Grass straws could help keep plastics out of oceans
In Vietnam, entrepreneur Tran Minh Tien is converting Lepironia articulate, a ubiquitous grass in the Mekong Delta, into biodegradable drinking straws.
Tien founded Ong Hut...
Produce company wants to turn fruit peels into bioplastic
In Canada, produce giant The Star Group of Companies is looking at turning peels and other wastes from its prepped produce unit, Sliced FC,...
Finnish waste-to fiber technology wins World Changing Ideas Award
In Finland, a technology for producing fiber from cellulose in waste products has won Fast Company’s 2019 World Changing Ideas Award.
Based in Jyväskylä, Spinnova...
Bangladesh announces grant for jute bag research and production
In Bangladesh, the government has approved a taka 100 million ($1.18 million) grant to produce biodegradable bags from jute.
Dubbed Sonali bags, the project will...
Wheat waste could become new biobased chemicals platform
In Europe, Global Bioenergies and Ineos are advancing technologies to convert wheat residue into chemicals.
Dubbed the OPTISOCHEM project, the partners are eyeing biobased...
Bioplastic burial pod is also a work of art
In Italy, a biodegradable burial pod made from bioplastic will be featured at a Milan art exhibition highlighting the “broken nature” between mankind and...
H&M launches clothing line made from fruit and algae
In Stockholm, embattled fast fashion leader H&M has launched a new line of clothes made from renewable sources, including fruit and algae.
Dubbed the Conscious...
EarthKind invites consumer to kill bugs, not the planet
In North Dakota, EarthKind has debuted a biobased pod that allows for the time release of its plant-based, pest-repelling oils.
The Pouch Pod is made...
Soy straw takes top prize in Indiana contest
In Indiana, three students have won a soybean product innovation contest for their biodegradable, soybean-based drinking straw.
The $20,000 prize will be shared by “Team...
EU-China partnership looks to upcycle agricultural waste
In Dublin, an agricultural waste valorization project unveiled several products to replace single-use plastic, including edible straws and cups from potato byproducts.
“The idea of...