Cocua is a biobased alternative to plastic, whose use promotes the protection of Andean ecosystems, strength communities, and create new markets.
Long description
Plastic pollution is one of the most widespread problems affecting the environment. It causes serious harm to ecosystems, threatens human health, and contributes to climate change. Nevertheless, plastic-based products still remain indispensable in most human activities. In this regard, the production of biodegradable materials from renewable sources may contribute to the global transition to a more sustainable model.
Arboloco is an endemic and fast-growing tree of the tropical Andes, of great ecological and social importance. In Colombia, the tree is currently used in forest restoration, erosion control and habitat corridors projects, which is essential for the protection and enhancement of biodiversity in the Andean region. A non-explored by-product of these activities with remarkable potential to produce plastic substitutes has been identified: the soft and spongy pith of Arboloco young stems.
This pith is a non-timber forest product, whose characteristics such as low weight, soft texture, porous structure, good dimensional stability, and no visible fibers (unlike wood), makes it particularly interesting to be used as feedstock for the development of new materials.
From a circular economy approach, this by-product currently disregarded, is at the beginning of Cocua, a new sustainable material with applications in diverse areas, such as packaging, building, and product design. Cocua, as a breakthrough concept, offers a response to the current environmental awareness, bringing to light a disregarded material with great physical and mechanical properties, as a bio-based alternative to plastics, while creating new markets and economic alternatives for local communities in Andean developing countries.
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