The new plastic promises to boost the Amazon’s economy and be able to replace up to 18% of conventional polypropylene production in 3 years on the market.
By Angélica Queiroz (The world we want)
A partnership between local communities, businesses, organizations and university researchers promises to revive the bioeconomy in the Amazon. It’s about the project Bioplasticwhose goal is to develop and produce, on a commercial production scale, a special type of plastic partially composed of brazil nut husk fibres. With this, the technology intends to respond to one of the greatest contemporary environmental challenges, namely the use of petroleum-derived plastic.
Bioplastic made from Brazil nuts promises to boost the Amazon’s economy (Photo: Getty Images)
Developed by a group of researchers, the sustainable version of polypropylene is being processed from material sourced from chestnut hedgehog, a kind of coconut that preserves chestnut pits, considered a waste not yet used within the production chain. The material can be applied to a wide variety of end products, such as caps, packaging, lids, among others.
A bioplastic production not only collaborates in the conservation of biomes but also in the socio-economic development of the Amazonian communities involved in the collection and preparation of the material. It is estimated that 4.8 million reals of income will be generated for the communities involved, out of a total turnover of 20 million reals in the first three years of sales, as well as a significant reduction of over 300 tons of CO2 emissions. this period.
According to a conservative estimate, the new plastic could do it replace until 18% of conventional polypropylene productionalready in the 3rd year since its arrival on the market.
The initiative was created in 2022 by World-Transforming Technologies (WTT), with fieldwork, research, and articulation across organizations. Through the financial support of the JBS Fund for the Amazon (FJBSA) and the Priority Program in Bioeconomy (PPBIO), public policy of the Superintendency of the Free Zone of Manaus (Suframa), coordinated by the Institute for Conservation and Sustainable Development of the Amazon (Ideam).
The organizers explain that, while Idesam was dedicated to mapping the production chain suitable for bioplastic productionthe University of the State of Amazonas (UEA) is concentrated. Research and development of the formulations of the new material, in order to guarantee that it satisfies the technical and economic demands of the sector
“It is in the nut supply chain that we have identified greater production safety, environmental sustainability and community returns. We know this initiative will work and will bring a return to riverside communities already working with nuts,” says Marcus Biazatti, Technical Coordinator of Idesam.
Five communities in the municipality of Lábrea, in the interior of the Amazon, are involved in this first phase of harvesting and processing, and more than 30 are interested in joining the project.
“This project is interesting because we are bringing together four strands in this effort: academia, government, industry and the community. It is a clear example of the quadruple helix concept of innovation,” says Roger Bello, Professor of Engineering at UEA Materials and project research coordinator.
“That’s all collaboration between outstanding scientists, communities and industry this is the magic of the project, whose intention is to generate a positive impact for the people of the Amazon and for the environment”, underlines Andre Wongtschowski, Director of Innovation at WTT.
The project is in its first year of development and, in the sector scenario, has already established a strategic and operational partnership for production in commercial scale of bioplastics with TutiPlast, a company located in the Manaus Industrial Park that has been operating for 25 years in the plastic injection solutions sector.
“The development of research focused on bioproducts enhances the socio-biodiversity of the Amazon, generates value for community enterprises in the forest and brings local raw material to large-scale industry. This is essential to generate local income and social inclusion”, underlines Joanita Karoleski, president of the JBS Fund for the Amazon.
The next phases of the project include the installation of machinery and the consolidation of the shed for the initial processing of the hedgehog in an association of agro-extractive producers in the municipality of Lábrea, as well as the validation of the transport logistics in Manaus. In the context of scientific research, the phases of the chemical surface treatment of the sea urchin are moving towards the final stretch, which include the bleaching process of the fibers and the microscopic analysis of the granules. The completion of the works is scheduled for the beginning of 2024.
Source: Terra
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