Bioplastics
From Food Waste
Modesto Chamber of Commerce
February 20, 2014
Back2Earth Technologies
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So, what’s the problem?
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Bioplastics Made From
Diluted Food Waste
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BioPlastics Start With
Digested Food Waste
North State Rendering
Chico, CA
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40% to BioPlastics
Intercept Digested Waste
At
Hydrolysis Stage
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A Specific Bio-based
Plastic
• PHA (Poly Hydroxy Alkanoate)
• What products are made from PHA-type
resins?
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Bio Plastics
From Food Waste
Pallets
Compostable
Containers
PHA Films
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PHA Superior Performance
Compostable Bio-Plastics
Plantable
Nursery
Pots
Natural Fiber
Thermoplastic
Composites
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Old Style Polypropylene
New PHA Plantable Pot
864 × 518 - pubs.rsc.org
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Applications
Containers
Forks
Straps
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Interior Trim from PHA Resin
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Set to Revolutionize
Plastics Industry
Compostable
BioPlastic
Trash Bags
Environmental Engineering Makes This Possible
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Surgical Sutures That Dissolve
In The Body
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Medical Applications: PHA
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PHA Degradation (Air Environment)
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Digester Tanks
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Zero Waste
Process Flow
Methane
Digester
Bio-Resin Reactors
Recycled
Water
Diluted
Food
VFA’s
Anaerobic Digesters
(Acid Phase)
PHA
Resin
PHA Microbes
Recycled
Water
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Feast Famine Cycle..use of micro-organisms and
a patented methodology
Mixed
Culture Feed
Many bacteria
introduced
Non-PHA producers
die / do not
reproduce
Famine: PHA
Producers
still thrive
Feast: PHA
growth
Everything grows
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Lab at Peaches Processor
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Bench Scale PHA
Production Tanks
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The Key: Fatty Acids & Microbes
Microbes
Microbes Feast on
Volatile Fatty Acids
Fatty Acids a Result
of Digestion
Microbes act as Energy Storage Molecules
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PHA Resin In Energy Storage
Molecules
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PHA Production Tanks
(Siemens Design)
Lightning Not Included
In Price
Microbes gather
PHA Resin in Cells
Sequence Batch Reactors
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Which Food Waste Inputs
are Acceptable?
Digester
FATS, OILS, GREASE (FOG)
(FAST-FOOD OUTLETS)
TOMATO WASTE
FRUIT WASTE
OLIVE OIL PROCESSING
BIO-PLASTIC
RESINS
RENDERING WASTE
CITRUS RINDS
SLAUGHTER HOUSE WASTE
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COMPOST
&
WATER
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What About Reclaiming Water
?
BioFiltro
BIDA System
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Water Reclaimed
(Food Processor Case Study)
• Daily Water Use: 600,000 gal
• Food Processing (400,000)
• Equip Washdown (200,000)
•
Annual Reclaimed Water
• 400,000 x 360 = 144,000,000 gal
• What about the other 200,000 gal
per day?
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Summary
• Water, Plastic & Food Waste
Are Intertwined
• Food Processors Are Part of
The Solution
• Convert Waste to Bioplastics
• Reclaim Water at End of
Process
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