— By Plasteurope.com correspondent — 

US-based CJ Biomaterials (Woburn, Massachusetts; www.cjbiomaterials.com) has signed a deal with Swedish biomaterials compounder BIQ Materials (Vastra Götaland; www.biqmaterials.com) to expand the commercialisation of artificial turf infill made with PHACT PHA – a certified biodegradable biopolymer.

Both companies are targeting the European market. The continent’s demand for biodegradable infill materials – commonly used in football and sports fields – is expected to grow following an EU ban on intentionally added microplastics, including petroleum-based infill, starting in 2031.

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PHA has the unique property of biodegrading completely in soil and marine environments, as well as in industrial and home-composting facilities. Because it leaves behind no persistent microplastics, the biopolymer is increasingly seen as a viable alternative for replacing petroleum-derived plastics.

CJ Biomaterials began commercial production of PHA in 2022 and launched it under the brand name PHACT. Under the agreement, BIQ Materials will use the US company’s biopolymer to manufacture products, which the partners believe will drive commercialisation.

A subsidiary of CJ CheilJedang (Seoul, South Korea; www.cj.co.kr), CJ Biomaterials won the 2025 Bioplastics Awards Innovation Award from the Plastics Industry Association for the PHACT PHA A1000P polymer used in the infill application.