Wood and CuanTec to Accelerate Circular Economy Solutions in the UK

Wood, a global consulting and engineering company, has announced a partnership with CuanTec Ltd, a Scottish circular economy business. The partnership will focus on developing cutting-edge separation facilities that will process shellfish waste to extract chitin, a naturally occurring, 100% compostable biopolymer with a wide range of applications in the pharmaceutical, cosmetics and food industries. Wood will provide front-end engineering design (FEED) to deliver modifications for CuanTec’s newly acquired separation plant in Glenrothes, Scotland, followed by the expansion of that facility. Wood will then continue to provide FEED, engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of additional new production facilities in the UK and globally to enable mass production of CuanTec’s ultra-pure chitin and chitin-based products.

Potential environmental impact:

The partnership between Wood and CuanTec aims to develop environmentally friendly solutions for waste processing, by using shellfish waste to extract chitin and chitin-based bioplastics. The process emits no CO2 emissions, and chitin-based bioplastics are biodegradable and have natural antimicrobial properties, which can extend the shelf life of foods wrapped within it, preventing further wastage. This circular economy solution has the potential to reduce waste and emissions, and promote sustainable development in the UK’s materials industry. The partnership also aims to take advantage of Wood’s engineering capability and experience to develop facilities that are ready for responsible, efficient and safe production, which could help to accelerate the development of a circular economy within the UK’s materials industry.