Danimer Scientific, Inc., a pioneering biotechnology company specializing in biodegradable materials, has partnered with Ningbo Homelink Eco-iTech Co. Ltd., a prominent manufacturer of disposable tableware, to launch home compostable extrusion coating biopolymers made with Danimer’s unique polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), Nodax®.

Source: THE FINANCIAL TIMES

Homelink's cups, coated with this PHA-based biopolymer, provide customers with an alternative that is both home and industrially compostable, as well as fully repulpable, compared to traditional paper cups. This PHA biopolymer is specifically designed to replace polyethylene, serving as a liquid barrier coating for paper cups.

The PHA-lined cups from Homelink have received full certification from TÜV as home compostable, from BPI as commercially compostable, and have successfully passed the initial phase of the Western Michigan University repulpability/recyclability test as a repulpable cup. They are currently undergoing full certification for recyclability in paper systems.

While industrial compostable cups are already available in the market, these innovative PHA-coated cups provide consumers with the option to dispose of them in home compost bins or backyard compost piles, alongside established commercial composting programs. Danimer’s PHA-based extrusion coating biopolymer has been certified by TÜV AUSTRIA for both home and industrial compostability, and by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) for commercial composting. To obtain these compostability certifications, products must meet rigorous testing standards for biodegradation, disintegration, ecotoxicity, and regulated metal content within specific time frames outlined by consensus specifications like ASTM D6868 and D8410.

Danimer and Homelink share a common mission, we are committed to using alternative biomaterials to replace traditional plastics. We are excited to partner with a world leader in disposable tableware to bring these home compostable cups to the market. 

Homelink’s products are available in major grocery stores, megastores, and quick-service restaurants worldwide. Nodax®, Danimer’s signature PHA, is a fully renewable and biodegradable biopolymer that can be formulated to replace various traditional plastic products, especially those that are challenging to recycle. Recently, Homelink began construction on a new extrusion facility in Thailand dedicated to producing these innovative cups.