Are Bio-Polymer Bollards Really Sustainable? The Facts Behind NonCrete™

At TMP, we believe sustainability claims should be backed by substance – not greenwash. That’s why we’ve spent time examining the full lifecycle of our new NonCrete™ bollard. It’s made using a sugar cane-derived bio-polymer, but what does that really mean for the environment? In this article, we unpack the data on land use, carbon emissions, feedstock sourcing and transport impacts to give a full picture.

Where Does the Material Come From?

The bio-polymer used in the NonCrete™ bollard is derived from sugar cane grown on long-established agricultural land in South America. TMP is not directly involved in the cultivation or sourcing of this feedstock, but we have engaged with our supply chain partners and reviewed independent research to understand the broader environmental impact of the material.

The question of whether industrial uses of food crops impact food security is valid. However, the global data indicates that bioplastics currently use a negligible share of available land. According to the European Bioplastics Association, bioplastics account for just 0.015% of global agricultural land, and even under high-growth scenarios, this figure is projected to remain below 0.07% by 2028.
Source: https://www.european-bioplastics.org/faq-items/how-much-agricultural-area-is-used-for-bioplastics/

By contrast, land used for biofuels such as biodiesel is estimated to be around 291 times greater, highlighting how small bioplastic feedstock demand is in global terms.
Source: https://www.braskem.com.br/portal/imgreen/arquivos/BRA_001_Land-Use-Position-Paper-Release_v3.pdf

There is broad consensus among international organisations such as the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and WWF’s Bioplastic Feedstock Alliance that responsibly sourced, first-generation biomass has a valid role in decarbonising material use, provided land is managed sustainably and food systems are protected.
Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20091122133933/http://www.unep.fr/scp/rpanel/pdf/Assessing_Biofuels_Full_Report.pdf

In the regions where this sugar cane is cultivated, agriculture supports food, energy and materials markets side by side. Food crop production has increased steadily in recent years, supported by improved yields, crop rotation, and regenerative land management. The sugar cane is grown on existing farmland, not recently cleared or deforested areas. Many farms also practise intercropping with food crops and use agricultural by-products to enrich the soil.

The material supply chain includes producers who participate in independent certification schemes such as Bonsucro, which audit against environmental, land-use and labour standards. These schemes aim to ensure that sugar cane cultivation does not drive illegal deforestation or inappropriate land clearance – a concern historically associated with agricultural expansion in parts of Brazil and South America. Bonsucro certification also includes robust anti-slavery and fair labour principles, helping to protect workers from exploitation in the supply chain.
Source: https://bonsucro.com/bonsucro-announces-latest-impacts/

Bio-based materials aren’t perfect – but they’re an essential part of the transition away from fossil carbon. With NonCrete™, TMP is proud to offer a bollard that performs well, lasts long, and supports a more circular, lower-carbon future for highways infrastructure.