A plan to convert the Caribbean abundance from Sarmasum to biofuels

Esteban Amaro, director of the Quintana Roo Sargassum Monitoring Network, agrees that fuel is the best product to focus on. Sea herbs can be treated into other consumer products, but it is not recommended given that health risks to do so have not yet been studied.

“I think the purpose of Sarmasum is energy production, because when it decomposes, it fires many heavy metals such as arsenic, lead and cadmium,” says Amaro. “So it is better to produce biofuels or biomas from daily products such as clothes or shoes.”

A possible source of carbon credit

In the race to get rid of Sarmasum, there is another applicable product –Sarbaneland Building material developed by researchers at the National University of Mexico (UNAM). These panels use between 60 and 70 kilograms of wet scrubsum each piece, and many advantages are offered compared to traditional panels: about 33 percent are flexible, and they have greater resistance to influence, which is proven to fire. In addition, no chemical additives are used in their production, so that they can be recycled: as soon as her life cycle ends, they can be torn and reinterated into the production line.

“With this project, we not only contribute to reducing the problem … We also generate carbon credit profits. For every 5 tons of wet sarpsum, a carbon balance is created, and each balance is between $ 10 and $ 30,” Miriam Estévez González, the group’s head.

Estévez estimates that if 4000 tons of dry scrgasum are treated in the panels every year, this will make an annual profit ranging between 80,000 dollars and 240,000 dollars in addition to absorbing the equivalent of 8000 tons₂. “A comparison, we will remove from trading about a thousand cars,” she says.

CFATA scientists, in cooperation with academics from other Unam departments, also developed many other products, including Sargabox-packaging boxes that are fire-resistant-as well as filters that can be used to remove pollutants from water, including fine plastic.

“In the case of Sargapanel, we already have the necessary scientific studies and a registered and developed interest model is completely capable, and we are approaching some companies that are leaders in building materials,” says Estévez.

On February 28, Quetana Row Governor, Mara Lizama Espinoza, announced the formation of Sarbaso Center for Comprehensive Sanitation and Ring EconomyThe goal of turning the total algae to consider the problem of pollution towards its use as an economic and environmental resource. If it is treated in long -term material products, Sargassum can lock it from the environment to growth; If it turns into vitality, you can avoid some fossil fuel emissions.

The center will be promoted mainly using Sargassum to produce biological gas and organic fertilizers – explorators of products that usually lead to the release of greenhouse gases when making and using them. The center will then sell carbon balances from the back of these emissions discounts.