SUSTAINABLE BIOPLASTICS INDUSTRY

FROM RENEWABLE RESOURCES IN MALAYSIA

Professor Mohd Ali Hassan

University Putra Malaysia

Professor Yoshihito Shirai

Kyushu Institute of Technology
Presentation Outline

• Biomass Resources in Malaysia

• Palm Oil Industry in Malaysia
• FELDA-UPM-KIT Biomass Project
• Palm Biomass Bioplastics
• Sustainable Bioplastics Industry in Malaysia
 Biomass Resources in Malaysia

• Biomass
– organic matter available on a Wood Rice 0.7%
renewable basis MSW industry
3.7% Sugarcane
– includes forest and mill residues, 9.5%
0.5%
wood wastes, agricultural crops and
wastes, animal wastes and MSW

• Abundant in Malaysia
> 70 million tonnes collected / year
• Produced throughout the year
– high sunlight intensity/time Palm Oil
and high rainfall 85.5%

• Main contributor of biomass is the

palm oil industry (ligno-cellulosics)
 Malaysian Palm Oil Industry

Fresh Fruit Bunch

70 million tonnes

Palm Kernel Oil Crude Palm Oil

2 million tonnes Oil Extraction 15 million tonnes

Renewable Resources

Fiber Shell Palm Oil Mill Effluent

9 million tonnes 4 million tonnes 50 million tonnes

Empty Fruit Bunches

15 million tonnes
Palm Oil Industry and CDM

• Methane sinks
– Employs anaerobic treatment for palm oil mill effluent
– Extensive and efficient system
– The largest methane emission
– Methane not utilized
Sustainable Business from Palm Biomass

Concentration of biomass
“business as usual” Empty Fruit Bunch Palm Oil Mill Effluent
> 15 million t/yr > 50 million t/yr

Bioplastic (PLA)
or Bioethanol

Saccharification of
cellulose
Organic acids

Sugars

Lactic Acid or
Cellulosic Bioethanol
fermentation Bioplastic
Electricity Biogas / Methane Plant (PHA)
Organic acids from POME

L-R: treated POME, filtered POME, concentrated POME,

clarified organic acids
Figure. 50 L anaerobic bioreactor used to produce organic
acids from POME
7
 Fig. Transmission electron micrograph (TEM) of
strain EB172 containing P(3HB-co-3HV) granules in
fed-batch cultivation using mixed organic acids from
treated palm oil mill effluent as substrates
Biopolymers open up new options
for an old problem >>> disposal
Wow!
Plastic lasts AGHH!
FOREVER Plastic lasts
FOREVER

1950’s Today
 Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs)
Carbon
source Extraction

PHA in cell wall

Fermentation

Polyesters accumulated inside microbial cells

as carbon & energy storage
Bacteria
Produced from natural, renewable resources

Able to be recycled, composted or burned

without producing toxic byproducts

100 % biodegradable

Produced under conditions of:

low limiting nutrients (e.g. N, S, P) and excess carbon
 PHA Structure

PHA R R = Hydrocarbon
PHB - CH3
PHV -CH2CH3 x = 100-30000
PHBV - CH3 & CH2CH3
PHBHx -CH3 & - CH2CH2CH3
PHBO -CH3 & -(CH2)4CH3 n = 1-4
 Carbon Cycle of Bioplastics
CO2
Photosynthesis H2O
Biodegradation

Recycle

Plastic Products
Carbohydrates

Fermentation PHA Polymer

Applications
 $$$$ factor

• The major drawbacks in commercialisation of PHA are

1) high cost of production and recovery
2) price

• Raw material ~ 40-50% of the total production cost

• Current price with natural producer like Ralstonia eutropha is

US $6-10 per kg, about 3-5 times more expensive than PP
• To be commercially viable, PHA price ~ US $3-5 per kg

• Therefore, various carbon sources are being explored in

order to reduce the price of bioplastics

• Our work focuses on producing organic acids and sugars

as cheap carbon sources for bioplastics (PHA and PLA)
UTILIZATION OF BIOGAS & BIOMASS
FOR NEW BIOPRODUCTS
JOINT RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

UNIVERSITY PUTRA MALAYSIA

FELDA PALM INDUSTRIES SDN. BHD.
KYUSHU INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
PALM OIL INDUSTRY: NEW BIOPRODUCTS

PROJECT #1 - Improved Methane

Fermentation from Palm Oil Mill Effluent
for Electric Power Generation for CDM

PROJECT #2 - Organic Acids Production

from Palm Oil Mill Effluent >>> Bioplastics

PROJECT #3 - Production of Sugars and

Other Valued Products from Empty Fruit
Bunch and Fruit Fiber
 Bioplastics from Palm Biomass

Concentration Oil
of biomass Extraction

Palm Oil Mill Effluent

Consumer Bioplastic
products (PHA) Bio-acids Plant
 Bioconversion of organic acids from
POME into PHA (PHBV)
Feasibility study
(Suitability of substrate)

Organic acids
production
Optimization studies (FELDA pilot plant)
(Lab scale)

Optimization studies Pilot scale

(Production & recovery) production
Process & engineering
design for upstream &
downstream production
PHA analysis & Development of polymer
characterization for potential applications
New Business Using Biomass Energy from Palm Oil Industry in Malaysia

CDM provides profitable

area for bioplastic business
to which biomass energy
can be supplied from
palm oil industry with a
reasonable price

for new business

CDM provides a complete methane
fermentation system and change
lagoon area into a profitable area.
CDM provides electricity using the methane
fermentation system for bioplastic business
with a competitive price.
1. CDM can reduce GHG by
sealing the lagoons.
2. Prevention of undesirable
smell by modern treatment.
3. Local employment can be
encouraged from new business.

Based on the economic growth in Malaysia, the development of new oil palm
plantations in the tropical rainforest will soon be no longer economically viable.
In order to meet the increasing demand for palm oil in the future, palm oil industry
must cooperatively stay with other industries and people >>> 3P (Profit, People, Planet)