Biotechnology startup Biome Bioplastics has partnered with landscaping product supplier Suregreen to design and test a new generation of environmentally-friendly, biodegradable tree shelters.
Tree shelters protect young trees and bushes from predation by animals. They are a well-proven and economic route to limiting losses in the first five years of a tree’s life. Traditionally made from oil-based and non-biodegradable plastics, the majority of such shelters are never collected and eventually litter the environment with microplastics.
In the UK, around 45 million trees are planted each year, most of those using non-biodegradable tree shelters for protection, with an estimated 2,500 tons of persistent plastics ending up annually in the natural environment after use. Plans to significantly increase tree planting as part of the UK’s drive to mitigate climate change will exacerbate these problems.
Biome Technologies plc is a growth oriented, commercially driven technology group. The Group’s primary activity is the development of its fast growing business in bioplastics. The Group comprises two divisions: Biome Bioplastics and Stanelco RF Technologies.