Bioplastics From Tobacco? New GM Crop Makes Plastic, Not Cigs
Filed Under: Environmental News, Green Technology on October 29, 2009
Metabolix, a bioscience company focused on finding sustainable plastics, chemicals, and energy, has been working on a new genetically modified strain of tobacco plant that produces higher amounts of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) for making bio-based polymers. The company has completed field trials on the plants, which began in March of this year.
The open air field trial followed up the in-lab trials the company did last year. This current crop came in this fall and took place on eight tenths of an acre and produced plants with 3-5% PHA, which is about twice the normal given by most tobacco strains.
Based on switchgrass trials last year, the company has produced a bio-plastic called Mirel, which is plants to market commercially in the next two years. The plastic is a high-performance polymer made entirely from plant derivatives (mostly switchgrass) and is fully biodegradable. The tobacco experiment done this year would produce more PHA per acre and possibly tougher plastics.
Metabolix is researching and developing a proprietary platform technology for co-producing plastics, chemicals, and energy using crops including switchgrass, oilseeds, sugarcane, and tobacco.
Hi Aaron! Beware of Bio-plastics. They can still be made with mutagents and endocrine disruptors (chemicals).
Are Green Products from GMO crops safe all the time?