According to the findings published in Scientific Reports, scientists at the University of Bristol discovered that mycelium composites, biobased materials created from fungi and agricultural residues, can have a more substantial environmental impact than conventional fossil-fuel-based materials due to the high amount of electricity used in their production.
The team’s research demonstrates that this is further exacerbated in countries like South Africa, where fossil fuels are the primary source of electricity. This is made worse by the fact that mycelium composites have a shorter lifespan and require frequent replacements over the course of extended use, which raises the environmental impact overall.
Despite this discovery, they found that the total environmental impact of this technology could be reduced by combining alternate energy sources such as firewood.
Mycelium composites are considered a sustainable alternative to traditional fossil fuel-derived materials. However, the sustainability of these materials depends on various location-specific factors like resource availability, economic structures, cultural practices, and regulations. Our main focus was to determine if producing mycelium composites is sustainable in Africa and to identify which manufacturing processes have the most potential to damage the environment.
Stefania Akromah, Study Lead Author and Doctor of Philosophy, University of Bristol
The team now intends to assess the environmental impact of mycelium composite technology under various scenarios with the objective of reducing the overall footprint. They will conduct uncertainty analysis to confirm the accuracy of the current results and compare the footprint of mycelium composites to other emerging green materials that are or could be used in Africa.
They also want to explore the technology’s economic feasibility and societal ramifications to fully assess its long-term sustainability.
Stefania added, “Africa faces heightened vulnerability to climate change impacts owing to its limited financial resources, making it crucial to mitigate these impacts as much as possible. This study offers valuable insights that can be used to proactively address the potential impact of this technology on the environment and human health.”
Professor Steve Eichhorn, Director of the Centre for Doctoral Training in Composites, Science and Manufacturing (CoSEM), added, “It was interesting to find that even a technology that is generally perceived as sustainable can sometimes have a greater environmental impact than conventional fossil-fuel-based materials. This highlights the importance of life cycle assessment studies and the need to carefully consider all factors, including energy sources and lifespan, when evaluating new materials.”
He further stated, “Stefania’s work just demonstrates that it’s important, when conducting Life Cycle Assessments, that geographical considerations and cultural practices are taken into account to calculate sustainability. The right decisions can then be made to ensure that manufacturing has as low an impact as possible while also contributing to local economies and African livelihoods.”
The research was carried out utilizing a life cycle assessment (LCA) technique that adhered to the ISO 14040 and 14044 standards for assessing the environmental effect of materials or processes.
Akromah, S., et. al. (2024) Potential environmental impact of mycelium composites on African communities. Scientific Reports. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-62561-7
https://www.bristol.ac.uk/
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