Fresh thinking unlocking solutions for packaging waste
As the fishing industry continues to lower its environmental impacts and carbon footprint, leading scientists have teamed up with and a Perth biotech business to develop an alternative to polystyrene packaging boxes that have been the industry standard for decades.
The project has seen Murdoch University and CSIRO partner with Perth-based Cass Materials, to form the Bioplastics Innovation Hub joint venture.
The project is working to develop thermally-efficient biofoam seafood boxes made from wheat straw that will be fully biodegradable and break down organically over a few months.
Traditional polystyrene boxes used now are estimated to take around 500 years to decompose in landfill and are even more problematic when lost at sea.
The current lightweight designs are proving successful and have a capacity to thermally support food and ice during transport and will breakdown quickly to organic compost.
The final challenge is to develop a waterproof layer that will also decompose effectively.