Both bioplastics firms have developed the new formulation using a mixture of Danimer’s PHA Nodax and TotalEnergies Corbion’s Luminy High Heat polylactic acid material
The new coffee pod formulation is certified by TUV as home compostable. (Credit: Total Corbion PLA)
Danimer Scientific and TotalEnergies Corbion have announced the development of a new compostable coffee pod biopolymer, which complies with the proposed European Union (EU) packaging regulations.
Both bioplastics firms have developed the new formulation using a mixture of Danimer’s polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) Nodax and TotalEnergies Corbion’s Luminy High Heat polylactic acid (PLA) material.
Danimer and TotalEnergies Corbion’s biopolymer has already passed the biodegradability tests and has been certified by TUV as home compostable.
The coffee pod material is currently being tested in the market by many European companies.
Danimer Scientific chief marketing and sustainability officer Scott Tuten said: “Since beginning our collaborative partnership with TotalEnergies Corbion a couple of years ago, we’ve been working to blend together our respective materials, Nodax and Luminy, to meet the specific functional needs of our customers for a variety of applications.
“We support the EU’s proposed new regulations as a necessary first step in addressing the problem of plastic waste, and we’re pleased to be offering our compostable coffee pod biopolymer as one example of how the technology behind bioplastics has evolved to serve the needs of manufacturers, regulators and consumers as the world moves toward a cleaner and more responsible future.”
In 2021, both companies signed a long-term collaborative arrangement for Luminy PLA, a biobased polymer used to make compostable products.
TotalEnergies Corbion CEO Thomas Philipon said: “We’re excited about the potential of compostable bioplastics to provide an environmentally friendly alternative to single-use petrochemical plastics, and we hope that the coffee pod biopolymer we’ve developed in partnership with Danimer Scientific will be the first of many collaborations to come.”
In May last year, Danimer Scientific inked a multi-year license and supply agreement with Finland-based Kemira to market biobased barrier coatings for paper and board products in markets of North and South America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.