Toyota to Build Pilot Bio-Plastic Plant

Toyota Motor Corp. announced its plan to construct a pilot plant for producing bio-plastics (polylactic acid) made from vegetable matter. The new pilot plant, to be built within an existing production facility in Japan, is envisioned to be able to produce 1,000 tons of bio-plastics a year. The operation will start in August 2004.

Toyota has long been actively involved in various fields of research and development aiming to decrease environmental impacts. The company has been promoting research and development of bio-plastic manufacturing technology and has already started using what it calls TOYOTA Eco Plastic, bio-plastics with improved performance in terms of durability, heat resistance and other aspects, by adopting it in the completely redesigned Raum passenger vehicle that debuted in May 2003.

Having the viability of its bio-plastic manufacturing technology, Toyota now plans to investigate the feasibility of achieving cost and quality targets during mass production at the pilot plant. Using sugarcane as the raw material, the company intends to carry out at the plant the entire process, from fermenting and purifying lactic acid to polymerizing polylactic acid.

To enlarge the bio-plastics market and to secure a footing for the construction of a commercial plant in the near future, the company intends to further improve the performance of bio-plastics for automobiles, used mainly in the interior parts, and also plans to adapt them to a wide range of plastic products.


Posted: 2003/09/27 11:51:50 AM
Japanese version