Press Release
-

EPA issues rules on methane capture from landfills
.
Something to think about for companies developing technologies that uses methane for feedstock in chemical/polymers production. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued its new final rule on steps to further reduce emissions of methane-rich gas from municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills by capturing and controlling landfill gas emissions at levels that are one-third…
-

Toyota Tsusho expands bio-PET investments
.
I am back from a brief mini-vacation and my apologies for those who left emails and messages that I have not yet responded to. I am now working on Tecnon OrbiChem’s Biomaterials newsletter and will probably be able to respond to those by first week of August. Here is one story that I will include…
-

DOE releases initial 2016 Biomass report
.
The US Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), in collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), has rolled out the first volume of its 2016 Billion-Ton biomass report looking into the potential for US to sustainably produce at least one billion dry tons of non-food biomass resources annually by 2040. This is the third…
-

Phosphorus from municipal sewage
.
AVA-CO2 recently announced that its cleanphos pilot plant in Karlsruhe, Germany, came online early this month. The cleanphos process enables efficient and cost-effective recovery of phosphorus from sewage sludge compared to existing phosphorus recovery methods. The pilot unit will be tested in the coming weeks and months with two project partners, the University of Hohenhelm…
-

S2G Biochemicals starts bio-glycols campaign
.
I had a very interesting interview with S2G BioChemicals‘ CEO, Mark Kirby, on their road to commercialization of not only bio-based glycols, MEG and MPG, but also an undisclosed high value specialty chemical that the company is currently collaborating with a Fortune 100 partner. I will report all of this for Tecnon OrbiChem’s Biomaterials newsletter…
-

Study: Biodegradable/compostable plastics in Europe
.
nova-institute GmbH recently published a study on the consumption of biodegradable and compostable plastic products in Europe, which reportedly grew to 100,000 tons in 2015. Consumption is expected to grow beyond 300,000 tons in 2020 if the legal framework were to be set more favorably. This is based on an assumed annual growth rate of…
-

Biodegradable urn now available
.
I am on a very tight deadline for Tecnon OrbiChem’s Biomaterials newsletter but I can’t resist posting this news about kickstarter company, Bios Urn (or Urna Bios), based in Spain. This startup is selling a 100% biodegradable urn using a custom moulding system (no glues or chemical additives used) where you can put your loved…
