The European Union is placing a significant bet on CO2 capture to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.
In Italy, 2,000 hectares of land are dedicated to the cultivation of a giant species of bamboo that can exceed 20 metres in height. In addition to its use in construction and furniture, this plant offers the possibility of capturing greenhouse gases.
Even when it comes to disposable tableware, bamboo has an edge. It is well known that even biodegradable versions sometimes take decades to decompose, almost all of them, unlike bamboo, which is known as ‘vegetable steel’. A new experimental range of plates, glasses and cutlery, derived from a mixture of bamboo and sugar cane, has been presented by a research team from Northeastern University in Boston in the international journal Materials. While it is a viable alternative, it may be less economical than biodegradable plastic. However, it decomposes completely in less than two months, leaving no trace. According to one study, the processing of these tableware could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 97% compared to traditional plastic and 65% compared to organic models.
Bamboo’s extraordinary properties in terms of strength and flexibility have been celebrated for centuries. In China, where this plant is wild, there are almost 8 million hectares of forests and cultivations. In Italy, intensive cultivation is still in its infancy, concentrated mainly in the Po Valley. The giant bamboo, or Phyllostachys bambusoides, can exceed twenty metres in height at full maturity.
There are currently around 2,000 hectares dedicated to this species in Italy, concentrated in the Po Valley where a cultivation protocol has been developed, based also on drip irrigation and variable plant spacing, which has favoured its adaptation to our latitudes.
Explains Fabrizio Pecci, president of the Bambù Italia Consortium, which, with around 900 members, aims to exploit the ecological opportunities of bamboo, including its significant carbon dioxide absorption compared to trees. This ecological feature could pave the way for the cultivation of bamboo for greenhouse gas sequestration.
Recently, the Consortium signed an agreement with the University of Tuscia to evaluate the bamboo’s real ability to sequester carbon dioxide. With rapid growth (up to 90 centimetres per day for some species) and the ability to absorb significant amounts of carbon dioxide, bamboo is a key player in the fight against CO₂ emissions into the atmosphere.
In addition to traditional applications, bamboo is used in environmental remediation, absorbing oils and heavy metals, and in the rehabilitation of areas at hydrogeological risk. Its natural longevity and low maintenance make it a valuable ally, despite recent speculation about its economic value.
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