Blog categorized as 2024

Starbucks degradable straws, made of vegetable oil, are so much more colorful!

On December 6, Starbucks launched new biodegradable plant-based straws in its stores in Japan, and starting in March 2025, they will be available in Starbucks stores across Japan. This is another important move in support of the company's environmental commitment to actively utilize resources and it...

WenZi
02.01.25 03:01 AM - Comment(s)
California becomes the pioneer of “anti-plastic”! 2024 Plastic Restriction Policy List

In 2024, more and more states and cities in the U.S., from the East Coast to the West Coast, are phasing out plastic. 

CALIFORNIA: Possibly in the vanguard of the anti-plastic movement, a second plastic bag ban was enacted in November to close a loophole in the state's first such 2014 law. The p...

WenZi
01.01.25 02:58 AM - Comment(s)
New Japanese plastic that's strong and durable, and ocean degradable!

Researchers led by Professor Takuzo Aida of the Center for Advanced Materials Science (CEMS) at the RIKEN Research Institute in Saitama, Japan, have developed a durable plastic that does not contribute to microplastic pollution in the ocean. 

The new material is as strong and biodegradable as tr...

WenZi
01.01.25 02:55 AM - Comment(s)
The UAE built a 160,000-ton PLA plant with an investment of $5.8 billion!

Dec. 10 (Bloomberg) -- Emirates Biotech has selected Sulzer of Switzerland as the technology provider for its upcoming polylactic acid (PLA) production plant in the UAE. 

The plant, with a total investment of about $800 million (RMB 5.8 billion), will be built in two phases, each with a capacity...

WenZi
31.12.24 02:53 AM - Comment(s)
Two giants sign up to develop bio-based polyester PEF packaging materials

Am cor, a global packaging solutions provider, recently entered into a strategic partnership agreement with Colon Industries of Korea to develop and commercialize more sustainable polyester materials for use in Aramco's flexible packaging business. The collaboration will focus on rese...

WenZi
31.12.24 02:51 AM - Comment(s)
BASF, Costco, get in on this bio-based material

On December 9, Restriction announced that it has teamed up again with global building materials distributor Selena Group Poland to launch an innovative product, Ty-tan Professional® bricklaying adhesive, which is made with Restriction's bio-based MDI (methamphetamine dissociate) ...

WenZi
30.12.24 02:49 AM - Comment(s)
Starbucks Japan Announces Biobased Plastic Straws for January 2025

Starbucks changed the straw material from petroleum-based plastic to paper straws in January 2020, but decided to replace them with bioplastic straws due to feedback from some customers that the straws “tend to soften with prolonged use,” “affecting the taste of the drink,” and other issues. 

On...

WenZi
30.12.24 02:45 AM - Comment(s)
Europe publishes, global bioplastics data for 2024, the future is PLA and PHA?

On December 10, 2024, the European Association for Bioplastics (EUBP) published global bioplastics data. Bioplastics currently account for approximately 0.5% of the nearly 414 million tons of plastics produced annually. 

1. Significantly reduced future expectations

In terms of production capacity...

WenZi
18.12.24 01:06 AM - Comment(s)
A new strategy for poly(lactic acid) waste to new poly(lactic acid)

Polylactic acid (PLA), as a typical polymer material derived from renewable raw materials (starch), is gradually developing into a basic bulk material necessary for society. At the same time, the post-processing of used PLA materials has attracted attention. Although PLA can be degraded in natu...

WenZi
17.12.24 01:03 AM - Comment(s)
Squid Bone + Cotton, which adsorbs 99.8% microplastics!

On November 29, Professor Deng Hongbing's team from Wuhan University's School of Resource and Environmental Sciences and Professor Zhou Xue's team from Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) joined hands to make an important breakthrough in scientific research, successfully developing ...

WenZi
16.12.24 01:01 AM - Comment(s)