Carbon negative expanded foam

Carbon cell is a high- performance, carbon negative expandable foam that offers a sustainable alternative to traditional polymer-based foams.

Entered in the category to ‘Build A Waste Free World’, Carbon Cell’s innovation means polystyrene waste may soon be a thing of the past.  Expanded Polystyrene Foam (EPS), widely used for packing and insulation, has devastating environmental impacts. Not only does it rely on petroleum chemicals in its production, but it is hazardous, releases toxic chemicals, takes hundreds of years to degrade, and is difficult to recycle.

Carbon Cell offers an environmentally friendly solution that is also high performance. The secret to Carbon cell’s sustainability is their key ingredient Biochar, created through pyrolysis. This process transforms organic biomass such as potato peels and textile waste into a carbon negative material that can lock in up to 2.1 tonnes of CO2e per tonne of Biochar. The organic biomass used to make the Biochar can be from waste streams. This, coupled with the fact that the resultant foam product is carbon negative, less toxic compared to EPS foams, and fully compostable, makes Carbon Cell a renewable product that is driven by sustainability.

Led by CEO Elizabeth Lee, the team brings together 25 years of combined experience across various fields, specialising in sustainable design methods.

Eden Harrison, Head of Technology Development, said:

“Carbon Cell transforms waste into a high-performance, compostable foam offering an earth-changing alternative to plastic. We’re excited to share this innovation with the world and make a real impact!”.

Patent attorney Sarah Gibbs, from the firm Appleyard Lees, said:

“We are proud to have worked with Carbon Cell to help protect their ground-breaking technology. Carbon Cell’s material locks in carbon, utilises waste, and is compostable, making it sustainable from beginning to end. Not only is Carbon Cell a sustainable alternative to EPS foam, but it also boasts competitive thermal conductivity, is three times stronger than EPS and other bio-based alternatives, performs well under fire, and has a comparable sound insulation to EPS foam. Therefore, it is not an inferior product. It’s the full package!”

Carbon cell represents a significant step forward in creating a sustainable replacement for EPS foam and other bio- based alternatives.