Spark Sourcing’s GEX bio-calcium has been granted a US patent that acknowledges the material as environmentally friendly and waste-saving. The material, which is derived from eggshells, employs a manufacturing method that cuts plastic content by half, according to company claims.
The manufacturing method involves a multistep process the eggshells must withstand in order to be transformed into an ultra-fine bio-calcium powder with particles as small as one micron, which is then pelletised. “The resultant material can be blended with virgin plastic and achieve a plastic content reduction of between 30% and 50%”, it is claimed.
GEX is also compatible with PP, PE, HDPE, PET, EVA, PS, ABS, RUBBER, PVC, and PLA, as well as processes such as injection moulding, blow moulding, film blowing, calendaring, thermoforming, and vacuum forming.
Products made with GEX are recyclable, which means that employing the resin with other plastic materials can aid companies meet upcoming plastic reduction mandates with its eco-certification for waste, plastic, and carbon reduction, as it reportedly slashes up to 70% of carbon emissions.
The integration into existing manufacturing processes appears easy and economical, without the risk of damaging machinery due to its small particle size and resultant softness.
“For brands needing to meet plastic-reduction mandates or their own sustainability goals, GEX is an ideal option for them,” explains Andrew Bliss, founder of GEX Western Hemisphere distributor Spark Sourcing. “They do not need to change the shape, size, material, or design of their current product or packaging, or the subsequent shipping box size and shape. They can save huge amounts of time and money by simply and seamlessly incorporating GEX into their current manufacturing.”
At present, the material has already been granted patents in the UK, Taiwan, and China, and an Australian patent is currently pending. It has been certified by SGS, which means it complies with waste, plastic, and carbon reduction standards; it also holds certifications from the EU RoHS and REACH programmes, and is certified as anti-bacterial with a high Far Infrared Radiation (FIR) emissivity rate.
