MATERIALS | BIOPLASTICS
Above: Emirates Biotech is building a 160,000 tonnes/year PLA plant, for completion in 2028
single location, including lactide production, purification and polymerisation. The facility will also use a plant-based feedstock to produce high- quality PLA bioplastics at scale, it says. “Our partnership with Sulzer marks a key milestone in our journey to establish a world-class PLA production facility,” said Marc Verbruggen, CEO of Emirates Biotech.
Bio-based nylon Toray of Japan is exploring whether it can mass- produce PA66 from agricultural waste. It has signed an agreement with Thai
petrochemicals producer PTT Global to evaluate the feasibility of making “several thousand tonnes” of bio-based muconic and bio-based adipic acid annually by 2030. The companies have already started developing technology to make these PA66 precursors from biomass-derived sugars made at Cellulosic Biomass Technology, a Thai company in which Toray owns a stake. PTT uses its fermentation technology to convert
sugars from the waste into muconic acid. Toray’s hydrogenation process converts muconic acid to adipic acid – which can be used to make PA66.
PHA progress Lummus has taken the position of lead investor in the RWDC Industries convertible bond round, in a project to produce polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). “Lummus’ investment in RWDC is a testament to our commitment to commercialising PHA and advancing the circular economy of the polymer industry,” said Leon de Bruyn, CEO of Lummus. Since signing a binding agreement in September 2023, Lummus and RWDC have made progress in their goal of speeding up adoption of PHA and prepare the technology for global licensing. The engineering phase of RWDC’s first commercial-scale PHA facility is nearly complete,
16 FILM & SHEET EXTRUSION | January/February 2025
with detailed engineering and preconstruction activities still to be finalised. Lummus said its investment in RWDC’s convertible bond round will enable completion of these final stages – with the aim of starting construction of the facility this year. Daniel Carraway, CEO of RWDC, added: “This investment accelerates our journey towards construction of our first commercial-scale PHA production facility and validates the immense potential of our technology.”
PEF plant A five-year pan-European research project called PEFerence has culminated in the construction of a production plant for FDCA – a key building block for the biopolymer PEF. The 5,000 tonnes/year facility – at Chemie Park
Delfzijl, in the Netherlands – makes FDCA from plant sources. PEF is a polyester that can be used in applications including flexible films. It is similar to PET, but bio-based and with high barrier and mechanical properties. PEF is also suitable for recycling while maintaining its quality and value. “The opening of this plant is a pivotal moment
for PEFerence and the bioplastics industry,” said Ed de Jong, VP of development at Avantium, which coordinated the project. “PEF is a material of the future as it offers a sustainable alternative to traditional plastics.”
Compostable seal Shrink sleeve label supplier Sleever – with help from biotech specialist Carbios – has developed a home compostable tamper-evident seal. The product, called Seelcap Onego,
incorporates Carbios Active – an enzyme that biodegrades PLA – into a biopolymer blend. This ensures that the seal disintegrates under composting conditions, even at room temperature, in less than six months. It can reduce carbon footprint by up to 70% compared with
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IMAGE: EMIRATES BIOTECH
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