Smart bioplastic made using upcycled green algae helps to clean up beaches

UK-based plastic technology specialist, Symphony Environmental, has teamed up with the French biotech company, Eranova, to create a new “smart plastic” bag using upcycled green algae. The technology aims to not only reduce the environmental impact of fossil fuel-intensive plastic but also present new uses for green algae.

Green algae proliferation is a common environmental nuisance. It accumulates in large quantities on beaches, which can create toxic conditions for humans and wildlife. Symphony Environmental has partnered with Eranova to pioneer a technology that transforms green algae into bio-plastic

Eranova’s process extracts starch from the algae to produce a biodegradable and compostable resin, which is then used to manufacture packaging and other products. The biomass can also be used to produce biofuel, proteins for food and animal feed, as well as by-products for the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.

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