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BOSK Bioproducts kicks off production on bioplastics line

BOSK Bioproducts is now producing a new compostable bioplastic made entirely from bio-based and non-toxic ingredients.

The REGEN bioplastic made by Quebec-based BOSK is offered in pellets form to manufacturers of plastic products and can be used to make almost any item such as caps, jars for cosmetic products, 3D printing filaments or children’s tableware.

REGEN is based on the model for the circular economy and aims to reduce petrochemical plastic waste along with recycling.

“With REGEN, BOSK brings a simple solution to the manufacturing industry, which is at a crossroads following the recent addition of manufactured plastic products to the list of toxic substances of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act,” says Laurence Boudreault, general manager of BOSK Bioproducts, in a statement.

“REGEN is a bio-based material [that] does not contain toxic chemical additives or petroleum. It can substitute petrochemical plastics to reduce their accumulation at the source and is a complementary solution to the recycling of existing plastics.”

BOSK has also developed a unique technology in the world that transforms untapped byproducts of the paper industry into PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoates), the key ingredient in REGEN.

The next step for the company will be to gradually increase the production capacity of REGEN as well as PHA to meet demand in a market that expects a strong growth of eight per cent per year, according to Nova Institute.

“The production line will allow us to grow our customer base. This first milestone will be followed by a gradual increase of our production capacity to reach 20,000 tonnes of REGEN bioplastic within three to five years,” says Paul Boudreault, president of BOSK Bioproducts.

“Then, we want to build other bioplastics plant directly on paper mills elsewhere in Quebec, in Canada and beyond our borders.”

The project is backed by Natural Resources Canada, the ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs, and Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED), which contributed $2 million.

Bosk also used private financing obtained from BDC and BMO on the project.