Takeaway forks can be crafted from it
Typically, after digging out a pit from an avocado, most people throw the large, inedible seed in the trash. In 2018 alone, the average American consumed 8 pounds of avocados, which creates a huge amount of food waste. A start-up company has found a way to turn that trash into disposable tableware that's more environmentally friendly than plastic -- basically killing two birds with one stone.
BIOFASE is a Mexican company that is a leader in the production of biopolymers in Latin America. Its products are exported to more than 25 countries: Canada, the United States, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Suriname, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama , Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Uruguay, United Kingdom, France, Spain, Sweden, Belgium, Netherlands, Poland, Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates. The idea is to change the way we live through the bioplastics industrial revolution. Innovation, creativity and desire for a better future are the three values that BIOFASE products can embody.
Chemical engineer Scott Munguía founded Biofase in Mexico in 2014, Simplemost reported.
BIOFASE products are the result of many years of research and development in the field of bioplastics. BIOFASE product content is a unique patented formula with great benefits for the environment. BIOFASE products are composed of 60% avocado seed biopolymer and 40% synthetic organic compounds, which help to give the product excellent mechanical and physical properties.
Avocado seeds contain a biopolymer, a biodegradable material that can be used as an alternative to plastic. Today, Biofase uses a patented technology that turns the remaining pits into heat-safe bioplastic resin sheets that can be cut into vessels. The company recycles about 130 tonnes of avocado seeds every month to make forks, knives, straws and spoons.
Biofase's products are not only an effective application of food waste, but more importantly, when they end up in landfill, they decompose in just 240 days. By comparison, single-use straws made of plastic take 200 years to decompose. You can also add the avocado pit utensil to your home compost pile for a more environmentally friendly disposal.
