecchies +39 335 1245190 - press@bio-on.it - Twitter @BioOnBioplastic - www.bio-on.it

                                          Example of innovation use SPF sun protection factor

Bio-on S.p.A.

Bio-on S.p.A., Intellectual Property Company (IPC) italiana, opera nel settore della bioplastica effettuando ricerca applicata e sviluppo di moderne tecnologie di bio-fermentazione nel campo dei materiali eco sostenibili e completamente biodegradabili in maniera naturale. In particolare, Bio-on sviluppa applicazioni industriali attraverso la creazione di caratterizzazioni di prodotti, componenti e manufatti plastici. Dal febbraio 2015 Bio-on S.p.A. è anche impegnata nello sviluppo della chimica naturale e sostenibile del futuro. Bio-on ha sviluppato un processo esclusivo per la produzione della famiglia di polimeri denominati PHAs (poliidrossialcanoati) da fonti di scarto di lavorazioni agricole (tra cui melassi e sughi di scarto di canna da zucchero e di barbabietola da zucchero). La bio plastica così prodotta è in grado di sostituire le principali famiglie di plastiche tradizionali per prestazioni, caratteristiche termo-meccaniche e versatilità. Il PHAs di Bio-on è una bio plastica classificabile al 100% come naturale e completamente biodegradabile: tali elementi sono stati certificati, da Vincotte e USDA (United States Department of Agriculture). La strategia dell'Emittente prevede la commercializzazione di licenze d'uso per la produzione di PHAs e dei relativi servizi accessori, lo sviluppo di attività di ricerca e sviluppo (anche mediante nuove collaborazioni con università, centri di ricerca e partner industriali), nonché la realizzazione degli impianti industriali progettati da Bio-on.