Bio-On, a biotechnology company in Italy, and Co.Pro.B, a sugar producer, announced at the end of April 2008 that they have been successfully developed for the commercial production of bio-plastic polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) from sugar beet production facilities. It was put into production in 2009.
Bio-On said it plans to invest 15 million euros to build a 10,000-ton/year plant to produce its Minerv PHA bioplastic. The device is not currently being produced by the industry from sugarcane or cornstarch, but is the first commercial device to produce bioplastics from sugar beets.
The company has invested about 5 million euros in the development of MinervPHA polymer and has obtained the certification of the OK Biodegradable Water (water biodegradable) standard by Vincotte, an international certification body based in Belgium.
The OK Biodegradable Water certification means that the Minerv material is biodegradable in water at room temperature, eliminating the need for complicated commercial operations at high temperatures. According to the results published by Bio-On, the resin can be completely biodegraded in river water in less than 10 days.
MinervPHA bioplastics are suitable for the production of rigid and flexible packaging, including food packaging films and bottles. Compared with PLA (polylactic acid) bioplastics, the thermal stability has improved, opening the door to the production of more engineering-required components.
It is said that MinervPHA bioplastic production process also has high energy efficiency. The company's PHA bioplastic production has innovative and low energy consumption.
The energy consumed is estimated to be 1/4 of the energy required for some alternative PHA production routes.
MinervPHA resin will have a competitive international market compared with MirelPHA resin that has been commercialized by Tellek (a US joint venture of Metabolix Biotech and the agricultural product group Archer Daniels).
Telles has a 50,000-ton/year Mirel PHA resin production facility in Clinton, Iowa, USA, and started production at the end of 2008.
Bio-On has applied for a biotechnology patent for its bioplastic production in 2007 and has the right to transfer technology. Co.Pro.B is a partner and Italy's largest sugar producer with a sugar production capacity of more than 280,000 tons per year.
Bio-On said it plans to invest 15 million euros to build a 10,000-ton/year plant to produce its Minerv PHA bioplastic. The device is not currently being produced by the industry from sugarcane or cornstarch, but is the first commercial device to produce bioplastics from sugar beets.
The company has invested about 5 million euros in the development of MinervPHA polymer and has obtained the certification of the OK Biodegradable Water (water biodegradable) standard by Vincotte, an international certification body based in Belgium.
The OK Biodegradable Water certification means that the Minerv material is biodegradable in water at room temperature, eliminating the need for complicated commercial operations at high temperatures. According to the results published by Bio-On, the resin can be completely biodegraded in river water in less than 10 days.
MinervPHA bioplastics are suitable for the production of rigid and flexible packaging, including food packaging films and bottles. Compared with PLA (polylactic acid) bioplastics, the thermal stability has improved, opening the door to the production of more engineering-required components.
It is said that MinervPHA bioplastic production process also has high energy efficiency. The company's PHA bioplastic production has innovative and low energy consumption.
The energy consumed is estimated to be 1/4 of the energy required for some alternative PHA production routes.
MinervPHA resin will have a competitive international market compared with MirelPHA resin that has been commercialized by Tellek (a US joint venture of Metabolix Biotech and the agricultural product group Archer Daniels).
Telles has a 50,000-ton/year Mirel PHA resin production facility in Clinton, Iowa, USA, and started production at the end of 2008.
Bio-On has applied for a biotechnology patent for its bioplastic production in 2007 and has the right to transfer technology. Co.Pro.B is a partner and Italy's largest sugar producer with a sugar production capacity of more than 280,000 tons per year.