Great news from across the canal: Our UK joint-venture partner Hive closed new accords with two waste upcycling scale-ups.

Since the start of 2022, Hive Energy has closed new partnerships with two circular economy businesses, both converting waste into useful products. 

In January, Hive Energy acquired a majority share in the Scottish circular economy business CuanTec Ltd. Their core activity is to convert shellfish waste into chitin. This is a naturally occurring, 100% compostable biopolymer with a wide range of applications in the pharmaceutical, cosmetics and food industries. 

Instead of landfilling or incinerating shellfish, CuanTec developed a method to process this waste stream into valuable, high-quality chitin. Their process does not emit any CO2 and uses 66% less electricity compared to traditional chitin extraction processes, making it highly environmentally friendly. On top of that, the chitin-based bioplastics CuanTec produces, can replace fossil-fuel plastic packaging, has naturally antimicrobial properties and is biodegradable. 

Last month, in February, Nafici Environmental Research Ltd. (NER) (the Ecopulping company) also joined the hive network, as Hive acquired 50% of the shares.

NER developed a patented technology to convert agricultural waste into EcoPulp, a feedstock that can be used in the production of paper packaging materials as well as food-contact grade moulded fibre packaging. Instead of incinerating agricultural waste or leaving it to rot, EcoPulping upcycles it into the necessary products to move towards a greener and plastic-free, low-waste future.

Being a circular business ourself, we like watching what is happening in the world of waste upcycling. A multitude of joint efforts across different industries will accelerate change!