PlantSea-Punnet: a versatile seaweed-based packaging

每年产生超过2.75亿吨塑料垃圾。食品包装中使用的塑料是塑料包装废物的最大贡献群体之一。在英国，成年人扔掉了165亿个塑料托盘，估计有25万吨。从英国食品杂货市场来看，水果和蔬菜包装每年占38，000吨。基于我们在开发尖端，可持续和可堆肥材料方面的成功，我们开发了PlantSea-Punnet，这是第一个基于海藻的完全可堆肥，食品安全的可持续包装概念，用于新鲜农产品，可以防止22，800吨塑料进入垃圾填埋场并污染环境。PlantSea-Punnet也是一种低碳塑料解决方案。塑料生命周期的排放量预计将达到每年65亿吨二氧化碳当量。利用我们的创新方法和专业知识是可持续的材料生产，PlantSea-Punnet每年可以节省990，000吨CO2 e。在我们的实验室中生产原型后，该项目使我们能够改进其材料成分，并与我们的主要合作伙伴合作，以确保大规模交付这一概念。这将使我们能够提供一种功能性解决方案，对减少塑料废物产生重大影响。

Over 275 million tonnes of plastic waste is produced every year. Plastic used in packaging of food items accounts for one of the largest contributory groups of plastic packaging waste. In the UK, adults throw away 16.5 billion plastic trays, at an estimated 250,000 tonnes. From the UK grocery market, fruit and vegetable packaging accounts for 38,000 tons per year.Building on our success in developing cutting edge, sustainable and compostable materials, the development of the PlantSea-Punnet, the first seaweed-based fully compostable, food-safe sustainable packaging concept for fresh produce, can prevent 22,800 tons of plastic reaching landfill and polluting the environment.PlantSea-Punnet is also a low carbon solution to plastic. Emissions from the life cycle of plastic are expected to reach 6.5 billion tonnes CO2e per year. Using our innovative approach and expertise is sustainable material production, PlantSea-Punnet could save 990,000 tonnes CO2e per year.Having produced prototypes in our laboratory, this project enables us to refine its material composition and work with our key partners to ensure delivery of this concept at scale. This will enable us to provide a functional solution that can make a significant impact in reducing plastic waste.