Green Dot Bioplastics Achieves a Compostable Living Hinge
Creating fully compostable packaging has long been stymied by one component: the living hinge. These thin, flexible connectors between rigid plastic sections — think of a sunscreen bottle cap — have traditionally required polypropylene to withstand repeated flexing without breaking. Green Dot Bioplastics has now cleared that barrier.
The company announced in September 2022 that its expanded Terratek® BD line of compostable resins includes two new injection molding grades with the malleability and durability needed for living hinges. The grades also deliver higher heat performance and enhanced processability with lower cycle times for caps, closures, food service ware, and takeout containers.
“During the application development process, we worked with a customer to commercially develop a living hinge for an injection molded package,” said Mike Parker, Director of Research and Development at Green Dot Bioplastics. “It was highly successful, resulting in a package made entirely from Terratek® BD compostable resins. Developing a solution to the living hinge challenge opens a lot of doors for sustainable packaging.”
The injection molding grades are currently undergoing certification by TÜV Austria. The breakthrough means that entire packages — rigid sections and flexible hinges alike — can now be made from a single compostable material system, eliminating the need for mixed-material assemblies that complicate end-of-life recovery.
Headquartered in Emporia, Kansas, Green Dot Bioplastics is a bioscience social enterprise dedicated to delivering sustainable materials. Its Terratek® line of bioplastics was developed to meet growing demand for biobased and compostable materials with fewer drawbacks than traditional plastics. This living hinge achievement marks a significant step toward fully compostable packaging solutions that perform on par with conventional plastics while returning safely to natural systems.
Sources:
- Green Dot Bioplastics. “Green Dot Bioplastics Achieves a Compostable Living Hinge.” September 2022. https://www.greendotbioplastics.com/green-dot-bioplastics-achieves-a-compostable-living-hinge/