A process in
which bugs eat industrial sludge and convert it to plastics is moving close to
commercial reality in Sweden.
of Lund, Sweden, is commissioning two new facilities that are one step from
commercial production of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) plastics from industrial
and municipal wastewater.
last couple of years, we have operated a pilot-scale facility that has
successfully served to prove the concept of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA)
production from wastewater treatment," says Simon Bengtsson, a research
scientist at AnoxKaldnes.
particular, we have confirmed that our PHA produced by open mixed cultures
treating wastewater have similar or even superior material properties compared
to PHA produced from pure microbial cultures and refined substrates," adds
There are many
commercial ventures under way to produce PHA bioplastics using pure microbial cultures,
a costly process. In fact, one of the biggest hurdles facing bioplastics is
their cost structure versus plastics made from petroleum and natural gas. Projected
PHA prices from current commercial ventures
are in the $2.25 to $2.75 per pound range. The competitive oil-based plastics
are priced below $1 per pound. The prices from the new wastewater process are
expected to be closer to oil-based plastics.
ventures scaling up PHA production using fermentation processes include Telles,
USA ; Biomer Biotechnology Co., Germany; PHB Industrial, Brazil; Mitsubishi Gas
Chemical, Japan; Kaneka, Japan; Biomatera, Italy; Jiangsu Nantian Group, China;
Tianan Biologic Material, China; and Lianyi Biotech, China.
are biodegradable and could be used in packaging and even some molded
automotive components that do not require high temperature tolerance.
AnoxKaldnes' approach, the feedstock is a biomass created from organic matter
that is removed from wastewater, such as what's left over from pulp and paper
is enhanced with nutrients and oxygen, and then the bugs go to work. The basic
idea is that bacteria and other organisms store PHA as a source of carbon and
energy for their survival.
at AnoxKaldnes have been able to boost PHA content to 42 percent of sludge by dry
by the company has been partly supported by the European Union Neptune project,
which also includes as a partner the Advanced Water Management Centre at The
University of Queensland, Australia.
of bioplastics is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate above 40
percent through 2015, according to a new report
company called Micromidas
is also exploring the potential to produce bioplastics from wastewater.