Sustainable Materials from Seaweed and Leather By-products

Seaweed and leather industry by-products are very different materials. But both have relevance to our pursuit of a more sustainable and circular bioeconomy. Seaweed, with its rapid growth rate and minimal resource requirements, is gaining traction as a renewable biomass with applications spanning food, pharmaceuticals, packaging, and other bio-based materials. Meanwhile, the leather industry generates vast quantities of organic by-products that also have potential in the same applications but are typically underutilised. In the context of net-zero targets and the urgent need to close resource loops, these materials offer exciting potential. In this seminar I will be discussing our attempts to develop low energy processes to stabilise wet seaweed to prevent its microbial degradation. This is a key step in unlocking its wider use in various industries. I will also discuss our exploration into innovative uses for leather production by-product streams, especially as a bioplastic for use in the automotive and airline industries.