Bio-Fridge Eggholders From Eggshell
Basic information
Project Title
Full project title
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Project Description
Every year, hundreds of tons of eggshell waste is generated from the egg processing industry. Grundig Bio-Fridge egg holders are produced using a bio composite that is made of 20% eggshell waste and 80% bio plastics. With this project, a material that is normally regarded as waste is transformed into a valuable alternative to plastics. The egg-holders resemble the color and the texture of the eggshells, representing the DNA of the material.
Project Region
EU Programme or fund
Description of the project
Summary
The egg processing industry produces egg products such as pasteurized liquid eggs or dried eggs for food processing companies, hotels, schools, and other consumers. These facilities generate hundreds of tons of eggshell wastes. In this study, we have upcycled these eggshell wastes in bio-based plastics to replace petroleum-based materials. The innovative bio-composite is composed of 20% eggshells and 80% PLA (Poly Lactic Acid) bioplastic and is used to produce Grundig Bio-Fridge egg-holders. With this project, a material that is normally regarded as waste is transformed into a valuable alternative to plastics. The egg-holders resemble the color and the texture of the eggshells, representing the DNA of the material. The egg holders are implemented in number of fridges that are sold in Germany, France, and Poland.
Key objectives for sustainability
The key objective of the project is the development of a sustainable, environmentally friendly material that would replace the egg-holder plastics of our fridges. To do so, we have combined two different bio-based materials, eggshells, from the liquid egg processing industry and a bio-based plastic, PLA, which is produced either from corn starch or sugar canes.
The PLA bio-plastic manufacturing process has significantly lower carbon dioxide emissions than the traditional petroleum-based plastic production process. To further improve the environmental sustainability of the material, we have compounded the biobased plastic with shredded and cleaned eggshells.
Another objective of the project was to raise awareness of about sustainable materials and upcycling. Therefore, refrigerator egg holders were produced with eggshell material so that consumers can relate to.
Key objectives for aesthetics and quality
The egg-holders which are produced with the egg-shell – PLA bio composites have a distinct yellowish color resembling the natural color of the eggs. When looked closely, the small eggshell bits can be seen in the egg-holder parts. As every egg has a slightly different in color, every batch of egg holder we produce has a distinct color, providing a unique experience for the consumers.
As mentioned above, the material is optimized for stability and performance. The eggshell – PLA bio composites have stability and mechanical performance comparable to its traditional petroleum-based alternative.
The materials are safe to use in the fridges in terms of hygiene and they are approved for food contact.
Key objectives for inclusion
In this project, eggshells were upcycled in plastic parts. Eggshells are a very accessible source of waste and they are present in almost every region of the world. This project proved that wastes like eggshells can be transformed into valuable material. There are other waste alternatives that can be transformed into sustainable plastic filler. The objectives of this project proved that trash can be turned into treasure.
We believe that this project which is currently been applied at the serial production phase can inspire further investigations and use-cases in other consumer products and different sectoral applications.
Results in relation to category
Kitchens are the heart of the home and refrigerators are in the center of the kitchens. Refrigerators are indispensable products for the urbanized lifestyles. For this project, we targeted one of the most well-known plastic parts of the refrigerators, the egg holders to demonstrate the sustainable egg-shell bio composites. The sustainable plastic parts represent the importance of recycling in every aspect and the lifestyles of the conscious consumers.
As being implemented on the refrigerator product, which is an integral part of family life worldwide, this project also serves a good opportunity to grow ecological awareness and sustainable living style as from the early childhood education.
How Citizens benefit
The material that is developed in this project has significantly lower carbon dioxide emissions compared to the traditional petroleum-based materials. Upcycling of the eggshell waste raised awareness among the society about the importance of recycling and showed the potential of opportunities to recycle other waste resources into valuable materials.
Innovative character
As a natural material, even after drying, eggshells have a certain degree of moisture in them. On the other hand, PLA bio-plastic is very sensitive to humidity. Normally, water molecules in the eggshells would result in degradation of PLA bio-plastic (hydrolysis), drastically reducing the properties of the material. However, in this project, the hydrolysis resistance of the PLA bioplastic was improved and a high performance egg-shell – bio composites were developed.
