Michigan State University (MSU) researchers have found a way to turn manure into building supplies by combining manure fibers with plastic (instead of wood) to make fiberboard and other building supplies.
Matuana says if test results are good, the material could be used to build everything from playground equipment to homes and decks.
“Growth and development is good for farmers,” says Laurent Matuana, associate professor of forestry at MSU. “When we started this work in Michigan, farmers didn’t have any manure digesters. Now they can produce electricity for the farm. If we can find a value-added market for these fibers, that means additional revenue for them.”
It also means reduced strain on the environment as the materials are made from natural materials.
Matuana and his team are now measuring the color of the materials, how well they react when exposed to molds and other elements and how well they withstand construction.
They’re also mixing the material with a biodegradable polymer so they can produce shapes, which will allow the material to be more versatile.
“The entire thing is biodegradable, that’s the idea,” he says.
Source: Laurent Matuana, MSU
Ivy Hughes, development news editor, can be reached here.
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