Fortum Recycling & Waste presents INGA: the world’s first biodegradable plastic born entirely from CO₂. INGA captures the value of CO₂ emissions to create raw materials that can revolutionise plastic production – fossil-free and without microplastics.
Fortum Recycling and Waste
“It is time to rethink plastic production and move away from fossil feedstock. There is an ever-increasing need for high-quality sustainable plastics that can be used everywhere and that meet the set requirements, whether it be hygiene, colour, haptic or barrier properties. Not only does INGA answer all of those demands, but it is also biodegradable and does not leave any microplastics behind. In terms of quality, INGA has the same properties as virgin plastics,” says Tony Rehn, head of the INGA development team at Fortum Recycling & Waste.
“This breakthrough was a major milestone, and we are now looking for partners on our journey towards commercialising INGA. Our goal is to have the first products made of INGA plastics on the market within this decade,” Rehn continues.
Unmatched combination of sustainability, safety and a broad property window
INGA is a PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate) material, meaning it is biodegradable. The mechanical properties of PHAs can be modified in many ways, making them a versatile material.
INGA plastic meets the needs and requirements of various applications. Its rigidity and durability make it suitable for electronic appliances, toys and cosmetics packaging. With excellent barrier properties, including low water and oxygen transmission rates and high grease resistance, it provides a safe and sustainable solution for food packaging.
The CO₂-based production of INGA continues the long line of innovative PHA development. Combining PHA polymers with additives and fillers creates a polyester plastic that is:
- Hydrophobic: it has water barrier resistance and does not dissolve in water
- Thermoplastic: it can be melted and reshaped, making it recyclable
- Biodegradable in all tested environments: marine, freshwater, soil, home composting, landfill, anaerobic digestion and industrial composting
- Malleable and suitable for different processing methods like extrusion, injection moulding and dispersion coating.
Carbon recycling complements mechanical recycling and bio-based plastics
The global demand for plastics is expected to grow threefold by 2050 while the plastic recycling is increasing at an unfortunately slow rate: only 9% of annual plastic waste was recycled globally in 2023, according to the European Environment Agency and the United Nations. Some plastic cannot be mechanically recycled into a new material. Bio-based plastic production is limited by the availability of raw materials such as wood, sugar beet, sugar cane and vegetable oils.
“We want to promote the circulation of materials comprehensively. We believe that INGA will break the ground for a whole new category of responsible plastics, though mechanical recycling of plastics and bio-based solutions are still needed," Rehn clarifies.
INGA can be recycled just like many other plastics, closing the carbon cycle. An additional advantage of biodegradable plastic is that even if it ends up in nature by accident, it decomposes and does not leave harmful microplastics in the environment. INGA will be available to wider audiences in the coming years. The industrial production of INGA is expected to start by the end of the decade.