The entirely compostable packaging made from sugarcane extract is set to replace environmentally hazardous products.
By United with Israel Staff
Israeli startup W-Cycle created the first-ever green and entirely compostable packaging solution that can be used with hot food and beverages. The patented product, called Suprapulp, “will substantially contribute to the protection of the environment and to the value chain of both the nature and humans,” according to the company.
Suprapulp is made from the fibrous matter that remains after sugarcane or sorghum stalks are crushed to extract their juice. This material is called Bagasse. Usually, Bagasse is burned to produce energy. However, this causes serious air pollution. Turning Bagasse into recyclable packaging resolves both the air pollution problem as well as the worldwide challenge of growing landfills, as it completely decays into compost.
The environmentally friendly containers can be used for individual and mass-produced heated, precooked and catered meals at a competitive price to containers made from plastic, aluminum or C-PET (dual oven and microwaveable vessels). Pre-packaged supermarket dinner trays, hot school lunches, airline meals, corporate canteens, hospital catering, retirement homes, and ready meals for governmental institutions such as police, military and more can use the product.
According to the company, Surpapulp can withstand oven temperatures of up to 270 C (518 F) for 1.5 minutes, 200 C (392 F) for 30 minutes and deep freezing for one year. It is even stronger than plastic.
W-Cycle says the use of disposables continues to grow worldwide. In 2018 alone, approximately 360 million tons of plastics were produced, nearly all of which end up in landfills or oceans. Plastic takes about 400 years to decompose in the ocean and over 1,000 years in landfills.