INNOVATE UK
98% OF EPS WASTE ENDS UP IN LANDFILL CONTRIBUTING TO GREENHOUSE GAS EMSISSIONS
BIG NEWS FOR MMC!
We are thrilled to announce that Magical Mushroom Company® has been awarded a £500,000 Innovate UK SMART Grant to accelerate the replacement of Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) in white goods packaging. The UK faces a significant challenge with EPS - a lightweight, cushioning material that’s widely used but non-biodegradable, persisting in the environment for centuries.
BIG NEWS FOR MMC!
We are thrilled to announce that Magical Mushroom Company® has been awarded a £500,000 Innovate UK SMART Grant to accelerate the replacement of Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) in white goods packaging. The UK faces a significant challenge with EPS - a lightweight, cushioning material that’s widely used but non-biodegradable, persisting in the environment for centuries.
Despite measures like the upcoming Plastic Packaging Tax (effective April 2025), fewer than 2% of EPS products are currently recycled in the UK due to high costs and limited infrastructure. This means that around 98% of EPS waste ends up in landfill or incineration, contributing to plastic pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
At MMC, we’re tackling this problem head-on with our Mushroom® Packaging, made from mycelium- the root structure of fungi- combined with UK-sourced agricultural waste. It’s 100% biodegradable, home-compostable within 45 days, and delivers the same protective performance as EPS, without any petrochemical inputs.