CJ Biomaterials commercialises All-PHA extrusion coating for paper with home, marine compostability certifications

AUSTRIA – CJ Biomaterials has made PHACT CB0504A commercially available, an all-PHA extrusion coating for paper that has received TÜV Austria’s OK compost Home, OK compost Industrial, and OK biodegradable MARINE certifications.

The resin is intended to serve as a biobased and compostable substitute for fossil-based or non-compostable coatings used in hot and cold paper cups, along with other food service and food packaging products. 

PHACT CB0504A is produced through the fermentation of renewable sugars and does not contain PFAS or leave persistent microplastics. Certification from the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) is still in progress.

A Blend of Two PHA Types

It is the first extrusion coating made with both amorphous PHA (aPHA) and semi-crystalline PHA (scPHA). 

The aPHA component, PHACT A1000P, is soft and flexible, contributing to reducing brittleness and facilitating processing. 

The scPHA element, PHACT S1000P, is a more rigid resin that provides the heat resistance required for food service uses. 

By blending both types, CJ Biomaterials balances the competing demands of flexibility (to avoid cracking during converting) and thermal stability (to withstand hot fill and sealing temperatures).

Food Contact Compliance

The PHA grades used in the material are listed on the US Food and Drug Administration Inventory of Effective Food Contact Substances (FCS), allowing use in packaging sold in the US that comes into contact with food, including rigid and flexible packaging, serviceware, and related products. 

Regulatory approval for food contact is a significant barrier for new biopolymer introductions, as migration testing must demonstrate that no harmful substances transfer from packaging to food.

Easing Converter Adoption

CJ Biomaterials said the compound can be processed on equipment built for PLA extrusion coatings, which may ease adoption by converters seeking to make home compostable coated paper products. 

PLA extrusion lines are already installed at many paper coating converters; a PHA coating that runs on the same equipment reduces capital investment risk.

Adam Johnson, CJ Biomaterials business development and product strategy director, explained that the latest PHACT PHA grade has earned certification for both home and industrial composting, opening up end-of-life composting options for coated paper-based packaging to facilitate organics diversion across a range of scales from community programmes to full commercial facilities. 

He noted that beyond compostability, it also allows coated paper-based packaging to answer the growing demand for biobased materials while delivering the liquid, oil, and grease resistance that food service applications require.

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