Paques Biomaterials opened PHA2USE demonstration plant

In an important step toward creating a new natural plastic substitute (PHBV), Paques Biomaterials opened a demonstration factory on the HVC site in Dordrecht (The Netherlands), where they will make the raw material for this plastic replacement from waste streams. The material has the advantages of plastic, but not the disadvantages: it is light and mouldable, can be processed like plastic, and is completely biodegradable, so that no microplastics are left behind in nature. This demonstration installation makes it possible for a large number of interested companies to test the new material and use it in their products as an alternative to plastic. The aim is to scale up after the demonstration phase and set up larger installations that will make it possible to market the natural plastic substitute.

The new material is made from waste streams that contain a lot of volatile fatty acids. The bacteria in our demonstration installation 'fill themselves’ with these volatile fatty acids and convert them into a new material that can replace plastic. Just as humans store fat in their bodies, these then store the material in their cells as an energy reserve. This material is removed ('extracted'), after which a powder remains. That powder can be processed as a natural plastic substitute in a plethora of applications.