Look For Mirel Bioplastic Food Contact Applications

Injection-molded food-contact applications for a new grade of bioplastic now being made on commercial scale are expected by midsummer. Metabolix and Archer Daniels Midland are commercializing Mirel polyhydroxyalkanoate  (PHA) through a joint venture called Telles. The first commercial-scale Mirel production plant is adjacent to ADM’s wet corn mill in Clinton, IA.

“We are planning to bring injection-molding products to food contact markets in Q2,” says Richard Eno, CEO of Metabolix. “This will enable us to sell into applications such as cutlery and injection-molded food storage containers. We expect to bring thermoforming and film products to food contact markets in the second half of this year.”

Prices are projected as $2.25 to $2.75 per pound, except for some specialty grades, serving niches