The circle of it: This company produces biodegradable polymers from waste biogas, thereby creating a biodegradable and cost-effective alternative to oil-based plastics.
MANGO MATERIALS
Summary
Mango materials has developed a biodegradable alternative to plastics that itself is derived from a waste product (methane). The produce PHA, which is a family of biopolyesters that can be produced naturally by bacteria and other life forms. Unlike PLA and other biopolymers, PHA can biodegrade in many environments, including the oceans. PHA pellets can be used in most applications that would typically have called for plastics. The company is finding use for their pellets in many applications including packaging, injection molding, fibers, films and others.
Story
Two of the founders of Mango Materials, Allison Pieja and Molly Morse, worked with biopolymers as part of their Ph.D. research at Stanford University. After graduation, Morse consulted briefly in the venture capital industry, which motivated her to incorporate Mango Materials. Pieja and a third co-founder, Anne Schauer-Gimenez, joined Mango Materials to turn their academic research into a reality. The founders believe that biopolymers are critical to preserving natural environments, and the company offers a solution, PHA, that is completely harmonious with nature.
Pic Credit: Mango Materials website (right and top)
“We are currently located at a wastewater treatment plant in the San Francisco Bay Area. The wastewater process produces methane that is traditionally captured and flared. We take the methane they already capture and feed it to our bacteria which use it to produce the PHA. While we are located at a wastewater treatment plant currently, we have used other sources of methane (landfill gas, agricultural methane, etc.) to produce PHA. The methane needs to be captured and we co-locate at the methane production site. “
Molly Morse in an interview
Founder(s)
Molly Morse, Allison Pieja, Anne Schauer Gimenez
Headquarters
San Francisco, CA
In business since
2010
Business type
for profit
Impact
info not found
The Circular People 
Leave a comment