Pha-based biodegradable dispersion coatings for sustainable paperboard packaging
Biodegradable PHA-based aqueous dispersions designed to replace petroleum-derived coatings on paperboard, providing water and grease resistance for food-contact packaging. Enables repulpability, industrial compostability, and potential diversion of coated paper from landfills while meeting FDA food-contact safety standards.
Overview
This technology offers a sustainable alternative to petroleum-derived polymer coatings used in paperboard packaging. The solution consists of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA)-based aqueous dispersions that can be applied to paperboard to deliver water and grease resistance without relying on conventional plastics. PHA is a biologically degradable polymer known to be at least industrially compostable, making it well suited for disposable food-contact packaging applications such as coated paperboard and flexible packaging.
The coatings are designed to address growing concerns about micronized plastics, which form when petroleum-derived polymers fragment during degradation and have been linked to inflammatory and metabolic health effects in wildlife. By replacing these materials with a biodegradable dispersion, the technology supports both recycling and composting end-of-life pathways. Coated paper fibers can be repulped, enabling diversion from landfills and supporting circular packaging goals.
Technical specifications
Key features:
- PHA-based, biologically degradable aqueous dispersions formulated for paperboard coating
- Provides water and grease resistance suitable for food-contact packaging
- Compatible with existing commercial paperboard coating lines, with formulations tailored to specific paper stocks
- Enables manufacturing of test products requiring shaping and heat sealing
- Coated paperboard is repulpable, supporting recycling end-of-life pathways
- At least industrially compostable, with additional biodegradation evaluations underway
- Designed to use only GRAS or FDA-approved compounds for food-contact applications
Technology readiness level
The technology has progressed beyond initial laboratory validation. PHA-based dispersions have been successfully applied to commercial paperboard on existing coating lines, and coated paper has been used to manufacture test products with varying degrees of shaping and heat sealing requirements. Degradation testing has confirmed industrial compostability, with further evaluations ongoing. Remaining development steps include formulating a PHA-based dispersion that meets specific performance specifications using only food-contact-approved compounds, demonstrating repulpability of coated paperboard, validating compliance with Bioseniatic criteria, and documenting cost structures including application expenses and potential savings from avoided disposal fees for petroleum-derived plastics.
About University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a comprehensive public land‑grant research university serving a large student body across multiple campuses, known for applied scholarship and community partnership. Industry partners access core facilities and pilot‑scale capabilities—including the Food Product Innovation and Commercialization Center—for prototyping, scale‑up, and product validation. A downtown Innovation District and a statewide Cooperative Extension network link campus expertise to companies across Georgia, while proximity to Atlanta’s corporate and logistics hubs lowers barriers to engagement. Research is supported by competitive federal funding from agencies such as NIH, NSF, USDA, and DOE. A dedicated technology transfer office provides IP services, licensing, startup support, and incubator space to accelerate commercialization.
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