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[SITUATION] · [ACTIVE] · [TECHNOLOGY]

2 clusters · 10 sources · 4 days · First seen · Last updated

Development of biodegradable Bioloon balloons

Overview

Researchers at Imperial College London have developed a fully biodegradable balloon called ‘Bioloon’ to address the environmental impact of festive decorations. The material, co-created by PhD researcher Juliana Cumming and entrepreneur Charlotte Melia, combines natural latex with a biodegradable polymer to ensure complete decomposition within nine months in soil, seawater, or distilled water.

This innovation aims to mitigate the risks posed to wildlife, particularly marine life and birds. Previous research has identified balloons as a high-risk form of debris, with a mortality risk for birds estimated to be 32 times higher than that of hard plastics. Unlike conventional balloons that utilize sulfur vulcanization and chemical additives that hinder decomposition, the Bioloon is designed to break down completely in soil, seawater, and deionized water while maintaining the ease of inflation found in traditional products.

The startup intends to bring the product to market by 2028 and may explore using the material for medical devices, clothing, and gloves.

Entities

Charlotte Melia · Juliana Cumming · Bioloon · Imperial College London · University of Tasmania

Timeline

  1. 2 days ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 6 sources
    Imperial College London researchers invent biodegradable Bioloon

    UK researchers have developed ‘Bioloon’, a biodegradable balloon made from natural rubber that decomposes within nine months to protect wildlife from plastic debris.

  2. 6 days ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 4 sources
    Bioloon startup develops fully biodegradable balloons

    Imperial College London researchers have developed Bioloon, a fully biodegradable balloon that decomposes in nine months, offering a solution to the environmental threat posed by traditional latex balloons.

Sources

ca.sports.yahoo.com · cafebiz.vn · euronews.net · fr.euronews.com · it.euronews.com · lesinguliersete.fr · merkur-online.de · op-online.de · soha.vn · upday.com

This summary has been updated 1 time: see revision history