Last week marked the initiation of a significant milestone for our member Paques Biomaterials, as the construction phase of the PHA-extraction pilot in Emmen began.

CJ Biomaterials, Inc., a subsidiary of South Korea's CJ CheilJedang and a manufacturer of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biopolymers, has received the 2023 German Red Dot Design Award for its PHA Head-Up Toothbrush, developed in collaboration with Revelop, an eco-friendly design specialist.

Delsci's new Packaging Lab is equipped with advanced machinery designed for comprehensive testing of barrier papers in packaging applications and for food safety.

Blow molding is a process mainly used for bottles. Various GO!PHA partners have managed to create pure PHA and PHA-based blends to make PHA bottles a possibility!

Dive into the full article by Plastics Technology for a deeper understanding of the extrusion blow molding technique with PHA/PLA blends. 

AIMPLAS, a GO!PHA member, has achieved a significant milestone in the Bio-Innovation of a Circular Economy for Plastics (BioICEP) project. BioICEP, funded by the Horizon 2020 programme, is a collaborative initiative aimed at developing sustainable alternatives to traditional petroleum-based plastics.

The PRO-PHBV project, led by AMS Institute and TU Delft, with GO!PHA Member Paques Biomaterials, is making waves. The project focuses on understanding how effectively the PHBV-based bio-composite breaks down in natural conditions.

While they currently constitute only a small fraction of global plastic production, biobased plastics are on the rise, fueled by the increasing demand for sustainable alternatives to fossil-based plastics. Recent findings from the nova-Institute indicate growth rate of 14% per annum for biobased plastics, with projections indicating a potential 3% market share within five years.

A study published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology for the first time found microplastics in the hearts of humans undergoing cardiac surgery. This issue highlights the urgent need for solutions.

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.