Application News Flying,
Application News Flying, biodegradable rat traps New Zealand has set an ambition to remove all pests by 2050 in order to protect their really unique biodiversity which has grown in isolation from mammals for millennia. And rats prove to be a real problem, since their first arrival 800 years ago biodiversity has suffered especially in the areas of fauna and birds - with 24 bird species having gone extinct in the last 100 years alone. Goodnature located in Wellington, New Zealand, is a product/technology development company that invests in innovation to design solutions to halt biodiversity decline and sell globally humane, non-toxic traps for the pests in people’s backyard too. They have decades of understanding in traditional plastics and have been moving toward more sustainable alternatives for the past few years with sugar-based PE the first in use. However, their current project of flying rat traps or more officially, the micro-trap for rats project, needs to be biodegradable. The goal is to design traps for aerial deployment in remote and hard to reach areas in New Zealand. The trap will biodegrade in-situ after delivering a humane kill. Both the materials of the trap along with the lure will be non-toxic. The project is still in its early phases and Goodnature has already experimented with PCL and PHBV blends as well as a novel blood polymer branded Novatein (by Aduro Biopolymers, Hamilton, New Zealand). “We are scoping broadly in this phase with the most divergent materials before fixing on one. We see lignin, blood and feathers as brilliant alternatives. We are open to experimenting and welcome anyone with new tech that might align. We are especially interested at present in waste stream materials, the often overlooked but valuable materials that make one use applications like this possible,” said Robbie van Dam, co-founder of Goodnature. The project is planned to take five years to deliver a trap that once deployed, does not need to be re-set for the duration of its functional life, providing a costeffective predator control tool for use at landscape scale, including difficult to access locations. AT https://goodnature.co.nz Biobased water repellent A shining example of conscious leadership played by the Rudolf Group (Geretsried, Germany) over the past decades is the invention and introduction of fluorine-free Durable Water Repellency (DWR) for textile and apparel. Since 2003, the RUCOÒ-DRY product line has gradually convinced the industry that water-resistance can be achieved through the study and replica of natural models. Fifteen years later, the company does it again and takes a significant leapfrog. It pushes the boundaries of R&D well beyond fluorine-free, embraces nature and introduces water repellent performance entirely based on natural components. “We are launching two brand new, distinctive product propositions entirely manufactured from natural sources that do not compete with human and/or animal nutrition” says Gunther Duschek, Managing Director at Rudolf Group. RUCO ® -DRY BIO CGR is an absolute breakthrough and the first Durable Water Repellent (DWR) agent based on plant-derived processing wastes. In fact, Ruco-Dry Bio CGR is made of natural waste that accumulates as a by-product during the processing of cereal grains in the food industry. The leftover material that would otherwise be disposed of is refined to create a powerful water and stain repellent textile finish. “By turning natural waste into DWR we have maximized the biomass content in Ruco-Dry Bio CGR to more than 90 %,” states Dirk Sielemann, R&D Director at Rudolf Group. He continues: “Although most of the product is composed of recycled biomass, it meets the performance and durability of conventional water repellent textile finishes.” Ruco-Dry Bio NPE is an equally outstanding product innovation where DWR is entirely based on a carefully selected mix of natural plant extracts. The well-balanced mix of plant-based ingredients combines excellent water and stain repellent effects with breathability and a natural handfeel. Unlike other 100 % renewable raw materials, those used in the making of Ruco-Dry Bio NPE are chemically and genetically non-modified and are not used as food, feed, or fuel. Furthermore, all of the plant extracts that compose the product are subject to a strict conservation and sustainability framework. “That’s why the supply of Ruco-Dry Bio NPE is likely to remain limited to the creation and marketing of performance outdoor and sports apparel programs embedding state-of-the-art sustainable technology,” concludes Gunther Duschek. MT www.rudolf.de 36 bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/21] Vol. 16
Carbon-neutral bed packaging The UK based sustainable bed manufacturer, Hypnos has pioneered another ground-breaking carbon-neutral innovation which could help with carbon reduction efforts across the bed and furniture industry thanks to its newly created sustainable bed and mattress packaging. After 18 months of intensive R&D, Hypnos has successfully developed another industry first by creating a new recyclable, eco-friendly packaging solution which will be used for their beds and mattresses across both its retail and contract factories. The material is a bio-PE (65% based on bio-ethanol and 35% recycled plastic). This combination can lead to a carbon footprint that can be as small as 25% of that of conventional plastics. The material is also incredibly durable and has superior technical properties compared to normal PE, performing better on puncture tests. Hypnos made the decision not to patent or trademark this new packaging solution for themselves. Instead, they want to share their innovation globally and are calling on industries around the world to ditch single-use polythylene and make the transition to this 100 % recyclable product in the hope that the material could be a game-changer. Richard Naylor, Sustainability Director at Hypnos, comments: “We believe in fostering environmental responsibility wherever we can which is why we are keen to share this technology with other industries. Most bed manufacturers use plastic to protect their beds and products. If all the mattress manufacturers in the UK switched to bio-PE instead, it would save a staggering 8,000 tonnes of CO 2 per year, so just imagine what could be achieved if bed and furniture manufacturers worldwide made this change! “We’re happy to set up meetings and put them (bed and furniture manufacturers) in touch with our specialist manufacturer so that they too can start to benefit from this pioneering sustainable, carbonneutral solution.” New UK legislation requires that all businesses use plastic packaging that contains at least 30 % recycled plastic by 2022 or they will face a new Plastic Packaging Tax. Hypnos bio-PE fits the bill and might help to reduce packaging going to landfill and incineration while stimulating an increased demand for recycled plastics. Hypnos has trialled their new packaging on selected mattresses and beds for several months and from November 2020 has been rolling it out across its entire range. An essential part of the process is the removal and return of the packaging by Hypnos’ delivery partners as this allows it to be returned and recycled in perpetuity. As a result, Hypnos is taking back its new packaging from retailers and hospitality partners wherever possible so that it can once again be recycled. AT Application News www.hypnoscontractbeds.com Cellulose-based kitchen products Orthex, a leading Nordic manufacturer of durable household goods, is the first company to launch durable products made of cellulose-based Woodly ® plastic. Until now, Woodly has become known for its environmentally friendly product packaging. The joint project between Orthex and Woodly to utilise wood-based plastic in kitchen boxes is a new development area, combining the core competencies of the two Finnish companies. These products, manufactured from wood-based plastic, will be launched during 2021. They will be available for sale in Orthex Group’s online store as well as in selected retail stores. “Social responsibility is a vital part of our corporate culture and it requires concrete actions from us. The Woodly product line is a good example of this. What makes us particularly interested in the material is that it is transparent, despite being bio-based,” says Alexander Rosenlew, CEO of Orthex. “Orthex Group aims to have a carbon-neutral production by 2030, which is quite an ambitious goal for a company that mainly utilizes plastics. Cooperation with Woodly is one step towards this goal,” Rosenlew continues. A more detailed look at Woodly as a company, as well as their material, can be found in issue 02/2020 of bM. AT www.woodly.com | www.orthexgroup.fi bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/21] Vol. 16 37
