Engineered microbes turn biodiesel waste into plastic material in 79-gallon trial run

KAIST and Hanwha Solutions built an engineered-microbe platform that turns biodiesel waste glycerol into 1,3-propanediol.

The team proved the process at a 300-liter pilot scale and removed antibiotics from fermentation to improve industrial readiness.

The output can serve as a feedstock for bio-based plastics and textiles, offering a lower-carbon alternative to petroleum inputs.

The advance could help turn an abundant biodiesel byproduct into a scalable industrial chemical and cut environmental impact.