Outside the box: producing bioplastics from avocado waste

Out of the box.. Production of bioplastics from avocado waste

The world is now facing successive crises due to climate change, which requires combating its environmental and development impacts. So as not to hinder steps towards achievingSustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Another crisis that the world faces is the increasing use of plastic, whose harmful substances seep into the food chain and environmental systems.

The increase in human use of plastic is due toits low cost, but it is manufactured from non-renewable resources, represented by fossil fuels. This led to concern about its ability to hinder sustainability steps in countries all over the world, so there became an urgent need to produce greenerenvironmental alternatives.

Hence, interest has increased in recent years in developing and innovating packaging materials from natural and renewable sources, so that these materials are an alternative to traditional plastic, which is produced from fossil fuels.

Perhaps one of the most prominent innovations that have appeared in recent years is bioplastic, which is a type of plastic characterized by the physical properties that we find in traditional plastic, but at the same time it can decompose in the environment – safely – in a short period, and this is in contrast to traditional plastic, whose waste can spend hundreds of years in the environment before decomposing.

In this article – from the “Out of the Box” series – we try to shed light on one of the innovative ideas in converting waste into bioplastic.

Bioplastics and avocado

As we previously informed you on the pages ofEarth Guards Magazine, bioplastics can be produced through biological sources, such as: plants, agricultural waste, seaweed, and algae. Speaking of agricultural waste, we find that the geographical and cultural nature of each country controls the quality and quantity of these wastes. Which means the need for innovation to optimally exploit each type of agricultural waste.

An example of the above is what we find in America and Mexico, where huge quantities of avocados are consumed, which is the fruit that is intensively cultivated in this region of the world, and this is due to the widespread entry of this fruit into the eating culture, in addition to the availability of appropriate climatic conditions.

Avocado is a fruit with a soft pulp, and inside it is a central seed (kernel) that is close to the color of butter, and is inedible. Its global crop production is estimated at about8.7 million tons annually, and it has various industrial capabilities. It is used in preparing ointments and cosmetics.

In the middle are small pieces of onions, tomatoes, and coriander, a squeeze of fresh lemon, and a pinch of salt; Avocados are mashed to prepare one of the most popular salads in North America: guacamole.

From an idea to a success story

Whether you call it a salad or a sauce, guacamole is eaten in huge quantities every year. Which necessarily means consuming large quantities of avocados, as statistics indicate that consumption in the United States alone exceeds 6 billion avocados annually.

This great hunger for avocados led, of course, to the generation of huge amounts of waste from this fruit annually, which sparked the attention of some entrepreneurs in America and Mexico to exploit this waste in a smarter way, instead of disposing of it directly.

The idea here is to exploit the kernel of the avocado to produce plastic. Given the natural oils it contains, it can form the raw material for bioplastic products, such as: cutlery and straws.

This innovative idea was actually implemented in the Biofase factory located in Mexico, and this factory succeeded in a short period of time in opening foreign markets to export its products, in addition to expanding in other countries outside of Mexico, and the experiment was then repeated in a number of other factories.

Bioplastics in the balance of sustainability

In a previous article on the websiteEarth Guards, we mentioned that the percentage of greenhouse gas emissions from plastics manufactured from fossil fuels is estimated – annually – at about 4%, and here comes the importance of using bioplastics, which will be able to eliminate the use of petroleum, natural gas and coal in the manufacture of plastics; Which reduces the carbon footprint in this area, whose environmental impacts have affected all countries of the world.

Therefore, the rise of bioplastics in the list ofhuman food cultureand industrial culture will represent a major step towards implementing the axes of the circular economy, which calls for relying on renewable sources such as plants, and reducing the waste of foods and materials. To mitigate the harmful effects resulting from the use of traditional plastic, and to reduce our dependence on non-renewable resources.

Bioplastics – of course – have drawbacks; Because it is a technology in its early stages of development. These disadvantages include: the high cost of production compared to traditional plastic, the limited quantities produced, and the need to invest – significantly – in research and development. But all these defects can become forgotten over time.

Future Challenges

The idea of extracting bioplastics from avocados is just an example of the approach we should take in dealing with our waste, by viewing it as a resource that can be utilized in the circular economy.

And in Egypt – as we know –Avocado cultivation was not widespread until recently, and its cultivation in Upper Egypt has received great attention. Because it needs hot climates to mature. This innovative model for recycling avocado waste provides us with a sustainable method of dealing with our agricultural and non-agricultural waste in our beloved country.

The bottom line is that thinking outside the box and unleashing innovation are two things that must exist in all sectors, so that we can accelerate the pace of green transformation and achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), those goals that receive special attention in the national agenda “Egypt Vision 2030”.

In the end,Earth Guards takes this type of innovation into consideration, and believes in its role in implementing development plans in all sectors and fields. It is a magazine that sees sustainability as a path, and the development of environmental resources as a solution to all climate change problems. For a country where everyone can enjoy a sustainable life.