■ SK Innovation’s Institute of Environmental Science & Technology won award for new PLA (Polylactic Acid) manufacturing technology by the Korean Society for Biotechnology and Bioengineering

■ SK Geo Centric is expected to enhance competitiveness in the future plastics market as global environmental regulations are tightening

SK Geo Centric has secured a new technology for producing “lactic acid,” the raw material for bio-based plastic PLA (Polylactic Acid), using a sustainable method that minimizes costs and chemical byproducts.

SK Geo Centric announced on the 22nd that the research team from SK Innovation’s Institute of Environmental Science & Technology has developed a microbial fermentation method for producing lactic acid and has been awarded the Outstanding Technology Research Award by The Korean Society for Biotechnology and Bioengineering (KSBB). This technology is expected to be utilized in SK Geo Centric’s development of sustainable chemical products.

PLA decomposes naturally within 3 to 6 months in industrial composting facilities and, therefore, is expanding its range of use as a sustainable material. Replacing petrochemical substances (ethylene) plastics, which can take over 500 years to degrade, PLA is now being used for various applications such as disposable forks in coffee shops, agricultural films, fibers, medical tools, etc. According to Emergen Research, the global PLA market size, which was $1.54 billion in 2019, is projected to reach $13.89 billion by 2032, with an annual growth rate of 18.5%.

However, during microbial fermentation for lactic acid production, a neutralizing agent (calcium) is added to neutralize acids, and in the later process, chemical reactions create byproducts (calcium sulfate), which need to be removed. This has been identified as an obstacle to the widespread adoption of PLA.

The research team selected acid-resistant special microorganism and used their proprietary microbial catalysis technology to successfully develop a lactic acid production technology that reduces the amount of neutralizing agent. This has enabled a reduction in environmental impact and processing costs related to chemical consumption and byproduct disposal. This technology, previously commercialized by American companies only due to high technological barriers, has now been successfully implemented through an independent method.

SK Geo Centric plans to develop an economically feasible business strategy based on the results of this R&D achievement. As various countries expand their support measures for bio and compostable materials, PLA is now used in more areas such as agriculture, transportation, medical fields, packaging, etc. This achievement is expected to help secure cost competitiveness in the future PLA market.

An official from SK Geo Centric stated, “Plastics, which have made human life more convenient over the past century, now must also consider environmental sustainability. We will strive to turn this R&D achievement into commercialization and expand the competitiveness of the SK Innovation group in the global PLA market.”

[Photos]

(Photo 1) Park Jae-yeon (Ph.D. in Biological and Chemical Engineering), LA Squad Leader, Green Product Solution Center, SK Innovation’s Institute of Environmental Science & Technology, is introducing PLA technology research facilities at the SK Innovation’s Institute of Environmental Science & Technology laboratory in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon.

(Photo 2) At the SK Innovation’s Institute of Environmental Science & Technology laboratory, Park Jae-yeon (first from the right) and other researchers, is introducing PLA technology research facilities.

(Photo 3) Park Jae-yeon (right), LA Squad Leader, Green Product Solution Center, SK Innovation’s Institute of Environmental Science & Technology, receives the Excellent Technology Research Award from Park Kyung-moon, President of the Korean Society of Biological Engineering, At the 2024 KSBB (Korean Society for Biotechnology and Bioengineering) Spring Meeting held at the Changwon Convention Center (CECO) in Changwon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do on April 18, 2024.