Cereplast, Inc. (OTCBB:CERP), a manufacturer of bio-based plastics, says it’s developing a technology to transform algae into bioplastics and intends to launch a new family of algae-based resins that will complement the company’s existing line of Compostables® & Hybrid ®resins.
Cereplast algae-based resins could replace 50% or more of the petroleum content used in traditional plastic resins, the company says. Currently, Cereplast is using starches from corn, tapioca, wheat and potatoes and Ingeo® PLA.
"Our algae research has shown promising results and we believe that in the months to come we should be able to launch this new family of algae-based resins,” says CEO Frederic Scheer. “Algae-based resins represent an outstanding opportunity for companies across the plastic supply chain to become more environmentally sustainable and reduce the industry’s reliance on oil. We are still in the development phase, but we believe that this breakthrough technology could result in a significant new line of business in the years to come.”
Cereplast has initiated contact with several companies that plan to use algae to minimize CO2 and NOX gases from polluting smoke-stack environments. Algae from a typical photo-bioreactor is harvested daily and may be treated as biomass, which can be used as biofuel or as a raw material source for biopolymer feed stock.
The company also said it is in direct communication with potential chemical conversion companies that could convert the algae biomass into viable monomers for further conversion into potential biopolymers.
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