Development story

Kaneka began developing PHBH during the early 1990s. At the time, pollution of the world's oceans with microplastics was not gaining global recognition as an environmental issue, prompting us to launch the project out of a desire to provide an environmentally friendly solution that was not dependent on oil resources.

As Kaneka's researchers were visiting various sites worldwide as part of their search for suitable microorganisms to create a polymer, they found a microbe that could produce PHBH right at home, in the soil at the Kaneka Takasago Manufacturing Site in Japan! However, the newly discovered microorganism only created small quantities of PHBH. Even if Kaneka could develop a microorganism suitable for mass production, experts still faced significant difficulties putting it into practical use. 

By bringing its proprietary polymer technology and biotechnology together, Kaneka became the first in the world to industrialize PHBH. 
Kaneka Takasago factory has been producing PHBH since 2011. The pilot production has a capacity of 5,000 MT/y. 

For EMEA, Kaneka Belgium works with brand owners, converters, and governments to develop regional custom-made solutions. From our site in Belgium, we provide compound production, warehousing, and technical and sales support for Green Planet™.