PHA/PLA Blends for Coffee Pods Meet EU Compostability Specs
Danimer Scientific and TotalEnergies Corbion collaborate on biopolymer blends that meet proposed EU compostability requirements for coffee pods and other plastic packaging.
PHA/PLA blends from Danimer Scientific are being tested in European markets for compostable coffee pods. (Photo: Pexels/Edward Eyer)
Danimer Scientific, Inc., has developed a range of bioplastic blends that reportedly meet proposed European Union packaging regulations for compostability. The formulations consist of Danimer’s Nodax PHA biopolymer as the majority ingredient, together with Luminy high-heat PLA from TotalEnergies Corbion. These compounds were developed because of an EU proposed requirement for compostability in plastic packaging such as tea bags, coffee pods (or capsules), very light plastic bags, and sticky labels for fruits and vegetables. Danimer officials note that PLA by itself is industrially compostable, but blends of PLA and PHA are home compostable. The new blends reportedly have passed biodegradability tests and have been certified by TÜV as home compositable. They are currently being tested in the market by numerous European companies.
Based in Germany, TÜV is an international association of independent service companies that perform product testing and certification. In 2021, Danimer entered into a long-term supply agreement with TotalEnergies Corbion to provide Danimer with Luminy PLA for Danimer’s development and production of custom PLA formulations and PHA/PLA blends.
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