Post by account_disabled on Mar 12, 2024 23:52:15 GMT -5
A UK biotech company is set to unveil what is said to be the world's first truly biodegradable, compostable and commercially viable alternative to plastic packaging . The innovative material features biopolymers combined with Nobel Prize-winning graphene, which is derived from carbon and is stronger than diamond at the atomic level.
The company is called Toraphene and its eponymous new material uses biopolymers that naturally compost and biodegrade without human intervention, even in the ocean.
While biodegradable plastics currently exist, they rely on commercial composting, which uses energy to heat the compost, as well as presenting other logistical challenges. For example, in , the BBC found that compostable plastics in Wales were going to landfill, rather than being composted, because almost all councils could not deal with them.
Additionally, some bioplastics produce methane gas when they decompose, a compound with a global warming potential times greater than CO Torafene can be optimized to primarily produce CO along with mulch that can be used to strengthen the topsoil.
Toraphene: Gra Caseno Email List phene could put an end to plastic packaging
With many existing alternatives to plastic, there are still sustainability questions to be answered, explains Gaute Juliussen, CEO and founder of Toraphene :
“In the midst of a climate crisis, plastic waste is known to be a huge global problem and there are now many plastic alternatives, so why don't we see it everywhere? It's because they need specific man-made conditions to biodegrade and many degrade into microplastics , which pollute our oceans and food chain for centuries.
“Such bioplastics have been effectively 'laundered' and under-sold to environmentally responsible consumers and companies. They also break easily, shorten the lifespan of the contents they contain, and cannot be produced economically at scale."
Due to the addition of graphene, toraphene has been shown to be stronger, thinner and less permeable than alternatives, improving food safety and shelf life. This presents the first commercially viable alternative to plastics, the company claims.
Juliussen, an entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and former associate professor of business, founded Toraphene in with the initial goal of creating an eco-friendly alternative to carrier bags and food and beverage packaging; These plastics represent % of marine debris.
Commenting ahead of the launch, Birgit Liodden, founder of The Ocean Opportunity Lab , said:
“Toraphene has the potential to create a critical turning point in addressing the global plastic pollution crisis. We all know how urgent the climate crisis is and plastic pollution is a big problem, particularly in our ocean environments. “I am very encouraged by the prospect of Toraphene, which should be a transformative step in the fight against plastic pollution and play a critical role in making the world's oceans plastic-free.”
Ahead of the market debut of Toraphene, which is patented in the UK, EU and US, Juliussen has launched an equity crowdfunding campaign on Crowdcube , encouraging everyone who cares about the environment to be part of the journey.
Ultimately, Toraphene aims to make plastic packaging obsolete and disrupt the $ trillion plastics industry. For the launch, Toraphene rents production equipment from plastic bag manufacturers and connects directly to existing supply chains. The company is already in talks with leading consumer brands, retailers and food packaging suppliers.
The company is called Toraphene and its eponymous new material uses biopolymers that naturally compost and biodegrade without human intervention, even in the ocean.
While biodegradable plastics currently exist, they rely on commercial composting, which uses energy to heat the compost, as well as presenting other logistical challenges. For example, in , the BBC found that compostable plastics in Wales were going to landfill, rather than being composted, because almost all councils could not deal with them.
Additionally, some bioplastics produce methane gas when they decompose, a compound with a global warming potential times greater than CO Torafene can be optimized to primarily produce CO along with mulch that can be used to strengthen the topsoil.
Toraphene: Gra Caseno Email List phene could put an end to plastic packaging
With many existing alternatives to plastic, there are still sustainability questions to be answered, explains Gaute Juliussen, CEO and founder of Toraphene :
“In the midst of a climate crisis, plastic waste is known to be a huge global problem and there are now many plastic alternatives, so why don't we see it everywhere? It's because they need specific man-made conditions to biodegrade and many degrade into microplastics , which pollute our oceans and food chain for centuries.
“Such bioplastics have been effectively 'laundered' and under-sold to environmentally responsible consumers and companies. They also break easily, shorten the lifespan of the contents they contain, and cannot be produced economically at scale."
Due to the addition of graphene, toraphene has been shown to be stronger, thinner and less permeable than alternatives, improving food safety and shelf life. This presents the first commercially viable alternative to plastics, the company claims.
Juliussen, an entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and former associate professor of business, founded Toraphene in with the initial goal of creating an eco-friendly alternative to carrier bags and food and beverage packaging; These plastics represent % of marine debris.
Commenting ahead of the launch, Birgit Liodden, founder of The Ocean Opportunity Lab , said:
“Toraphene has the potential to create a critical turning point in addressing the global plastic pollution crisis. We all know how urgent the climate crisis is and plastic pollution is a big problem, particularly in our ocean environments. “I am very encouraged by the prospect of Toraphene, which should be a transformative step in the fight against plastic pollution and play a critical role in making the world's oceans plastic-free.”
Ahead of the market debut of Toraphene, which is patented in the UK, EU and US, Juliussen has launched an equity crowdfunding campaign on Crowdcube , encouraging everyone who cares about the environment to be part of the journey.
Ultimately, Toraphene aims to make plastic packaging obsolete and disrupt the $ trillion plastics industry. For the launch, Toraphene rents production equipment from plastic bag manufacturers and connects directly to existing supply chains. The company is already in talks with leading consumer brands, retailers and food packaging suppliers.
