In Japan, Kaneka Corporation has decided to significantly increase production capacity for KANEKA Biodegradable Polymer Green Planet in Japan.
Green Planet (chemical name: PHBH) is a biomass polymer produced by microorganism biosynthesis using plant oils. Green Planet™ biodegrades easily both in soil and in water (salt water and fresh water). As Green Planet™ will be eventually biodegrade into CO2 and water, it doesn’t pollute environment. When development of Green Planet began, thirty years ago, it was called a miraculous polymer, but production on an industrial scale was still only a dream. However, the development of innovative microorganism biosynthesis led to clear vision for the commercialization of Green Planet. Further, dramatic advances in formulation and processing technologies turned it into a reality. This was possible only because Kaneka has wide-ranging core technologies related to fermentation and polymer production.
Kaneka estimates Green Planet could replace roughly 25 million tons of traditional single-use plastic products per year. worldwide. Green Planet™ is already being used for straws, cutlery, coffee capsules, bags, films, etc., and these applications alone amount to over 5 million tons per year. The number of inquiries Kaneka is receiving from environmentally conscious brand holders is growing rapidly, and Kaneka will expand our supply capabilities to meet growing demand.
