The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all UN members in 2015, established 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to promote peace, prosperity, and environmental preservation. Seven of these goals focus specifically on environmental sustainability. As the world moves towards eco-friendly practices, research has increasingly targeted sustainable solutions to ensure health and safety. Key areas of interest include biodegradable packaging materials, which use naturally degradable substances to minimize environmental impact while balancing functionality and responsibility.
Recently, most countries in Europe and North America along with Japan and China have enacted legislation to regulate plastic waste. Additionally, more than 35 countries are incentivizing the production, import, and use of biodegradable packaging materials. This push for biodegradable materials has created numerous opportunities for innovation and market growth. In response, scientists globally are exploring biodegradable solutions for packaging and other applications. Among these innovators is a young Ghanaian Engineer and scientist, Fatimatu Bello, who is making notable advancements in lignocellulosic biomass valorization for sustainable packaging.
With a multifaceted background in Chemistry, Food Science and Technology, and Chemical Engineering, Fatimatu Bello has focused on combating plastic pollution through the valorization and application of agro-industrial lignocellulosic waste materials in packaging application. In 2020, Fatimatu developed and optimized a multi-step biorefinery scheme for valorizing mango seed into high value-added products including hemicelluloses and cellulose nanomaterials, and combined these products to develop bio-based food packaging materials. Currently, mango seed, an agro-industrial waste of the mango processing industries has no commercial usage and is thus discarded as waste in landfills and open dumpsites especially in Ghana and most African countries. This waste degrades and releases unpleasant odors and hazardous leaches that pollute the environment. However, Fatimatu suggests a potential for higher-end uses when valorized into useful bioproducts for developing biodegradable packaging materials, thus, offering a potent solution to the plastic packaging crisis.
This innovative technology that combines different pretreatment/fractionation techniques employing milder treatment conditions compared to conventionally established ones not only boosts the valorization of agro-industrial waste for eco-friendly packaging materials by a Ghanaian but also significantly reduces the environmental pollution and cost associated with waste disposal. Fatimatu’s work marks a crucial step toward environmental stewardship and sustainability. Her innovation underscores her prowess as a scientist and Engineer and heralds a paradigm shift toward eco-conscious innovation in Africa and the world at large. Fatimatu Bello is not just a talented Engineer; she approaches science and research from the perspectives of environmental sustainability and economic growth. In her words, ‘I focused on this project because I was motivated by its potential to make a significant impact on both the environment and society’.
She believes by offering a sustainable alternative to synthetic plastic packaging, the world is tackling plastic pollution, adding value to agro-industrial waste, and creating new opportunities in both the agricultural and the packaging sectors. Fatimatu envisions a scalable solution that crosses geographical boundaries and advocates for the widespread adoption of her innovative techniques through process optimization and industrial scale-up with further techno-economic and life cycle assessment. Her goal is to empower global adaptation of sustainable practices and foster innovation.
Fatimatu’s work exemplifies the intersection of waste valorization, technological innovation, and social responsibility, highlighting how sustainable solutions can drive economic growth and environmental stewardship. In a world grappling with the urgent imperatives of environmental sustainability and food security, Fatimatu Bello emerges as a beacon of hope, demonstrating the transformative potential of technology in reshaping the future of agro-industrial waste and packaging. Her visionary endeavors serve as a testament to the power of innovation in addressing pressing global challenges and heralding a new era of sustainable packaging.
