Harnessing the power of potato peel: Transforming waste into sustainable solutions!
In our quest for a more sustainable and environmentally friendly world, we often overlook the potential of everyday waste. Take the humble spud for example. Who knew that potato peel scraps, often discarded without a second thought, possess incredible hidden value?
A-peel-ing sustainable solutions
Here is a quick list of some of the incredible things that can be made using potato peels or starch:
- Sustainable bioplastic – What if we told you that a UK company has created bioplastic out of potato peel? It’s true! Their product (Parablex) is a bioplastic that is compatible with multiple industrial processing techniques. The specific steps of the Parabex creation are hush-hush as it is a patent, but once manufactured, it is sold as pellets, which can be injection moulded, 3D printed, or spun into fibres for textiles. From buttons to bookcases, glass frames or furniture, the result is a huge range of durable items that can be created and brought into a circular economy. The best part is, that once the product is no longer of use or ready to be retired, it can either be composted or reintroduced into the production chain and recycled to create new items.
A potato peel biopolymer can also be used to create biodegradable packaging materials, such as films, containers, and bags that break down naturally over time. An Aussie couple quit their job and launched Australia's first compostable cling wrap, produced at a solar-powered factory on the Mornington Peninsula, using waste-making potato chips. It can be thrown away into the compost bin at home, and it takes less than 180 days to break down into carbon and water – faster than an orange. - Building materials – Many of the typical building materials used in construction, like medium-density fibreboard (MDF), contain toxic components and formaldehyde. London-based designers Rowan Minkley and Robert Nicoll, as well as research scientist Greg Cooper, have developed a biodegradable alternative to MDF that is made from non-food-grade industrial potato waste. It is free of toxic resins and chemicals and formaldehyde-free. They collected the peelings from manufacturers and then put them through different refinement processes to create a binding agent. This agent is then applied to fibres like potato skins, bamboo, beer hops and recycled wood and the compositive is heat-pressed into a sheet that can be processed into different products, like furniture and building materials. Once these products reach the end of their lifespan, they too can be biodegraded into fertiliser.
- Food preservation – Both synthetic and natural antioxidants and antimicrobials have been used in the food industry for food preservation. Antioxidants are additives capable of lengthening the shelf life of products by maintaining the level of nutrients, texture, colour, taste, freshness, functionality, and aroma. Antimicrobials used to preserve packed foods are chemical compounds applied on or added to foods that inhibit or kill microbes. However, synthetic preservatives can come with health risks. Several studies have shown that potato derivatives can be used as a replacement for the current synthetic antioxidants and antimicrobials.
- Nutrient-rich fertilisers – Potato peel waste is rich in organic matter and essential nutrients. Instead of sending it to landfills, it can be transformed into nutrient-rich compost or fertiliser. Through proper composting techniques, potato peel waste can be converted into a valuable resource for farmers and home gardeners, who can utilise this organic fertiliser to enhance soil quality, increase crop yields, and reduce the need for chemical options.
- Biofuel production – As the world seeks alternative energy sources, potato peel waste is likely to play a role in biofuel production. The carbohydrates contained in potato peel can be converted into bioethanol through a combination of processes (saccharification, fermentation, and treatment that adds mould and yeast). Bioethanol is a renewable fuel that can be blended with gasoline or used independently in vehicles. Studies are still in their early stages but moving fast towards efficiency and improvement.
- Animal feed and food ingredients – With proper treatment and processing, potato peel waste can be transformed into nutritious animal feed, reducing the need for traditional feed sources. Extracts obtained from potato peel can also serve as a natural food ingredient. For instance, it can be used as a thickening agent or a source of dietary fibre in various food products or to reduce salt in a meal.
- Pharmaceutical and medical applications – Potato peel has several pharmaceutically interesting compounds, including glycoalkaloid which could be used as a precursor for steroid hormone. Potato powder also has a potential use in wound healing – it has shown a potential to act to prevent ulcers.
- Biodegradable ecosystem products – Potato mesh, which is a leftover product from the chips industry, is being used to create temporary artificial reefs that mimic the structure and function of natural coral reefs to help protect aquatic life and facilitate re-establishment. A company in the Netherlands, BESE, has emerged as a leader in the creation of biodegradable ecosystem products, from reef paste (a temporary coating that helps shellfish to attach) to 3D habitat improvement structures that serve as a starting point for ecosystem restoration. They are effective, cutting-edge, and nature-based!
- Our projects – We are no strangers to this kind of biodegradable solution and have used the BESE Elements in some of our projects, including lungfish habitat restoration, Pumicestone Passage shellfish habitat restoration and our Lower Caboolture resilience and nutrients offset project. These elements have helped us to retain plant seeds, support the colonisation and growth of saltmarsh plants and mangroves, restore marine ecosystems like shellfish reefs, trap sediment and improve water quality.
Once established, the new vegetation provides a structure on its own and the potato grids break down, leaving behind the re-established ecosystem.
The potential of potato peel waste goes far beyond its conventional perception as mere kitchen scraps. By harnessing the power of innovation and sustainable thinking, this waste can be transformed into valuable resources. From biodegradable packaging to biofuel production, nutrient-rich fertilisers to animal feed and food ingredients, potato peel waste offers a range of sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions.
So next time you’re biting into a hot chip, spare a thought for the fate of the peel that once enveloped it and the truly limitless potential it represents.
Sources: https://cipotato.org/potato/potato-processing-uses/; https://www.chipsboard.com/; https://www.bese-products.com/biodegradable-products/bese-elements/; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7723200/; https://www.the-sustainable-fashion-collective.com/technical-tutorial/transforming-potato-peels-for-sustainable-fashion; https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna19079537; https://www.dezeen.com/2018/12/12/rowan-minkley-robert-nicoll-recycle-potato-peelings-mdf-substitute/.