Kolon Industries to develop biodegradable plastics

Kolon Industries Inc., a South Korean chemical and textile manufacturer, is embarking on the development of biodegradable plastics using food waste.

Kolon Industries announced on Tuesday that it has entered into a three-way memorandum of understanding (MOU) for developing biodegradable plastic technology with Kolon Global, a group-affiliated construction company, and Paques Biomaterials, a Dutch startup specializing in developing environmentally friendly materials.

Through this agreement, the three companies will work together to develop technology for the mass production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), the next-generation environmentally friendly plastic material.PHA is a type of plastic that exhibits the best biodegradable properties in various natural environments, such as soil and marine environments. It has gained attention as a solution for carbon reduction and microplastic pollution.

Paques possesses the core technology to produce PHA from food waste. Kolon Industries and Kolon Global plan to develop technology for PHA mass production using domestic food waste and establish food waste recycling facilities and PHA production systems.

By combining Kolon Industries' expertise in biodegradable plastic manufacturing and Kolon Global's capabilities in the construction and operation of environmental treatment facilities, it is expected that the commercialization of PHA products can be expedited.

"This collaboration is significant in that it allows us to secure both resources and technology for environmentally friendly material production domestically. We will continue to take the lead in establishing a resource circulation system," said Kim Yeong-bom, CEO of Kolon Industries.

Write to Hyung-Kyu Kim at khk@hankyung.com