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SK Geocentric, Kolon commercially release plastic that decomposes in 6 months

PBAT is used primarily for various one-off plastic bags and agricultural vinyl, which decomposes more than 90 percent within six months after being buried.

SK Geocentric Co. and textile and chemical materials maker Kolon Industries Inc. have commercially released a polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT)-based plastic that they developed jointly.

PBAT is used primarily for various one-off plastic bags and agricultural vinyl, which decomposes more than 90 percent within six months after being buried.

On the other hand, general plastic products take about 100 years to decompose naturally.

Kolon Industries' Gumi plant can produce 3,000 tons of PBAT per year.

SK Geocentric, a chemical affiliate of SK Innovation Co. and South Korea’s only producer of 1,4-butanediol, a main component of PBAT, will supply raw materials to Kolon Industries.

The annual production capacity is expected to be 60,000 tons by 2024.

They signed a strategic partnership in April and since then produced trial products and acquired related certificates before announcing the release of a commercial product.

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