Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation (MCC; Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Masayuki Waga) today announced that straws using MCC’s BioPBS™ plant-derived and biodegradable polymer have been adopted at facilities operated by Washington Hotel Corporation (Washington Hotel; Head office: Nagoya-shi, Aichi; President: Kazuo Uchida). Straws used at all of the corporation’s facilities, including restaurants in its hotels, were replaced with biodegradable ones using BioPBSTM at the beginning of May.
MCC developed BioPBS™ and holds its basic patents. BioPBS™ is manufactured by PTT MCC Biochem Company Limited (Head office: Bangkok, Thailand; President: Ryuichiro Sugimoto), a 50-50 joint venture between MCC and PTT Global Chemical Public Company Limited. This is an environmentally friendlypolymer, which is broken down by living microorganisms in soil and decomposes into water and carbon dioxide.
Washington Hotel takes a proactive stance in reducing the volume of plastic waste, for example, by changing from plastic to wooden stir sticks and cutting back on unnecessary guest room amenities. Now, the hotel is forging ahead to further reduce petroleum-derived plastic waste by replacing the straws used and disposed at all its facilities—totaling about 120,000 annually—with biodegradable ones using BioPBS™.
Moving toward the Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Group’s vision, “Realizing KAITEKI*,” MCC continues to accelerate research and development and expand applications of plant-derived biodegradable polymers including BioPBS™ to help establish a recycling-oriented society and achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
*KAITEKI means “the sustainable well-being of people, society and our planet Earth.” It is an original concept of the Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Group that proposes a way forward in the sustainable development of society and the planet, in addition to serving as a guide for solving environmental and social issues.