Seaweed-based packaging as an eco-friendly replacement for plastic is quite feasible. Seaweed can grow in both seawater and freshwater, is inert, and doesn’t require any additional media for its growth. It is also packed with a plethora of vitamins, fiber, and minerals, allowing the possibility of producing edible packaging.
The natural polysaccharides obtained from seaweeds are enormously significant in the film-forming ability of seaweeds. The growth and utilization of seaweed ease the waste management process as its biodegradable and the packaging can be naturally decomposed.
Seaweeds contribute towards the deacidification of the ocean and promote the production of oxygen by consuming carbon dioxide for its growth, it can degrade within 4 weeks and is an excellent soil ameliorant too.
This reduction in the production of plastic will directly contribute towards a reduction in gas emissions and the contamination of soil, water, and air. Some studies have reported that it takes a hectare of the ocean to create 40 tons of dry seaweed. During processing, that same volume can absorb 20.7 tons of CO2 emissions.
Various products are made from seaweed such as paperboard container products, sachets, pipette, cutlery products, rigid container products, dissolvable pods, etc catering to different industries like food, home care, personal care , cutlery, oil , lubricant,etc.
This sustainable application is being catered by many companies such as Notpla, Sway ,Evoware, Loliware, Solublue, Flexsea, etc