Metabolix to Highlight Mirel PHA Biopolymers in Packaging Applications at SustPack 2016

07-Apr-16

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 07, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Metabolix, Inc. an advanced biomaterials company focused on sustainable solutions for the plastics industry, announced today it will highlight a range of packaging applications for its Mirel^® PHA biopolymers at SustPack 2016. Show attendees may visit Metabolix at Booth 27 during SustPack 2016, to be held in Chicago, Illinois on Monday, April 11 through Wednesday, April 13, 2016.

“With a focus on innovation and sustainability in packaging, SustPack will provide us with an important forum to discuss the unique attributes of our specialty PHA biopolymers for a range of consumer packaging applications,” said Max Senechal, Metabolix’s vice president of strategy and commercial development. “Our specialty PHA biopolymers deliver biocontent and performance, as well as a range of end of life options for packaging including repulpability and compostability. We look forward to our PHA playing a key role in enabling the development of new sustainable packaging options.”

Metabolix’s amorphous PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate) biopolymer material is biobased and broadly biodegradable. This specialty PHA can be used as a performance additive for PVC and PLA as well as in applications requiring functional biodegradation. As a performance modifier for PLA packaging applications, Metabolix’s amorphous PHA is used to improve mechanical properties while maintaining high biobased content and industrial compostability of the material.

At booth 27, Metabolix will showcase product samples demonstrating the use of its new Mirel amorphous PHA in a range of applications including coatings for paper and cardboard, packaging film, “clam shell” thermoform packaging containers and injection molded articles.

Metabolix has taken its new Mirel amorphous PHA biopolymer materials to market and is working closely with brand owners and converters in a range of applications:

Barrier Coatings for Paper and Cardboard: Mirel PHA latex and PHA melt coatings can be used as innovative biobased coatings for paper and cardboard. In paper coating applications, PHA latex provides excellent barrier properties to water and grease and is compatible with the re-pulping operations typically used to recycle paper and corrugated cardboard.
Clear packaging film: a-PHA modified PLA film is both tough and ductile, creating a clear film that provides an excellent surface for printing and messaging, and is suitable for a broad range of packaging applications.
Sheet Extrusion and Thermoformed Packaging: Metabolix Mirel a-PHA is a softer and more rubbery version of PHA that offers a fundamentally different performance profile from semi-crystalline forms of PHA and is ideal for thermoform applications. The use of a-PHA for PLA modification allows for creation of clear, biobased, compostable “clam shell” thermoform containers used in food and consumer packaging.
Injection molded articles: The addition of a-PHA to PLA enables the strength and toughness of injection molded products to be increased substantially over use of PLA with conventional additives to produce high biocontent parts. The addition of a-PHA to PLA can be applied to various mold geometries and physical properties can be further optimized with the addition of mineral filler.

About Metabolix
Metabolix, Inc. is an innovation-driven specialty materials company focused on delivering high-performance biopolymer solutions to customers in the plastics industry. Metabolix’s Mirel^®biopolymers, which are derived from renewable resources, are a family of biobased performance additives and specialty resins based on PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoates). Metabolix’s proprietary biotechnology platform enables the creation of specialty biopolymers for use in a broad range of applications such as construction and packaging materials, as well as industrial, consumer and personal care products.