In the United Kingdom, a University of Cambridge spinout making single-use plastic out of pea proteins has appointed a Unilever sustainability veteran as chairman.
Jeff Seabright, who worked for the consumer goods giant from 2014-2019 and later cofounded sustainability consulting firm IMAGINE, has joined Xampla’s board to help the company bring its biodegradable plastic to the UK market in 2021. The material can be used to replace bags, sachets, films, and beads.
The company says in a statement that Seabright brings a “raft of environmental and commercial expertise” and will help the company meet the packaging needs of large consumer goods.
“We’ve known we’ve had a plastic crisis for a long time, but the biggest problem with plastic is also its biggest strength,” Seabright says. “Its durability is great when you are protecting your product and a nightmare afterwards. The great conundrum has been to find a product that is cheap and durable without lasting forever on our planet.”