We are the first company to use pea fibres for the production of plastic containers. Reusable containers can be used for years and recycled at the end of their life cycle. This makes them particularly sustainable. However, resources are needed to produce them from virgin material and recycled material is only available in limited quantities. This is why the bekuplast-group has been researching the development of alternative raw materials for many years and has now successfully tested the use of pea fibres in plastic containers.
Peas are used for the production of starch and protein products. To do this, the peas are shelled and the pea nut fibres are removed. The pea mustard fibres are not reused; they are a waste product of the starch industry. Through extensive development work, bekuplast has succeeded in specially preparing the “waste product pea fibre” and processing it in plastic containers. The high temperatures in the manufacturing process posed a particular technical challenge for the developers. While plastic is usually processed at around 220 to 230 degrees Celsius, the plant-based pea fibres burn at a temperature of just 190 degrees Celsius. The renewable raw material pea thus replaces around 20 % of plastic.
