Wheat fiber straw

Wheat fibres can be used to make various articles that claim to be “biodegradable”. Once crushed and infused with water (800 L per 1000 kg), this material is then dehydrated to become a mass that will then be mixed (with 50 or 60 times its weight in water) with an 8% hydrophobic (water-repellent) solution and an 8% oleophobic (oil-repellent) solution. This mixture can then be sifted to remove the liquid and leave a “solid” material that can be shaped. This “solid” will then be heated and moulded to make items. It is often mixed with PP (polypropylene) for extra rigidity, but PP is not recyclable outside an industry setting.