LanzaTech creates plastic from 'smoke'

LanzaTech creates plastic ‘building block’ from smoke-stack waste

By Peter Kerr

August 24 (BusinessDesk) – LanzaTech, which uses microbes to ferment industrial waste gases into feedstocks, has created one of the component parts for the manufacture of polymers, plastics and hydrocarbon fuels.

The Auckland-based company, which recently raised US$18 million to help commercialise its process of turning steel mill waste gas into ethanol in China, produced 2,3-Butanediol (2.3-BD) by microbial gas fermentation instead of the conventional process of cracking petroleum or through fermentation of sugars.

“Our process potentially enables chemicals production to be decoupled from petroleum and valuable food resources,” said LanzaTech chief executive Jennifer Holmgren.

2,3-BD can be readily converted to intermediaries like butenes, butadiene and methyl ethyl ketone that are used in the production of hydrocarbon fuels and a variety of chemicals including polymers, synthetic rubbers, plastics and textiles. LanzaTech’s process uses non-food, low-value gas feed stocks from oil refineries, coal manufacturing, syngas from landfill-waste and reformed natural gas.

“We’re now able to offer an integrated waste gas-to-fuels-and-chemicals technology that is both economically and environmentally sound,” Holmgren said. “This development means our process can deliver considerable financial returns from the sale of high value products while curbing industrial greenhouse gas emissions.”

(BusinessDesk)