Lotte Chemical Develops Large-Scale Production Technology for Marine Biodegradable Plastic Materials

Research Team Led by Yoon Seong-ho at Chung-Ang University... Aiming to Secure Technology by Next Year

PHA photo developed by Lotte Chemical

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] Lotte Chemical announced on the 14th that it will develop production technology for polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), a biodegradable plastic material based on petrochemicals.

PHA is an eco-friendly high value-added material that has superior carbon reduction effects during production compared to conventional plastic materials and is traded at a high price. It is used in packaging materials, medical products, and cosmetic containers. It is harmless to the human body and exhibits excellent biodegradability in natural and marine environments, making it a technology recently attracting attention for solving plastic waste and marine pollution problems.

Lotte Chemical plans to secure PHA production technology by next year through joint research with Professor Seongho Yoon of Chung-Ang University. If commercialized, it will be the world's first production case based on petrochemical raw materials.

Currently, PHA is produced using microbial raw materials, undergoing processes such as microbial cultivation and fermentation, making raw material supply difficult and production scale small. As a result, the product price is high and price competitiveness is low.

The company explained that if a petrochemical-based manufacturing process is commercialized, it will be possible to secure price competitiveness by using relatively easily supplied chemical and biomass raw materials, as well as enable large-scale product mass production.

Jingu Hwang, head of Lotte Chemical's Basic Materials Business, said, "We will realize commercial production of PHA by combining Lotte Chemical's process development capabilities with Professor Yoon Seongho's technical know-how," adding, "We will strive to expand eco-friendly materials and build a sustainable ecosystem through active research investment."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.