WSU hosts national bioplastics conference Nov. 16-18

Washington State University’s Pullman campus will play host to the bioplastics industry Nov. 16-18.

Members of Iowa State University (ISU), Washington State University, the Ford Motor Company, USDA, Boeing, and 3M, as well as many others, will meet to discuss new projects in the development of biologically based plastics from renewable resources for the Center for Bioplastics and Biocomposites (CB2).

“There’s a lot of growth in bio-plastics right now,” said Michael Kessler, CB2 Site Director and Director and Professor of Voiland College’s School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering.

The highlight of this year’s conference will be presentations from more than 15 WWSU and ISU faculty members, whose proposals aim to develop the knowledge that will allow the production of an array of high-value products, including plastics, coatings, adhesives, and composites, from agricultural feedstocks that are compatible with current industrial manufacturing systems and thereby promoting rural development.

CB2 is a National Science Foundation industry and university cooperative research center that focuses on developing bio-based products from agricultural and forestry feed stocks. Founded in 2014 and co-located at WSU and ISU, CB2 is the first industry and university cooperative research center devoted to the development of biologically-based plastics.

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