The market
Global sales of chemicals reached 1,900 billion euros in 2009. Europe represents the largest share - even if it is declining - with 27.1 %, followed closely by China with 22.2 %, exceeding the North American free trade association for the first time with 21.2 %. By comparing 2009 to 1999, the total value of sales increased by 60 % over a decade. During the same period, the European share dropped by 8 %. Polyurethane foam (PUF) in Europe represents 130 billion euros, involving 23,500 companies and around 800,000 employees throughout the value chain. US PUF industry represents $ 50.9 billion and 207,000 employees. The Chinese PUF market is growing by 10 % per year, making it the largest market in the world by 2015 at the latest. PU uses around 3,000 chemicals. The production of expansive foam, buoyancy foam, extruded foam and packaging foam is based on additives, many of which have never been officially approved by the European Union as part of an individual recording regime And have therefore never been subjected to the same rigorous controls as the "new" chemicals. While the EU estimates that the procedures for approving a chemical would cost as much as 70,000 euros, the cost of applying rigorous control mechanisms could reach 29 billion euros for all, with a single trial toxicity up to 1 million euros. While the French chemical industry has calculated that the tests and the subsequent prohibition of several ingredients would result in 360,000 job losses, the Danish government presented an analysis according to which rigorous controls would have measurable health effects on health, estimated Between 90 and 700 million euros over the next 30 years.
Innovation
The PUF market has many advantages for industry: a light and inexpensive material, a clean cushion, easy to cut or custom mold. It is not surprising that it was chosen as favorite packaging material for electronics, cameras and precision tools. About 90 % of all PUFs are recycled, mainly in the form of carpet cushions for the house or the office. However, it is the inclusion of these additives that concerns EU officials, since they have never been tested and in the long term - even if it is a recycled material - in highly insulated and air -controlled buildings could cause the accumulation of chemical traces, the effect of which is unknown for occupants. Gavin McIntyre grew up as an amateur mycologist and obtained a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, product design and innovation at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2007, the oldest American technological university based in Troy, New York. With his comrade Eben Bayer, a graduate of university, he studied mycelium, the root system of mushrooms. This network of fibers works as a natural binder which retains largely available agricultural and forest waste, such as rice balls, corn grains, buckwheat and cotton seed envelope, even non -recyclable or paper coffee grounds. These innovators imagined how to produce mycelium foam to replace polystyrene and PU foam in everything, including cups, buildings insulation and electronics packaging. The substitution of a chemical by a biological product, converting abundant waste that generates methane in its decomposition at a competitive price, is perfectly written in the proposals of the blue economy. Although the idea seemed quite simple, Gavin and Eben needed to find a way to grow the solid root system in various forms. It turned out possible to keep the inoculated substrate in a dark room for about five days, after which it is cooked and dried. This simple treatment makes a solid waterproof and fireproof foam which can be broken down in four weeks when it is buried. While the alternatives on the market include cellulose of wheat straw, keratin of chicken feathers and algae, the true value lies in the conversion of a waste which can be transformed into precise forms with only a tenth of the 'energy. The inventors collected some $ 4 million in grants and quickly went from concept to product. Gavin and Eben then created Ecovative LLC in Green Island, New York. They have filed a patent application which is still pending.
The first cash flow
Steelcase, the listed furniture company based in Michigan, whose turnover amounts to around 2.3 billion dollars and which employs nearly 13,000 people worldwide, was looking for 'A new peak ecological packaging for its desk furniture ready to climb (PAA). The Ecovative team developed the protective packaging "Ecocyl" and launched its first commercial product with Steelcase in 2010. While the pilot project worked to perfection and has achieved all the performance objectives set by the giant of The furnishings, the following challenge focuses on the development of a series manufacturing system. Instead of building a series of prototypes, the mission is to deploy thousands, and soon millions of units. The attention of the media has aroused great interest and Dell Computers undertook to use the Ecocyl to send its computer servers by the end of 2012, using cotton waste as a basic substrate to produce packaging protector with mushrooms. Texas, the original state of Dell, has "mountains of cotton waste" which could be operated within a radius of 150 km around the world headquarters of the computer giant. The corner block and the Ecochers' flat panels are already available at a cost of $ 0.75 per unit, a total of $ 6 for a complete computer packaging ready to be shipped. The confirmed orders of these two multinationals and a direct competitive price with the mosses (PS) and (PU) create the energy necessary to meet the production challenges. The main objective is to produce a uniform density foam (therefore efficient), without air pockets. As the starting point is a living organization, this requires close control of the environment in order to obtain a predictable result. However, like each cubic thumb (16.3 cube centimeters) "Ecocyl" contains a matrix of 8 miles (12.8 km) of tiny mycelium fibers, it seems that a predictable result is achievable.
The opportunity
Eben and Gavin see many possibilities ranging from a biodegradable foam based on mushrooms for bumper, doors and dashboard. Gavin even imagines that one day it will be possible to compost a large part of a car. Ford Motors has teamed up with Ecovative and is delighted to push the limits by offering ecological alternatives to oil -based foams, which are the subject of a meticulous examination under the rigid legislative framework Reach (registration, evaluation, authorization and restriction of Chemicals / Registration, evaluation, authorization and restriction of chemical substances) for chemicals, which has entered into force in the European Union. Another innovative niche, more realistic and in the short term, is that of protections for the shipment of wine bottles, which is one of the major PS consumers. During the year, Ecovative should launch the "greensulate" on the market, an insulation that reduces energy consumption without adding flame retardant products. The dried mycelium is naturally fireproof with a class 1 fire resistance class tested. The plan is to produce standard leaves of 4 ′ x 8 ′ of different thicknesses for use in commercial and residential construction such as external insulation above the ground, insulation of the roof and insulation of the floor. As "greensula" can be cultivated on order, it can be produced in almost all tailor -made sizes and shapes. The product is more resistant than synthetic foam, making it a structural insulating panel. Thus, the panel fulfills multiple functions: insulation, structural resistance, mold protection, water absorption and fireproofing resistance. Waste does not only replace PU or PS, it also replaces many chemicals. It is one of the fundamental characteristics of the blue economy that makes a competitive product in terms of performance and price. It goes without saying that there are no synthetic binders and that it is therefore completely free from chemicals and VOCs (without volatile organic compounds).
