Scottish startup develops seaweed-based, marine-safe bio-packaging

Oceanium plans to meet the demand for eco packaging and food products while enabling sustainable growth of seaweed cultivation

Spotted: Oceanium is developing marine-safe, home compostable bio-packaging materials and food products made from sustainably-farmed seaweed. Their aim is to enable a sustainable seaweed farming industry to mitigate climate change, ensure food security and create jobs across their supply chain. 

Andy Wilkinson, COO of Oceanium, joins a growing number of innovators investing in the seaweed sector, also known as “seaweed-preneurs”.

“When I look at the supply chain, the demand is off the charts for bio-packaging and on the food side it’s the same story – in the UK people are converting to become vegans more rapidly than anywhere else,” he said.

What sounds like a simple solution to solving ocean plastic pollution has a plethora of environmental benefits. Seaweed farming does not require cleared land, fertiliser or pesticide to grow. In addition, it acts as a carbon sink sequestering carbon dioxide and nitrogen from the ocean, which reduces atmospheric carbon and ocean acidification. Seaweed farms also protect the seabed from commercial fishing and provide a marine sanctuary for sea life.

Oceanium will be launching their product at the end of 2020. The company also seeks to establish its first processing plant, processing a modest 10 tonnes this year, but to increase this to over 5,000 tonnes by 2024. 

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