The widespread use of plastic raises concerns due to the negative impacts it has on our health and our environment. To mitigate the negative impacts, we must transition toward natural, renewable alternatives that reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. Mushroom-based packaging made from mycelium offers a sustainable solution that moves us toward that goal.
What is mycelium and how can it be used in packaging?
Mycelium is the living root structure of mushroom fungi. This mushroom root system features a network of fast-growing fibers that bind tightly around the substrate, acting like a natural glue. The growing process starts with feeding the fungi different forms of waste. This could look like agricultural waste from sources like crop residues and animal byproducts. Within days, the mycelial network colonizes the substrate, conforming exactly to the dimensions of a custom mold. Finally, the material is heat-treated to deactivate the fungi, setting the packaging at its target weight and form.
Mycelium vs. Polystyrene
Polystyrene, also known as styrofoam, is a very common packaging material. This material is a large contributor to litter and debris, especially in the oceans.
Because it is neither biodegradable nor compostable, and is widely rejected by recycling facilities, the vast majority of polystyrene ends up in landfills. Polystyrene is estimated to have a lifespan of 500 years, which creates a long-term high risk for polluting our oceans and hurting aquatic life. In addition to the material’s end-of-life not being sustainable, the production also uses high levels of energy, which emits a substantial amount of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs).
As a fully compostable and biodegradable material, mycelium serves as an excellent eco-friendly alternative to polystyrene. This material can break down within weeks of putting it outside. Because of the natural makeup of the entire mycelium package, as it decomposes, it acts as a fertilizer and provides nutrients to the soil. The production process of mushroom packaging starts with the mushroom’s growth, which absorbs carbon dioxide during the process and may make its carbon footprint comparatively better than polystyrene.
Who is using this mushroom packaging?
Some larger companies have adopted this sustainable packaging alternative, such as Dell and IKEA. Dell began to use the natural fungi for cushion packaging used in shipping their servers back in 2011. After comprehensive research and development, Dell used this alternative for shipping some of their heavier products, like servers. These mushroom cushions grow naturally in 5 to 10 days without any external energy inputs. They feed entirely on their own built-in carbohydrates, making it a completely fuel-free process.
To help consumers adjust to this alternative properly, Dell provides how to properly dispose of the mycelium packaging on the Recycle and Compost Your Packaging web page on their website. Not only does this page provide instructions, it also provides how to dispose of other packaging components and devices. Dell has been committed since 2009 to use more environmentally friendly packaging materials like bamboo and mycelium, leading the way for mainstreaming sustainable packaging in large companies.
IKEA has slowly started to introduce mycelium packaging as an alternative to help reach their company sustainability goals. IKEA is currently trying to phase out all plastic consumer packaging by 2028, and alternatives like mushroom packaging could be a viable solution in achieving this goal.
Pros and cons of using mycelium as an alternative
Due to the amount and variety of agricultural waste across the globe, getting access to mushroom packaging is one of the many advantages of this packaging alternative. In addition, the raw materials are set at a low cost, making it even more accessible.
According to the World Economic Forum, one disadvantage of fungi packaging is its short lifespan compared to plastic. The material is made to handle shorter shipping times as opposed to companies that ship long distances. Another disadvantage is the durability compared to other materials, like polystyrene. Some products, like food, need more durable packaging to protect the product. The goal is for mycelium and other sustainable packaging alternatives to become more widely known, but currently, it is not as versatile or widely available as plastics.
Conclusion
Sustainable packaging specialists across the world are constantly working to reduce plastic dependency by finding packaging materials that don’t have a negative environmental impact. Mycelium-based packaging shows strong potential as a viable addition to modern sustainable solutions. Completing a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) will provide the necessary data to support the environmental claims of mycelium packaging. To understand the real difference in environmental impacts, comparing materials like polystyrene and mycelium-based packaging would help showcase the key impacts. Trayak’s EcoImpact-COMPASS software is a comprehensive sustainability software solution tailored to products and packaging that allows you to easily make comparisons between packaging alternatives, determine hotspots, and weigh environmental trade-offs to reduce your overall impact. EcoImpact-COMPASS is data-driven and uses regionalized data to consider end-of-life scenarios like recycling, composting, landfill, and waste to energy.
Trayak has been helping leading brands of all sizes make data-driven sustainability decisions for over 10 years. If you would like to learn more about our tools and services, please contact us.