Discover your next big idea at PACK EXPO Las Vegas this September
Experience a breakthrough in packaging & processing and transform your business with solutions from 2,300 suppliers spanning all industries.
REGISTER NOW & SAVE

Biodegradable composite material wins prestigious award

Biodegradable foodservice packaging is coming to a restaurant near you. Or at least it's starting to look that way, as EarthShell Corp. (Santa Barbara, CA), in conjunction with manufacturing partner Sweetheart Cup Co., nears completion of a commercial plant for the manufacture of its biodegradable composite material.

The Owings Mills, MD, site is scheduled to begin operation in the fourth quarter of this year, with distribution of cups, bowls, plates and clamshell packages shortly thereafter.

The patented technology recently received the prestigious "Innovation in Real Materials Award" from the Innovations in Materials Conference sponsored by the Intl. Union of Materials Research Societies. "The EarthShell technology is an important innovation that has used the best in science to develop a remarkable material, with real-world applications, such as an environmentally sound, alternative consumer product," said Dr. Rustum Roy of Pennsylvania State U., who presented the award to the EarthShell development team July 21 in Washington. Roy described the material as truly revolutionary, especially when compared to traditional materials used in foodservice packaging such as polystyrene and paperboard.

EarthShell's composite material is made from abundant natural resources like limestone, potato starch and water. It's "strongly protected," claims the company, by more than 100 patents and patents pending worldwide.

Is your palletizing solution leaving money on the floor?
Discover which palletizing technology—robotic, conventional, or hybrid—will maximize your packaging line efficiency while minimizing long-term costs in this comprehensive analysis.
Read More
Is your palletizing solution leaving money on the floor?
Pharmaceutical Innovations Report
Discover the latest breakthrough packaging technologies shaping the pharmaceutical sector. This report dives into cutting-edge innovations, from smart containers that enhance patient safety to eco-friendly materials poised to transform the industry’s sustainability practices. All from PACK EXPO. Learn how forward-thinking strategies are driving efficiency and redefining what’s possible in pharma packaging.
Learn More
Pharmaceutical Innovations Report