In London, a startup is creating performance materials from an unlikely source: the “beards” mussels extend outside of their shells to stay anchored. Seastex sees the plastic-like fibers—also known as byssus—as an especially promising source of biobased materials because it does not compete with food. The company gets the material from mussels cultivated for human […]
In Germany, Evonik has won the Responsible Care Award in the Safe and Sustainable Chemicals category for its glycolipid biosurfactants platform. The award from the European Chemical Industry Council recognizes Evonik’s its role as a pioneer in glycolipid technology. The surfactants contribute to closing carbon loops by utilizing biogenic carbon as a raw material and […]
In Israel, TIPA, a manufacturer of high-performance compostable materials, and packaging company ATI have introduced lids for compostable coffee capsules. Suitable for all capsules, including Nespresso machines, the high-barrier laminate addresses problems other compostable coffee capsules have experienced such as delamination, poor sealing, and material ending up in the coffee. They are also certified by […]
In the Netherlands, advanced materials company TenCate has developed synthetic turf with several biobased components and zero per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. Instead of the usual rubber infills, TenCate’s new turf uses biodegradable materials such as cork and walnut. The lack of PFAS is also significant, given links between the so-called “forever chemicals” and human health […]
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, […]
