UBQ Materials, climate tech developer of advanced materials made from waste, today announced that it has been honored in TIME’s annual Best Inventions list, which features 200 extraordinary innovations solving compelling problems in creative ways and changing our lives. UBQ Materials was recognized as a winning innovation in the Reuse & Recycle category for inventions reducing overconsumption.
UBQ Materials’ bio-based thermoplastic, UBQ™, serves as a sustainable replacement for fossil-based plastics. The company converts residual household waste, including all organic materials destined for landfills or incineration facilities, into an advanced thermoplastic material that is both climate positive and highly recyclable. Renowned industry leaders have already integrated UBQ™ into a wide range of durable and semi-durable products, including automotive components, pallets, display fixtures, panels, planters, and footwear. Notable customers, including Mercedes-Benz, PepsiCo, and McDonald’s, have embraced this sustainable solution.
“UBQ is solving all the negative impacts of waste to the environment while simultaneously creating a valuable new material resource that can be used in existing production systems, supporting a true circular economy. Our material, UBQ™, replaces scarce and carbon intensive materials, including oil-based plastics,” explained Jack ‘Tato’ Bigio, CEO and Co-founder of UBQ Materials. “We provide a climate positive material that is price competitive, straightforward to implement, and highly recyclable, converted from 100% household waste through a clean, zero waste, energy-efficient process.”
According to a Life Cycle Assessment conducted by Quantis, every ton of UBQ™ produced diverts 1.3 tons of waste and prevents up to 11.7 tons of CO2eq emissions, making it the most climate positive thermoplastic material on the planet. UBQ helps businesses meet sustainable development goals through their material strategy. Businesses with targets for diverting waste, reducing product and supply chain carbon footprint, and increasing use of recycled content and bio-based materials can utilize UBQ as a single material that advances all these goals.
To compile this year’s list, TIME solicited nominations from editors and correspondents around the world through an online application process, paying special attention to growing fields—such as AI, green energy, and sustainability. TIME then evaluated each contender on a number of key factors, including originality, efficacy, ambition, and impact.
Of the new list, TIME’s editors write: “The result is a list of 200 groundbreaking inventions (and 50 special mention inventions)—including the world’s most powerful supercomputer, a game-changing entertainment venue, and a new shape—that are changing how we live, work, play, and think about what’s possible.”
See the full list here: time.com/best-inventions-2023
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