Natural plastic resins

Three new grades of Mirel(TM) bio-based, sustainable and biodegradable, semi-crystalline natural plastics resins have been introduced: Mirel P1001 and P1002 for injection-molding applications and Mirel P2001 for paper coating. Mirel P1001 is specifically engineered to replace styrenics such as PS, and Mirel P1002 replaces polyolefins such as PP. Both resins can be processed on conventional injection-molding equipment, according to the co. Mirel P2001 was developed as an alternative to petroleum-based paper coatings to enable the production of fully biodegradable paper coated cups and food packaging that offer high heat resistance. Mirel is a versatile brand of natural plastics produced from renewable resources like corn sugar that provides an alternative to traditional, oil-based plastics, the co. says. Unlike conventional plastics, Mirel will biodegrade back to nature in a wide range of environments such as soil, compost, rivers and oceans.

Metabolix,
617/492-0505.
www.metabolix.com