Recently, China's first PHA (polyhydroxyfatty acid ester) biodegradable straw specifically for the dairy industry jointly developed by Microstructure Factory, Mengniu Group and CSSC Pengli was officially put into commercial use. The product achievement is derived from the transformation of technical achievements of the Center for Synthesis and Systems Biology of Tsinghua University, aiming to reduce plastic pollution, respond to the national "double carbon" goal, and take the lead in launching in the national direct stores of Yogurt Day, a ready-made yogurt brand under Mengniu Group, marking a key step in the field of plastic subspation in China's catering industry. This is another major move in PHA application after the launch of PHA straws by Microstructure Factory and Hengxin Life for the tea field.
With the increase in global environmental awareness, the problem of white pollution caused by plastic straws is becoming increasingly prominent. As a PHA R&D and manufacturing enterprise with core intellectual property rights, Microstructure Workshop's materials are fully biodegradable and can be quickly decomposed into water and other biomass in the natural environment. The PHA straws developed and applied by Mengniu Group are aimed at the three fundamental tasks of green packaging to "control environmental pollution, protect earth resources, and help achieve net zero", and realize the complete closed loop of the group's green packaging principle "4R1D", and it is expected that the first batch of products will take the lead in upgrading degradable plastic straws in ready-to-drink stores.
Behind the birth of this milky white straw is the Sifang team's insistence on the concept of "returning to nature" of plastic. PHA is fermented and "seeded" by microorganisms in nature, and has been identified by TÜV as an authoritative material, which meets the category of bio-based materials, and can reduce carbon emissions by about 60% by replacing fossil raw materials.
This PHA straw has passed rigorous food safety testing, at the end of the product life cycle, the straw does not need to rely on specific industrial composting facilities, and can be completely degraded into water and other biomass in natural environments such as soil, rivers or oceans within 180 days, with a degradation rate of more than 10 times, effectively avoiding microplastic residues and bringing burdens to nature and life. Compared with paper straws, it completely solves the pain point of consumer experience that is easy to soften and break when exposed to water.
On December 5, World Soil Day, this straw was officially released by Yogurt Day, and core stores such as Beijing Digital Park Store and Shanghai World Expo World Store were put into use, covering high-end business districts in Beijing and Shanghai. When consumers hold a yogurt cup, this little straw is fulfilling its mission, returning to dust after delivering deliciousness, and nourishing new life in the next spring.
This cooperation opens up the whole chain of "scientific research-manufacturing-consumption" and provides a replicable commercialization model for biomaterials. With the commissioning of the Yichang 10,000-ton PHA production base in 2025, the cost of such innovative materials is expected to further decrease and accelerate its penetration into catering, FMCG and other industries. As more "return to nature" stories move from the laboratory to the daily routine, the problem of plastic pollution may usher in a new solution.
