In response to the pressing issue of climate change, UBQ Materials has developed technology that transforms household waste into a climate-positive thermoplastic material, addressing methane emissions and waste management challenges. We spoke with Jack (Tato) Bigio, Co-Founder and co-CEO of UBQ Materials, to explore the impact of their technology.
Q: The decomposition of organic waste in landfills produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas. How does UBQ Materials’ technology convert food waste into a new material resource, and how does this process help reduce methane emissions?
JB: Methane reduction is one of the significant benefits of UBQ’s waste-to-materials technology. We take household waste, including all the organics (such as food trimmings, cardboard, and paper), which make up about 80-85% of the mix, and convert it into UBQ™, our biobased thermoplastic material that replaces conventional plastics in durable and semi-durable applications. By diverting this waste from landfills, we effectively prevent the release of methane emissions from organic waste decomposition, a potent gas which is 86 times more powerful than CO2.
Once converted into UBQ material, the biogenic content of the organic material is also captured, thereby reducing significant greenhouse gas emissions while transforming waste together with hard-to-recycle plastics into a durable, efficient material. It’s an incredible solution for managing household organic waste and mitigating its environmental impact.
Q: One of the significant challenges in reducing food waste is changing human behavior. How does UBQ Materials’ solution address this challenge by converting mixed household waste, including food scraps, into a useful product without relying on behavioral change?
JB: Up until now, our society has lived in a linear economy that depletes natural resources – take, make, waste. We see overconsumption in many areas, not just food, but also disposables, plastics, cardboard, and paper. We first and foremost advocate for consumption reduction and material reuse whenever possible. If reuse isn't feasible, a robust recycling system should be in place to recapture these resources for the economy.
Regrettably, there’s always leftover waste—entangled mixed organics with plastics, cardboard, and paper that are contaminated and cannot be composted or recycled. This residual waste is what UBQ addresses. We work in tandem with reducing, reusing, and recycling efforts, acting as a safety net for everything else at the end of the line. After people have reduced, reused, and recycled, we take the remaining waste destined for landfills and convert it into UBQ™. We enhance the system to ensure that nothing goes to waste.
UBQ Materials’ technology goes beyond methane reduction. It integrates into existing waste management systems, supporting a circular economy that reduces waste and environmental impact. Tune in next week for part two of our three-part series with Jack (Tato) Bigio.
Jack (Tato) Bigio is the Co-Founder and co-CEO of UBQ Materials, which converts unsorted household waste into a climate-positive thermoplastic material. Jack was born in Lima, Peru, but he moved to Israel for his higher education, earning an MBA from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Before founding UBQ Materials in 2012, Jack co-founded and managed Merhav Renewable Energies, where he developed large-scale wind, solar, and bioethanol projects globally. He also served as President and CEO of Ampal-American Israel Corp., a NASDAQ-listed investment holding company.
At UBQ Materials, Jack leads the company’s vision and strategy, leveraging over 25 years of experience in international project development, financing, and capital markets. Under his leadership, UBQ has developed a unique process to transform mixed household waste into a sustainable plastic substitute, helping to reduce landfill waste and support a circular economy.
