In the UK, efforts to find a sustainable alternative to traditional glitter, which is a nonbiodegradable source of microplastics, may have yielded the lesser of two evils but not a complete solution. Sustainability publication Impakter reported on Ronald Britton Ltd, a company using regenerated cellulose and a thin layer of aluminum as an alternative to […]
In South Carolina, MycoWorks, a leading producer of mycelium materials, has reached a key production milestone and begun its first commercial shipments. The company says it has successfully harvested over 1,000 sheets of Fine Mycelium™ material at its Union, SC facility. It will harvest over additional 10,000 trays in the coming weeks. The first revenue-generating […]
In Virginia, designer Mary Lempres has used plant enzymes to produce Reef Rockets, structures made of biobased cement that could mimic naturally occurring oyster reefs and prevent flooding and coastal erosion, clean seawater, and function as biodiversity-boosting habitats. Lempres collaborated with environmental and bio-geotechnical engineer Ahmed Miftah to develop a method for growing the cement. […]
In Sweden, researchers from the KTH Royal Institute of Technology and the University of Maryland think see-through wood could be a viable alternative to glass and plastic for device displays like smartphone screens. The international group has developed a process that removes or bleaches lignin, the source of wood’s brown color. Epoxy resin is then […]
In Illinois, a research chemist at the USDA Agricultural Research Service National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research has converted dairy waste into renewable polyurethane and other bioplastics. More specifically, Atanu Biswas has used lactose—a kind of sugar found in dairy—as a bioplastic feedstock. He noted that the bioplastics made from dairy waste would work well […]
In Italy, wood products manufacturer Minelli Group has developed cosmetic packaging from biochar, a material produced from the pyrolysis of residual organic wood waste. Dubbed mBlack, the biochar acts as a carbon sink by containing a very high percentage of carbon of vegetal origin. The company says that, due to its extensive CNC milling operations, […]
In Massachusetts, Yield10 Bioscience, Inc. has filed for regulatory approval of Camelina sativa varieties that produce seed oil containing essential omega-3 fatty acids eicosatetraenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. The genetic pathway inserted into the omega-3 Camelina DHA1 line produces oil containing approximately 10% EPA and 10% DHA, closely resembling the omega-3 EPA/DHA fatty acid profile […]
In Canada, yeast-based ingredients maker Lallemand has acquired Evolva, a biotech firm based in Switzerland. The acquisition by Lallemand subsidiary Danstar Ferment AG is valued at around $24 million, with the potential for an additional $11.75 million if certain targets are met, according to vegconomist. Evolva develops yeast-derived ingredients for use in flavors and fragrances, […]
In Japan, researchers at Kyoto University hope to launch the first biodegradable satellite into space in 2024. They hope the use of renewable materials will one day help mitigate the growing problem of space waste. The first satellite—dubbed LignoSat—will be about the size of a coffee mug and incinerate when it reenters Earth’s atmosphere. Favorable […]
In India, noted sand artist Sudarshan Pattnaik has sculpted a massive Santa Claus figure using sand and onions. The structure at Blue Flag Beach in Odisha measures 100 x 20 x 40 feet. Pattnaik told BNN he used onions in addition to sand to emphasize the use of biodegradable materials in art. BNN noted that […]
