Tuesday 12 March 2019

Avocado stones could help save the world… but how?!

A Mexican company has developed a way to turn avocado stones into a sustainable material that can be used to make plastic-free cutlery, straws and more.

BIOFASE is now using the large seeds found in the middle of avocados to create biodegradable polymers - the firm says the carbon footprint of its final product is much lower than that of alternative materials, even paper.

Previously, the stones were an agricultural waste without any use but they are now being converted into BIOFASE products, made up of 60% avocado seed biopolymers and 40% synthetic organic compound.

The green business says they are also competitive in price compared to other biodegradable and compostable technologies - it claims before it launched, all biodegradable plastic products had to be imported from other countries into Mexico, costing money and producing emissions.

Plastic straws, drink stirrers and cotton buds could be banned within a year in England under government plans to reduce pollution.