California-based Mango Materials is harnessing methane to produce the biopolymer polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), utilizing biogas sourced from a wastewater treatment facility in Vacaville, California.

Source: Waste360

Founded in 2010 by co-founders Allison Pieja, Molly Morse, and Anne Schauer-Gimenez, their operations truly began to take shape in 2012 after securing a grant from the National Science Foundation.

After years of dedicated lab research, they were eager to transition into the field, establishing and later expanding a small test site at Silicon Valley Clean Water, using biogas from its anaerobic digester. The subsequent relocation to Vacaville’s Easterly Wastewater Treatment Plant represents a significant milestone, allowing them to dramatically scale up their 5,000-liter operation.

While achieving full-scale commercialization and matching conventional plastic prices is still a work in progress, the partners have not disclosed specific figures. However, they anticipate that once they reach mass production, pricing will hover around $1 per pound, comparable to current petroleum costs.

The process involves feeding bacteria methane, which leads to PHA accumulation. This biopolymer is then separated from the bacteria, purified, and dried into a powder that is mixed with other ingredients and compounded into pellets.

The entrepreneurs aim to manage the entire operation in-house, encompassing everything from gas fermentation to pelletization.

The move from Silicon Valley to Vacaville was a significant undertaking, but it was a necessary step to elevate their operations, according to Pieja.

Vacaville, home to the California Biomanufacturing Center and close to the vibrant Bay Area, is part of one of the largest biomanufacturing communities in the world.

Currently, the team focuses on select high-end applications where producers can accommodate the initial higher price point. However, Pieja envisions a future where PHA pellets are integrated into a wide variety of products.

Their first commercial product was a soap dish for Brazilian beauty brand Natura, a former owner of The Body Shop. Other notable products include sunglasses for luxury fashion label Stella McCartney and a biopolymer used in a carbon-negative shoe for Allbirds.

The three-woman team is now exploring fiber applications, films, and injection-molded products, such as toys and premium packaging. As they enter these new areas, they are particularly interested in landscape architecture, where biodegradation is crucial.