{
  "id": 2293984,
  "title": "[Insight] Biodegradable PHA Moves Into Straws and Artificial Turf as CJ CheilJedang Expands Applications",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/21/insight-biodegradable-pha-moves-into-straws-and-artificial-turf-as-cj",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-21T04:06:48.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Korea IT Times",
    "slug": "korea-it-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreaittimes.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=156324"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "CJ CheilJedang, a South Korean company, is expanding the commercial applications of its biodegradable PHA material across various consumer goods, including packaging, food-service products, artificial turf, and straws. This expansion follows global interest in alternatives to petroleum-based plastics and microplastics. PHA, or polyhydroxyalkanoate, is a bio-based polymer produced through microbial fermentation using plant-derived sugars. CJ CheilJedang launched its biodegradable materials brand PHACT in 2022 and has since introduced PHA into multiple commercial applications. In 2024, the company developed PHA-based plastic packaging for products delivered through Olive Young’s same-day \"Today Dream\" service. Last year, CJ CheilJedang partnered with Swedish biomaterials company BIQ Materials to apply PHA-based infill to an artificial-turf football field in Sweden. The company is also supplying PHA-based straws to coffee shops in South Korea and a major U.S. coffee chain. The widening range of applications highlights the challenge of translating environmental advantages into commercially competitive products.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}