Believe it or not, researchers have had plastic-eating fungi on their radars for more than a decade. Now, a startup is leveraging these findings to commercialize fungi-driven recycling for both consumers and manufacturers.
As detailed by Nonwovens Industry, Hiro Technologies has launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for its fungi-related endeavors, including plastic breakdown kits and MycoDigestible diapers — all with the ethos of "harnessing nature to heal nature."
"Our dependence on plastic is unsustainable," said Miki Agrawal, the entrepreneur who launched brands such as Thinx and Tushy and co-founded Hiro Technologies with Four Sigmatic's Tero Isokauppila. "It's an environmental issue and a human health crisis. We knew we had to look to nature for a solution."
Oceana USA estimates that two garbage trucks' worth of plastic are dumped in our oceans every minute. Without change, there could be more plastic than fish in our waters by 2050 (the Ellen MacArthur Foundation first published the widely shared prediction).
In part, that's because plastics are mainly derived from dirty fuels and take tens to hundreds of years — or even 1,000 years — to break down, in the process producing planet-warming gases like methane, leaching toxic chemicals into our ecosystems, and harming wildlife.
And while supporting plastic-free products communicates to brands that they'll receive a reward for sustainable choices, some transitions are easier than others — particularly for busy parents in buildings without in-unit laundry, making reusable cloth diapers an unrealistic option.
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According to Hiro Technologies, baby diapers are the top source of plastic household waste and the third-most common item in landfills. That's where breakthroughs in plastic decomposition come in. For the startup, its fungi-driven home decomposing kit does the work post-diaper use.
Hiro Technologies, winner of the 2024 Hygienix Innovation Award, will make HIRO Baby Diapers available to a limited number of people in February. Contributing to the Kickstarter campaign can unlock early access to the patented technology.
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