Papyrus Australia has developed a proprietary technology to convert banana plantation waste into pulp for use in food containers, trays, protective packaging, and more.
According to the company, the ‘many thousands of tons’ of stalks, leaves and stems generated by Australia’s banana industry release methane when they decompose. The annual figure is estimated to equate to 900,000 tons of carbon dioxide.
Papyrus Australia’s technology converts plantation waste into a refined pulp for use in paper, board, moulded and packaging applications. By working directly alongside growers, manufacturers and converters, the company aims to accelerate the adoption of banana fibre-based materials.
CEO Daniel Schmidt explains that the material is strong, durable and versatile, with a ‘low-impact’ conversion process from waste material to final product. As such, he recommends its use in food packaging, medical applications, and other paper and board products.
“If the business has access to banana plantation waste, we can support the development of a sustainable and profitable manufacturing venture,” he says. “For the banana industry across the globe, this technology also represents a viable opportunity to help it utilize plantation waste.”
Last year, Papyrus Australia was awarded a $250,000 matched funding grant from the Australian Government Industry Growth Program. This money supported the early-stage commercialization of its proprietary banana fibre processing technology from concept to commercial scale, in part by founding the Rapid Prototyping and R&D Facility at Adelaide University.
This facility has developed a prototype pulp line and installed prototype equipment. These are expected to help Papyrus Australia transition from research into commercialization.
“Papyrus is in the process of establishing its Adelaide production facility, which will house the key transformation technology and processes to convert the plantation waste into a valuable pulp for use in moulded products, paper and board applications,” Schmidt adds. “This facility will be the cornerstone for scaling our technology.”
All the way back in 2020, researchers at the University of New South Wales also converted banana plantation waste into recyclable, biodegradable packaging material. This development sought to address the issue that only 12% of the banana plant – the fruit itself – is used in most cases, with the rest being discarded post-harvest.
Since then, Zafree Papers and 100+ Accelerator were announced as the Overall Winners of the Sustainability Awards 2025 for their corrugated beer cartons made from banana farm waste. Sourced from over 20,000 Ethiopian farmers, the upcycled banana pseudostems are hoped to reduce deforestation, water use, and CO2 emissions while supporting local livelihoods.
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