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Bioplastics: Superheroes or vilains?
2 min 41Objects made of REGEN™ bioplastic are fully biodegradable in less than 6 months at an industrial composting facility in accordance with the ASTM D6400 specification (for products up to 3 mm thick).
REGEN™ bioplastic is a great alternative to conventional plastics, which are produced at the rate of 400 million tonnes per year. These plastics are accumulating at an alarming rate in our environment and take hundreds of years to decompose.
Biodegradable: Decomposes into water, C02, methane and eventually into a new biomass under the effect of microorganisms.
Compostable: Biodegrades under specific composting conditions (temperature, pH) and within a defined time span (between 3 and 6 months, depending on the standards in place). The process does not cause any toxic residue and helps improve the soil.
REGEN™ is referred to as biobased because it is made from renewable raw material, such as wood residues from the forestry industry. It has been certified by an independant organization (TÜV Austria) that REGEN™ is made from renewable ressources, while conventional plastics are made from fossil-based raw material. REGEN™ really is a premium quality material!
PHA = Polyhydroxyalkanoate
PLA = Polylactic acid
PETE, HDPE, V, LDPE and PP = Plastics from petrochemicals
PS = Polystyrene
Our formula is top secret, but what we can tell you is that REGEN™ contains no petroleum, petrochemical products or toxic chemical additives.
Our secret ingredient: PHA, a natural biopolymer made by bacteria. The powder resulting from this process is highly compostable.
It only takes our PHA a few weeks to break down in any natural environment (water, soil, your compost, etc.) and it could even be used as fish food!
Unfortunately, pure PHA is not perfect. Its little flaws come out when we try using it to make everyday objects. This is where REGEN™ comes in.
REGEN™ is the result of a combination of formulas that BOSK has developed. It is a savvy blend PHA and other ingredients designed to optimize the physical and mechanical properties of PHA. Objects made with REGEN™ are just as practical and efficient as those made of plastic.
Wood fibers, biopolymers, natural additives: the ingredients used to create REGEN™ are carefully chosen. It is MANDATORY for them to be biobased and compostable.
The formulas are all tested to ensure they will biodegrade in industrial composting sites within 6 months (according to market standards).
In short, REGEN™ is the best of both worlds: a material as practical as plastic, but without any harmful impacts on the environment!
REGEN™ is not yet certified for contact with food, but this is a process we are working hard on. If everything goes smoothly, we expected to have it completed early 2023.
For products that require this certification (e.g. cereal box bags, bags for apple sauce, bottles, containers for ready-to-eat foods, you’ll have to wait a little longer.
Once we are certified, the food industry will benefit from making the shift to REGEN™!
Our REGEN™ filaments print as easily as the PLA and offer an enhanced experience. They are stronger, offer better adhesion between layers and also biodegrade faster!
A big YES. The material is manufactured by Bosk Bioproducts in Quebec City, in the province of Quebec.