Meet Lucas Tadao: 14-year-old Brazilian student who turned cassava peels into biodegradable trays that could help replace Styrofoam and reduce plastic pollution

As concerns over plastic pollution continue to grow, a 14-year-old student in Brazil has developed a sustainable alternative using materials that would otherwise be discarded. Lucas Tadao Sugahara Wernick, a student from Curitiba in the southern state of Paraná, created biodegradable food trays made from cassava peels and araucaria tree residues. Designed as a substitute for conventional Styrofoam trays, the innovation uses agricultural waste and natural starch to produce packaging that decomposes much faster than petroleum-based foam. Developed as a school science project, the invention has attracted attention at Brazilian science fairs for demonstrating how everyday waste can be transformed into an environmentally friendly product with practical applications.Why Lucas turned agricultural waste into biodegradable packagingLucas began exploring sustainable packaging after learning about the environmental problems caused by Styrofoam and single-use plastics. Widely used to package fruits, vegetables and meat, Styrofoam is lightweight and inexpensive but can remain in the environment for hundreds of years after disposal.Instead of relying on conventional materials, Lucas looked for a...