Annually, 380 million tonnes of plastic are produced while there are 6.3 billion metric tons of plastic waste trashed in the environment. Composed on a basis of crude oil and coal, plastic is not only biodegradable but also consumes limited natural resources. Plastic has become stable in industrial production and a resource used daily for the human population. Complete elimination of such material will be difficult until there is an adequate replacement. For years scientists have created and advocated for plastic-like materials synthesized from biodegradable materials such as starch, plant fibers, and seaweed. Recently a unique and sustainable alternative to plastic composed of pure fungal mycelium has surfaced. Distinguished from other plastic-like material, the living characteristics of fungi allow the production of different types of material beyond plastic such as wood, leather, and cork.

Referred to as the ‘plastic of the future’, scientists have grown fungi in different temperatures and cultures in the lab which allows the synthesis of diverse materials that derive from a single type of fungi. The fungal mycelium makes up the product, and secondary steps of putting the fungus in the oven to stop fungal growth are taken after the product is given time to form the desired structure. The fungus-based material has already been marketed and developed to create 3d printed durable chairs. The fungus derived material has also been taken forward by the company ‘Ecovative’ that uses the product to create sustainable packaging.

While the technology is still in the process of development and refinement, Maurizio Montaliti, a designer/researcher based in Officina Corpuscoli quotes that “The possibilities are endless..”. Connections and support for the development of fungus-based plastic have been abundant, and the market is continuing to grow. It may cost just a few more years to completely replace plastic with the revolutionary synthetic material.

배진아 강남포스트 학생기자  webmaster@ignnews.kr

<저작권자 © 강남포스트, 무단 전재 및 재배포 금지>