PLASTICS Awards Danimer Scientific and WinCup as the 2020 Innovation in Bioplastics Winners

Earlier this month, we reported on how bioplastics are getting increased attention, even during difficult economic times, as was recently indicated  by the recent grant announcements by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The DOE selected eight biomanufacturing companies to receive a total of nearly $5.7 million. Of the eight, Danimer Scientific was the sole recipient focused on creating biodegradable plastics. The grant will be used to expand commercialization of the company’s Nodax PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate).

Now, Danimer Scientific and a leading U.S. manufacturer of disposable foodservice to-go ware, WinCup, Stone Mountain, Ga., have been jointly named as the 2020 innovation in bioplastics award winner by the Bioplastics Div. of PLASTICS (The Plastics Industry Association). The partners developed the first commercially sold straws made from PHA—a material verified as a reliable biodegradable alternative to traditional petrochemical plastic.

WinCup produced the Phade straws using Danimer’s Nodax PHA, which will completely degrade in any environment without leaving behind microplastics. Consumer demand for eco-friendly plastic products is growing exponentially. Phade straws were the first plastic drinking straw on the market to meet this eco-friendly demand without losing the feel and quality of plastic. 

Said PLASTICS’ director of sustainability & materials Patrick Krieger, “We are honored to present the Innovation in Bioplastics Award to Danimer Scientific and WinCup, recognizing their work in continued innovation….In 2018, Danimer along with PepsiCo received recognition for their industrially compostable chip bag, which sought to provide a sustainable end-of-life solution for a difficult-to-recycle packaging format. Since then, they have advanced so much with their production and compounding with PHA, resulting in a plastic straw that is marine-biodegradable. This product also speaks to a bigger principle in the plastics industry: innovative problem-solving to create products that consumers want.”

A pioneer in creating more sustainable and natural ways to make plastic products that are biodegradable and compostable, Danimer Scientific’s biopolymers have application as injection-molded articles, films, filaments, additives, fibers and aqueous coatings. The company holds 125 patents in nearly 20 countries for a range of manufacturing processes and biopolymer formulations.

Said Danimer’s chief marketing officer Scott Tuten, “Innovation is a collaborative process, and this recognition of our work with WinCup highlights the success that is possible when raw material and end-product manufacturers partner on bringing new materials to market. Our launch of this first-of-its-kind backyard compostable and marine-biodegradable straw is only the beginning. We look forward to continuing our partnership with WinCup to provide consumers with reliable and sustainable options for single-use products.”

Added WinCup COO Brad Laporte, “Consumer demand continues to grow for innovative products that minimize environmental impacts while maintaining superior performance, and we needed an innovative material to meet that demand….Partnering with Danimer Scientific to develop PHA based straws and stirrers is a big step to changing the future in single-use plastics. We are especially honored to have our work recognized by the Plastics Industry Association.”