Love them or loathe them, plastics are now a staple of modern life, found in and around the products we use every day. But despite its many benefits, plastic is problematic for a society trying hard to reduce its environmental impact.
Reconsider
Each year, 46% of plastic waste goes to landfill, and a further 22% ends up as litter. Not only do they take hundreds of years to break down, but the production of these materials uses fossil-based hydrocarbons, resulting in significant greenhouse gas emissions.
Alongside recycling and reusing plastic products wherever possible, we should reconsider how we produce plastic materials in the first place. This includes replacing non-renewable, fossil-carbon-based feedstocks in manufacturing with bio-based alternatives, known as bioplastics.
Why PHAs?
A high-potential fossil-free solution is polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs): polymers produced in nature as a result of bacterial fermentation.
A bio-based and biodegradable alternative like PHA contributes to a lower carbon footprint and less pollution, taking just days to break down in soil or water. When it comes to product performance, PHAs are known for their strength and flexibility, with the potential for soft and elastic forms that are ideal for flexible substrates like paper for packaging. Using PHAs therefore results in a more sustainable product without compromising on quality.
Why now?
Packaging is the biggest source of single-use plastic waste, and there is a huge opportunity to reduce its impact through bioplastics. Yet, the current rate of bio-based polymer production remains sluggish. As of 2023, bioplastics make up only 0.5% of the more than 400 million tonnes of plastic produced globally each year.
So, why aren't more producers making bioplastics? Unfortunately, the costs associated with production cannot yet compete with those of petroleum-based plastics, and it will take time for alternative methods to scale up. Production capacity is expected to triple in the next five years, but it must grow far beyond this to become a viable alternative to fossil-based traditional methods.
Team up to scale up
At Stahl, we are helping to take bio-based polymers to the next level; for example, through our Stahl NuVera® range of renewable carbon polyurethanes. We believe that using biomass as a feedstock can help to significantly reduce our reliance on fossil-based materials and lower our carbon footprint from production. We are currently testing potential PHA-based formulations, to see how they can be applied across our portfolio.
But we can't do it alone. We believe that a collaborative effort of like-minded organisations can help to move the needle on bioplastics like PHAs. To further facilitate this exploration, we have joined the Global Organization for PHA (GO!PHA), an alliance of over 60 stakeholders ranging from producers and formulators to users. The members, all of whom are early adopters of PHAs, work together to increase understanding of PHA technology and advance the science behind renewable, compostable and biodegradable materials.
As part of this growing expert network, we will have the opportunity to join forces with the wider PHA value chain, helping us to move beyond the testing phase and accelerate the potential of this technology in the coatings market.
By pioneering and embracing new, sustainable technologies, we are truly living our purpose, Touching lives, for a better world. We can't wait to see where this exciting collaboration will lead us.
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