Go Green With Algae Plastic

Trends N Style

oi-Suparna Chakaraborthy

By Suparna Chakaraborthy

Monday, May 3, 2010, 12:21

Plastic is bad for the environment as it not biodegradable. We all know this but the usage of plastic is still on rise. Plastic is being used not only as a carry bag but in forms of auto parts, bottles and even keyboards. The World would be so much greener and healthier if all these were made of natural products.

A California-based company thought the same and worker for it. They are producing the Algae Plastic.

A few years ago, Frederic Scheer, the founder and CEO of Cereplast found out that algae was getting buzz for its potential as a fuel source.

Algae was being dried and once the oil has been extracted it was used for several other purposes. He dries the biomass even further until it becomes a powder. He mixed Organic ingredients and polypropylene or another traditional resin with 35 and 50 percent algae powder using a proprietary process to create the 'Algae Plastic'. It had only one disadvantage, the strong fishy smell. Frederic is working towards that too.

"It's exactly like a traditional material--fairly strong, presents strengths similar to the equivalent with starch-based materials," said Scheer.

Cereplast aims at launching this product in the market by the end of the year, either November or December.

Another version of the this product with100 percent algae and entirely compostable could be ready within three to five years. Cereplast has made sure that the Algae Plastic is made in such a way that it is recycled effectively.

They have decided to artificially-grow high-yield algae crops and this will surely help them beat the prices of the traditional plastics which are used.