Fungi: The answer to our packaging problems?

 

Fungi: The answer to our packaging problems?

The continual global rise in population density has led to a significant increase in the demand for materials. Construction and packaging industries are under great pressure to keep up with the needs of the population and, as a global society, we have adapted an unsustainable reliance on petroleum-based materials. These materials are synthetically created, requiring significant amounts of energy for manufacture and are responsible for the release of large quantities of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam is one example of such synthetic materials. It is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and is lightweight and rigid, causing it to be widely consumed on a global scale, particularly for use in insulation and protective packaging. However, despite its desirable properties, the non-biodegradable nature of EPS foam means that it can remain in landfill for over 500 years before decomposing.

In addition to this increased demand for materials, the ever-growing population has resulted in an increased demand for food. This means that agricultural outputs are greater than ever before. Currently, these outputs, such as straw, hemp, corn stalks and rice husks, are used only for low-grade applications such as fertilisers and animal bedding, or are burnt, again releasing harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Therefore, we are presented with three main problems:

·       How do we continue to meet industry demands while decreasing the use of synthetic products?

·       How do we add value to this abundance of agricultural waste?

·       How do we reach both of these goals whilst simultaneously relieving pressures on the natural environment?

 

Could the answer be fungi?

 

The root structure of fungi, consisting of a mass of thread-like hyphae, is termed the mycelium. When injected into organic matter, this mycelium network has the potential to act as a natural binder. The agricultural by-products can be cleaned and placed into moulds, dependent on the desired shape (blocks, sheets etc) and injected with mycelium. Over a period of four to six days, the mycelium grows throughout the waste products, producing a natural polymer (chitin), which binds them together. The process is then stopped by exposing the material to a drying and heat process.

The end result is a durable, compact, fibrous composite, in the shape of the mould. The material produced has properties similar to EPS foam, however unlike EPS, these mycelium-based products are entirely bio-degradable. They take only 30 days to break down entirely when given the correct conditions, but may also be re-used if kept dry. Additionally, as most plastics begin with feedstocks of natural gas or oils, whereas this material begins with a feeder of agricultural waste, this is not only environmentally, but also economically viable, giving increased value to the agricultural by-products.

Ecovative Design is the leading company in the creation of such products, naming the material ‘MycoComposite,’ and they have managed to get furniture giant IKEA on board with their innovative packaging. IKEA announced that they are planning to replace EPS foam packaging entirely with MycoComposite, with IKEA’s Head of Sustainability stating that this was the retailer’s “small yet significant step towards reducing waste and conserving ecological balance.”

Will other companies follow suit? Could fungi-based composites be the cheap and renewable packaging alternative we are looking for?


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