Can Mycelium Fungus replace Concrete & Plastic?
One promising solution to plastic pollution is mycelium or mushroom packaging. It is made of 2 ingredients: mushrooms and hemp. Mycelium is the underground network of very durable, thread-like filaments called hyphae. It is mixed with agricultural waste like wood chips, oat hulls, cotton burrs or hemp hurds.
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Chapters
0:00 Introduction
1:00 How its made
2:43 Products
4:32 Advantages
5:30 Disadvantages
6:19 Myths
7:12 Conclusion
One of the largest mushroom packaging manufacturers in the world is Ecovative Design, a New York based biotech company founded in 2006. They sent me these samples of their product. Their manufacturing process is pretty straight forward.
Their designers create a 3D CAD model of custom packaging
A CNC machine routes the design into MDF.
Plastic trays are thermoformed around the MDF pieces.
The tray is filled with their proprietary hemp hurd and mycelium blend.
It is allowed to grow for 4 days in a controlled environment with regulated temperatures, airflow, CO2 and humidity levels.
It is popped out of tray and allowed to continue growing for 2 more days to create a velvety layer of overgrowth
The packaging is then heat treated to dry out, kill spores and stop the growth process
This material can last for 30 years in dry, temperature controlled indoor environments. It is also 100% biodegradable and a nutrient for soils and plants. When broken down into 1 cubic centimeter pieces, it will compost in just 45 days. In the ocean, it will compost in 180 days.
In 2014, a 40 ft or 12 meter high tower was built in New York by The Living, an architectural design studio, Ecovative and Arup. 10,000 bricks made of mycelium and corn stalks were stacked to form 3 interwoven chimneys.
In 2019, a drum-shaped temporary pavilion was designed in the Netherlands. It was composed of a timber frame, actively growing mushroom wall panels and seating made of agricultural waste.
Biohm, a UK based startup, has developed a mycelium insulation panel that outperforms traditional insulation like rockwool and fiberglass in terms of thermal capacity, fire resistance and acoustic performance.
ADVANTAGES
Mushroom packaging and other mycelium based products are non-toxic and free of VOCs and formaldehydes. This product consumes a tenth of the energy of foam, and emits an eighth of the amount of greenhouse gases. It is Cradle to Cradle Gold certified. It is an excellent example of a sustainable, circular economy product. It is quite spongy so it can protect fragile materials just as well as petroleum-based foam. Ecovative claims that it is a cost, time and performance competitive solution to plastic packaging.
Mushroom Packaging is naturally hydrophobic or water resistant. Water droplets roll right off and do not soak through. This makes it an ideal material for packing cold items and ice packs that can melt. However, prolonged exposure to moisture and high humidity will lead to mold. Due to the inherent properties of mycelium, this material is a class A fire retardant and has a very low flame spread of 20.
DISADVANTAGES
It is not very strong. It has a compressive strength of just 18 psi so it cannot be used as a structural material. It also has a short lifespan of 20 to 30 years. It can’t be used as food storage containers, so it won’t replace styrofoam right now. Since it is such a new technology, the few companies that produce these have patented the production process which is a barrier to entry. The super low cost of plastic production is unfortunately a huge deterrent to the future of this technology. Plastic also offers a lot of advantages like long term water resistance and a long lifespan.
The plastic industry has been complacent for too long and has avoided setting up an extensive recycling network. I hope competition will force them to be more responsible.
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• Mushroom® Packaging In...
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#mycelium #mushroom #plasticpollution #plastic #livingbuilding
I don't think it will replace plastic in all instances, but it would be cool to see it in a number of "non-food" usages.
I think, given a proper stabilization method is invented, this tech can be the next big thing in construction industry
Like faster than light travel?
@@mathewcalaway7684 not really 😂
@@StanislavG. but if stabilized doesn't it look too much like plastic? The plastic molecular issue is too much stability and plastic can be made from biotic materials. Any way of "fixing" the biodegradability of mushrooms starts to remove some of their main positive biodegradable traits. Cellulose is probably the best happy medium between plastic and this mushroom mycelium, and we already use it in wood, insulation panel, and pulp forms. The only Issues with cellulose uses is sourcing sustainably. It's really easy to find a destructive source of plant fiber. Also Issues with cellulose coatings aka waterproofing chemicals are often terrible for the environment. Many microplastics and pfoa/pfa (aka Teflon and alternatives) come from stabilized cellulose sources, which would also be the case for any stabilized mycelium. I'm not pro plastic, but theirs not really a perfect silver bullet out their for preventing the pollutant problems associated with perfectly durable materials. I'd say our biggest pollution reduction techniques would include greater access to complex repair machines and use of more modularity for devices and buildings when it comes to mixed material interaction. Like requiring service panels for plastic pipes in concrete, or a flexible bore out and new pipe laying machine for replacing the rotted plastic pipe that would leave the concrete untouched.
@@StanislavG. I'm in the construction industry since mid-1990s ... and I'm quite pessimistic. Various woodchip-and-cement, woodchips-and-gypsum, etc. products have been on the market for more than a century. None of them made substantial inroads into the industry, and most have been outlawed as fire and health hazards. At least, in my jurisdiction. The United States is certainly different for having exceptionally lax safety codes, so the "thing" may actually take up there.
"this is why architects are made fun of" made me laugh, because it's true!
I personally see value in this product for the protective packaging of small, "expensive" products like cell-phones. Outside of that the focus should be on reducing packaging rather than changing the materials for those packages. When it comes to building materials, I'm personally more interested in finding/creating materials that enable the same basic construction techniques but are higher-quality or more sustainable. Taking something like a TStud and making it using hemp fibers (or something else) is likely to be adopted far faster than some radical new construction material.
I don't see why it would have to be limited to packaging for only small items. Dell and IKEA want onboard, so it can be used for packaging computers to cabinets. I don't see why it can't be molded to use for packaging a multitude of other goods. While it might not be suitable for everything (yet) this is a start.
very interesting! I don't think there will be one product that can replace all plastic uses - this does not seem great for buildings but great for packaging.
Anything that helps erase plastics is never a bad idea. Thanks for sharing this.
thats dangerous thinking.
@@onlyonSiMPLE it's not, plastics is dangerous.
@@onlyonSiMPLE not really. If something can be made out of a more eco-friendly materials, then why shouldn't it? Overuse of plastics is a major threat to our environment, and if there's a way to reduce that usage with an eco-friendly, functionally equal alternative, then that's a good thing. Plastic will always have its uses, but it should be limited to applications that truly need its unique properties and has no alternatives.
I really appreciate your balanced reporting on mycelium. Everything else I have watched has only touted the positives. Thank you.
Thank you for the summary in the description! it makes it very easy to process the information in the video!
Another informative, unbiased, clearheaded video! Thanks!
Amazing and thorough video yet again. Keep up the great work!
“Sorry, some architects really piss me off.” I love your honesty! I also greatly appreciate that you present pros and cons, and real world applications - instead of just restating the hype.
An excellent overview of the subject. Thank you for your research and clarity.
As always your candidness is appreciated 👍
Love your efforts Belinda and want to thank you for it. :-)
If they can they should look into using Barley Straw as it can't be used for feed and supposedly has good thermal properties compared to other grain straws and is slightly more mold resistant too. If this outperforms Rockwool acoustically, people with home recording studios should really look into this, and they usually remake their studios every decade on average.
Very interesting. I don't think it could be used for permanent building material but for temporary buildings and packaging this sounds like a good alternative.
7:12 is a fantastic moment in this video. I really admire your willingness to question and critique the most arrogant and reality-detached professionals on the planet: Architects.
I came on you tube because I have this growing in my mulch in the garden and making a hard layer on the soil. I wanted to find out what it was and if it was harmful to my plants. Your video enlightened me as to what this was and that it's not harmful to my landscape. Thanks for your video and concern about the world we live in. 🙂
I really think things like this can have a strong positive effect in the world. Mushrooms are amazing. If I remember correctly, someone even found a mushroom that adapted to eat oil? I can't remember, but it was quite interesting to help clean up oil spills. I think saying that it can save the world is a bit dramatic, but that what article headlines like to do these days.
I love your own well qualified opinions on top of the facts!
I love this lady, she should have a millions subs.
You have some really great and informative videos on your channel.
Very informative, as usual! Thanks.
Belinda your channel is wonderful and educational, thank you.
Thank you!!
I love your Chanel !! I appreciate it so much learning about so many new things that are pretty cutting edge
Thank you!
good content! and always thoughtfully presented!
Belinda, I love your channel.
I don't know if electronics warehouses are usually climate controlled, but it sounds to be ideal for shipping screens and such. I'm always annoyed how much styrophorm waste I have for those things
Electronics warehouses should be climate and humidity controlled. A cold warehouse can result in condensation forming on the electronics, which can cause corrosion. A warehouse with high humidity also increases that condensation risk. A warehouse with low humidity increases the risk of built up static. You don't want someone to build up static while they're working and then touch a piece of equipment.
@@Grumpini When it comes to static, mycelium should be much better than styrofoam.
The computer manufacturers have been coming on board with this stuff or cardboard as packaging, but for some reason consumer electronics companies are dragging their heels. There's really no excuse by now for styrofoam for transport packaging.
Very nice, I am happy to hear a well spoken opposition to the hype of these products are gaining.
Fascinating video! Thank you very much 🙂
Love this so much!
Another wonderful, educational, and thorough video! Thank you for continuing to stay up & ahead with new innovations and providing a ton of inspiration. Ever thought about architectural molding as a use case? Largely non- or light-load bearing. Clearly you'd have more creative control with casting your own molds. I see some neat, 3d-printyish, organic themes. I imagine them being unique & creative, along with all the aforementioned benefits. Also, smaller scale; project-by-project, to start.
This is the first time I have seen a post on the varied potential uses of mycelium that also looks at the negatives.
Thanks for sharing the pros and cons Realistically in an unbiased way. I have been exploring mushroom leather as an alternative to leather to make boots but your video helped me see the bias in these companies. I'm sure over time it will be a great alternative.
I love your videos Carr!
I remember seeing this advertised as the sustainable replacement for plastic packaging. I couldn't help by think that we already had cardboard, which I assume is just as biodegradable, recycleable, almost as light and cheaper to produce. I think people are already making decent homes from cardboard, and if you can make a solid bed from cardboard surely they'd make good coffins too. It just seems like a simpler solution to me though I haven't actually put in any research or effort haha.
The "molded pulp" packaging she mentions is basically cardboard (wood pulp), but apparently it's heavier than this stuff.
its because of capitalism. Youre 100% right in your assumptions about packaging but the missing factor is growth. If we regress to using older technologies then the industries that use them will shrink. To you and i that might mean a small price difference in products but for the executives it means millions in lost revenue. There is no way modern industry is going to consciously choose to operate at a higher expense even if that means saving the planet. They need to see a profit increase from advertising as "green" before they will try anything different because infinite growth is a necessity. You want to really warp your worldview? People in the coldest climates could efficiently live in building made of straw. The reason more people dont? it doesnt fit into life. All our products solve problems that wouldnt exist for someone who lived differently enough.
Well hemp, cotton, and corn are far easier and faster to replace than trees. I think people are looking for ways to stop using trees altogether if possible. But this product has been used to replace Styrofoam inserts in boxes.
@@jerrywhidby. You gotta think about it in terms of actual produced goods. A tree turns into alot of pulp and takes very little labour to grow while sequestering carbon. Hemp as a crop would stimulate our economy where sericulture might not but is that value worth it in the end? Thats alot to think about.
@@zachweyrauch2988 profit should not be the main goal of production, that is what has allowed 100 companies to destroy the world
Most interesting presentation on something really different.
I think it has the possibility to replace some clothing and packaging options, but there are better choices for natural building materials that are stronger and last longer.
I can see it replacing foam in packaging, since that gets discarded most of the time. Not so much in buildings, where longevity is desired. It could be great for insulating temporary structures.
Another great video!
Great presentation!
I saw a documentary on how they make coffins out of this material. I don't understand why it isn't used as coffins in more places.
I think 'traditional Christian burial practices' where preservation is a major factor.
I really like the idea of mycelium packaging. Hope it takes off where it can.
Wow Fantastic!
Looking forward to an update on the decomposition of the chunks that you sprinkled into dirt outside.
Loved your video. Thank you
This gives me flashbacks from a class I had to take at architect school 😅
Love your videos! Very informative :-)
Nice to listen to - to be continued please
Interesting. It’s something to watch, for sure. If they come up with less labour intensive and structurally sound versions, I’d be on board with it. And since it’s really new, who knows what may come out of this? Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the info
PETG happens to be my favorite filaments to FDM print with. I always have a great result.
Wonderful bio-mycomaterial Nice discription
I like the idea of using this for temporary packaging. Imagine iphones being packaged in this instead of plastic. But I agree, I wouldn't want to rip out all my drywall to replace the insulation after 20 years.
Yes, It is the future, Thanks for nice info!
loved the video
Great presentation, It is very honest and logical as usual. Environmentalists are not known to be remotely logical I'm glad you challenge them.
😂 My father was an architect. I have many fond memories of us mocking the idiocy of "new wave" experimental architects who created ugly uncomfortable and wasteful buildings in pursuit of their "creative vision." Yes, architecture is an art and an expression of culture, but it is first and foremost shelter. It must be functional. TRUE STORY: My husband was facilities manager for a small bank chain, They were scheduled to build a new three-story stand-alone bank building as their headquarter bank. The architects (Which my husband characterized as "the Gucci loafers set") waltzed in with plans. Not concept sketches. Completed architectural drawings. They forgot the water. There were no bathrooms, no employee lunchroom, no water fountains, no janitorial closets. Nada. Nothing. When my husband pointed that out, the architects were seriously annoyed. The bank president asked, "Don't you supervise your junior architects?" But my bet is on a senior architect who prefers to think about aesthetics instead of function.
You need to talk to Paul Stamets (the mushroom man) and watch Fantastic Fungi on Netflix. Mushrooms got all kinds of potential!
Seems like it can be a solid replacement for certain things in the short term, but I really hope they can make improvements for the long term. Looks unlikely to me, but I am not very smart and have no idea what I’m talking about. This is where you come in! Always love watching your videos Belinda, I’ve actually learnt so much from them!
Thank you!!
@@BelindaCarr you’re most welcome! But thank YOU! I’ve followed you for maybe a year, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed basically all your content. Especially shedding light on container homes, and your insight into the construction industry. You’re obviously incredibly smart. Always look forward to your next video
Belinda must be an engineer. Only engineers and architects have this much animosity towards one another.
My wife's rituals gift set came with an inlay made from cellulose that was completely biodegradeable. I threw it on our compost heap and it was completely gone after a few weeks. I even saw a snail eating from it. To me, cellulose seems like a better alternative to this, at least in packaging. The low compressive strength of this material could be an advantage though. To package sensitive or easily breakable items. To replace styrofoam. Though I think paper could do that too.
I think it’s a good option and will prove to be useful in many applications it’s going to take some time for the open market to accept new products but most definitely a solid step to a positive possibilities
Seems like an excellent and sustainable replacement for many non-structural/food-grade plastics.
Belinda is so intelligent and beautiful. This was a interesting watch. Thank you.
Technologies like this one are a huge step towards progress end sustainability of our society.
hi Belinda! Great video, as usual! thank you so much for such clear information. do you think is there a way to stop hemp straw from degrading while being in contact with mycelium?
👆👆They sell the best shrooms, dmt, lsd and other psychedelic products and ship discreetly to any location of the world 🍄🌍.....
Great video! Thanks for the info. But I have a doubt: Why it can't be used as food storage container?
Belinda, thanks for a fantastic and thorough video! Do you know where mycelium-based wall materials have been certified as Class A fire retardant? Is there published and peer-reviewed articles about its fire-related properties?
Hopefully it can help in certain areas, but you are right that it will be hard to compete with plastic based solutions in a number of areas.
If they replace the long chain of petroleum based products and instead gave the subsidies to Mycelium start ups then packaging makes some more sense. What many aren't designing for is that there can be far more voids with tougher materials. Basically just a skeleton of mycelium around the packaged goods would be enough, and in some fringe cases like odd shapes might be doable.
Living mycelium caskets sound promising I really don’t want my corpse to just sit there underground not decomposing. Maybe a simple mushroom casket can ultimately make my body something useful and nourishing after I’m gone
Mushrooms and hemp? You just said the magic words. 😊🌎🌄
Solutions don't have to be solutions to *every* problem. We can have a variety of solutions, with each handling the problems it is best suited to deal with. I hope mycelium packaging continues to develop as one alternative to single-use plastics in particular.
We explored this for our structural insulated blocks. Apart from the worrying short life span we found that the production space required was enormous! At the moment we use polyurethane foam which cures in a few minutes, the blocks are stacked on a pallet and out of the factory in less than one hour. If we switched to mycelium blocks the same pallet of blocks would take weeks; this would put costs up more than ten fold. As Belinda says 'Let's be realistic' who will pay the extra costs? Answer: No one!
6:59 - what follows is one of the biggest reasons why I am such a HUGE proponent of steel SIPs construction. Steel-skinned EPS core SIPs are made of only two materials... both of which are high yield recyclables. In all but the most extreme cold climates, steel SIPs are the best solution for nearly all types of RCI buildings, and could relieve a huge strain on energy demands. Industry-centric communities especially, could benifit the most... as the captured thermal energy of the industrial buildings could be distributed to the surrounding homes, instead of the open air.
I like there is an alternative to plastic. Even if it cannot replace all plastics. Having choice means we can make a start reducing our reliance on plastics alone.
Out of all eco wololo this thing strikes me as realistically usable! I like it!
Would be nice to see governments and industry looking at everything from the standpoint of full life cycle costs, benefits, and disposal/pollution potential. Honest conversation seems to be in short supply.
I'm so happy this video had a positive outcome. I expected to learn that this product is terrible and can never work. I am becoming too cynical :)
Great video! I'm curious to try a mushroom leather jacket
I just watched a TED talk about this very subject. According the the speaker. Some mycelium products are stronger that traditional bricks at a fraction of the cost. And undoubtedly you have heard of Paul Stamet. The world's leading expert on mycelium.
Great Video as always. A few years ago at a trade show they had plastics made from corn like grocery bags. They made similar claims about biodegradable, non harmful and non petroleum. It looked and felt just like plastic. Any thoughts on whatever became of that. I have often wondered.
According to some videos I've seen those types of plastic alternatives aren't that biodegradable because of the chemicals they are made with (some are still partially plastic). On top of that since companies don't have standard formulas there's not really an efficient way to recycle them.
They're still making them. The most common are PLA and PHA plastics (which are derived from corn starch and bacterial fermentation of sugar, respectively). They are frequently used for things like single-use cutlery, take out clamshells, and green bin (compost bin) liners.
This is Great… I remember an article in Scientific American (mid-90s) that talked about a bacteria that excreted a family of Biodegradable Polymers… I never heard about a follow-up. …after mentioning it to my father for investments he said, “They would never move forward on it… plastic is just to cheep to make.” I scoffed.
Also some are using kombusha to create leather like film. This company you talk about is not the only one on the market.
Amazon seems the ideal customer.
Why built of that? As packaging material, seems very good. Maybe also for food products, when an additional non-mushroom layer is on it?
I am going to do this
Yes, I agree. The fungus is among us. Keep on rocking as you roll. 👁️👁️ TheDigitalLifeguardProject-_-
If it can replace plastics even in a few industries That will be great
Egg cartons may be a perfect application for mushroom packaging, especially in places where they do not refrigerate eggs, going to market, like Brazil.
I learned alot from your videos. I wonder if this material has odors?
Odorless after it is heat-treated!
Plastic recycling is in the hands of those who operate the municipal recycling facilities and it's pretty good business to just sell the pre-separated stuff and get rid of the rest, they aren't gonna sacrifice any of the profit to do a more meticulous separation process.
Belinda would you mind addressing ceramic-insulating paints like ThermaCels - Insulating Paint Additive? I know there is at least one similar additive. My only complaint is the sandy finish.
Disaster relief is huge! I’ve seen that they make concrete form tents . Why not fill the form with substrate and and have it grown itself, sure it would take a week but it’s a lot easier to transport substrate than it is concrete. Maybe explore local substrate technologies
I have an issue with people saying the issue is plastic, the issue is non compostable materials. "Plastic" is a category of many polymer based materials with many properties, notably plastic or elastic mechanical behaviour. We don't need to "ditch plastic" we need to phase out non compostable polymer materials where we can't gaurrentee a closed loop system that completely captures waste, such as consumer products
Was not sure where to ask you this, But what do you think about metal roofs?
If it replaces leather with better durability than fake leather, I'm already happy tbh. It feels like a very good alternative to foam as well. The other uses, I'm not so sure of.
The idea of building with those is very intriguing, but as most of the country is well aware of right now it gets very very cold in the winter. Can these hold up to the freeze thaw of a harsh winter? What is the long-term solution to protecting us from the frigid elements?
I've been curious about mushroom leather for shoe making.
As a demolition contractor it amuses me whenever people overestimate the value of waste. I have people who think I will demolish a mobile home for free just to get the recyclable material in it. In reality I would pay someone to take it away if I didn't have to separate, load and transport it as part of a job. The idea that anyone would separate old house debris just to be able to get a base for the mycelium to grow on would only make sense if artificial externalities like misguided local ordinances mandate it. There is much free material such as urban forestry waste and other green waste that people are willing to pay to get rid of and already source separated.
I hear you..though I will mention that there are companies who take apart old houses for all the recyclable materials. In Vancouver, there is a company called Unbuilders who does this.
The idea is kindda pointless if you think about it. Why do you need to recycle construction waste that is already bio-degradable? Like, what's the point in the extra mushroom step?
@@empressche333 there are companies here that facilitate deconstruction. It's all funded by overly generous tax deductions which are way out of proportion to the fair market value of the donated material. I have done a job for a customer which would have been $20,000 to demolish but I charged $50,000 to take the house apart carefully. This was paid for by a $200,000 tax deduction allowed by the IRS because the material was donated to a charity which valued it at the new value of the material. Numbers not exact but somewhere in that magnitude. I do these jobs but don't agree with the motivations.