Ja Bio Plastics

Ja BioPlastics is committed to solving the negative impact of single use plastics such as plastic pollution, plastics inability to biodegrade and the dependency on petroleum oil (Greenhouse gas emitter) to make polyethylene and polypropylene polymers.

Ja BioPlastics is proposing a biodegradable plastic solution that is water soluble, has microbial degradation, animal feed and can be used as compost/fertilization for plants. Ja BioPlastics does not require the use of petroleum based polymers thus reducing greenhouse gas emission. Ja Bio Plastics is made from natural sources that are ubiquitous and resulting in low production cost.

Ja BioPlastics can positively change lives by reducing plastic pollution, providing cleaner air, water & land as it falls in line with SDGs 13,14,15 &16. No petroleum or greenhouse gas emission. Our demand for raw material will improve revenues for farmers and the use of aquatic source will boost the "Blue Economy" creating a circular economy.

Global plastic pollution is over 1 trillion ton, is considered a global threat and affects everyone. The LAC is the largest plastic polluters in the world, 4 times more plastic per individual in China. 80% of all debris (plastics) end up in the ocean. LAC has the second largest reef and 50% of global biodiversity. The Caribbean sea and global water bodies have alarming amounts of plastics which threatens marine life. 

Plastic pollution affects LAC which depends on the sea for food, jobs and recreation ($57 billion revenue from tourism). Zika and dengue prevalence affects 3 million and our polluted water bodies accounts for 7-15% of mosquito breeding habitats. 

The coral reef is under threat from plastic pollution and leached chemicals. Which leads to coral reef degradation with a revenue loss of US$870 million, unsafe water and contaminated soil.

Ja BioPlastics, is a biodegradable solution that prevents pollution and chemical leaching. Will not contaminate nor pollute land and water sources, aids agriculture and consumption. Improve health of the coral reef, enhance the blue economy through increased biodiversity and tourism. Ja BioPlastics degradation will prevent breeding habitats for virus carrying organisms, making the region much healthier and safer to live in.

The impact of plastic pollution affects everyone. We are working directly with plastics manufacturers who are affected by the ban, people who earn their livelihood from the blue economy (tourism) and consumers who are seeking an alternative that is cost effective and convenient for packaging. 

I am an executive member, representing the academic community on Jamaica's Biodegradable Plastic Committee with direct access to the stakeholders and those affected by plastic pollution/ban. The committee's focus is helping to derive standards that will guide the reduction and dependency on harmful plastics. 

Ja Bio Plastics is addressing these needs by providing manufactures with an alternative that is, natural, biodegradable and allow them to remain in business without being implicated by the ban. Consumers will have access to natural, biodegradable and convenient plastic alternatives, when disposed of will completely degrade and dissolve in water bodies. This further benefits the farmers, the tourism sector and the blue economy as there is a reduction in plastic pollution and it contaminants. This improves the water source, beaches, cleaner and sustainable environments, healthier and safer water, increase revenues for farmers and use as compost/fertilizer, in totality creating a circular economy.

Ja Bio Plastics provide a biodegradable plastic solution that uses natural polymers from ubiquitous sources (land and sea). A polymer film is created, and products created from this film are biodegradable, water soluble, compostable, convenient and cost effective. The by-product is a type of resin mixture that will be used by manufacturers to produce plastic materials such as bags and packaging with the features identified above. Ja Bio Plastics will restore and increase the loss of revenues to manufacturers and convenience to customers with the assurance that they are providing and contributing to a safer and cleaner environment for all to live in.

Environmentally, products made from JA Bio Resins will not harm people or the environment, nor contribute to plastic pollution both on land and in the sea as it is degradable and helps to preserve terrestrial and aquatic lives. Ja Bio Plastics and its by-products does not include any form of petroleum base polymers such as polyethylene and polypropylene, therefore reducing greenhouse emission (process of drilling for oil / refining oil).

With a background in Biotechnology, we have used the understanding of organisms and the function of their polymers that they produce and its usefulness as a potential substitute for traditional plastic material. With the process of extraction, modification and molding, these polymers can be used for packaging and other traditional plastic uses. Based on the requirement of the industry, Ja Bio Plastics has the ability to improve through customization.

Our process of creating the 100% natural biodegradable plastic is an innovative process which uses specific materials and processes to make available the characteristics explained below which are not found in alternative plastic solutions.

Ja Bio Plastics is innovative in that, it offers single use plastic the ability to naturally degrade and become compost. Ja Bio Plastics is also water soluble and provides a fire retardant property that reduces and slow down the spread of fire. If Ja Bio Plastics is disposed of or exposed to fire, which is often the case at the Riverton Dump that is usually on fire in Jamaica, it has the potential to slow down or extinguish fire without releasing harmful chemicals or reducing air quality.

Ja Bio Plastics has versatility, can replace other forms of plastics through customized formulations. This allows for potential uses in cellphone cases (or other forms of hard plastic) or for packaging or storage.

Caribbean manufacturers have to import raw materials for plastic production. Ja Bio Plastics will provide locally produce plastic making materials to manufacturers. While increasing revenue and employment for people of the region. This will reduce cost of shipping and other logistics to import plastic material from say China to Caribbean making it prone to climate impacts. 

International demands will be supplied by licensing of the process as materials can be readily found in countries with demands for Ja Bio Plastics. Thus reducing shipping logistics and carbon foot print. Ja Bio Plastics is scalable, economical and safe.

Ja Bio Plastics theory of change includes; the production and distribution of biodegradable plastics available to our customers (manufacturers). The sensitization and education on the benefits of using Ja Bio Plastics. This can be seen through interviews and several other recognition for the product innovation. In addition to, being an executive member of the National Committee on Biodegradable Plastic.

Output- Product delivery 

Short term outcomes include the distribution and use of Ja Bio Plastics - natural biodegradable plastic alternatives. The need for our solution has been validated through the request for the product by local, regional (Latin America and the Caribbean) and international companies from as far as India and Nigeria.

Mid term outcomes are the reduction of plastic pollution on land and in sea, resulting in less contamination of food and water through the elimination of  micro plastics and leech chemicals. The reduction of greenhouse gas emission by preventing burning. This was achieved through testing of products in these conditions. Through reduction of non degradable plastics limited aquatic life will be affected and Ja Bio Plastics does not create a long term breeding habitat for virus carrying organism. Resulting in cleaner beaches to attract tourists and improve the biodiversity through conservation and the blue economy.

Long term outcome is achieved by a cleaner and healthier environment (air, land and sea), improved health through less plastic contamination in food, water and air pollutants. Livelihoods are improved as cleaner beaches and land encourages tourism, agriculture, job creation and overall economic growth.  

    1. the initial number of people we will be serving are 10 global                           competitors/manufacturers in the plastic industry based on                           expressions  of interest/orders which gives us a market reach of                     approximately 500 million. 

• 2. In year one we will be supplying 3 Jamaican Manufacturers and 2 from      the caribbean, 5 plastic manufacturers in total which will provide a          market reach of up to 100 million people.

• 3. In five years we will be supplying the 5 addition plastic manufacturers      (international). This will be a total of 10 manufacturers with the              potential to reach 500 million people worldwide. 

Ja Bio Plastic's impact is three fold; environmental, social and economical, a triple bottom line effect.

Ja Bio Plastics' environmental impact will be a cleaner and healthier environment through less plastic pollution on land and in water. Owing to our ability to degrade and serve as compost/fertilizer. We donated to the Jamaica Environment Trust in aid of the "Nuh Dutty Up Jamaica" beach clean up 2019. Another measurable impact was an endorsement form a Professor and Reputable Marie Biologist from the University of the West Indies. No carbon emission or prolonged breeding sites for insects.

Ja Bio Plastics' social impact will be measured based on manufacturers and stakeholders including consumers acceptance of Ja Bio Plastics as a solution. We have received letters of endorsements from the Jamaican Government and NEPA - Environment Governing Body in Jamaica. On air interviews, newspaper articles and social media live features which resulted in support for the innovation and interest.

Ja Bio Plastics' economical impact will be measured in sale of resins. With just a prototype, we have received a total of 10 orders ranging from 50,000 tonnes to 1 million tonnes of bio resins. This is due to our solution meeting market regulations and a savings of $1.50 per a pound of resin. $2.30 to $4.00 per pound. This will result in increased revenues for manufacturers. Government stakeholders will benefit economically as they will spend less on clean ups and health care. Increase growth in the livlihood of the agricultural and tourism sectors.  

Within the next year, we will pilot test our prototype and begin commercialization of Ja Bio Resins to supply our 3 local companies' demand. These are the major plastic manufacturers in Jamaica with the ability to supply the entire population of approximately 3 million people.

Within the next five years, we will supply 10 companies pre-order/demands and utilize the sales-distribution model to get more manufacturers to purchase Ja Bio Resins. This will give us an initial global reach of 500 million consumers with the possibility for increased reach base on demands and new clients.

Barriers that exist to achieving a pilot testing and commercialization over the next year span across technical, legal and financial. There is a need for plastic experts with years of experience in the industry. This will help in the parameter testing of the product and further entering into new markets. Legal barriers are protection required when entering different territory. However, the IP will be protected through licensing, franchising or setting up a factory in strategic countries. Finance is needed to advance into additional testing (75,000 USD) and pilot expansion (100,000 USD).

Over the next five years, predicted barriers would include financial (seed funding to supply growing demand), legal (to ensure smooth market entry and compliance), with varying market preference and cultural. The legal representative will ensure IP protection of the innovation and its use in new countries. Market and cultural barriers includes a country that is not sold on the effect of plastic pollution and its impact.  

Technical support- I am a Bio-technologist and have in my network chemists. However, there is still the need for an expert that has experience in the plastic industry. We intend to pursue this through networking at plastic related functions. 

Cultural and marketing barriers- will be overcome by education on the effects of plastic pollution and the benefits of our solution. This can be advanced through advertisements, marketing and conferences. We have started to engaged governments and stakeholders. We have the ability to educated and access to stakeholders and agency that have since validated the innovation and its benefits.

Legal- protection of the IP is important and a trademarked name. Both will hinder competition and give us exclusivity. We have engaged local IP offices and is currently in discussion on way forward. For other countries we will need to approach their government laws and regulations, alongside their respective IP offices. 

Financial-  we have pooled funds from the team to assist with our pilot testing. We intend to get the rest through investment, partnership or collaboration to support our five year plan. 

One way of securing funding, technical and other support is through applying to the "Rethink Plastic Challenge" IDB, Solve and MIT, we are taking one step closer to overcoming these challenges through the potential technical, financial and media exposure/support necessary to eliminate these barriers through your support.

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We have interest from companies in the Caribbean and Latin American countries with them having a combined order of 5000 tons/annum. The market opportunity in the region is great. Many countries are banning plastic or putting taxes on it, as a away to reduce its use and dependency on petroleum base plastics. This create a market opportunity for Ja Bio Plastics while creating a need for a solution that meets industry standards and regulations. This makes our solution being strategically positioned as the best product- market fit with an attractive market and low barriers to entry.

Team members:

Jordon Freeman - PhD Student of Biotechnology, innovator and entrepreneur.

Samantha Williams - Graduate student of Social Policy and Administration. 

Advisors:

Professor Mona Webber - Marine Biologist and University Professor.

Bob Berkowitz - invested his passion for effective, powerful, and persuasive communications to build a storied career in media. He was a White House correspondent for CNN, a reporter for ABC News, the “Today” show, and a talk show host for CNBC) http://bobberkowitz.com/

Jaime Botero - Experienced Entrepreneur, Board member and mentor at EWC and Venture Hive. 

The team has background knowledge in Biotechnology and have access to Chemist.The lead scientist has also been awarded the National Youth Innovator and Governor-General Award for entrepreneurship and leadership. The team has also been awarded the medal for the top 100 global entrepreneur from the Entrepreneur World Cup Committee. Our team has media presence and we can be found on social media, newspaper, television and radio morning and talk shows.

We are represented on the National Biodegradable Plastic Committee as an executive member that is leading the charge to create standards for biodegradable plastic. 

We have engaged in and have started other business opportunities. We also have training in business processes and graduated from the Branson Centre for Entrepreneurship after a 6 months business training on the Blue Economy. 

We are working with the Branson Centre as they continue to provide business and networking support through media coverage, invitations to function and helping to form key alliances. 

The key customers are the plastic manufacturers. While the beneficiaries are the environmentalist, plastic end-users, Stores, restaurant, Government and Environmental agencies.

We provide the plastic manufacturers with a bio plastic solution that will allow them to make natural biodegradable plastic products for the beneficiaries such as the end users and stores while keeping the environment free from plastic pollution supporting the laws set by Governments and environmental agencies.

This can be provided to our customers through contractual agreement for  distribution and or production of material. After manufacturers produce the Ja Bio Plastics by-product for their clients they will be contributing to a less plastic polluted environment.

Our business model is a manufacturing - sale - distribution model, which allows us to earn 45% profit on every tonne sold to plastic manufacturers.

Our revenue stream ;

1. Grants towards testing and pilot

2. Sales from product after commercialization (sustainable financial)

3. Investment capital for expansion and growth

4. Licensing contract for large markets

Currently we have demand for 26,000 ton of product with a worth of US$130 million and this is from our initial demand from 10 companies.

We can be supported by the many network and connection that IDB has to offer and this will be very instrumental in us securing additional technical support.

The grant funding will be added to our financial need which is shy of US $70,000 and will allow us to carryout the pilot project that will be offered by MIT.

We have been seeking an opportunity to do parameter and pilot testing at the MIT through request that have been made through the IDB. So applying for this challenge is taking us closer to our goal of collaborating with MIT and getting funding.

Partnering with MIT along with any other research lab offering polymer studies (State University) research for potential collaboration and product enhancement.