This recent Nature study sheds light on the mounting issue of plastic pollution in our oceans. While there's a glimmer of good news, the rapid growth of ocean pollution is cause for concern. The challenge lies not only in cleaning up the plastic once it's in the sea, but in preventing its entry in the first place!

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation recently published an interesting piece on compostable packaging, where they analyze its role in addressing plastic pollution and the challenges it presents. They emphasize the need to prioritize prevention and reuse in a circular economy and discuss the importance of proper waste management infrastructure for compostable solutions to be effective.

The BioBased Circular project, supported by more than 125 organizations, including Topsector Agri & Food and the platform Green Chemistry, New Economy (GCNE), has received €338 million from the National Growth Fund!

RWDC Industries announced a joint development agreement with Alfa Laval. In this collaboration, the two companies have joined forces to ensure that RWDCs first commercial PHA production plant in Athens, Georgia, will be as efficient and well-functioning as possible in terms of separation and heat transfer.

Paques Biomaterials and Senbis Polymer Innovations have entered into a strategic collaboration aimed at developing new applications for a groundbreaking biopolymer that offers all the advantages of plastic without the drawbacks.

In the Biocomposites Project at The University of Queensland's Centre for Advanced Materials Processing and Manufacturing (AMPAM), significant progress has been made in the development of PHA biocomposites.

This article highlights the use of amorphous polyhydroxyalkanoate (aPHA), which is commercially produced by CJ Biomaterials, to enhance the performance of brittle polymers in injection molding, offering potential solutions for improving compostability and mechanical properties in packaging materials.

CJ Biomaterials has partnered with South Korea-based Dongil Platech to develop eco-friendly straws. The biobased and industrial compostable straw is made by using non-fossil fuel feedstock. The companies believe that instead of being disposed of in landfills at the end of their useful lives, straws may be recycled into an important soil supplement through industrial compost.

Netherlands-based PHA producers Paques Biomaterials have signed a memorandum of understanding with Kolon Industries in South Korea. The two groups formed this alliance because they believe PHA will play a significant role in the fight against microplastics and plastic pollution. This cooperation will focus on the development of large-scale production of PHA in South Korea. This is big news in the PHA platform and in upscaling the production of renewable, compostable, and biodegradable materials.

As PHA produced by CJ BIOMATERIALS, Inc. is added to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Inventory of Effective Food Contact Substances (FCS), their PHA brand can now be used to make packaging materials sold in the United States that come into contact with food.

Congratulations to George Guo-Qiang Chen, a GO!PHA Advisory Board Member, on receiving the 2023 International Metabolic Engineering Award, an AIChE - American Institute of Chemical Engineers #IMES honor.

Lummus Technology and GO!PHA member RWDC Industries have signed an MoU to accelerate the production of PHA at scale, which is a significant step toward making naturally occurring polymers like PHA more widely available.

The alliance will substantially advance the global accessibility and widespread use of this natural alternative for petroleum-based plastics. Congratulations to the teams!

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phade Products' compostable paper cups are now available in the market! The cups are made of paper and PHA.

Unlike the conventional plastic coating used in single-use paper cups, this natural alternative comes from the earth and can return to it after use, making it safe to recycle or compost. The cups are developed using Danimer Scientific's Nodax® PHA. Congrats to the teams for launching a great product!

The Court of Bologna filed the approval of the Bio-On composition project proposed by GO!PHA member MAIP Group. The synergy between MAIP and Bio-On Research Centers will enable the launch, of more than 500 polyhydroxyalkanoate-based (PHA). This will include base powder and new ‘tailor-made’ compounds, in addition to those already part of Bio-On repertoire. Their goal is to produce the purest and most stable PHA in Italy and on the market globally.

Helian Polymers have been appointed by CJ Biomaterials as their distributing partner for their new amorphous aPHA grade PHACT A1000P. It is industrial, home, soil compostable, and marine biodegradable (all of them certified by TuV Austria). PHACT A1000P in combination with other biopolymers increases or maintains bio content, improves biodegradability, and improves edge trim, tear & impact resistance.

Check out this video made in collaboration by Paques Biomaterials and ChemistryNL explaing how PHAs can act as a natural alternative to fossil-based plastics.

GO!PHA, in collaboration with other like minded associations Renewable Carbon Initiative, European Bioplastics, BioChem Europe, EuropaBio - the European Association for Bioindustries, and EDANA, the voice of nonwovens provided feedback and recommendation to the European Commission on Section 3.2.1.3 of the Microplastics amendment to Annex XVII of the REACH Regulation.

Cove's fully biodegradable bottle has finally been developed after a five-year odyssey and will soon be available at US retailers. To fulfill demand from supermarkets, music festivals, and corporate campuses, among other places, Cove is almost ready to produce 20 million bottles annually.

Phantm has collaborated with the multinational coffeehouse chain Starbucks to make reusable coffee cups using PHA and used coffee grounds. Since the cups are made from PHA, they are bio-based, bio-benign, and biocompatible. This means they will biodegrade in nature without leaving a trace or contributing to micro or nanoplastics.