A Ukrainian couple was so disappointed by piles of plastic on what should have been a pristine beach that they decided to take matters into their own hands.
Pragmatika detailed that Julia Bialetska and Yevhen Tomilin were in Bali, Indonesia, when they came across the disturbing sight, and it encouraged them to investigate options for biodegradable alternatives for plastic.
From there, S. Lab was born, utilizing hemp and mushroom mycelium to create a lightweight, durable material that could be used instead.
After making tableware, decor, and building materials, they eventually settled on packaging as the best use of their innovation.
"Every year, more than 2 million tons of foam packaging are produced in the world, which leads to 12 million tons of CO2 emissions," Bialetska, the company's CEO, told Pragmatika.
"In addition, foam is not recyclable and takes 300 years to decompose. 30% of the world's landfills are covered with foam! So the transition to environmentally friendly packaging has a positive impact on climate change."
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The material would hopefully replace polystyrene, a synthetic polymer typically used in packaging material. Polystyrene is convenient because it can be molded to fit product shapes, preventing movement in transit and protecting various items sent out for delivery.
However, according to Beyond Plastics, polystyrene does not break down naturally in the environment, but it can break apart into smaller and smaller pieces, contributing to microplastic pollution.
Microplastics have been linked to a range of human health issues, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, cognitive deterioration, and cancers. Beyond Plastics observed that its key material, a carcinogen known as styrene, has also been associated with "vision and hearing loss, poor memory and concentration, and an impaired nervous system."
But S. Lab's material can mimic the same properties as polystyrene, notably being formed to match the shapes of packaged items.
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The way it looks 😍 While Bialetska noted that it takes around five days to make one product from the material, further research and development could speed up the process so it can become a viable plastic alternative.
In fact, it could be much better. The Odessa Journal reported it is waterproof, heat-insulating, and fire resistant, and it can break down naturally in around a month.
While plastic leads to environmental problems after development, it also relies on the extraction and burning of dirty fuels to create it. S. Lab's invention could avoid those issues, too.
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