New polybags provide similar properties to traditional petroleum-based plastic bags, including in durability, opacity and adhesiveness
CJ Biomaterials, Inc, a division of CJ CheilJedang and a primary producer of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biopolymers, announced today that it has developed a new PHA-based polybag that has properties similar to traditional polybags made with petroleum-based plastic material. Health and beauty retailer CJ Olive Young will incorporate the new PHA-based bags into its same-day delivery service. This eco-friendly polybag technology will reduce the impact same-day delivery has on the environment and help to address the challenge of plastic waste.
CJ Biomaterials’ polybag is made exclusively from biodegradable materials, eliminating the use of polyvinylchloride (PVC). Commonly used in the production of conventional polybags and other flexible packaging solutions, PVC has a negative impact on the environment. CJ Biomaterials researched how its PHA technology could be used to replace PVC, and successfully created a bag with properties that are similar to those of more traditional plastic options. With their increased bio-content, these PHA-incorporating bags are durable enough to carry heavy or sharp-edged items without tearing. They also have excellent opacity – preventing their contents from being visible from the outside – and have adhesive properties that allow shipping labels to remain firmly in place once applied, making the bags suitable for multiple applications.
CJ Olive Young is using its new PHA bags for same-day delivery services from two urban distribution hubs in Korea, with expansion to other regions currently under consideration. On average, CJ Olive Young makes 40,000 same-day deliveries a month, and that number can reach as high as 100,000 when sales and promotions are active. By incorporating PHA biopolymer into its bags, CJ Olive Young is adding to its efforts to reduce conventional plastic packaging.
“Our PHA biopolymers are derived from nature and produced sustainably,” said Lee Seung-jin, White BIO Business Leader at CJ CheilJedang, the parent company of CJ Biomaterials. “In collaboration with CJ Olive Young, we are introducing this breakthrough development in sustainable delivery technology to a large consumer base, which we believe will accelerate its commercialization. Moving forward, we will continue to actively expand the application of our PHA biopolymers into a range of customer-centric fields through the development of various material application technologies.”
CJ Biomaterials’ PHA technology can be used as building blocks to replace and improve the functional characteristics of a broad range of polymers in the production of finished goods or as starting points for sustainable chemistry. PHAs work well as modifiers to other polymers or biopolymers and can increase bio-based content, accelerate biodegradation and improve the functional properties of resins and finished products. As one of only a few companies capable of mass-producing PHA, CJ Biomaterials is committed to impactful action in delivering eco-friendly solutions with its extensive PHA technology platform.
CJ Biomaterials continues to expand on the applications of its PHA technology, developing solutions for food and beverage packaging, food service ware, fiber and nonwoven materials, agriculture and horticulture, consumer goods and 3D printing filament. In January 2023, the company announced that its PHA was used in the development of microwaveable paper coating used in New Today’s Chicken Noodle Cup packaging, which is sold at CU, Korea’s leading convenience store chain. The company also worked with RIMAN INCELLDERM to create environmentally friendly cosmetic packaging and collaborated with various companies – including CJ Olive Young, Dongil Platech, Yuhan-Kimberly, Banila Co and biopolymer manufacturer NatureWorks – to broaden the use of PHA in multiple markets and applications. The company also won the German 2023 Red Dot Design Award for its PHA Head-Up Toothbrush, which was developed in partnership with eco-friendly design specialist Revelop.
For information on CJ Biomaterials, its PHA technology and how the organization is forming partnerships to develop solutions that will help tackle plastic waste, visit https://www.cjbiomaterials.com.
