ZymoChem, the San Leandro, California-based chemical biomanufacturer creating sustainable alternatives for everyday products, announced that its bio-based and biodegradable Super Absorbent Polymer (SAP), BAYSE, now matches or exceeds key performance metrics of conventional fossil-fuel based SAPs, according to company data.
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The news is a significant milestone for the hygiene industry because most hygiene products like menstrual pads and infant diapers have relied on petroleum-based superabsorbents for decades. While highly effective at trapping moisture, these materials are notoriously difficult to decompose, persisting in the environment for hundreds of years and gradually releasing microplastics as they break down. And while there are some bio-based products available on the market, few can compete with conventional SAPS in terms of performance.
To date, the lack of reliable, high-performing bio-based polymer alternatives has made it difficult for the hygiene sector to decarbonize and for sustainable solutions to take hold at scale. Given the vast numbers of personal care products used globally every day––including millions of disposable diapers––ZymoChem’s latest innovation, BAYSE, is a game-changer for the industry.
“The hygiene industry has been waiting for a bio-based SAP that doesn’t make compromises. BAYSE is that material,” CEO of ZymoChem Harshal Chokhawala said in a news release. These results confirm that sustainability and performance are no longer in tension; manufacturers can now choose both.”
BAYSE’s bio-renewable polymers and monomers are produced using proprietary carbon-conserving microbes that convert renewable feedstocks, such as plants and agricultural waste, into high-value materials. The result is a product that is up to 50 percent less expensive and up to 50 percent more efficient than competing alternatives, the company claims in its platform. Moreover, the entire bioprocess releases nearly no CO2 emissions.
In a research paper released last month, ZymoChem tested BAYSE against leading petroleum-based SAPs under real-world conditions. The results showed that BAYSE absorbed fluid twice as fast as conventional materials in infant diapers. In applications such as period and postpartum care, it absorbed thicker fluids up to 3.6 times faster, minimizing the time moisture remains against the skin.
Given that the global market for SAPs is primarily led by the hygiene sector, finding a direct, drop-in replacement for the petroleum-based polymers used in hundreds of hygiene products is critical to decarbonization. BAYSE offers a no-compromise alternative that performs on par with commercial SAPs, and shows that innovation can drive environmental progress at scale by making cleaner products the better-performing, lower-cost option.
The views and opinions expressed are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of C3.