Meet the Inventors: Produce plastics
In 2016, almost 335 million metric tonnes of plastic were made. Roughly half of it was destined to be used just once. But a Swedish inventor’s experiment using natural alternatives to oil may soon mean our plastics are made by growing potatoes.
The Problem: Lasts 450-years but used for just 20 minutes
Huge global problems can rarely be reduced down to just one object. But thanks to an episode of Sir David Attenborough’s Blue Planet II the plastic straw has become the dark face of the war against plastic pollution.
During a scene which was narrated by Sir David (91), a sea turtle was shown with a plastic straw stuck in its nose. It showed the damage that single-use plastic can have on the world’s oceans. Another scene highlighted the case of a pilot whale calf that was believed to have been poisoned and died after its mother’s milk became contaminated by toxic single-use plastic chemicals.
In the series Sir David argues that: “Unless the flow of plastics into the world’s oceans is reduced, marine life will be poisoned by them for many centuries to come.”
Following the episode’s showing single-use plastics were boycotted by an outraged public. Fast-food restaurants like MacDonald’s quickly replaced the 1.8 million plastic straws they were using every day with paper alternatives.
The situation became so serious that the Government legislated to ban “plastic straws, drinks stirrers and cotton buds to protect our rivers and seas” starting in 2019.
With any similar problems where the public’s ire is directed onto a single object, the root cause of the problem can be overlooked.
An estimated 4.7 billion plastic straws, 316 million plastic stirrers and 1.8 billion plastic-stemmed cotton buds are used annually in the England alone. An estimated 10 percent of cotton buds are flushed down toilets and can end up in waterways and oceans.
As Sir David says the real problem is the way we use (and discard) plastic rather than plastic per say.
The real problem with many single-use plastics is that they are unexpectedly over engineered. Although they may not look like much, plastic straws and cutlery can last for much longer than it is actually needed. On average plastic straws are only used for 20 minutes, but they won’t biodegrade for a whopping 450 years.
Ideally, of course, none of the plastics would end up in the sea at all. But while for the time being governments haven’t been able to prevent widespread pollution if single-use plastics are going to stay the next big solution must come in the shape of a new type of plastic which is fit for purpose.
Which is exactly what one Swedish inventor says he is developing.
The Solution: Fit for forks
Yes it is 1st of April, and sure, Potato plastic sounds like it might be an April Fool’s joke — but it isn’t.
Actually, Potato plastic is a very simple solution to a huge ecological problem which isn’t a joke at all.
Swedish student inventor, Pontus Törnqvist, became a national viral hit in his native country at the end of last year after his James Dyson Award winning invention was announced.
Potato Plastic is a biodegradable material, made of potato starch. This means that it will decompose to nutrients for the soil in only two months when it ends up in the nature. Potato Plastic can be used for products such as cutleries, straws and salt bags.
Pontus’ discovered this organic plastic alternative which working on his bachelor thesis in 2018, focusing on “the fast food industry’s effect on the environment”.
“I have been particularly interested in reusing or eliminating waste products,” says Pontus. This drew his focus quite quickly onto so-called single-use plastics — most notably the plastic cutlery used in the fast-food industry.
The discovery of any previously undiscovered organic compounds in a student’s kitchen might not have surprised anyone who remembers how messy some students are. But in Pontus’ case his experiments were scientific, not accidental, in nature.
Over a period of 4 months, starting in January 2018, Pontus started work on finding possible solutions to the growing mountains of single-use plastics which can last for 450 years but which are often only used for a maximum of 20 minutes.
And yet, even despite all of his engineering processes and research work, the moment of invention came, as it sometimes does, with an accident.
“It all started with a mistake,” Pontus says. “I accidentally spilled a binder of water and potato starch on my dinner table. After some time, I noticed that the fluid had dried to a plastic-like film.”
Deciding to experiment with the effects further Pontus soon found himself shaping this ‘potato plastic’ into new, useful shapes. “The most difficult part has been to industrialise the production technique, considering that I started producing it in my student kitchen by pouring it into handmade moulds.
The solution itself is relatively simple. It consists only of only potato starch and water, heated and combined. Involving a technical process to ensure consistency and effective production, it is important to mix exact amounts of both ingredients and then apply precise heat until the fluid thickens.
It is then poured into moulds and baked. Depending on how thick the fluid is the end result can either become a thick, tough piece, or a thin film. This opens up for many design possibilities.
Also, since no extreme heat is needed, the moulds can be made of plastic. This decreases the cost significantly compared to if they were to be made of metal.
But Pontus is the first to admit that his solution isn’t the panacea for all plastic waste. “Today, we create more waste than ever. My proposal to this will not solve the problem of littering, but I take responsibility for the product from production to after use.”
“I don’t think that this project is the solution to the problem,” he adds “but, I do believe that achieving big changes in the society comes with taking small steps in the right direction. The products that are made from this material should not be used more than one time, as a statement to question the capacity of today’s disposable products.”
In the future, Pontus wants to “see how a professional production can open up possibilities.”
As he explains, “I am from Sweden where we have large potato farming, so obviously the starch from waste and ‘ugly potatoes’ is very available. But, I see a future possibility to adapt the starch after the country where the product will be sold. If the country has higher production of rise, for example, starch from rise could be used instead. This, because I see an ecological and an economical benefit in using the waste that we already have instead of creating new waste.”
Q&A with Pontus Törnqvist, founder and inventor of Potato Plastic
How did you come up with the idea for potato plastic?
It all began with a lucky mistake. While working on my bachelor thesis, which focused on the fast food industry’s effect on the environment, I accidentally spilled a binder of water and potato starch on my dinner table. After some time, I noticed that the fluid had dried to a plastic-like film. I found it very interesting and decided to experiment further with it.
What is your biggest concern about the way plastic is used today? Was there a particular story that upset or interested you?
Over eight million tons of plastic end up in the oceans every year and a large percentage of this are single-use products. Many plastic disposables are used for twenty minutes or less, yet has the capacity to last for 450 years. When thrown in nature, they create damage for generations ahead. I find this deeply upsetting, frightening and indefensible in the face of our current climate crisis.
What were you working on before making potato plastic that gave you the insights you needed to create your invention?
For the past years, I have been particularly interested in reusing or eliminating waste products. Before I created potato plastic, I designed a silent keyboard for computers using bamboo and recycled wool.
How long have you been working on the idea? What was the hardest part about making it work?
My bachelor thesis project stretched over a period of 4 months, starting in January 2018, and I have worked on it ever since. The most difficult part has been to industrialise the production technique, considering that I started producing it in my student kitchen.
How did winning the Swedish National JDA prize in 2019 help you?
Winning the Swedish National JDA prize has helped me tremendously, especially in terms of publicity. My idea has spread to all parts of the world and attracted many interesting and inspiring individuals and companies. It is wonderful to see how engaged people are in this important question.
Is plastic a big problem in Scandinavia?
Plastic pollution is a global problem, and Scandinavia is not an exception. I see plastic waste scattered on the shores where I swim, in the forests I walk through, in the city I live in.
Can potato plastic be scaled-up in the future to be used by big companies?
Growing potatoes is the most effective way to produce food per hectare, but around 20% of the harvest is sorted away because the potatoes are ugly, too small or too big. I am interested in using this large discarded percentage. As long as we keep throwing away so much valuable material, the potential for upscaling is enormous.
What other fruit and vegetables could you use in the future? Or is it just potatoes? If so, why?
My goal is to adapt the product after the country it is produced and sold in, using local starch-rich plants.
Words: Henry Tobias Jones, Editor
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