Samyang produces the world's first biodegradable corn-based plastic

Samyang has discovered a way to produce plant-based plastics. It was reported that the South Korean company developed biodegradable plastic that is strong, durable, and environmentally friendly.

The plant-based plastic

As per The Korea Economic Daily, as environmental regulations today are being tightened by governments around the world, Samyang took the initiative to find a more sustainable way to make plastics that are important to most manufacturing companies.

The good news is that the company succeeded, and it was able to produce the material using plants. To be more specific, Samyang was able to make biodegradable plastics using corn.

The company shared the news on Tuesday, July 7, and it was proud to share about its latest development for eco-friendly plastics. It was mentioned that this is the first time that Korea is using starch-based isosorbide to make the product. Isosorbide was described as the base material used for different types of biodegradable derivatives.

Samyang is building its isosorbide plant

Samyang and its affiliate, Samyang Innochem Corp., are building an isosorbide factory, and it is expected to be completed before this year ends. Once in operation, it can churn out 10,000 tons of materials annually.

The company will be producing biodegradable plastics using cornstarch in the said plant. Corn-based plastic is said to be the first in the world, according to Business Korea.

The bio-material isosorbide is created through chemically processing the starch from plants like corn. The end result is a tougher material compared to petroleum-based plastics.

Samyang Corp. has also developed a compound that can be turned into films. However, it requires more complicated processing. It was said that turning biodegradable plastic into a film form needs a compounding process, but fortunately, the firm already developed a technology that is related to this processing system.

In any case, Samyang is just one of the Korean companies to have developed biodegradable plastic. It has joined Samsung, Lotte Chemical Corp., LG Chem LTD., and Hanhwa Solutions Corp. in developing biodegradable materials to replace plastics that are harmful to the environment.