IKEA with mushrooms environmentally friendly packaging materials instead of polystyrene

Minister of Sustainable Development, UK IKEA Joanna Yarrow said that as a flat-pack furniture retailer, IKEA is considering using biodegradable "mushroom packaging materials" to reduce waste of resources, promote recycling. ,

Joanna said: "We are looking for innovative material to replace the existing packaging materials, such as the use of such material fungus mycelium alternative to polystyrene."

Mycelium by a large number of tubular hyphae slender structure, rooted in the soil of the mycorrhizal.

US Ecovative company let mycelium corn stover, corn bran and other agricultural waste clean around the growth of this fungus breed product called "mushroom packaging material".

Just a few days, fungi on fiber wound around the waste, solid and strong, followed by drying to prevent fungal growth to continue.

Ms. Yarrow said IKEA is considering the introduction of mycelium packaging materials, because "many products are used by the polystyrene packing material, but this material is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to be reused."

Polystyrene materials require thousands of years to degrade, degradation program mycelium material simple, just throw them in the garden, they can naturally degrade within a few weeks.
Source: Internet