Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
12.1 EDUCATION & RESEARCH
Extraction of valuable materials from seawater
KAUST researchers from the Center for Research in Advanced Membranes & Porous Materials ( AMPM ) have developed a technology that can extract lithium from seawater , using a sustainable and economically viable system . The process drives seawater through a special exclusion membrane , which allows lithium ions to pass , separating them from other elements . The process is able to extract one kilogram of lithium using only $ 5 of electricity . If powered with renewable energy , the process is highly sustainable compared to traditional lithium mining . It also can be coupled with desalination processes to further reduce the mining cost . The research , published in 2021 , was optimized over 2022 resulting in the creation of the start-up Li Hy tech , which aims to turn the technology into a commercial product .
Creating bioplastics out of date and poultry waste
KAUST start-up Polymeron , founded by a team of three KAUST alumni , won in 2022 the grand prize of 1 Million USD at the Omnipreneurship Sustainability Challenge , an event organized by Tanmiah Food Co . The sustainability-driven start-up initially established itself by creating a proprietary biopolymer made out of date pits in KAUST labs .
Polymeron team at the Tanmiah Food Co . Omnipreneurship Award “ Sustainability Challenge ”
This time , the team developed a method to produce environmentally friendly and 100 % biodegradable composite materials through the conversion of organic waste into biochar . The biochar can then be converted into soil degrading bioplastics , which also act as soil enrichers , addressing challenges related to industrial poultry waste , plastic pollution , and soil regeneration .
Upcycling used and wasted face mask
A team from KAUST ’ s AMPM has developed a method where hazardous biomedical materials such as used face masks can be upcycled to produce nanofiltration membranes using green solvents .
Published in 2022 , the study aimed to find a new use for the more than 350 billion face masks used yearly by European and Asian countries , which are commonly end up in incinerators . The team screened green solvents for the reczcling of face masks by taking advantage of their antipathogenic nature for sterilization purposes . The recovered polypropylene from the masks was then transformed into nanofiltration membranes with longterm stability . The scalability of the process allows for once discarded waste to be transformed into high-value products .
12.2 OPERATIONS
Tackling the single-use plastic problem
As of July 2022 ,
KAUST Tamimi Markets and Oasis Minimarket no longer have plastic checkout bags . The measure comes as part of a
campaign started in 2019 to make retail services more sustainable through the elimination of plastic water bottles and unnecessary single-use plastics . Due to the pandemic , the plan was postponed for health and safety reasons , but has been resumed in 2021 , with most food retailers at KAUST eliminating single use plastic water bottles and with the local supermarket eliminating its check-out plastic bags . To help community members transition to reusable options , Community Life , in partnership with the Office of Sustainability , has distributed reusable bags in the community and introduced them in the welcome pack given to new residents .
The Tamimi supermarket at KAUST was the first store of Tamimi supermarket ’ s chain in the Kingdom to effectively ban checkout plastic bags .
28 | KAUST SDG HIGHLIGHT REPORT