An Alternative Packaging Source
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the largest category of plastic waste in packaging and containers. Plastics are not biodegradable, and they consume a great deal of energy from fossil fuels during manufacturing. To reduce greenhouse emissions and landfill waste and to conserve energy used in manufacturing plastics, an alternative to plastic is necessary for the packaging industry.
Other People Are Reading
-
From Mushrooms to Packaging
-
According to the National Science Foundation (NSF), a new packaging material, made from biomass and mushroom roots, is gaining popularity across the country.
Environmentally Friendly
-
This new packaging is made from inedible agricultural materials. Its manufacturing requires just one-eighth the energy and one-tenth the carbon dioxide as the manufacture of traditional packaging materials does. And it is completely compostable.
-
How It's Made
-
Mycelia (mushroom) roots grow in a molded structure by digesting the raw materials at room temperature in a dark environment. The process takes about 10 days to complete. Once it's used as protective packaging, consumers can compost it, use it as mulch or simply throw it away, and it will biodegrade.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit pink styrofoam business image by robert mobley from Fotolia.com
