Summary

Biofase has created technology to produce bioplastic from the avocado seed. Mexico is the world’s largest producer of avocados and avocado seeds are one the country’s biggest waste material. The company has two types of products: the first product is called Biocom Hybrid, which is a biodegradable offering that has 60% avocado seeds and 40% other inputs. The second product is called Biocom Compostable, which is a 100% biodegradable resin can be completely home composted. The company claims that the cutlery (e.g., the compostable type) can decompose in about 240 days. (Source) The plant uses 15 tonnes of avocado seeds every day bought from US company Simplot. (Source)

Story

Founder Scott Mungia came up with the idea for Biofase when he was a chemical engineering student in 2012 after realizing that the properties of corn, that companies were using to create bioplastic, were very similar to those of avocado pit, a waste resource that is abundant in Mexico. He started experimented and came up with a process that he patented in 2013. Biofase installed its first plant in Mexico two years later. (Source)

Pic Credit: Fabbaloo (right) and Faktuell (top)