Saudi startups Polymeron and Plastus are driving alternative agro-solutions to produce biodegradable bioplastics

Biodegradable bioplastics can be a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to plastics. However, production requires a significant amount of plant material. Bacteria in sugars, starches, and protein in food are the building blocks for bioplastics; microorganisms feed on these bacteria to produce PHAs which are then made into plastic. Instead of making bioplastics from feedstock, unconventional raw materials such as agricultural byproducts and food waste have also been increasingly explored in recent years. The widespread use of organic waste to produce bioplastics could significantly reduce the amount of waste in landfills and minimize the demand for food crops as a raw material for bioplastics. 

In Saudi Arabia, food waste forms 40-51% of the total waste produced in the Kingdom. Date palm, an important plant in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East produces a significant amount of waste in the form of fibrous materials, seeds, and dried fruits. Growing crops in Saudi Arabia is already a challenge. The production of bioplastics can be costly and compete with food security priorities. Startups in Saudi Arabia are taking innovative approaches to this alternative solution, experimenting with different technologies to produce PHA from waste and byproducts of waste. 

Saudi startup Polymeron uses the wastes generated from local date farms as well as the poultry industry to create biodegradable plastic pellets that can be used in various applications. It aims to provide a cost-effective and innovative solution for farm wastes by converting organic waste into biochar and using that as the carbon source for biodegradable pellets. 

Another biotech startup in Saudi Arabia’s growing ecosystem is Plastus, a startup founded in 2021 that converts organic waste into biodegradable PHA bioplastic through a fermentation process of microbes. In its research and experimentation lab, Plastus also works on testing the biodegradation ability of bacteria that generally exist in the ocean to ensure their products are not harmful to the marine environment.

Startups such as Polymeron and Plastus are playing a leading role in the region by using technology and innovative solutions to produce bioplastics more sustainably and reduce their costs to increase the likelihood of widespread adoption. By diverting wastes from reaching landfills and returning bio-sequestered carbon to the earth, they are also taking an important step toward transitioning to a circular economy.