Global Markets Slide as AI, Crypto, and Precious Metals Face Heightened Volatility 
Dow Hits 50,000 as U.S. Stocks Stage Strong Rebound Amid AI Volatility 
SpaceX Pushes for Early Stock Index Inclusion Ahead of Potential Record-Breaking IPO 
Nintendo Shares Slide After Earnings Miss Raises Switch 2 Margin Concerns 
Dollar Steadies Ahead of ECB and BoE Decisions as Markets Turn Risk-Off 
Ford and Geely Explore Strategic Manufacturing Partnership in Europe 
Once Upon a Farm Raises Nearly $198 Million in IPO, Valued at Over $724 Million 
Nvidia, ByteDance, and the U.S.-China AI Chip Standoff Over H200 Exports 
Vietnam’s Trade Surplus With US Jumps as Exports Surge and China Imports Hit Record 
Silver Prices Plunge in Asian Trade as Dollar Strength Triggers Fresh Precious Metals Sell-Off 
U.S. Stock Futures Edge Higher as Tech Rout Deepens on AI Concerns and Earnings 
Nvidia Nears $20 Billion OpenAI Investment as AI Funding Race Intensifies 
Uber Ordered to Pay $8.5 Million in Bellwether Sexual Assault Lawsuit 
Gold and Silver Prices Slide as Dollar Strength and Easing Tensions Weigh on Metals 
TSMC Eyes 3nm Chip Production in Japan with $17 Billion Kumamoto Investment 
TrumpRx Website Launches to Offer Discounted Prescription Drugs for Cash-Paying Americans 
Instagram Outage Disrupts Thousands of U.S. Users 
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.
