Aug 9, 2018
Production of biodegradable plastics
One of the biggest chemical industries in Japan, Kaneka has the ability to produce vegetable-based plastics and they announced to increase its production five times more than their current. Recently, the Starbucks decided to abolish the usage of plastic straw. Since the issue of plastic waste is drawing worldwide attention, Kaneka anticipates that the demand for vegetable-based plastics will increase.
Their products named PHBH are kind of biodegradable plastic, which made from vegetable oils and can biodegrade by microbial action. In the condition of 30° seawater, it will change into water and carbon dioxide within six months. It certified from international certification authority last year, as the first among such products in Japan.
Nowadays, they export their products mainly to European countries. There have been demands of vegetable-based plastics as materials of plastic bags, used in equipment to compost vegetable waste. As the demands are increasing, they decided to increase the production. They will invest around two hundred thousand yen in Takasago plant so that they can strengthen their annual production ability until five thousand tons before next December. They predict the PHBH will be used also as utensils such as straws in the future, and then they will increase the production to 20 thousand tons.
The usage of biodegradable plastics has not become popular yet, because of the high cost and low durability. However, the issue of plastic wastes is becoming a serious problem, because it causes seawater pollution. In May of this year, the European Commission proposed the regulation to ban selling plastic straw. The Starbucks will also abolish the usage of straws. They will substitute to the lids that make easy to drink by mouth directly, straws made from paper or biodegradable plastic.
https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASL875JV0L87PLFA008.html?iref=comtop_list_biz_n01
Their products named PHBH are kind of biodegradable plastic, which made from vegetable oils and can biodegrade by microbial action. In the condition of 30° seawater, it will change into water and carbon dioxide within six months. It certified from international certification authority last year, as the first among such products in Japan.
Nowadays, they export their products mainly to European countries. There have been demands of vegetable-based plastics as materials of plastic bags, used in equipment to compost vegetable waste. As the demands are increasing, they decided to increase the production. They will invest around two hundred thousand yen in Takasago plant so that they can strengthen their annual production ability until five thousand tons before next December. They predict the PHBH will be used also as utensils such as straws in the future, and then they will increase the production to 20 thousand tons.
The usage of biodegradable plastics has not become popular yet, because of the high cost and low durability. However, the issue of plastic wastes is becoming a serious problem, because it causes seawater pollution. In May of this year, the European Commission proposed the regulation to ban selling plastic straw. The Starbucks will also abolish the usage of straws. They will substitute to the lids that make easy to drink by mouth directly, straws made from paper or biodegradable plastic.
https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASL875JV0L87PLFA008.html?iref=comtop_list_biz_n01
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