Beyond Plastic unveils its first PHA cap
On March 14, Beyond Plastic launched its first fully biodegradable plastic bottle cap to the market. The closure is made from polyhydroxyfatty acid ester (PHA), a biopolymer produced by bacterial fermentation. This new eco-friendly cap looks, feels and performs just like a traditional petroleum-based plastic cap, but has the revolutionary advantage of being recyclable, compostable and biodegradable even under the most sensitive conditions. Unlike traditional Plastic, Beyond Plastic caps do not contain microplastics and pose no harm to the environment.
Plastic pollution is a difficult and persistent challenge facing our planet. According to a recent study, there are an estimated 17 million bottle caps hidden in the world’s oceans. The University of Newcastle estimates that the average person ingests 250 grams of plastic a year, and microplastics have been detected even in newborns, highlighting the widespread nature of the problem, which makes it all the more urgent.
“We believe in addressing plastic pollution directly. Plastic bottle caps are the second largest of the top five plastic pollutants found on our shores. This plastic is almost never recycled and can end up causing great harm if discarded in the environment.” Fred Pinczuk, CTO of Beyond Plastic. “Our mission at Beyond Plastic is to create positive change by replacing the vast amount of single-use plastic produced in the world with sustainable packaging solutions. We believe PHA is the answer – it is a natural alternative with all the properties of conventional plastics. There will be no dangerous side effects on our planet.”
To realize this vision, Beyond Plastic entered into a strategic partnership with two leading value chain giants, CJ Biomaterials and Techlong International, to make this sustainable solution a success. “We are proud to partner with Beyond Plastic to develop this game-changing bottle cap,” said Max Senechal, CJ Biomaterials’ Chief Commercial Officer. “As a global leader in PHA manufacturing, we are committed to introducing revolutionary, environmentally friendly solutions to replace traditional plastics. Our partnership with Beyond Plastic is helping to transform the plastics industry through smart, sustainable technology, and we’re excited about the incremental impact this will have on a commercial scale.”
PHA holds great promise as a solution to the plastics crisis, and wider adoption will require extensive testing and experimentation. To date, integrating PHA into existing systems has not been a simple process. Adopting conventional equipment typically used for petroleum-based plastics to effectively accommodate PHA adds another layer of complexity.
“It’s not enough to offer PHA resin, you have to be able to offer a complete turnkey solution that includes adapted machines that can handle the material as seamlessly as they run conventional polymers.” We use this as a packaged complete solution. We are excited to help Beyond Plastic fulfill their mission, and we are excited to see them make the right modifications with our device to turn PHA into a viable market solution in the real world, “Techlong International, Inc. Says Chief Executive Keith Boss.
“The success of PHA commercialization depends on many factors, one of which is building good partnerships with leaders who support and promote your vision. That’s exactly what we found at CJ Biomaterials and Techlong. With their help, leadership and innovation capabilities, we are poised to revolutionize the plastics industry and help businesses make a positive impact, significantly reduce plastic pollution and create a cleaner planet for future generations – it’s a win-win-win situation, “said Lance Collins, CEO of Beyond plastic.
