Packaging made from lobster leftovers

Lobster is considered a luxury food. It could also provide the ingredient for sustainable packaging in future. A start-up company from London is researching the recycling of polysaccharide, which is found in lobster shells.

Their names are Insiya, Amir, Andy and Ed and they are currently writing their Master’s thesis in London. They are not only fellow students, but also colleagues. Together, they founded the start-up company The Shellworks, which develops machines for sustainable packaging materials. Since they reported about their lobster project on channels including Instagram – their medium of communication –-,  they have received international media coverage. The young Britons are researching the recycling of lobster waste. They point out that lobster contains 30 to 40 percent chitin, and that this polysaccharide (a carbohydrate with a large number of sugars) can be removed from the lobster shells via a chemical process. In combination with vinegar, it can then be used to produce compostable packaging. According to The Shellworks, 375 tonnes of lobster residues are generated annually in London.