Seaweed has become a new player in the edible plastics market! Edible plastics made from agricultural products have already been used in the past, and now the British company Notpla is using seaweed as a raw material to create film packaging, replacing single-use plastics. The company's design director, Simbala, explains that seaweed not only grows quickly and doesn't compete with crops for land, but also absorbs carbon dioxide from the air. The company recently secured £10 million in funding to expand its production line and expand its operations across Europe.
There are many types of edible plastics
Forbes Magazine reported that edible plastic products are no longer news. EnviGreen founder Ashwah has developed edible plastic using 12 raw materials including bananas, vegetable oils and potatoes. If you throw the plastic bag directly into boiling water, it will decompose in just 15 seconds, and the decomposed liquid can be eaten.
He confidently stated, "This type of plastic bag is completely edible. Even the colored inkjet paint on it is edible, and there is no need to worry about animals accidentally eating it." However, in the face of the global food crisis, using crops as raw materials for alternative plastics has not been recognized.
Seaweed is environmentally friendly
With plastic pollution becoming increasingly serious, UN statistics indicate that the world generates 300 million tons of plastic waste annually, with 60% of this plastic still hidden in the soil or oceans. CNN reported that Notpla has shifted its approach to using agricultural products to create plastic alternatives, opting instead for seaweed as a raw material to create a transparent film that can be used for food packaging, takeout container coatings, and more.
Notpla Design Director Simbala said seaweed was initially considered a solution to the world's plastic problem because it grows quickly and absorbs carbon dioxide from the air. Furthermore, seaweed is a diverse species that can be harvested or farmed. He added, "Seaweed doesn't use land and doesn't require pesticides."
Notpla recently received funding from the UK government agency Innovate UK and non-profit organizations. This new round of funding will be used to increase coating production and further develop its seaweed-based paper and multifunctional film. Last year, the company partnered with a food delivery platform to test 30,000 meal kits in the UK, with plans to begin delivering them across Europe in 2022.
Source: CSRone (https://csrone.com/news/7239)
