As a biomaterial chemist, I easily fall into looking past the wonders of living organisms and into their chemical composition. On one hand, this sometimes causes me to miss fascinating details about how these organisms function as part of their ecosystems. On the other hand, it keeps my eyes open to all the sources where the compounds we need may come from.
This also applies to things that may appear less wonderful and uglier. Waste and side streams contain just as valuable raw materials, sometimes in the form of reusable components, sometimes as individual compounds that can be valorised through extraction.
Regenerative raw materials come in all these forms: biomass that can be sourced locally with positive effects on the environment and people, as well as waste or side stream components that can be safely extracted into a non-toxic form while contributing to the elimination of waste. And at the same time, regenerative cultivation of biomass does make fascinating contributions to the surrounding ecosystem.
The following examples highlight bioresources with regenerative potential. It is crucial to acknowledge that this list varies depending on geographic location, due to local abundance and feasibility for cultivation/harvesting with positive impacts. If introduced in unsuitable environments, regenerative species may become invasive, posing threats to native ecosystems. Moreover, monocultures of any single species diminish local biodiversity.
Harnessing the benefits that regenerative raw materials offer often requires innovative approaches to extraction, processing, and product development. Substituting conventional raw materials with regenerative alternatives may demand significant process adjustments due to compositional differences. Economic viability can be facilitated by approaches such as comprehensive utilisation of all the different valuable fractions in a certain resource, possibly necessitating new fractionation techniques. While these adjustments may initially pose challenges, they also present opportunities for innovation and optimization.
What is your favourite regenerative raw material in your area?
🐷 Azolla
- Aquatic fern with ability to improve water quality by absorbing excess nutrients and pollutants, and providing habitat for aquatic organisms
- Rich in proteins and useful as a green manure in agriculture, animal feed, or as a biofertilizer
🪸 Kombu
- Edible kelp, i.e. brown seaweed
- Can be grown in places like river outlets, where it soaks up excess nutrients from the runoff, provides habitat for marine life and contributes to coastal ecosystem health
- Note that intensive harvesting of wild kombu can disrupt marine ecosystems and impact biodiversity
- Rich in iodine, vitamins, and minerals for food
- Rich in alginate useful for materials and additives like thickening / gelling agent for food / cosmetics
🏖️ Sargassum
- Brown seaweed that forms floating mats, providing habitat for a diverse range of marine species
- Excessive blooms cause negative ecological effects and are increasingly expected with warming waters and eutrophication
- Harvesting could limit the negative effects of excessive growth
- Rich in nutrients for use in fertilizers / animal feed
- Rich in alginate useful for materials and additives like thickening / gelling agent for food / cosmetics
🥬 Sea lettuce
- Edible green seaweed found in coastal waters around the world, forming thin, sheet-like structures that resemble lettuce leaves
- Crucial role in marine ecosystems by providing habitat for small marine organisms and serving as food for herbivorous fish and invertebrates
- Excessive nutrient runoff and pollution can lead to the overgrowth of sea lettuce, causing ecological imbalances and negatively impacting water quality
- Harvesting could limit the negative effects of excessive growth
- Rich in cellulose, thus a possible alternative for terrestrial wood contributing to land use change
💦 Typha
- Perennial wetland plant also known as cattail or bulrush, found in marshes, swamps, and along the banks of ponds and lakes, known for distinctive brown, cylindrical flower spikes
- Cultivation provides an incentive for wetland conservation and restoration
- Useful as food, cellulose content for materials, and fluffy seeds for insulation
🐼 Bamboo
- Fast-growing perennial grass with capacity to prevent soil erosion, sequester carbon, and provide habitat for wildlife
- Alternative for wood that grows more slowly (like boreal forests) or with more need for water (like eucalyptus), used as wood or pulped into fibers
🍀 Hemp
- Versatile crop that can be cultivated with low consumption of water and pesticides
- Cultivation contributes to soil remediation
- Range of compounds at different levels of value, from cellulosic fibres to edible seeds to cannabinoids, with uses in textiles, construction, food, and supplements
🐰 Willow
- Fast-growing deciduous trees or shrubs
- Planting can stabilize soil, prevent erosion, and provide habitat for wildlife
- Rich in cellulose, an alternative for wood that grows more slowly
🦋 Milkweed
- Characterized by tall stems and clusters of pink, orange, or white flowers
- Primary food source for monarch butterfly larvae, playing a crucial role in supporting pollinators and providing habitat for various insects
- Used in traditional medicine and for fibre production
🐘 Miscanthus
- Perennial grass with high biomass yield
- Ability to grow in marginal soils and sequester carbon
- Rich in cellulose, thus a possible alternative for more slowly growing wood
🌱 Kenaf
- Fast-growing annual fiber crop native to Africa, cultivated for its bast fiber
- Cultivation improves soil structure, sequesters carbon, and requires less water and pesticides compared to traditional fiber crops
- Alternative for wood that grows more slowly (like boreal forests) or with more need for water (like eucalyptus), fibre used for paper, textiles, biocomposites, insulation materials, etc. also containing edible oils
Author:
Meri Lundahl, D.Sc. (Tech.)
Senior Consultant, Circular Economy
