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UBQ Materials, an Israeli-based cleantech startup, has been recognized as the best in “circular economy and carbon neutrality innovations” for its technology transforming landfill-destined waste into a bio-based, infinitely reusable thermo-plastic.
The prize was one of 25 awarded by the Finnish Quality Association this week after a strict methodology evaluation based on novelty value, usability, learning, customer orientation and effectiveness.
Juha Ylä-Autio, Chairman of the Quality Innovation Award, said the awards’ goal was to “systematically promote innovation and sustainable development.”
“UBQ believes that circular solutions can help build back the global economy,” said Albert Douer, Executive Chairman of UBQ Materials. “We have the potential to revolutionize the way we view waste, transforming it from a liability into a valuable resource for manufacturing and meeting market demand for sustainable solutions. We are delighted by the Finnish Quality Association’s recognition, and appreciate the opportunity to continue telling the UBQ story to a European audience.”
UBQ’s patented process converts unsorted organic household waste – food, paper, cardboard, and mixed plastics – into a bio-based raw material substituting oil-based plastics in product manufacturing.
By giving waste new life as a raw material for manufacturing, UBQ prevents the pollution and harmful greenhouse gas emissions related to landfill decomposition. Every ton of UBQ™ produced removes the equivalent of nearly 12 tons of carbon dioxide from the environment. According to Quantis, the global environmental impact assessments leader, this qualifies UBQ Material as the most climate positive thermoplastic on the market.
The emerging UBQ ecosystem touches on a series of industries, from fashion and retail to restaurant and automotive.
Earlier this month, UBQ announced that it was partnering with Arcos Dorados, the largest independent McDonald’s franchisee in the world with restaurants throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, to incorporate UBQ Material into the brand’s iconic plastic serving tray. In this first phase, 7,000 serving trays made with UBQ™ will be introduced throughout Brazil.
Last year, global retail solutions provider Mainetti announced its partnership with UBQ Materials Ltd. to introduce the new standard for product innovation and sustainability in the fashion industry. Mainetti’s exclusive collaboration with UBQ for hangers offers brands across the fashion and retail industries a cost-effective method to significantly reduce their carbon footprint and a new way to put action towards the current waste crisis.
The company has also announced a collaboration with Daimler, manufacturer of Mercedes-Benz, for the implementation of UBQ™ in car parts.
It has also announced plans to establish a processing plant in the Netherlands, joining its pilot plant in southern Israel.
In 2019, UBQ was named a “Best For The World B Corp,” a top designation awarded by non-profit B Lab in recognition of positive impact on the environment, its workforce, local communities, suppliers, customers, and corporate governance. Additional recognition the company has received, include the Solar Impulse Foundation’s coveted “Efficient Solution” label for clean energy start-ups that demonstrate profitability, the Sustainability Innovation Award from the US Plastics Industry, the Bio-Market Insights Award in Europe, and an honorable mention from Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas and Responsible Business Awards 2019.
The company is supported by an International Advisory Board that includes Roger Kornberg, Nobel Prize Winner in Chemistry; Connie Hedegaard, former EU Commissioner for Climate Action; and John Elkington, a world authority on corporate responsibility and sustainability.
About UBQ:
UBQ Materials Ltd. is a cleantech company that has developed an advanced conversion technology, patenting the world’s first bio-based material (UBQ™) made entirely of unsorted household waste; a revolutionary way to divert municipal solid waste from landfills and transform it into a sustainable substitute for oil-based plastics. With a climate-positive impact and a cost-competitive price, UBQ™ empowers manufacturers with a simple transition to greater sustainability.
Learn more by visiting www.ubqmaterials.com or contact caroline@thunder11.com
