Sustainability Insights & Environmental News

The global hotel industry produces an estimated 289,700 tons of plastic waste every year. Here is the math behind what changes in ocean microplastics, soil contamination, and human health exposure if the world's largest hotel brands replaced it with PHA.

Roughly 40 billion single-use plastic utensils are used and discarded in the U.S. every year, and fewer than 1% are ever recycled. Here is the statistical breakdown of what changes in landfill volume, ocean pollution, and human microplastic exposure if half of them were replaced with PHA by 2027.

An estimated 500 million plastic straws are used every day in the U.S. alone, adding up to roughly 76,000 metric tons of petroleum plastic a year from straws alone. Here is the statistical breakdown of what changes in human health exposure, ocean pollution, and decomposition timelines if every one of them were replaced with PHA.

Global souffle and portion cup production exceeds 40 billion units annually — fewer than 3% ever recycled, the rest fragmenting into microplastics for 500 years. PHA souffle cups biodegrade completely in marine, soil, and home compost while matching conventional black plastic in capacity, diameter, and lid fit. The food service industry's answer to its most overlooked plastic problem.

73% of travelers say they prefer to book eco-friendly hotels — but preference doesn't rebuild a property's supply chain on its own. A structured Hotel Sustainability Program maps every plastic touchpoint, from in-room amenities to banquet serviceware, to a certified compostable replacement. Here's the 6-step framework hotels are using to get there.

The average hospital bed generates 29 pounds of waste every day — most of it single-use plastic that recycling streams reject outright. A structured Hospital Sustainability Program maps every plastic touchpoint, from the pharmacy counter to the cafeteria line, to a certified compostable replacement. Here's the 6-step framework hospitals are using to get there.

Over 8 billion plastic meat packing trays are produced globally every year — nearly all rejected by recycling due to blood, fat, and moisture contamination. PHA meat packing trays match conventional PET/PP performance in rigidity, footprint, and MAP-sealing compatibility, while biodegrading completely in marine, soil, and home compost. The meat packing industry's genuine answer to its most overlooked plastic problem.

Over 50 billion plastic supplement bottles are shipped globally every year — fewer than 15% ever recycled, the rest spending 450 years in landfill or ocean. PHA biodegradable packer bottles match conventional PET exactly in dimensions, moisture resistance, and closure compatibility, while biodegrading completely in marine, soil, and home compost. The nutraceutical industry's genuine answer to its most overlooked plastic problem.

Over 3 billion polystyrene pizza savers are discarded globally every year — fewer than 5% ever recycled, the rest fragmenting into microplastics for up to 500 years. PHA biodegradable pizza savers match conventional polystyrene in every dimension and biodegrade completely in marine, soil, and home compost. The food service industry's genuine answer to its most overlooked plastic problem.

Plastic stirrers are distributed by the billions annually — none recyclable, all destined for centuries in landfill or ocean. PHA Coffee & Cocktail Stirrers biodegrade completely in marine, soil, and home compost, while delivering identical rigidity and performance to conventional plastic. The bar and cafe industry's genuine answer to single-use plastic.

Yogurt containers, cosmetic jars, food wrap, and fresh produce boxes — the backbone of food and personal care packaging — are made from petroleum plastics that persist for 500 years. PHA bioplastic containers match them in performance, biodegrade completely in marine and soil environments, and leave zero microplastics behind.

Over 500 billion cups are discarded globally every year — the majority ending up in landfills or oceans where plastic persists for 450+ years. PHA biodegradable lids and cups biodegrade completely in marine and soil environments, match conventional plastic in performance, and contain zero petroleum or BPA.

Over 300 billion coffee bags are produced globally each year — nearly every one destined for landfill. Multi-layer laminates make them impossible to recycle and 500 years to fragment. PHA coffee bags deliver the same barrier performance and freshness protection with complete biodegradability in marine, soil, and home compost.

Over one billion HDPE milk and juice jugs are discarded in the United States every year — fewer than 30% ever recycled, the rest spending 500 years fragmenting into microplastics. PHA milk and juice jugs biodegrade completely in soil, marine, and compost environments, match HDPE performance exactly, and require zero retooling. The dairy industry's answer to a billion-jug-a-year problem.

Over 4 billion plastic pill bottles are discarded in the U.S. every year — with less than 10% ever recycled. PHA pill bottles biodegrade completely in soil and ocean, eliminate microplastics, and match HDPE pharmaceutical performance. The pharmacy industry's answer to a 450-year problem.

Made from plant sugars — corn starch, sugarcane, cassava — PLA clamshell boxes deliver identical clarity and structural rigidity to conventional PETE plastic, while breaking down completely in industrial composting facilities within 90 days. Zero microplastic residue.

Conventional clamshell containers are a leading source of microplastic pollution — used for hours, fragmenting for centuries. PHA and PLA bioplastic clamshells deliver the same clarity, rigidity, and secure closure without leaving a single microplastic particle behind.

PHA and PLA compostable cups and lids are transforming food service — delivering genuine biodegradability for hot coffee cups, cold smoothie cups, dome lids, and flat lids alike. Here's everything you need to know about making the switch away from plastic.

PLA was the first commercial-scale answer to plastic bottles. PHA is the emerging next generation — produced by bacteria, it biodegrades in soil, freshwater, and even the ocean. Here's how they compare to each other, to conventional PET, and to the microplastic crisis they both aim to solve.

Every time a child sips through a plastic straw, they are exposed to microplastics and endocrine-disrupting chemicals. PHA straws — made by bacteria from organic waste — biodegrade completely in soil, freshwater, and ocean, leaving nothing harmful behind for our kids or our planet.

Every minute, the equivalent of a garbage truck load of plastic enters our oceans. What happens next is invisible to the naked eye — but it affects every living thing on Earth. Here's what you need to know, and what we're doing about it.