PHA for controlled cabin waste
Aviation catering is a strong PHA use case because the buyer controls procurement, onboard use, collection and waste contracts. The target is not a generic green claim; it is a lower-burden route for visible single-use items.
Cabin problem
- Weight: every gram travels through fuel, handling and catering logistics.
- Safety: metal and glass alternatives are constrained by security and service rules.
- Waste visibility: passengers see cups, cutlery, trays and wrappers immediately.
- Mixed stream: food residue and packaging often move together after service.
Circulera solution
- PHA cutlery: premium look, no metal route, food-service compatible.
- PHA cups and lids: cold and selected hot-drink formats where route and temperature are validated.
- PHA/PBAT films and bags: controlled service packaging and collection bags.
- Coated fibre: paper or fibre formats with PHA coating where a barrier is needed.
Product set
- Business class: transparent cups, cutlery, small bowls, lids and selected wrapped items.
- Economy service: lightweight cups, trays, bags and wrappers with simpler procurement logic.
- Lounge catering: HoReCa-style product set with controlled collection.
- Airport retail: bags, cups, lids and labels for high-traffic food outlets.
Compliance logic
The route is built around food contact, airline supplier approval, weight, safety handling, airport waste contracts and country-specific single-use plastic rules. Claims are attached to SKU and route, not to the word biodegradable alone.
Buyer economics
PHA is not sold as a cheaper resin. The aviation case counts visible sustainability, plastic-tax exposure, waste contracts, brand reputation, procurement scoring and the ability to explain the route without asking passengers to understand PLA composting.
Pilot path
- Select one route: lounge, business class, airport retail or catering kitchen.
- Pick 3-5 SKUs and define annual volume.
- Validate food contact, geometry, temperature and waste route.
- Produce pilot lot and collect feedback.
- Move into offtake and recurring supply.