ABOUT PTTGC CAREERS TH EN MARKETS & INNOVATIONS INVESTOR RELATIONS CORPORATE GOVERNANCE SUSTAINABILITY NEWS & INSIGHTS MENU Meet Our People Home Meet Our People Meet Our People Dr. Jittiporn Kruenate Vice President of Corporate Innovation Science and Innovation Center Discusses the company’s biodegradable plastic seedling bag. "An innovator is a person who invents and develops new things that have value and practical uses, and it’s even better if they can be expanded to have a positive impact on the natural environment. Awareness of sustainable business operations, including having insights and seeing the value in being part of the environment, led to our initiating research for the development of environmentally-friendly products." Dr. Jittiporn Kruenate Vice President of Corporate Innovation Science and Innovation Center Dr. Jittiporn graduated with a B.Sc. in Chemistry from the Faculty of Science at Thailand’s Mahiidol University, followed by a M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Materials Science (Polymer Science and Technology) from the Faculty of Materials Science Center at the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom. She joined PTT Global Chemical (PTTGC) in 2014. Research and development conducted by Dr. Jittiporn on environmentally-friendly products led to the invention of the "biodegradable plastic seedling bag," an innovative product that can replace the common black planting bag, which does not naturally degrade. The main requirement for a seedling bag is its ability to degrade in the soil at the right time during the planting process and after use, when the residual product can continue to be degraded by microbes under the usual soil conditions in the planting area. This ensures that vegetables receive the significant nutrients needed to grow and strengthen their roots. Another important advantage of this biodegradable plastic seedling bag is that it reduces carbon dioxide emissions, in other word, helps to reduce global warming. The biodegradable plastic seedling bag is a research initiative by PTTGC, in collaboration with Thailand’s Royal Project Foundation and the Thailand Research Fund (TRF). It won the emeritus research work award in 2016 from the National Research Council of Thailand and Thailand Green Design Awards 2015 in the field of research which enhances quality of life (Product for Life Enhancements) from the Kasetsart Agricultural and Agro-Industrial Product Improvement Institute (KAPI) at Kasetsart University. Dr. Jittiporn said that the first priority in inventing this new bag was to consider the final picture of the product. It was important to understand its advantages, how it could make a positive impact, and whether it addressed the user’s requirements. The biodegradable plastic seedling bag was developed to reduce the amount of agricultural materials that generate waste. The initiative, implemented in an area that belongs to the Royal Project Foundation, was designed as a model in line with the "Clean Hill" concept. The Royal Project Foundation’s agricultural area is located on a highland, at the origin of river sources in Chiang Mai province. If the rivers were to become contaminated by polluted waste, they would have a significantly negative impact on Chiang Mai’s population. This inspired the invention of the "C-POWER 3 (C3): Con-Cern Life Bag" made from a bio-degradable material that perfectly blends into the environment after use. According to Dr. Jittiporn: "Our research team traveled to the area to inspect the farming environment and we continued repetitive surveying during several planting seasons to gain essential information. One challenge for this project was to develop a bio-innovation that best imitated the specific characteristics of natural organisms to create a solution that reflects the natural purpose of agricultural products". "We were enlightened through our research when we discovered that bio-innovation planting materials that adapted well for agriculture should resemble the unique characteristics of trees. For example, the Yellow Silk Cotton tree is very capable of enduring changes and natural disasters, and releases a unique fragrance that attracts various types of microbes in the soil until it can completely degrade in harmony with nature". "The research principle was that all components must contain bio-ingredients generated from bio-substances that are safe for the environment during and after use. We conducted several inspections during different planting seasons at the Royal Project Foundation in Chiang Mai to collect pieces of the planting bags and soil samples from the planting areas. Through continuous examination, we improved the bag’s production formula to make sure it was truly an eco-friendly solution and is compatible with the natural environment in every way," concluded Dr. Jittiporn. SUBSIDIARIES & AFFILIATES PETRO KNOWLEDGE CONTACT US WHISTLEBLOWER VENDOR TRACKING SYSTEM PAYMENT TRACKING SYSTEM SELLING QUANTITY Copyright © 2017, PTT Global Chemical Public Company Limited All rights reserved Terms & Conditions