Robots are getting in on the trouble to curb our habit to single-use plastics. A brand new partnership between one of many largest industrial robotics producers and a compostable packaging firm factors the way in which to an environment friendly and cost-effective inexperienced packaging revolution.

ABB Robotics has signed an settlement to collaborate with California-based Zume, which makes the compostable packaging that is turning into extra commonplace as a substitute for plastics. ABB’s robotic cells will assist Zume velocity up and scale manufacturing of 100% compostable packaging produced from plant-based agricultural materials.

The stats on single-use plastic are grim. At the moment, lower than 10% of the 380 million tons of plastic produced globally yearly is recycled. However the winds are slowly altering as world manufacturers acknowledge the necessity for sustainability within the face of consumption and governmental strain. Zume’s packaging materials makes use of the leftovers from agricultural manufacturing, together with bamboo, wheat, and straw. Plant materials makes use of considerably much less water and power and reduces CO₂ emissions when in comparison with the manufacturing and disposal of plastic packaging. The plant-based materials can also be 100% biodegradable and easily breaks down after use. 

“By 2050, we estimate that the world’s oceans can have extra plastic than fish, so it’s vital that we transfer everybody away from single-use plastics,” mentioned Alex Backyard, Chairman and CEO of Zume.

Zume’s course of revolves round molded fiber manufacturing cells that convert the uncooked materials into molded packages. As demand will increase, Zume has recognized a rising want for the dimensions, and effectivity automation affords. Enter the robots

ABB will combine and set up greater than 1,000 molded fiber manufacturing cells, together with as much as 2,000 robots at Zume buyer’s websites worldwide over the subsequent 5 years. Every cell processes as much as two tons of agriculture materials every single day, creating 80,000 items of sustainable packaging. At scale, every world website would be capable to course of 71,000 agricultural supplies annually, accounting for as much as two billion items of packaging.

“Utilizing ABB’s world automation specialists to develop and combine automation options for our clients will revolutionize packaging and reveal what sustainable manufacturing can seem like,” says Backyard. “The flexibleness and scalability of ABB’s robots allow an environment friendly automated manufacturing course of. This implies we are able to supply a viable, cost-effective, compostable various to plastic and assist producers to change into extra environmentally pleasant.”

In line with the businesses, a pilot venture has been put in at one in every of India’s largest wooden and agro-based paper producers, making a facility of fifty manufacturing cells that can course of 100 tons of wheat straw day by day, creating 100% compostable packaging for a spread of industries. 

“Automating manufacturing of Zume’s sustainable packaging with ABB robots makes this a viable and economical various to single-use plastics. With Zume, we now have the potential to take away trillions of items of plastic from the worldwide market, preserving scarce assets and supporting a low carbon world,” says Sami Atiya, President of ABB Robotics & Discrete Automation. “In the present day, robotic automation is increasing prospects, making the world extra sustainable via extra environment friendly manufacturing that reduces power use, emissions and manufacturing waste. Our collaboration showcases what is feasible when organizations which are dedicated to pursuing a low-carbon society work collectively.”