Kaneka Americas Holding, Inc. announces the creation of a new Biopolymers Division headquartered in Houston, Texas to start selling plant-based degradable plastic compounds in the United States

HOUSTON,April 23,2019 -- Kaneka Americas Holding,Inc. is proud to announce the creation of the new Biopolymers Division based in Houston. Kaneka's PHBH is a plant-based product that offers both flexibility and heat resistance. It is produced via a novel bio-fermentation process which uses renewable plant oils as feed stock. Our products are not only bio-based and bio-compostable in aerobic,anaerobic or marine environments,they are also strongly resistant to heat and can act as a barrier to water vapor.

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Our grades are stable under every day usage conditions. Given the right conditions,under either anaerobic,aerobic or marine conditions in the natural environment,the products will begin to biodegrade.

PHBH has been granted Food Contact Approval by the FDA and is suitable for all food packaging products. PHBH can be formed into many products such as cups,cutlery,food trays,plates etc.

Kaneka has been producing PHBH since 2011 and is currently expanding its facilities in Takasago,Japan. Kaneka hopes to find an alternative solution to the current single use plastic products as the company recognizes the need to bring to market a plant-based product that will help reduce the Ocean and Landfill pollution. Currently it is estimated that about 8 Million tons of plastic end up in the Ocean every year which has created a massive environmental issue in the world's Oceans.*

For further information about Kaneka's PHBH,please contact:

Christiane Waldron

Director of Business Development

Kaneka Americas Holding,Inc.

Biopolymers Division

Christiane.waldron@kaneka.com

Reference Source

* https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/02/150212-ocean-debris-plastic-garbage-patches-science/