A clean tech startup is converting sawdust and woodchips into natural alternatives to essential chemicals in an effort to reduce the reliance on fossil fuel-derived products.

Scotland-based Sonichem is working towards opening its first commercial plant in 2027, aiming to process up to 15,000 tonnes of forestry material a year as the UK government looks to move beyond dependence on fossil fuels and their associated products, 

The cosmetic, packaging and pharmaceutical industries rely massively on unsustainable petrochemical ingredients. Petrochemicals – which are products obtained from refining petroleum – are found in all manner of products, from penicillin, cough syrup and suppositories to lipsticks and sun creams.  

The reliance on fossil fuel products in these industries has made them major contributors to global emissions. A study from McMaster University found that the pharma industry was a bigger polluter than the automotive sector, emitting 48.55 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per million dollars, 55% more than automotive. 

Sonichem has claimed its patented ultrasound process can break down forestry co-products into natural compounds that can serve the same purpose as petrochemicals. 

The startup’s work has been supported by a feasibility study funded by the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre and the University of Glasgow.  

“Compounds derived from petrochemicals are the building blocks for so many of the products we use every day, but to achieve net zero that needs to change. Trees are a great natural resource that could become part of the supply chain,” said Sonichem’s chief chemist Andy West. 

West said that lignin – an organic polymer found in wood and bark – in particular is “highly versatile and can be used in almost any setting”.  

The extraction of lignin has been difficult as it acts as a “natural glue” holding the tree together. 

According to West, Sonichem’s new ultrasound technology presents the best opportunity yet to put this compound to use in place of petrochemicals. 

“The next step in the process is about engaging with both the manufacturers already using resin, as well as the forestry sector, to ensure that the right number and type of trees are planted now to secure the availability of the product for years to come.” 

“Scotland’s forestry sector is worth over £1bn to the economy, but there is potential to see this grow by using the biomass that sawmills generate in manufacturing,” said Dr Liz Fletcher, director of business engagement at the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre. 

“Sonichem is a great example of a business looking at alternatives to petrochemicals from a feedstock otherwise used for low-value applications.”

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