From Bacteria to Biodegradable: The Science and Strategy Behind PlantSwitch with Dillon Baxter

Episode notes

Welcome to the Sustainable Design Lab podcast by Veritiv. Hosted by Chris Bradley and Brodie Vander Dussen, this show is your go-to resource for cutting-edge insights into the world of sustainable packaging. Join us as we reimagine packaging innovation and turn every decision into a powerful act of sustainability. In this episode, Dillon Baxter, CEO and Co-founder of PlantSwitch, a company developing plant-based, home-compostable materials designed to biodegrade in any environment, shares how his team achieved cost-competitive PHA alternatives using agricultural waste. What You’ll Learn: How bacteria actually build a polymer that looks and performs like plastic A practical roadmap for zero-waste packaging How PlantSwitch is tackling the cost problem that has kept PHA materials on the sidelines for years Why behavior change is a harder solution than material design The critical difference between PLA and PHA in regulatory and marketing contexts Dillon Baxter is the CEO and Co-founder of PlantSwitch, driving innovation in plant-based, home-compostable materials designed to replace traditional plastics in single-use applications.