Organic Waste 

According to the UN Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Food Waste Index Report 2021, about 17% of global food production goes wasted. Sainsbury’s estimate that £1.17bn worth of fruit, bread and veg go to waste each year. How can we use this waste to create materials?

We are currently working with Biohm (who are producing the mycelium acoustic baffles we mentioned a few weeks ago) to create panels made from orange peel, beetroot and coffee chaff waste that act like MDF or solid material.

SeaStone, created by NewTab-22 is a material made from seashells discarded from the fishing and seafood industries. Shells are processed, ground and mixed with mineral, sand and natural binders to create an alternative to ceramic tiling.

Egg-Shield by Mat-Wise challenges consumers to consider their waste, creating a method which can be carried out at home to develop products; grinding the eggshell into a fine powder, heating, forming into a mould or cast, cooling to accelerate the demoulding process, and drying.

The material developers Chip[s] Board began developing an alternative to MDF from waste potato skins, but have since moved onto a bio-plastic called Parblex, made from the byproduct of potato processing. This can be combined with other waste materials such as Walnut shell, wood flour and curcumin.

Stay tuned for weekly materials showcases in the run up to Christmas...

Images:

1) SeaStone tiles by NewTab-22

2) Orb samples by Biohm made from combinations of sugar cane, orange peel, beetroot and coffee chaff

3) Egg-Shield by Mat-Wise crafted into bowls

4) Chip[s] Board bio-plastic Parblex material