Companies and universities have collaborated to reduce carbon dioxide emissions associated with the production of plastics, and have decided to develop a technology for mass-producing biomass plastics using components extracted from the microorganism Midorimushi.
Conventional plastics made from petroleum emit a large amount of carbon dioxide in the process of production, which is an issue for the realization of a carbon-free society.
Under these circumstances, the venture company Euglena, Seiko Epson, NEC, and the University of Tokyo have collaborated to set up a new organization and embark on the development of technology for mass-producing plastics from the components of Euglena.
Specifically, we aim to mass-produce biomass plastics using a resin made by chemically reacting a component called "paramylon" extracted from the body of Euglena.
Euglena is also expected to have the effect of absorbing carbon dioxide through photosynthesis, and is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions compared to producing from petroleum.
Euglena Co., Ltd. will produce 200,000 tons per year in 2030, which will lead to a reduction in the production of petroleum-based plastics.
Professor Tadahisa Iwata of the University of Tokyo, who is involved in the development, said, "Plastic is a material that has enriched our lives, and it is necessary for companies to come together and create a new industry for the production of biomass plastic."