Bioplastics from plant waste
from the productions of
hemp, oranges
and tomatoes. It is the mission of
Kanèsis
, startup promotingcircular economy in Sicily.
.
Industrial hemp, eco-agriculture and circular economy
The cultivation of hemp
industry in Italy is experiencing a new renaissance thanks to the growing demand, in the international market as well as in the domestic market, for the
superfoods
resulting from it. Law 242/16 contributed to the revitalization of the crop, although funding under it is still blocked. Misunderstandings and uncertainties fomented in Rome by the HSC, among others, are yet to be resolved
(only partly resolved by the Ministry of Health
) and in Brussels by the European Commission.
.
La
Cannabis Sativa L.
is a resilient plant, adapted to grow on all continents (except Antarctica) with little water and low maintenance. It grows rapidly, in 4-5 months from planting to harvest, to reach 3-5 m in height. And it can absorb up to 4 times more CO2 from the atmosphere than other plants. Hemp roots also have the ability to chelate metal ions and thus cleanse soils of heavy metals and other hazardous contaminants. (1)
Kanèsis, biolastics from hemp and other plant wastes
Kanèsis is a startup created by two young people from Ragusa with the goal of bringing value to the residues of the agricultural processing most characteristic of their land. Stems and other parts of hemp (‘Hemp‘, ‘Weed‘), orange pruning waste (‘Pruned‘), by-products of industrial tomato processing (‘Tomato‘). Plant materials are mixed with PLA (polylactic acid), which in turn is derived from renewable biological resources, such as corn starch and sugar cane. And processed into granules, which form the basis for producing filaments for use in 3D printing processes (injection or blow molding).
‘Hempbioplastic‘ (Hbp) is the bioplastic created by Kanèsis exclusively from agricultural and natural raw materials. Among other things, its chemical-physical and mechanical properties are better than polylactic acid itself, in terms of lightness (+20%) and strength (+30%). Further developments have made it possible to increase the tensile strength and elasticity of the compound, which is suitable for the manufacture of many everyday objects.
The project was started in 2014 with the idea of using cellulose from hemp for paper production at a disused paper mill in the Catania area. In 2015 Kanèsis made the first prototype filament based on canapulo and PLA for use in 3D printing. In 2018, the product was implemented and through a scrap of flowers and leaves standardized in particle size and moisture. And the naturally green-colored ‘Weed‘ filament was produced, once again from waste from Sicilian hemp processing.
Dario Dongo and Luca Foltran
Notes
(1) See P. Linger, J. Kobert. (2002). ‘
Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) growing on heavy metal contaminated soil: fiber quality and phytoremediation potential.
‘. Industrial Crops and Products. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0926-6690(02)00005-5
V. Angelova, K. Ivanov (2004). ‘
Bio-accumulation and distribution of heavy metals in fiber crops (flax, cotton and hemp).
‘. Industrial Crops and Products. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2003.10.001
Gangrong Shi, Caifeng Liu, Meicheng Cui, Yuhua Ma, Qingsheng Cai (2012). ‘
Cadmium Tolerance and Bioaccumulation of 18 Hemp Accessions.
‘. Appl Biochem Biotechnol (2012) 168: 163. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-011-9382-0
(2) PLA, polylactic acid or polylactate, is the polymer of lactic acid. The crystalline polymer, obtained by lactic fermentation (L isoform), melts at 180 °C. And it is the most widely used material for making artifacts through 3D printers. Unlike traditional plastics, whose average lifespan exceeds 100 years, PLA has very short biodegradation times that vary, depending on environmental conditions, between 1 and 4 years
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT - Food Times) and Égalité.
Expert in packaging and materials intended to come into contact with food substances and related legislative changes. He manages the information site foodcontactmaterials.info on European and extra-European regulations in the field of materials intended for contact with food.
