Researchers find packaging made from banana plants an a-peeling alternative
Depending on the intended thickness, the material could be used in a number of different formats in food packaging.
Two researchers at UNSW Sydney, Australia, discovered a novel way to turn banana plantation waste into packaging material that is not only biodegradable, but also recyclable.
“What makes the banana growing business particularly wasteful compared to other fruit crops is the fact that the plant dies after each harvest,” says Jayashree Arcot, associate professor at UNSW School of Chemical Engineering. “We were particularly interested in the pseudostems – basically the layered, fleshy trunk of the plant, which is cut down after each harvest and mostly discarded on the field. Some of it is used for textiles, some as compost, but other than that, it’s a huge waste.”