ONE EARTH is exploring the production of bio adhesives, glues made from biological waste, as eco-friendly alternatives to petrochemical-based adhesives. Dairy by–products offer a promising example: researchers have created water-resistant wood adhesives from whey protein, a cheese industry waste, achieving competitive bonding strength with minimal formaldehyde emissions. This demonstrates how proteins such as casein or whey can replace synthetic resins in certain applications, reducing harmful chemicals while using renewable feedstocks.
In the ONE EARTH project, whey-derived biomolecules could be formulated into adhesives for packaging or wood products, turning waste into valuable resources. Other biological residues also hold potential: keratin from feathers and collagen from fish skins can be processed into biopolymers or films. For instance, the EU’s UNLOCK project is converting feather keratin into biodegradable plastics for agriculture, such as mulch films or plant pots, which safely biodegrade in soil at the end of their life cycle.
These innovations illustrate how waste can be transformed into sustainable materials with a fully circular life: produced from waste, serving a practical purpose, and returning harmlessly to nature. Beyond waste reduction, bio-based adhesives and materials help cut reliance on fossil resources and toxic ingredients, while often offering additional benefits like biodegradability and composability.
This approach aligns with EU objectives for non-toxic material cycles and waste prevention and shows the public how “trash to treasure” innovation can reach into everyday life, where the glue in furniture or the film in a garden could be made from fish skins, milk whey or chicken feathers.