As "plastic reduction and carbon reduction" gradually become a global consensus and is accelerated into practice, the paper-based food packaging industry is facing structural technical challenges. The PHA bio-based water-based barrier coating system solution conference with the theme of "Reducing Carbon at Source and Reshaping Packaging" was held on November 26, 2025 during the Shanghai International Coatings Exhibition and Packaging World Expo. It is regarded by the industry as an important step in exploring and leading new international trends in paper-based food packaging. DBC and BASF join hands with upstream and downstream partners, including the advanced biomanufacturing enterprise Bluepha and the global leader in food cardboard APP Sinar Light Group, to announce the creation of a new track of "PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate) bio-based water-based barrier paper-based food packaging", providing the paper-based food packaging industry with a set of sustainable solutions with traceable source materials and selectable product series. Through forward-looking product carbon footprint management and carbon tariff response technology layout, it helps customers win on the green and low-carbon development track.
Professor Chen Guoqiang, a well-known scientist in the field of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) and director of the Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology at Tsinghua University, said: For a long time, paper-based food packaging such as paper cups, paper bowls, and take-out lunch boxes have generally used PE plastic-coated barrier structures. Although this type of structure can provide basic waterproof and oil-proof capabilities, it faces certain compliance pressures in the context of increasingly stringent global plastic restriction and ban regulations. At the same time, more and more problems are being exposed in terms of microplastic risks, difficulty in recycling and repulping, and pressure on end-of-life incineration and landfilling. Against this background, many alternative products claiming to be "compostable and degradable" have appeared on the market, but the sources of their materials are often vague and lack traceability. On the premise that most cities have not yet formed a complete classification and composting system, the actual flow of such products is still mainly incineration, and the "end-of-pipe problem" and corporate ESG pressure have not been truly alleviated.
Green Empowerment "Tu" Creates the Future Technology Forum
Focusing on the above-mentioned practical challenges, the technical teams of DBC and BASF systematically sorted out the sustainable path of paper-based packaging, and proposed a technology promotion sequence of "plastic reduction and carbon reduction → easy recycling and high repulping → easy composting and degradability": first, plastic reduction and carbon reduction will be the basic capabilities, and then it will be truly integrated into the paper recycling system through easy recycling and high repulping rate. On top of this, easy composting and degradable solutions will be gradually introduced. This not only responds to the current objective challenges of the industry, but also is an important practice for China's paper-based packaging industry chain to upgrade to "new quality productivity" and participate in leading global standards.
The solution released this time is based on the Bioten™️ carbon product joint innovation platform of BASF and DBC. On the premise of meeting food contact safety regulations, and using different levels of bio-based carbon content as the driving force, three systems are formed: Bioten™ Plus (balanced type), Bioten™ Pro (customized type), and Bioten™ Ultra (high resistance type):
Bioten™ Plus (carbon balance type): Targeted at mainstream paper cups, paper bowls and paper-based food packaging, it focuses on reducing plastic and carbon at the source, while significantly improving water-blocking performance, oil-blocking performance and heat sealing processing efficiency;
Bioten™ Pro (customized version of Bioten™): For high-efficiency production and processing scenarios, on the basis of meeting high-performance water and oil barrier and wide heat sealing window, multi-functional barrier solutions including moisture barrier and oxygen barrier can be developed according to needs, and can be customized with higher bio-based content to further increase production capacity while ensuring performance;
Bioten™ Ultra (BIOTEN high-resistance type): It has passed DIN CERTCO, BPI, ABA and other easily compostable and degradable certifications. It is combined with raw material traceability and product footprint transparency. It is specially developed for well-known brands and high-end markets, and provides easy composting and degradable options for brands with high ESG appeals.
The "Biotan" series represented by Bioten™ Pro (customized version of Bioten) has been verified by multiple production lines. In applications such as paper cups, paper bowls, and take-out lunch boxes, it can not only meet the performance requirements of typical usage scenarios such as hot drinks, cold drinks, soups, and oily foods, but also achieve efficient operation under existing equipment conditions. It provides a realistic and feasible path support for paper-based food packaging to move from "paper-based plastic" to "source carbon reduction + high-performance barrier".
Mr. Lin Fanqiu, founder of DBC, said: "True sustainability is not about whether materials can be degraded in the laboratory, but whether cities can handle them in reality. We start from the professional perspective of high-quality development and international competition in China's food packaging supply chain, systematically think about material principles and product logic, and use a first-principles approach to re-examine the innovation direction of industry development and relevant international rules. To reduce plastics, you can use BIOTEN Balance to replace PE plastic coating; to reduce carbon, start with bio-based materials and their traceability systems."
He emphasized that in the field of paper-based food packaging, "materials that are safe for contact, do not contain microplastics, are easily recyclable, easily compostable, biodegradable, and bio-based source carbon reduction" are expected to become a global industry consensus. The success of the paper-based plastic packaging industry depends on whether these principles can be supported by a truly implementable material system and process path; the consistency of sample testing and certification with industrial-grade products must be transparent and traceable, so that the industry can continue to develop and China's paper-based product manufacturing can also develop stronger international competitiveness.
He Kaiteng, Global Senior Vice President of BASF - Green Empowerment Future Technology Forum
The new PHA bio-based water-based barrier paper-based packaging track created by DBC and BASF together with upstream and downstream partners is essentially a set of "material system + process window + "Recycling Path" integrated solution: On one end, it achieves source carbon and plastic reduction through bio-based and water-based systems, optimizing product carbon footprint; on the other end, it eases terminal processing pressure through easy recycling, high repulping rate and verifiable composting performance, providing restaurant chains, coffee brands and food companies with a clearer, implementable and traceable green low-carbon technology path in terms of ESG management and packaging green upgrades.
Professor Chen Guoqiang, director of the Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology at Tsinghua University, and Ms. Xu Xuanming, chairman of the Bluepha, and their team visited DBC to conduct in-depth discussions and interviews on the multi-field application development of PHA bio-based materials and water-based barrier food packaging technology. They look forward to achieving more technological breakthroughs in the field of bio-based materials.
