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#7 Ontario bioplastic startup has big-brand backing ahead of plant startup

In Ontario, startup Origin Materials is set to produce recyclable, carbon-sequestering bioplastic from sawdust to meet offtake agreements already in place with large consumer brands.

“Consumers are caring about plastic in a way that they haven’t in a long time, maybe ever,” John Bissell, Origin Materials founder, tells Bloomberg. “Everyday things like bottles and clothing can now become carbon negative, but remain otherwise functionally identical.”

Contracted buyers include Nestle, Danone, and Pepsico, which formed an alliance last year to cut the carbon emissions of plastic beverage bottles.

Origin’s early partners set the stage for the company to have a big impact. Nestle creates 1.7 million tons of plastic packaging, says Bloomberg, citing Ellen MacArthur Foundation statistics.

Origin Materials expects to start up a plant in 2020. Located in Ontario, it will be able to produce 300 million bottles annually. The company is prepared to pay the province’s sawmills $20/ton for the lumber waste to use as feedstock.
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