Italian bioplastics producer Novamont has started up what is said to be the world’s first commercial plant for bio-production of a major intermediate, 1,4-butanediol (BDO). The facility built on a disused industrial site in Bottrighe on northeastern Italy’s Adriatic coast has capacity to produce 30,000 t/y of BDO from renewable sources, using the sugar-based Geno BDO technology developed by US biotech firm Genomatica.

When it reaches full production in 2017, the €100 million plant, which employs 70 people, will be able to produce 70% more BDI than the originally targeted 18,000 t/y. Novamont said the capacity was expanded due to expected higher demand for renewables and enabled by better yield from the continually-improving process performance, and competitive economics.

Butanediol produced at Bottrighe will enable the company to deliver its fourth-generation of Mater-Bi bioplastics. The material is used to make biodegradable, compostable products such as fruit and vegetables bags, mulch film and coffee capsules, and the renewables specialist estimates that the products will save as much as 56% of greenhouse gas emissions compared to the use of conventional BDO.

Novamont calls the new facility a starting point for further integration of both feedstock supplies and product manufacturing in the region, which it said is a fundamental part of its biorefinery concept established at six interconnected sites, using four new proprietary technologies.

The Novara-based renewables specialist, which claims to be world leader in bioplastics with 1,000 patents in biopolymers and biochemicals, said the plant also establishes a model for economic revitalization. Through redevelopment and conversion, no longer competitive manufacturing sites can become new state-of-the-art biorefineries – a goal pursued by the Italian government.