Bioplastics project: visit to Manaus for decisive tests

Between November 4th and 7th, the Bioplastics project team met in Manaus for the initiative’s decisive tests. The project aims to put into industrial production the first bioplastic made from Brazil nut waste and respond to challenges related to the use and production of petrochemical plastics, as well as providing income, employment and well-being for the Amazonian communities involved in collecting and processing the bioplastic raw material.

During the visit, extrusion, injection and evaluation tests were carried out on the resin and fiber mixtures. The results were promising and the project is heading for the fine-tuning stage.

Brazil nut hedgehogs in the process of drying in the solar dryer 

Factory tests  

Representatives of the organizations involved in the project were present. Started in August 2022, the initiative has an elegant arrangement of professionals and organizations involved: WTT is the project coordinator, while Idesan is doing the field work with the communities in Labrea. The State University of Amazonas is leading the research and development of the technology together with guest researchers from the Federal University of Paraná and the Federal University of Viçosa. The company Tutiplast will be responsible for inserting and producing the bioplastic in the industrial ecosystem of Manaus. The JBS Fund for the Amazon and Suframa’s PPBIo are funding stages of the project.

First materials produced with the developed bioplastic