At Pack Expo Intl., Dordan Manufacturing Company Inc. will be introducing what is said to be the first-ever thermoformed sample of ALGIX’s algae-plastic in its 3rd Annual Bio Resin Show N Tell, booth # E-8005. Deriving up to 70% of its feedstock from aquatic biomass obtained from nitrogen and phosphorus-rich wastewater and blended with various concentrations of PE, PP, EVA, PLA, TPS, PHA etc., the bioresin allows industries such as textile, agriculture, aquaculture, municipal, etc., the opportunity to capture their lowest-value waste product. Through bioremediation using algae and aquatic macrophytes, photosynthesis captures solar energy and converts the wastewater nutrients into biomass that can be used as raw material for composite formulations to make bioplastics. With proper investment facilitating economies of scale, this material may be a viable option for those looking for a cost-competitive, bio-based, and thermoformable resin, notes Dordan.

ALGIX is located in Georgia, where over 150 carpet plants that produce millions of gallons of nutrient-rich wastewater are co-located. Research conducted at the University of Georgia has demonstrated high growth rates from various strains of algae and isolated top-performing microalgae strains for further development. ALGIX is in discussions with companies there to scale up biomass production and looks forward to commercializing this new technology.

Explains Dordan CEO and president Daniel Slavin, “To date, few ‘bioresins’ have met the economic and performance requirements of our clients. We are excited about the potential of ALGIX’s algae-plastic because it uses industrial waste, as opposed to agricultural by-products, as feedstock; consequently, the debate over using agricultural land to produce the components necessary to synthesize the PLAs and PHAs of the world doesn’t apply as this technology literally converts waste to biomass.”