Biodegradable PHA shotgun wads

Beyond Plastic, a developer and supplier of sustainable polymers based on polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) technology, is working with a manufacturing partner, Colorado-based Eco Shot LLC, to bring biodegradable shotgun wads to market. With Beyond Plastic’s 100% biodegradable PHA 3D printing filament, Eco Shot has successfully conducted rapid prototyping and created a design and production process for eco-friendly shotgun wads.

The shooting sports, including hunting and clay target shooting, are immensely popular worldwide. The wad is a critical component of a shotgun shell separating the shot from the powder charge. It’s expelled when fired and often not collected. The partnership between Beyond Plastic and Eco Shot will bring sustainability to market to address growing concerns of plastic waste negatively affecting wildlife.

Traditional plastic wads are typically made from polyethylene or polypropylene and contribute significantly to plastic pollution. They remain in the environment for hundreds of years, polluting water bodies and harming wildlife and landscapes. There’s also a considerable risk of wildlife ingesting plastic pieces remaining in the field. In contrast, 100% PHA biodegradable plastics offer a sustainable solution to mitigate these concerns. Derived from renewable resources such as plant oils, PHA decomposes naturally, minimizing environmental harm and reducing the accumulation of plastic waste.

“The level of plastic littering poses a great threat to our environment and ecosystem,” says Fred Pinczuk, CTO, Beyond Plastic. “The PHA biodegradable shotgun wads, designed by Eco Shot, are made to tackle the problem at the source. When the wads are discharged, they won’t leave any harm to the environment, naturally biodegrading into the soil in a matter of months as opposed to traditional plastic that lasts for hundreds of years.”

As a further benefit, at 1.31g/cm3, shotgun wads produced using Beyond Plastic PHA material have a higher material density than legacy plastics and water. If discharged over water, they’ll quickly sink, reducing the possibility of harmful interactions with wildlife. By replacing legacy, non-biodegradable wads with PHA alternatives, plastic debris in the environment is significantly reduced. PHA biodegradable plastics break down into harmless byproducts through microbial action.

There are an estimated 11 million hunters in the United States, and sales of shotgun shells reach tens of millions of dollars. This equates to thousands of pounds of plastic wads being discarded into the environment.

“We’ve partnered with Beyond Plastic to bring a sustainable alternative for plastic shotgun wads to the industry,” says Andrew Thomas, founder of Eco Shot. “With Beyond Plastic’s PHA filament, we can conduct rapid prototyping for our designs, allowing us to increase our offerings and meet the needs of a broader range of hunting activities. This next generation of shotgun wads is going to bolster the hunting community’s focus on improving environmental practices and ongoing commitment to wildlife conservation.”

Beyond Plastic https://beyondplastic.com