A team from the SEFS Bioresource Science and Engineering program received a $1,000 Spark Award at the 2023 UW Alaska Environmental Innovation Challenge, an annual competition inspiring university students solve environmental and cleantech problems.
The Green Grab team was a top finalist out of 21 groups selected to showcase their solutions to judges in March. They developed a compostable and recyclable food tray made from Reed Canary Grass, an invasive plant, and nanocellulose, a light solid substance obtained from plant matter produced with a proprietary process developed at SEFS. The trays present an alternative to plastic or existing molded-fiber products as they are made without PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), a large, complex group of synthetic chemicals that accumulate over time in the human body and the environment. Some compostable containers contain PFAS to strengthen the material, leading to issues with PFAS contamination in compost piles.
Congratulations to Green Grab!