Addressing the Microplastics Problem with Polymers That Biodegrade in Seawater

「Green Planet® has seen adoption expand across a diverse range of applications in Japan and overseas. Recognition of its superior functionality is spreading further, and its implementation in society is making steady progress. Customer evaluations in large-scale projects are also steadily advancing.」

「Customer evaluations of biodegradable biopolymer Green Planet® in large-scale projects are progressing steadily. The Company is steadily strengthening its supply structure ahead of expanded sales from the second half of the fiscal year.」

「Efforts to secure adoption of biodegradable biopolymer Green Planet® in large-scale projects by major global brand owners are progressing. Interest in Green Planet is growing further, with adoption beginning in applications such as foam cushioning materials for home appliances and automobiles. The Company will steadily advance the start-up of a pilot plant for mass production.」

「Joint development of biodegradable biopolymer Green Planet® with major brand owners in Japan, the United States and Europe is progressing steadily. Construction work for a capacity expansion targeting large-scale projects is proceeding as planned, and the Company is focusing on building a supply chain that includes processing technologies.」

「Joint development and market launch of biodegradable biopolymer Green Planet® with major brand owners in Japan, the United States and Europe are progressing steadily. The establishment of technologies for various processing methods is also advancing, and the Company is expediting expansion into additional applications. Efforts to create a resource-recycling system using used cooking oil are also accelerating. The innovative project to produce Green Planet from CO2 and hydrogen, selected for NEDO's Green Innovation Fund Project, has entered full-scale operation.」

「Joint development and sales of biodegradable biopolymer Green Planet® with major brand owners in Japan, the United States and Europe are progressing steadily, and sales are growing alongside the expansion of applications. In March, the Company's research and development project for an innovative technology to produce Green Planet from CO2 and hydrogen for the social implementation of biomanufacturing was selected for NEDO's Green Innovation Fund Project.」

「Joint development of biodegradable biopolymer Green Planet® with major brand owners in Japan, Europe and the United States is progressing steadily. The Company is actively pursuing research and development of an innovative technology that produces Green Planet from CO2 and hydrogen using hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria, with a view to the social implementation of the government's priority biomanufacturing policy.」

「Demand for biodegradable biopolymer Green Planet® is expanding as efforts to reduce single-use plastics accelerate following the implementation in Japan in April of the Plastic Resource Circulation Act. Its adoption in society in Japan is steadily expanding, while joint development with major brand owners is progressing in Europe and the United States. Green Planet is also highly regarded in Japan's biomanufacturing policy as a core example of practical technology.」

「1. Large-scale capacity expansion for biodegradable polymer Green Planet (Investment: approximately ¥15 billion; 15,000 tonnes per year, scheduled to begin operations in January 2024)」

「New adoption of biodegradable polymer Green Planet continues to expand. As inquiries become more active, large-scale joint development projects with brand owners worldwide that have a strong interest in reducing environmental impact are progressing. The Company is expediting the finalization of equipment plans for a full-scale production capacity expansion.」

「Adoption of biodegradable polymer Green Planet is expanding further among beverage manufacturers, convenience-store operators and others, and the Company is focusing on joint development with brand owners worldwide.」

「Inquiries for Kaneka biodegradable polymer Green Planet™ have surged as the global trend toward carbon neutrality becomes increasingly clear. The Company is accelerating joint development with major global brand owners, the development of processing technologies to meet customer needs and further cost reductions. The decision on a mass-production plant is at the final stage.」

「Kaneka biodegradable polymer PHBH® is making steady progress in joint development with numerous domestic and overseas brand owners. Final studies are under way to improve productivity and reduce costs ahead of a decision to construct a mass-production plant with capacity of approximately 20,000t.」

「Inquiries for sales substantially exceed the capacity of the 5,000t plant completed last December, and preparations are under way to construct a full-scale mass-production plant with capacity of approximately 20,000t.」

「Kaneka biodegradable polymer PHBH® has attracted considerable attention as a solution to the microplastics problem, including at the G20 Summit and through remarks by Prime Minister Abe in October at the International Forum on Science, Technology and Humanity, in which he expressed expectations for the Company's biodegradable polymer. Interest continues to grow. Adoption is expanding across a broad range of applications, including straws, shopping bags and packaging materials, beginning with 7-Eleven and extending to convenience-store operators and cosmetics manufacturers, while projects with major overseas brand owners are also progressing. A 5,000t plant is scheduled to begin operations at year-end, and the Company expects to decide during the current fiscal year on construction of a full-scale mass-production plant to meet further demand growth.」

「Kaneka biodegradable polymer PHBH® has been approved by the US FDA and in Europe as a packaging material for applications including fruit and vegetable bags, amid tighter regulations on single-use plastics worldwide. It is expected to become available for food applications throughout Europe this autumn. PHBH attracted considerable attention as a solution to the microplastics problem at the G20 held in Osaka in June, and inquiries have surged. Major customers, including convenience-store operators and cosmetics manufacturers, are adopting PHBH across a broad range of applications, including straws, shopping bags and packaging materials. A 5,000t plant is scheduled to begin operations at year-end, and the Company expects to decide this year on construction of a full-scale mass-production plant to meet further demand growth.」

「Kaneka biodegradable polymer PHBH® has been approved by the US FDA and, in January this year, by the European Commission as a packaging material for applications including fruit and vegetable bags, amid tighter regulations on single-use plastics worldwide. In addition, the European Commission has now completed its review for all food applications, and the material is expected to become available for use throughout Europe this autumn. In Japan, inquiries have surged as PHBH is recognized as a solution to the microplastics problem, and projects with major customers such as convenience-store operators are progressing. Adoption is expanding across a broad range of applications, including straws and shopping bags.」

「PHBH, the biodegradable polymer for which a capacity expansion decision has been made, biodegrades even in seawater amid tighter regulations on single-use plastics in Western markets. As a solution to the growing social problem of microplastics, large-scale projects with major customers are progressing. In January this year, PHBH was approved by the European Commission as a food-contact material for dry-food applications, and consideration of its adoption is advancing across a broad range of applications, including straws, cups and trays, in addition to fruit and vegetable bags. The Company is expediting consideration of a full-scale mass-production plant to meet expected future demand growth.」

「The Company has also decided to expand production capacity for biodegradable polymers, whose use is gaining traction in Western markets for applications such as fruit and vegetable bags. As the material biodegrades even in seawater, the Company will pursue market development as a solution to the microplastics problem.」