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PHB—a molecule found in nearly all living organisms, including humans—can be extracted as a white powder that melts easily, enabling it to replace conventional plastics. Unlike synthetic plastics, PHB is produced naturally, so the environment treats it like organic waste, allowing microbes to consume and decompose it effortlessly.
Turning Greenhouse Gases into Useful Materials
Innovative company Newlight has developed a process mimicking natural oceanic mechanisms. Microorganisms in saltwater environments consume air and dissolved greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide, to produce PHB. This biopolymer can then be transformed into powders, pellets, and finished products. Despite its simplicity in concept, scaling this process has been a 18-year journey led by founder Mark.