Single-use plastics contribute to the 400 million metric tons of plastic waste produced annually, with only about 10% being recycled. According to a report from the World Economic Forum and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, plastics use has increased 20-fold in the past half-century, and it is expected to double in the next 20 years.
 
However, new sustainable plastics made from food waste, fishing nets, and algae may soon replace disposable plastics, providing the same performance without causing pollution. As consumers become more concerned about plastic waste, researchers and innovators worldwide are exploring ways to create new plastics from waste materials that won't become pollutants themselves.
 
Food waste, often sent to landfills, can now be used to create compostable plastics found in products like T-shirts and sunglasses. Nathalie Gontard's, research director at the Agropolymer Engineering and Emerging Technologies Unit at INRAE Montpellier in France, is developing polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) that perform like traditional plastics but are biodegradable. At the same time, Canadian climate biotech company Genecis – one of eight finalists for last year’s HP-sponsored TOM FORD Plastic Innovation Prize – is also engineering bioplastics from food waste bacteria. Even algae blooms, which can be incredibly harmful to ecosystems, can be repurposed to create bio-based chemicals for industrial bioplastics and alternative packaging and several companies are working to make that happen.
 
HP is also at the cutting edge of this effort, having even transformed food waste into plastic for their newest PCs. The HP 14-inch Laptop PC - Eco Edition and HP All-in-One PCs use bio-circular content, such as used cooking oil and coffee grounds, for a speckled finish. HP also utilizes ocean-bound plastic and recycled printer cartridges for their products. But the company doesn’t stop there; it is also experimenting with recycling fishing nets – which are known to clog harbors and threaten marine wildlife – for keyboard components. 3D printing advances also offer new opportunities for sustainable plastic sourcing. SmileDirectClub uses HP 3D printers to create custom teeth aligner molds which, after use, are sent back to HP and transformed into pellets for new plastics in the automotive industry.
 
As the search for sustainable plastic alternatives continues to gain momentum, it’s critical that companies demonstrate the market demand for these materials. That’s why HP is taking the lead in using these eco-friendly plastics in their products. By embracing these eco-friendly innovations, we can help create a more sustainable and greener future for our planet.