UBQ Materials awarded ISO certifications for waste-derived thermoplastic

UBQ Materials (Tel Aviv, Israel) is a startup which has developed a bio-based thermoplastic composed of converted household waste like food waste and paper products. On March 22, the company announced that it has earned ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certification for Quality and Environmental Management Systems, following a successful audit by the Institute of Quality & Control. This accreditation certifies that the company is compliant with the international standard for production and marketing of raw material for manufacturing use in various sectors using its UBQ material.

The company says its patented technology converts landfill-destined household waste into a sustainable, bio-based, cost-competitive thermoplastic material, called UBQ. This proprietary material is designed to substitute conventional oil-based plastics for many applications, and the company reports that every ton of UBQ material produced averts close to 12 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

Along with the production of unreinforced plastic parts like McDonald’s serving trays, the company is also developing versions of UBQ that are reinforced with short and long glass fibers, including a glass fiber/polypropylene injection-molded proof of concept electric battery housing developed with Mercedes-Benz manufacturer Daimler (Stuttgart, Germany). According to UBQ, the component is currently undergoing validation and testing, with the goal of serial production beginning in April 2023.

“Earning this certification reflects UBQ’s drive to always reach the most demanding international standards and highest level of quality and consistency in our production,” says Tato Bigio, co-founder and CEO of UBQ Materials. “Novel end-of-life solutions for society’s virtually limitless household waste are imperative to address the global climate emergency. With landfills accounting for over 15% of all human-related methane emissions, there is an urgent need to rethink how we process waste. These certifications reinforce UBQ’s role at the forefront of sustainable materials innovation and production.”

ISO 9001:2015 is an internationally recognized quality standard intended to ensure the consistent design, development, production and sale of products that are fit for purpose per intended use. ISO 14001 is a similar certification intended to provide a framework for companies to protect the environment and respond to changing environmental conditions.

UBQ Materials has previously earned USDA certified bio-based product label and ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 certifications.