In just six months, researchers at the circular economy innovation center of Ecoembes, The Circular Lab, have developed a new plastic that is biobased, compostable, recyclable and biodegradable at sea. It is made from fruit and vegetable waste and its use should be authorized within the next five years.
During the presentation of the new biomaterial, the coordinator of The Circular Lab, Zacarías Torbado, praised the new sustainable plastic as "the stepping stone for new developments based on the circular design. It is also already an example of what packaging will be like in the future," as plastic is replaced.
Ecoembes innovation specialist Jorge García has explained the differences between biobased bioplastic (that which comes from biomass) and those that are biodegradable (which come from oil). García said that the project's main goal was to obtain a biobased and compostable packaging.
Now that the product has been developed in the laboratory phase, it is time for the industry's approval and certifications of compliance to be granted. The plastic products resulting from this development could hit the market in about five years.
Source: Europa Press
