November 26, 2024 – CJ Biomaterials Unveils Innovative PHACT™ PHA Compounds for Straw Production
CJ Biomaterials, a subsidiary of South Korea’s CJ CheilJedang and a leader in polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biopolymers, has announced the successful production of straws using its new PHACT™ PHA compound, CB0400A. Headquartered in Woburn, Massachusetts, the company has developed both amorphous (aPHA) and semi-crystalline PHA (scPHA) grades, offering a novel solution for straw manufacturing.
Notably, the PHACT™ grades utilized in straw production have already secured the OK biodegradable MARINE certification from TÜV Austria, with marine biodegradability certification for the final compound currently in progress. According to Max Senechal, Chief Commercial Officer at CJ Biomaterials, the increasing demand for safe, biodegradable, and compostable foodservice applications, such as straws, is being met by PHACT™ PHA compounds. These compounds boast specific performance attributes, including enhanced softness and durability, along with the anticipated marine biodegradability certification.
Industry sources reveal that the new CB0400A compound incorporates CJ Biomaterials’ amorphous grade PHA, PHACT A1000P, marking a significant innovation that reduces straw brittleness and substantially improves durability. Additionally, CB0400A cleverly combines another novel semi-crystalline grade PHA, S1000P, further enriching the PHACT grade portfolio available for straw manufacturing. This portfolio already includes CA1270P, which is particularly suited for producing transparent, industrially compostable straws.
PHACT PHA compounds, made from renewable resources, have also obtained food contact approval from the U.S. FDA and are certified as bio-based products by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s BioPreferred program. This array of advantages positions PHACT™ PHA compounds as a highly promising and versatile option in the straw manufacturing sector, with vast potential for application.