Author: Erin Elizabeth

When most people think of Mexico they think of sun, tequila, and food… specifically guacamole. But if Scott Munguia’s company Biofase has their way you’ll add biodegradable plastic to that list! “As plastic straws and disposable cutlery fall out of favor for their potential to inflict environmental damage, a company with an alternative that uses avocado pits is getting more attention. Morelia, Michoacán-based Biofase is manufacturing biodegradable cutlery and straws made out avocado seeds using a process whose beginnings date back to 2012.”1 At the time, Scott Mungía was a chemical engineering student motivated to solve pollution problems. After a trial-and-error process testing the properties of raw mango and mamey sapote seeds he stumbled upon a paper with a picture of a corn molecule used to make bioplastic. And eureka! An idea was born. After working for over a year he found an effective method to extract a molecular compound from the avocado pit and obtain a biopolymer that could be molded into any desired shape. His products biodegrade after 240 days of being exposed to the elements or buried in the ground, while their fossil fuel-based counterparts can take more than 100 years. In 2013, Munguía had his process patented and founded Biofase, in 2015 he installed his first plant (in Morelia) to manufacture 100% biodegradable eco-friendly plastic resins and sell the raw material, and in 2016 he decided to...