Car manufacturer Ford recently announced to team up with spirits brand Jose Cuervo to develop bioplastics form agave biowaste leftover from the tequila-making process. An unlikely coalition – usually alcohol and cars don’t mix – that made many people curious about the possibilities of making bioplastics from waste. The technology isn’t new, quite the contrary, but with big brands like Ford investing in its prominent application, bioplastics from waste become an attractive and economically feasible option.
Around 400 pounds (180 kilograms) of plastics are used to build one car. At the same time, 5 billion metric tonnes of agricultural biomass waste is generated every year. In the quest to create more sustainable vehicles, the idea to use that biomass waste to produce plastic car parts seems obvious.
The growth cycle of the agave plant takes a minimum of seven years. Once harvested, the heart of the plant is roasted and pressed to extract the juices for distillation. The remaining fibres are usually turned into compost. Ford and Jose Cuervo are now using the fibres to create bioplastics for use in vehicle interior and exterior components such as wiring harnesses, HVAC units, and storage bins.
Besides Ford, many other car makers like BMW, Renault, Toyota, Fiat, and Mercedes Benz already incorporate recycled and bio-based plastic materials in the pursuit to make their cars more sustainable. Bio-based plastics do not only help to make cars lighter to save fuel but they provide additional means to reduce carbon emissions and the impact on the environment. By using renewable feedstock to produce bioplastics, CO2 is temporarily removed from the atmosphere and stored throughout the entire product life span. T