World first: Fully biodegradable plastic straw created by Danimer Scientific

24 Sep 2018 --- Danimer Scientific, a developer and manufacturer of biodegradable plastic products, has created the first fully biodegradable plastic straw using its Nodax polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) material. Straws composed of the material are effectively biodegraded in landfills, waste treatment facilities and oceans, according to the developer.

“The environmental impact of straws and other single-use plastic items has become a critical issue for cities and companies across the country,” says Scott Tuten, Chief Marketing Officer at Danimer Scientific.

“The challenge is that there are few durable, yet eco-friendly alternatives available. Thankfully, research has found that PHA effectively biodegrades in environments ranging from waste treatment facilities to landfills and oceans. With that stamp of approval, we are excited to be bringing truly biodegradable straw resins in the near future to businesses that are looking to replace petrochemical plastic straws in restaurants, amusement parks and more,” he says.

A 2018 University of Georgia study compared the biodegradation of Danimer Scientific's Nodax PHA to cellulose powder, food waste, plastic pellets and other materials in aerobic and anaerobic conditions. In a proper waste management setting, Nodax PHA biodegrades at a similar rate to cellulose powder or wood pulp.

The study also found that Nodax PHA could be effectively processed alongside food waste and other organic waste in a landfill. Additionally, researchers determined that Nodax PHA will begin to biodegrade over the course of six months in ocean water, while traditional plastics remain intact and unchanged in the same environment.

Danimer Scientific's Nodax PHA possesses seven TUV Austria certifications and statements of industrial and home compostability, is biodegradable in anaerobic, soil, freshwater and marine environments and is 100 percent bio-based. All of Danimer Scientific's biopolymers, including its Nodax PHA, are FDA approved for food contact.

UK Plastic Straw Ban
The UK plans to ban the sale of single-use plastics as part of the 25 Year Environment Plan. As a result, items like plastic straws will no longer be dumped on landfills and will not end up in the ocean – a significant improvement for the environment and wildlife.

According to Jonna van Lokven, Communication Assistant at GreenMatch, “when looked at the consumption of straws in the UK, there are a shocking 8.5 billion straws consumed per year. This means that an average citizen consumes 130 straws per year. Compared to Germany with 4.8 billion straws and France with 3.2 billion straws, the amount in the UK is remarkably high.

“In order to get the bigger picture, we need a few facts. Currently, there are approximately 8.3 billion tons of all kinds of plastic around the world. This number grows each year by approximately 31.9 million tonnes. The number of straws makes up for only 7 percent of the total global plastic waste, as the average straw only weighs 0.42 grams. Straws are generally made of polypropylene which takes up to 200 years to decompose,” she tells PackagingInsights.

The UK produces 4.93 million tons of plastic waste each year, of which, 3,570 tons are plastic straws. While the implementation of the plastic straw ban would reduce the total plastic waste by 3,570 tons, which equates to a staggering 31 blue whales, there is still a large amount of plastic waste to eliminate,” she concludes.

By Joshua Poole

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