Green Wedge
NUTS ABOUT PACKAGING
Canny university students have found a way to turn peanut waste into containers for an energy ball company. What to do with the leftover peanut shells (also called hulls or husks) once the nuts themselves have been turned into the tastiest of spreads? Hmm. Well, it turns out there are quite a few options. They can be use as an alternative fuel source in biomass, as mulch or compost, homemade kitty litter, or as kindling. It’s also possible to convert them into material for packaging. Indeed, a student-led packaging design for an energy ball company using leftover peanut husks has won a global award for sustainable innovative packaging.
“We are very pleased to receive the silver award for sustainability,” says Palma. “To have our concept judged and recognised on the global stage makes all of our hard work and ambitions for packaging in the future worth it.”
Monash University student teams were entered into the global WorldStar Student Awards, in which they represented Australian innovations from a field of more than 300 submissions. One of the Monash submissions earned a silver medal in the Sustainable Packaging Design category. The successful team of Caterina Palma, Sherlyn Marvella and Tamanna Kibrea partnered with energy ball company Camel, and developed sustainable packaging from peanut shells – a by‑product from the food manufacturing process. The shells are usually burnt or sent to landfill.
The team used 30 per cent peanut husks in the production of fibreboard food packaging, which is 100 per cent compostable. Camel food balls are organic and vegan, with no added sugar or preservatives. The project took place as part of Monash’s New Frontiers Program, an industry-focused student-led initiative that pairs SMEs with student teams. ■
There’s a whole other world of HVAC&R to discover in Ecolibrium magazine.
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June 2021
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