Climate Change Adaptation

A Promising Industry From Wasted Wealth 

Biodegradable organic plastic from shrimp shells and agricultural waste may be a solution to the burgeoning problem of traditional plastic waste.

Egypt produces 20 million tons of solid waste annually,  some of which is recycled or buried in landfills, much of which is piled up on roads, in water drains, or may even lie at the bottom of the sea. This is in short, the garbage and plastic waste disaster that requires years to decompose under the sun.

The results are usually smaller pieces of micro plastic particles eaten by fish and marine organisms only to die suffocating or via bowel obstructions. Plastic forests surround us daily, from packing wrappers to disposable plates and cups; mountains of garbage produced and thrown in just a few minutes and that increase the scale of the environmental disaster.

Despite global warnings and some national initiatives to restrict the use and circulation of disposable plastics, such efforts, unfortunately, are meagre in face of the multiplying daily production of plastic. However, offering biodegradable and environmentally friendly alternatives could offer hope for solving the problem, including an important study reported by news agencies in 2017 on the success of experiments at Nile University to produce plastic from shrimp shells. 

My focus concern was to find alternatives to plastics that rely on natural sources rather than derivatives of fossil fuels. Over time, my interest in natural compounds that could be obtained from organic waste increased. I did joint research work for years between Cairo and Nottingham, until I had the opportunity to carry out a joint study on plastic alternatives for Nile and Nottingham universities with the support of the Newton Mosharafa Fund, funded by the Egyptian and British governments.

I chose the chitosan compound, which is extracted from shrimp shells and has multiple uses in pharmaceuticals. I found the possibility of using it in the manufacture of alternative plastic models. According to available information, the annual volume of shrimp shells is estimated at 200,000 tons. There is no safe way to get rid of this waste and it is often disposed of in drains or landfills. In addition, there are other sources of chitosan, such as crab shells, some fish and other crustaceans and marine organisms.

Due to the weak properties of the chitosan compound, the research team made significant efforts to produce from it fully manufactured organic waste plastic. We used nanoparticles extracted from rice straw and mixed them with chitosan, producing flexible plastic strips. We also benefited from cactus and eggshells to manufacture packaging boxes characterised by an appropriate degree of rigidity and with fixed dimensions.

It was found that the new plastic reduces the activity of bacteria and microbes on fruits compared to traditional plastic packaging, which would increase the shelf life of agricultural products. In addition, the chitosan compound does not cause any health problems for persons allergic to shrimp. Chitosan was chosen because it is a promising biodegradable polymer already used in pharmaceutical packaging due to its antimicrobial, antibacterial and biocompatible properties.

From each kilogram of dried shrimp shells, the team manufactured 10-15 biopolymer bags. The shells are first washed and then boiled in acid to remove the calcium carbonate “backbone” of the crustacean. They are then washed again before being bathed in an alkali, to remove protein from the material, leaving the long molecular chains that make up the biopolymer.

The dried chitosan flakes can then be dissolved into solution and made into a polymer film using conventional processing techniques. The researchers investigated the use of the material to develop an active polymer film capable of absorbing oxygen, for use as food packaging.

The packaging offers a low energy method of improving the shelf life of foods, thereby reducing waste. The packaging would be used to control the atmosphere around the food. Gases are quite often put in around food to try to preserve its shelf life, and people are looking at materials to hold in that atmosphere, but perhaps let other gases out. By creating certain holes between the molecular chains of the biopolymer, the researchers created a way to filter out these gases. 

The research aims identified a production route by which these degradable biopolymer materials for shopping bags and food packaging could be manufactured. 

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Manufacture food packaging at a competitive price

Manufacturing of food packages and packaging materials at a competitive price from Bagasse pulp, based on an innovative drying and forming process (IP rights and patents underway).

This method reduces energy and water use in the manufacturing process by about 50% and eliminates the need for several logistical steps including the transportation and treatment of raw materials.

A competitive price in this fast-growing market driven by Covid-19 and the importance of using single use tableware instead of synthetic plastic and Styrofoam or even the paper plates and the growing trend of sustainability-based industries.

The project also gives a new investment dimension to the Bagasse pulp industry in Egypt, which is currently based on the declining paper market. Sugarcane absorbs more carbon dioxide during its life cycle than almost any other plant. The research suggests that expanding sugarcane production could reduce global carbon dioxide emissions by up to 5.2%, making it the most sought-after resource in the industry.

Egypt produces about 3 million tons of Bagasse annually, ranked ninth on the world, most of these quantities are burned in sugar factories. Meanwhile this project will valorize the usage of bagasse waste. The biodegradable properties of Bagasse pulp make it a suitable alternative to Styrofoam in the manufacture of tableware. Several countries have already banned the use of synthetic plastics. The low cost of producing Bagasse pulp, simple manufacturing process, and high market potential are the factors that encourage leveraging this industry in Egypt. 

Based on meeting the key distributors in the local market, the volume of local demand is estimated at EGP10 M (4M units per month and growing) of single use food packages mainly made of plastic, this research can offer a premium product in terms of esthetics and functionality at a price 20% below market.

The global Bagasse tableware market is valued at US $ 4.5 Bn in 2020 and will reach 6.5 Bn by 2027. Europe is the fastest growing market at 40% of global market. We will be able to price below Chinese products while offering a competitive logistic advantage due to the geographical proximity. 

Figure 2: Rollers used to remove water from the bagasse pulp sample by a combination of applied pressure and number of rolls turns around 21 turns.

The biodegradable properties of sugar cane pulp waste  and its chemical properties make it an excellent alternative to Styrofoam in the tableware industry.

Styrofoam is a form of polystyrene and is an artificial substance that is not biodegradable. It has negative effects on both the environment and human health, so the plastic industry is moving towards ecofriendly natural plastics.

Several countries have already banned the use of synthetic plastics. Moreover, consumer demand for sustainable products is growing, and this demand can reduce dependence on fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse emissions. Accordingly, bioplastics have a higher market share that will increase in the coming years. This is considered a successful technology transfer to produce biodegradable plastics around the world, especially from China and India to Egypt since sugar cane waste is in Egypt.

The low financial cost of using Bagasse pulp, simple manufacturing process and market potential are the key driving forces for the interest in the production of packaging and packaging materials from Bagasse in Egypt.

Similarly, this project proposes a green value chain to produce biodegradable plastics and an effective waste management system that begins with the collection of sugar cane waste and ends with the manufacture of various packaging products based on sustainable natural renewable material. 

The project gives a new investment dimension to the bagasse pulp industry in Egypt, which is currently based on the declining paper market. Sugarcane absorbs more carbon dioxide during its life cycle than almost any other plant. The research suggests that expanding sugarcane production could reduce global carbon dioxide emissions by up to 5.2%, making it the most sought-after resource in the industry.

Egypt produces about 3 million tonnes of bagasse annually (ranked ninth in the world); meanwhile, most of these quantities are burned in sugar factories. In this light, this project will valorize the usage of bagasse waste and the biodegradable properties of bagasse pulp will make a suitable alternative to Styrofoam in the manufacturing of tableware.

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                            From Pollution to Solution

                   A Global Assessment of Climate Change 

Closing Ceremony Agenda

19 September 2022 at Nile University 

From 9:00 a.m to 4:00pm

Registration and coffee                                                                                                  9:00AM - 10:00AM

Welcome Note                                                                                                                 10:00AM - 10:30AM

     Prof. Wael Akl

     Nile University President

Welcoming Speech                                                                                                          10:30AM - 11:15AM

     Prof. Ahmed Radman,

     VP for Research, Nile University

     Prof. Hamada Mahmoud,

     Dean of faculty of science, Beni Suef University

     Ms. Shaimaa ElBanna,

     Head of Science, Cultural Engagement, British Coucil,

     Dr. Irene Samy,

     Associate Professor, Industrial Engineering

Climate Change and Energy Transition                                                                         11:15AM - 11:30AM

     Eng. Sherif Haddara,

     H.E. Former Minister of Petroleum and mineral 

      resources

Climate Change in Egypt: Past and Future                                                                   11:30AM - 11:45AM

     Ms. Amira Nassar,

     Egyptian Meteorological Authority 

Climate Change and the Spread of                                                                                11:45AM - 12:00PM

Epidemics 

     Dr. Abdallah Samy,

     Faculty of Science, Ain Shams

Climate Changes: Sources, Impacts,                                                                              12:00PM - 12:15PM 

and Challenges  

     Dr.Nour F. Attia,

     National Institute of Standards, Giza, Egypt,

     National Committee of New and Advanced

     Materials, ASRT, Egypt     

The efforts of General Organization                                                                                12:00PM – 12:15PM
for Export and Import Control in climate change

     Mrs Rehab Ali Sadiq,

     General manager of chemical testing laboratories,

     General Organization for Export and Import Control

Smart Nanotechnology Solutions for the                                                                        12:15PM – 12:30PM

Achievement of Sustainable Development Goals

     Dr. Ayman El-Sharkawey,

     CEO Nanotech Solutions Canada Co

Ways and Means of Financing Green                                                                               12:30PM – 12:45PM

Economy Projects 

     Prof. Hassan Y Aly,
     Dean NU Business School, Nile University
     & Chairman of BOT, Economic Research Forum

The Impact of Climate Change on the Local                                                                   12:45PM - 1:00PM

Sectors in Egypt and the Efforts Made to Address It

     Dr. Esraa Saber,
     Director of Climate Change Research Department,
     Environmental Affairs Agency

Nanofertilzers and Its Correlation to Climate                                                                  1:00PM – 1:15PM

Changes on Egyptian Crops

     Dr. Adel Ghandour,
     Scientific Consultant at Nanotech Egypt

Break                                                                                                                                         1:15PM – 2:00PM

Poster Session                                                                                                                          2:00PM – 4:00PM

     Session Chair: Dr Mohamed Mahmoud
     Assistant Professor, ARUD,NU

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