circularonline.co.uk / November/December 2021

Polymateria has invented a formula that causes plastic to decompose completely in the environment. The firm’s Steven Altmann-Richer tells James Richards how this innovation can bring plastic into harmony with nature

According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 32 per cent of plastic ends up in the natural environment – not even landfilled, let alone recycled,’ says Steven Altmann-Richer, global head of public affairs and regulatory strategy at Polymateria. ‘Our founders realised that the existing solutions in this area were not credible or scalable, and they wanted to do better.’

This was the thinking that set Polymateria on course for a potentially world-changing innovation it calls ‘biotransformation’, a four-step process that allows plastic to become completely biodegradable. It starts with a bespoke ‘masterbatch’, added in pellet form to plastic resin during the manufacturing process. Once activated, the technology – which can be used with either fossil or bio-based plastic – transforms the polymer structure of the plastic to become a wax-like substance. ‘Should the item end up in nature, synthetic prebiotics introduced through the process encourage bacteria, microbes and fungi to quickly consume the substance. We have proven the whole process can happen in less than a year,’ says Altmann-Richer, who adds that the technology is triggered by the natural elements of decay in the open environment, for example moisture and light.

The technology allows manufacturers to tailor the timescale of degradation. This means the onset of degradation can be pre-programmed precisely to allow for the service life of a product, whether a short-life flexible or a more durable, rigid plastic. The aim, says Altmann-Richer, is to ensure as much plastic as possible is recycled or biodegrades if it ends up in nature. Items treated with this technology can also have a ‘recycle by’ date as a ‘call to action’ to improve responsible disposal by encouraging people to recycle them before they ‘self-destruct’. Unlike other biodegradation technologies, Polymateria’s is the first to leave behind no micro-plastics or other harmful materials, says Altmann-Richer. ‘It provides an immediate and scalable solution to stop waste plastic that ends up in the environment from causing enduring harm, including reaching our oceans.’ Polymateria’s scientific team is based at the Imperial College London Innovation Hub in White City. The current CEO is Niall Dunne, formerly chief sustainability officer at BT, while Altmann- Richer joined the business from Tesla last year. In June this year, it was named as one of the World Economic Forum’s Tech Pioneers for 2021, and Prince Charles is known to be a supporter. The company has partnered with several global chemical companies, which will allow the technology to be applied to a wide range of plastic products, such as face masks and wipes, foodgrade polypropylene, and other packaging materials.

Polymateria is currently within its Series B investment round, to enable it to scale its operation even further. Meanwhile, to educate consumers and businesses about the technology, Polymateria asked Pinewood Studios to create a Living Lab to showcase the degradation process in action.

‘Our philosophy is inspired by the original vision behind the circular economy,’ says Altmann-Richer. ‘We believe the natural and human-made worlds need to be brought into harmony. This means designing materials that can be kept in circulation as long as possible, while providing a safe route for them to return to nature, as everything must eventually do.’