BioComposites Centre, Bangor University

Dr Adam Charlton of Bangor University’s Biocomposites Centre has led a team in vital, innovative work in reducing the use of plastics in agriculture and food packaging

Through innovative research supported by their unique facilities based in Anglesey, they work with industry to make manufacturing processes more environmentally and socially responsible.

Dr Charlton’s research into novel technologies to extract useful components from agricultural and forestry waste (e.g. grasses, crops/forestry residues, foodwaste), has had a fundamental impact on the development of alternative materials to plastics.

There is an urgent need to reduce the use of plastics globally, because of their use of fossil fuel and the volume of waste they create. Agriculture is one of the largest users of plastic, using it in transportation, as mulch films or silage wrap. As many of these break down into microplastics, they are increasingly recognised as a risk to soil health, biodiversity and food security.

In the UK their work has seen the development of plastic-free egg cartons from ryegrass in collaboration with Waitrose.

In Uganda they were involved the development of alternative food packing from maize waste (the country’s most important cereal crop), and biobased seedling wraps for a largescale, Government-supported tree planting programme. In Ethiopia the team are investigating whether the leaves of banana plants could form packaging materials.

Many rural farmers in East Africa are women who are greatly impacted by food insecurity and poverty and these new technologies, in providing jobs and revenue, can be transformative to local communities.