Biome Technologies plc (LON:BIOM) Bioplastics division has announced the commencement of large-scale UK-wide field testing and initial commercial sales by Suregreen of biodegradable tree shelters using the Biome’s proprietary bioplastics materials. Extended field testing of approximately 40,000 shelters at more than 40 sites is being carried out in close collaboration with Suregreen, a leading UK-based manufacturer of tree shelters.
The biodegradable tree shelters are designed to provide the benefits of traditional shelters for five years but to biodegrade naturally and harmlessly over the subsequent two years, offering an environmentally sustainable solution that improves forestry yields. The natural decay of the shelters has been demonstrated through extensive accelerated weathering, biodegradation in the laboratory and initial field testing.
Having developed these tree shelters in association with Suregreen (supported by a development contract from Innovate UK as part of the Sustainable Innovation Fund (SBRI Phase 2)), Biome and Suregreen will now monitor the product’s performance to confirm high sapling survival rates in forestry conditions over the next few years. Customers can now also purchase the shelters made out of Biome’s biodegradable materials from Suregreen under the “Vigilis Bio” brand.
These trials come at a time when the UK prepares to host the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, in Glasgow, also known as COP26. Biome is signed-up to the United Nations’ Race to Zero campaign, and this product demonstrates its support for the UK achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Paul Mines, Biome Technologies’ Chief Executive Officer, commented:
“Extensive field testing is the next step to commercialisation of the novel biodegradable tree shelter at scale. We’re looking forward to validating our results over the coming years in a diverse range of climates by demonstrating how our biodegradable materials can protect saplings in the early years after planting and are confident that biodegradable tree shelters will play a meaningful role in sustainable forestry and the UK’s net-zero ambitions.”
