Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) Market - Forecasts from 2024 to 2029

The global Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 12.75% during the forecast period (2024-2029).

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are storage granules discovered in bacteria that function as hydroxy fatty acid polyesters. PHA molecules have a variety of structures. Their extraordinary physicochemical characteristics make them suitable for application in nanotechnology, tissue engineering, and other biological applications.

The PHA industry is rising due to intensifying environmental awareness, the establishment of new stringent laws regulating the use of plastics, and consumers’ preference for green products. PHA’s properties, such as biodegradability, biocompatibility, and versatility, are in demand in the packaging, agriculture, and medicinal industries.

GLOBAL POLYHYDROXYALKANOATE (PHA) MARKET DRIVERS:

• PHAs can be utilized to create surgical mesh, medical devices, orthopedic pins, surgical sutures, stents, repair patches, cardiac valves, staples, and screws since the immune system well tolerates them. Owing to the growth in the medical device industry, the PHA market is propelling.

The medical device sector in Canada is very diverse, with most companies being small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The core activities include research and development of medical, diagnostic, and therapeutic equipment and production and regulatory compliance. According to the International Trade Administration statistics, the total value of the Canadian medical device industry estimated in 2022 was $6.8 billion. Analysts believe that the market will grow by 5.4% each year until 2028. As per the same source, total health expenditure in Canada in 2022 was C$ 331 billion or C$ 8,563 for every individual.

Besides, the interaction between the anionic character of antitumor medication paclitaxel and P(3HB-co-95 mol% 4HB) was studied via electrospinning to further study drug release. Paclitaxel improved the solution's viscosity, which maintained the jet's sturdiness during electrospinning. Various studies also proved that a drug could be captured in PHA that can later be coated on metal stents used as drug-eluting stents.

• Brand owners, large and small, are currently implementing PHA-based compound solutions to help solve problems associated with plastic waste and the climate crisis. CA1270P and CA1240PF are 100% biobased, providing a compostable alternative to traditional plastic films that enable food waste diversion away from landfill sites. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), food waste in landfills is contributing to more methane emissions than any other landfilled materials, accounting for an estimated 58% of fugitive methane emissions (those released to the atmosphere) from municipal solid waste landfills originating from landfilled food waste. The carbon footprint of both these products is more than 50% lower than low-density polyethylene and linear-low-density polyethylene, polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyethylene terephthalate (LDPE/PE/PP/PET) solutions that are traditionally used in packaging.

RWDC produces its patented Solon™ PHA from plant-based oils, including post-consumer or waste cooking oils. This product may be naturally biodegraded through the natural recycling and composting process in homeowners and industrial composting sites. PHA-contained products or packaging that eventually become trash and find their way to the environment will completely degrade in the soil, freshwater, and marine ecosystems to prevent the scourge of plastics and microplastics.

CJ Biomaterials, Inc., a subsidiary of CJ CheilJedang Corporation, South Korea, and a significant PHA biopolymers producer, commenced at NPE 2024 in Orlando, Florida PHACT™ S1000P Semi-Crystalline PHA (scPHA). The new scPHA biopolymer is an eco-friendly, biobased substance that is TÜV OK-certified for household and industrial composting and marine and soil biodegradability.

GLOBAL POLYHYDROXYALKANOATE (PHA) MARKET SEGMENT ANALYSIS:

Agriculture is anticipated to be one of the fastest-growing segments in the polyhydroxyalkanoate market in terms of application.

In recent years, readily degradable materials have gained appeal, as old plastic (synthetic) commonly ends up in landfills or is burned, resulting in environmental contamination. PHAs can manufacture soil-friendly biodegradable greenhouse films, grow bags, and protective nets instead of commercial plastics. Several benefits of PHAs include increasing the health of the soil, excluding pollutants, conserving soil moisture, and being a way to tackle weeds. Nodax, a biodegradable material offered by Danimer Scientific, came out of a PHA copolymer of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate).

Growth in the agriculture sector can be deemed as one of the key drivers fueling the market. For instance, agriculture in the UK is intense, highly mechanized, and efficient by European standards, although it amounts to less than 0.5% of the UK's GDP. While UK agriculture provides 58% of the country's food requirements, the UK significantly relies on imports to fulfill the diverse needs of the UK consumer, who expects year-round availability of all food items.

PHA-based agricultural nets can enhance crop growth by protecting against environmental factors, pests, and birds and against heat stress. This material can be disposed of directly on the soil; unlike plastic netting, it readily decomposes. Garden-related PHA-based grow bags are commonly used nowadays since, unlike plastic grow bags, they do not release any poisonous compounds during degradation. They can serve as a microbial growth matrix, aid in water denitrification, and are root-friendly.

Asia Pacific’s Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) market is anticipated to grow significantly.

The Asia-Pacific region is anticipated to experience an increase in demand for Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), a biodegradable and biocompatible polymer. The rise is attributed mainly to the growing concerns over the environmental effects of plastic litter. With increasing consciousness about the impacts of traditional plastics among the populace and firms, populations are inclining toward eco-friendly replacements like PHA. These materials are also found in various industries, including packaging, medicine, agriculture, and textiles.

The Packaging Industry Association of India (PIAI) has given the packaging industry growth at a CAGR of 22% to 25%, exporting to over 80 countries. For the past few years, the packaging industry has catalyzed technological advancements that add value to the country’s other manufacturing segments, including agriculture and FMCG.

Nonetheless, the current market size for medical devices in India is projected to be $11 billion. India has the fastest-growing medical device industry among emerging markets. The medical device sector in India comprises both huge international corporations and small and medium-sized companies (SMEs), which are expanding at an unprecedented rate. There are 750-800 domestic medical device manufacturers in India, which account for 65% of the market. India’s medical devices start-up space is also diverse and active, with over 250 firms tackling key health sector issues. As these businesses seek long-term solutions, PHA is a potential choice due to its characteristics.

Additionally, promoting government policies in several Asia-Pacific countries is gradually advancing the application of PHA. These regulations often involve positive stimuli related to the production and consumption of bio-based goods, which in turn gives a positive outlook to the PHA sector. The region's thriving packaging and textile industries also drive the PHA market's growth. As per the Chinese government, it may be ascertained that although some of the processing companies have shifted, the total industry-added value is increasing. Out of the global high-performance fiber manufacturing capacity in 2023, China alone accounts for one-third; export volume is up by 14%.

Comprehensively, the Asia Pacific PHA industry has considerable development prospects. Thus, taking into account the fact that PHA is still being constantly developed, the supporting legislation is on the way to its establishment, and the consumers are becoming more aware of the matters influencing the environment, PHA can be considered an increasingly popular sustainable material in the region.

Global Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) Market Key Developments:

• In April 2024, CJ Biomaterials, Inc., a branch of South Korea's CJ CheilJedang and a leading developer of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biopolymers, unveiled two ground-breaking PHA-based compounds designed for blown, cast, and machine direction orientation (MDO) film applications. These new compounds, PHACT™ CA1270P (clear) and PHACT™ CA1240PF (opaque) represent a substantial development in sustainable, flexible packaging, providing exceptional performance and environmental advantages.
• In September 2023, Lummus Technology, a global provider of process technologies and value-driven energy solutions, and RWDC Industries, a biotechnology company developing biopolymer material solutions, signed a Joint Development and Commercial Cooperation Agreement (JDCCA) to rapidly expand manufacturing and global licensing of PHA. Lummus and RWDC inked an MOU in April to collaborate on worldwide PHA deployment activities.
• In April 2022, CJ BIO stated that it had started producing PHA at a newly built plant in Pasuruan, Indonesia. CJ BIO, a global fermentation capacity leader with world-scale businesses in both animal and human nutrition, is using this new facility to expand into the biomaterials sector and to create opportunities to reduce the impact of manufactured plastics on global waste streams and the environment. The new plant has a rated capacity of 5,000 metric tonnes and only manufactures 'amorphous' PHAs (a-PHAs).

The global Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) market is segmented and analyzed as follows:

By Type

• Monomers
• Co-Polymers
• Terpolymers

By Application

• Packaging
• Agriculture
• Medical and Healthcare
• Textiles
• Others

By Geography

• North America
• United States
• Canada
• Mexico
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Rest of South America
• Europe
• United Kingdom
• Germany
• France
• Italy
• Spain
• Rest of Europe
• Middle East and Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• United Arab Emirates
• Rest of the Middle East and Africa
• Asia-Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• South Korea
• Taiwan
• Thailand
• Indonesia
• Rest of Asia-Pacific