BioPolymers to the rescue!
Could the latest versions of microbial origin PHA and PHB be the answer in compostable plastics?
The materials business is changing, as it so needs to, and we are seeing the steady growth of plant and microbial origin bio-polymer material production operations. The technology exists now to scale up commercially manufactured versions of these materials. This tech has been around for a while, and now, with material engineering issues having been addressed and resolved, is ready for exponential growth.
We have all seen the image of a sea turtle with a plastic straw stuck through it’s nose. We now have an answer that will address heartbreaking scenes like these with long term, sustainable solutions using materials such as polyhydroxyalkanoate (pha), agricultural waste fibers, including hemp, or other quickly and safely degradable materials.
As governments continue to outlaw single use plastics and non-sustainable packaging in our countries, municipalities and communities, we must see the use of safe and sustainably made versions of these types of products increase. As with so many other technological advancements that have been introduced to our world, such as the growth of solar energy, the prices for these environmentally preferable materials will continue to drop as volumes increase. Inevitably, and in the not too distant future, sustainable, carbon neutral or carbon negative produced plastics, paper and wood will become the new normal for materials we consume, and will certainly become more economical than the non-sustainable counterparts currently in use today.
The use of compostable and naturally biodegradable materials will put a stop to the ever growing piles of slow or non-degradable waste materials in our landfills and in our seas. As this needs to happen much sooner than later, EPDI offers material solutions available today that could improve your company’s sustainability tomorrow.
Follow Earth Polymer Design as we continue to research and offer the latest of these new age materials available today. Contact us now to help you make this transformation in your company’s material use.
