Mango Materials
Mango Materials produces affordable biodegradable plastics from methane, a greenhouse gas.
THE PROBLEM
Plastics are convenient and ubiquitous in everyday life but traditionally manufactured from oil, a non-renewable resource. At the end of their useful lives, few plastics are actually recycled and therefore persist in landfills or oceans for thousands of years. The build up of non-biodegradable plastic in the environment harms ecosystems and pollutes natural resources. Additionally, methane, a potent GHG, is produced in excess by WWTPs, landfills, agricultural facilities, and industries.
THE INNOVATION
Mango Materials transforms waste methane, into biodegradable plastics that are economically and functionally competitive with oil-based plastics. The methane is captured and fed to naturally occurring bacteria that produce the biodegradable plastic. Once that product is no longer needed, the PHA will break down in a microbial rich environment producing methane which can be turned back into PHA with Mango Materials’ cradle-to-cradle process.
STAGE OF INNOVATION: Tested Prototype
THE VISION
As an environmentally conscious company, we strive to produce a polymer that will replace traditional plastics in everyday goods. The ability to produce a single-use product that will not persist in the environment drives the team every day. Once our biopolymer is used in products and distributed to a wide audience for everyday use, then we will consider our hard work a success.
“I am incredibly excited about the enormous potential Mango Materials has to transform the way plastics are designed, manufactured and valued at the end of their useful life.” – Molly Morse