An apPEELing Approach to Citrus waste
If, like my wife, you have come to understand that the most important ingredient of a good Valencian cake is grated lemon peel, then you already know that, as far as citrus fruits are concerned, nothing should be wasted.
The Valencian project ‘Optobio’ has taken that concept on board and has developed the technology to turn citrus fruit waste into biodegradable plastic and, you won’t believe your ears, or eyes; one of the first practical applications of this technology has been to use these biproducts in the manufacture of glasses (the ones that perch on your nose, not the ones that hover near your mouth).
The project has been developed by the Valencian technological institutions AIDO, AIMPLAS and AINIA with European Union funds.
Following the first results, it is believed that the new materials will also be useful in other industrial sectors such as in the car and packaging areas.
It should be pointed out that when we say glasses, we refer to the frames; nobody’s going to be seeing the world through lemon-tinted lenses.
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