Mexabolix licenses bioplastic tech from UMass Lowell

The University of Massachusetts Lowell today announced a licensing agreement with Cambridge-based Metabolix for a biodegradable plastic patent.

The license is in addition to substantial similar intellectual property already developed by Metabolix and its founders (for details, see the Cleantech Group's Metabolix and ADM bioplastic fantastic.)

The material method (US Patent No. 5,883,199) for blending different biodegradable plastics to make them more usable, was developed by Dr. Stephen McCarthy, plastics engineering professor and director of the Biodegradable Polymer Research Center at UMass Lowell.

"This agreement is an important step in making plastics that don’t harm the environment, and it reflects our mission at the University of Massachusetts to translate innovation into marketable products that serve the Commonwealth," said Marty Meehan, chancellor-elect of UMass Lowell.

More than 350 billion pounds of plastic is produced each year and nearly 10 percent of total U.S. oil consumption is used to make plastic, thus contributing to the world’s growing greenhouse gas emissions and dependence on oil.

Founded in 1992, Metabolix is a bioscience company  developing and commercializing environmentally sustainable and fully biodegradable Mirel™-branded natural plastics.

In April, it announced it was partnering with ADM to further the commercialization of corn-based renewable plastic. 

Metabolix is also developing a platform technology for co-producing plastics from energy crops such as switchgrass, natural plastics and biomass.

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