At a research lab in Woburn, Massachusetts, pebble-sized pellets are being molded into forks, films and packaging. Unlike ordinary plastic, these are designed to disappear rather than persist. The material comes from CJ Biomaterials. The company ferments sugar to produce plant-based polymers called polyhydroxyalkanoates, or PHAs.
Unlike conventional plastics, PHAs are both bio-based and biodegradable. Microbes consume the polymer during production. They later break it down again in compost or soil. Lab technicians have used the pellets to create rigid and flexible prototypes. These include food packaging films and cutlery that decompose within a compost bin. A tossed-in knife recently showed pitting as bacteria began colonizing its surface.
Interest in bioplastics has grown alongside concerns about microplastics. Marketing director Leah Ford said this shifting awareness is changing how people evaluate plastic alternatives.
CJ Biomaterials is part of the South Korean conglomerate CJ Group. It has produced PHA at an Indonesian facility since 2022. Its products already appear in compostable cups, straws and sushi trays used across the United States.
Globally, biobased plastics remain a small slice of the market. They represent roughly 0.5% of annual plastic production, according to European Bioplastics. That share is projected to double by 2030.
Challenges remain. Bioplastics typically cost more to produce. Composting infrastructure is uneven. Some materials can be mistaken for conventional plastic, complicating sorting. Environmental groups also caution that bioplastics could reinforce single-use habits rather than reduce them.
Researchers continue testing how these materials perform outside the lab, including how quickly they degrade across different environments.
