Category: Chemicals & Materials

VTT-led consortium opens CO2-to-Plastics pilot plant in Espoo

VTT-led consortium opens CO2-to-Plastics pilot plant in Espoo

August 19, 2024 |

In Finland, VTT Technical Research Centre, LUT University, and industry partners have launched a pilot plant in Espoo to convert captured carbon dioxide into sustainable compounds for plastic products and chemicals. Dubbed Forest CUMP, the research collaboration funded by Business Finland and is exploring the capture of carbon dioxide from sources like the forest industry […]

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Checkerspot, Cambium sign high-performance biobased PU foam pact

Checkerspot, Cambium sign high-performance biobased PU foam pact

August 19, 2024 |

In California, Checkerspot and Cambium have partnered to develop biobased, impact-resistant, high temperature and flame-retardant polyurethane foam products and composite foam systems for high-performance applications. Checkerspot’s microalgae-based polyols are already used to create biobased polyurethanes, and Cambium has developed a number of composite systems with extreme temperature resistance. “With our vertically-integrated development approach, from computational […]

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TotalEnergies supplies PLA for Eiffel Tower beer stand amid Olympic Games 

TotalEnergies supplies PLA for Eiffel Tower beer stand amid Olympic Games 

August 12, 2024 |

In Paris, the 2024 Olympics may have wrapped up but the event’s sustainability credentials got a boost from bioplastic cups and bottles manufactured by Sansu using polylactic acid supplied by TotalEnergies Corbion. WeCycle and Cass, a beer brand and official partner of the Paris Olympics Korean House, collaborated to collect the 100% biobased PLA cups […]

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Max Justice shakes up death industry with mushroom coffins

Max Justice shakes up death industry with mushroom coffins

August 12, 2024 |

In Pennsylvania, a man named Max Justice is producing mushroom coffins to help make the act of burying a loved one more environmentally friendly. Justice, CEO of Setas Eternal Living in Franklin County, told Fox43 the process works by growing mycelium into a coffin-shaped mold. The shaped mushroom is then purified and cooked in an […]

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Boarding school favored by Royal Family boasts renewable products side hustle

Boarding school favored by Royal Family boasts renewable products side hustle

August 12, 2024 |

In Scotland, the rigorous boarding school attended by both King Charles and his father Prince Philip has created a line of green products such as bamboo toothbrushes to wheat hairbrushes.  Students at Gordonstoun run the enterprise, which includes plant-based mouthwash tabs and biodegradable wipes. The products are sold at the school’s health center, reducing the […]

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Starbucks eyes molded fiber cups in EPR states

Starbucks eyes molded fiber cups in EPR states

August 12, 2024 |

In California and Minnesota, Starbucks will begin a trial using compostable paper cups with biobased liner and molded-fiber lids at several locations. California and Minnesota locations were chosen for the pilot because both are implementing Extended Producer Responsibility laws. Starbucks hopes that the new cups and lids will help it reach its goal of having […]

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“Neat” idea: Whisky waste eyed as source of chemicals

“Neat” idea: Whisky waste eyed as source of chemicals

August 12, 2024 |

In Scotland, scientists at the University of Aberdeen and chemical maker RIPCELL are collaborating to turn whisky distillery waste products into biobased chemicals. Funded in part by the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre, the project’s scope includes producing lactic acid from distillation byproducts pot ale and spent lees. Every liter of whisky produced generates about ten […]

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BASF switches portfolio to bio-based ethyl acrylate

BASF switches portfolio to bio-based ethyl acrylate

August 12, 2024 |

In Germany, BASF has said it will only offer biobased ethyl acrylate starting in the fourth quarter. The EA boasts 14C-traceable biobased content of 40%, according to DIN EN 16640, and a low Product Carbon Footprint. It is produced at BASF’s Ludwigshafen site using bioethanol exclusively as alcohol source. The chemical and technical specifications of […]

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Starbucks straw supplier change dings Danimer results

Starbucks straw supplier change dings Danimer results

August 12, 2024 |

In Georgia, polyhydroxyalkanoate bioplastics maker Danimer Scientific has reported second quarter sales of $7.6 million, down by $5.3 million compared to revenue of $12.9 million in the second quarter of 2023. Nodax-brand PHA revenue of $5.9 million decreased by $2.5 million in the quarter as compared with the prior year quarter, primarily due to the reapportionment […]

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Biomatter raises €6.5 million to boost AI capabilities

Biomatter raises €6.5 million to boost AI capabilities

August 12, 2024 |

In Lithuania, enzyme design startup Biomatter has secured €6.5 million in a seed financing round to expand its generative AI platform for developing new enzymes faster. Biomatter develops custom enzymes for chemicals production, agriculture, food and medicine. Its customers include chemicals giant BASF and Neogen.  “The enzymes we have developed show that we can go […]

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