RALEIGH, N.C. According to the United Nations Environment Programme approximately 36% of all plastics made are used in packaging, including single-use plastic products for food and drink containers, approximately 85% of which ends up in landfills or as unregulated waste.
Plastics can take years, if even centuries to decay. However, Dr. Lokendra Pal (N.C. State Professor) has created a better alternative that is better on the environment.
What You Need to Know
About 36% of all plastics are used in packaging, which includes single-use plastic products.
Plastic often takes decades, sometimes even centuries, to decompose.
Two N.C. State professors are currently testing a Styrofoam substitute made from sawdust
These materials could be on the market by 2023 if all goes well
The wildlife, the waterways and our solid waste. Pal, a professor in N.C. State’s Department of Forest Biomaterials said that plastic can be found everywhere.
Pal is very familiar both with the climate crisis as well as the effects of plastic on the environment.
It’s more than just “oh, we use this, then we throw it away and it can go to the dump.” Microplastics, particularly polystyrene are light materials and can easily be broken down. Slowly, they will end up in the waterways. Pal said that this is affecting us all.
He spent years researching ways to reduce plastic consumption.
Pal stated that the technology was first developed in 2016. Pal stated that the first two to three year period was a complete failure.
He discovered the solution in Legos and Chess pieces in an N.C. State Lab.
North Carolina is home to many lumber industries. These industries produce lumber for building construction materials. Pal stated that a lot of the side product goes to paper industries. It’s still this powdery material, which is either being burned or left behind. That is what we started to investigate. We are able to take what we have and turn it into something that is useful.
Sawdust can be used as a byproduct. It is lightweight and cheap.
Pal said that there’s more than 50 million tonnes of sawdust.
Pal starts with raw sawdust. After grinding it, he sifts the material and then adds a binder. Finally, he pours it into a mold to dry it.
The process is very easy. It is not very energy-intensive. Pal stated that it doesn’t require water.
This way, items won’t take decades or centuries for them to decompose.
This would be in the next few months. Pal said that it is a big difference.
These materials will be available for commercial and pilot testing in the next six-months. These materials could be available for sale in 2023, if all goes well.
N.C. State researchers focus on using sawdust to make foodservice items and packing material. They are also looking at how to make these items from hemp fibers and how to incorporate 3D printing.
