The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to the BOTTLE Consortium

Why should DOE work on plastics circularity? For one, ~2-3% of total energy consumption in the US is used to manufacture plastics, resins, and synthetic rubber. Also, plastic production generates ~3.8% of global GHGs. Finally, plastic production uses ~6% of global oil production, representing a large opportunity for further energy and process efficiency improvements. These are the concerns that led researchers to establish the BOTTLE consortium (Bio-Optimized Technologies to keep Thermoplastics out of Landfills and the Environment), which kicked off in 2020. By 2023 the group had reported melt processable, circular PHA materials. What’s the latest? Gregg Beckham, Meredith Doyle, BOTTLE COO, and Michelle Reed, BOTTLE Project Manager developed these slides for DOE Project Peer Review.