Page 69 - Plastic News Issue August 2025
P. 69
PRODUCT NEWS
the reputed, peer-reviewed journal Bioresource promoting sustainable alternatives that can con-
Technology Reports. tribute to a cleaner, healthier planet.
The research paper was co-authored by re- “This approach not only diverts agricultural resi-
search scholars Ms. Sandra Rose Biby and Mr. dues from open burning but also creates fully
Vivek Surendran, and Dr.Lakshminath Kundanati compostable packaging solutions, aligning with
from IIT Madras. circular economy principles,” said Smruti Bhat, a
researcher.
Elaborating on the significance of this Research,
Dr.Lakshminath Kundanati, Assistant Professor, Experts say replacing plastic foams like EPS and
Department of Applied Mechanics and Biomedi- EPE (Expanded polystyrene) with mycelium-
cal Engineering, IIT Madras, said, “In India, over based biocomposites can significantly reduce
350 million tons of agricultural waste are gener- landfill burden, prevent microplastic formation,
ated annually, much of which is burned or left to and cut greenhouse gas emissions associated
decay, causing air pollution and wasting valuable with plastic production and waste incineration.
resources. Our Research aimed to address both The technology also promotes rural develop-
challenges—plastic pollution and agricultural ment by creating demand for agricultural by-
waste—by developing mycelium-based biocom- products, potentially generating new income
posites as sustainable, biodegradable packag- streams for farmers and rural communities. The
ing materials.” use of local, low-cost substrates aligns well with
India’s circular economy.
Ultimately, the research targets reducing the
ecological footprint of packaging industries and Source - https://www.newindianexpress.com
Covestro launches advanced flame-retardant
encapsulation foam for EV batteries
♦ Aligned with China’s new battery safety reg-
ulation in the world’s largest EV market
♦ Polyurethane foam limits thermal propaga-
tion to enhance battery safety
♦ Supports global EV growth through ad-
vanced materials innovation
Covestro has unveiled its next-generation
flame-retardant encapsulation polyurethane
foam technology, addressing one of the most
critical challenges in electric vehicle (EV) adop-
August 2025 PLASTICS NEWS 69
