A NEWLY funded collaboration could see university researchers turn whisky production leftovers into compostable packaging.
MycoPack is a collaboration between Arbikie Distillery, Edinburgh Napier University and the University of Dundee, and is one of 11 projects awarded funding by Scotland Beyond Net Zero, a collaboration between Scotland’s universities to support the drive to net zero.
Arbikie Distillery has partnered with Dr Dongyang Sun, Edinburgh Napier University, and Dr. Wenbin Zhou, University of Dundee, to use mycelium, the root structure of fungi, and distillery by-products like spent grain to create durable, lightweight packaging.
The material created is impact-resistant, fire-retardant, and fully compostable, offering an eco-friendly alternative to plastic.
Over the next 10 months the project team will focus on proof of concept, testing the material and the design.
Kirsty Black, distillery manager said: “At Arbikie, sustainability is at the heart of everything we do.
“Our collaboration with Edinburgh Napier and Dundee Universities on MycoPack represents an exciting step forward – combining innovation and purpose to create packaging made from mycelium that’s not only environmentally responsible but deeply aligned with our values.
“Together, we hope to pioneer solutions that respect the planet and inspire change across the industry.”
Funded by Scotland Beyond Net Zero – a coalition of leading climate and sustainability experts from Scotland’s universities – this project is one of 11 new research collaborations aimed at accelerating Scotland’s transition to net zero.
Each project under the Scotland Beyond Net Zero coalition involves cross-sector collaborations to address sustainability challenges in energy, finance, food, the bult environment, natural systems and transport.
Professor Nick Forsyth, vice-principal (research) at the University of Aberdeen and chair of Scotland Beyond Net Zero’s seed fund panel said: “This is the second round of our seed fund, we have now supported 19 innovative and collaborative projects with a total of around £300k of funding.
