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The Earthshot Prize is an ambitious global prize and platform for impact, designed to discover, celebrate and scale the best solutions to help repair our planet. The University of East Anglia are proud to have been official nominators for this prestigious prize since its inception in 2020.
This year, we are thrilled to have nominated iBoxit Limited for The Earthshot Prize 2025. iBoxit, located on Norwich Research Park, tackle the urgent need to transform global reliance on expanded polystyrene (EPS) boxes. With around 55 billion EPS boxes produced annually—none of which are biodegradable or recyclable—their impact on the environment and wildlife is devastating.
iBoxit partner with the Scottish Salmon industry, which produces over 5 million single-use EPS boxes annually, with 19% ending up in the sea and 35% in landfill. The industry also faces high levels of product wastage and spoilage during transit. iBoxit has created a sustainable solution that could transform global fish packaging, distribution, and shelf life while advancing a circular economy.
We spoke with John Farley (CEO of iBoxit) and Sheng Qi (Academic Lead of iBoxit), Professor of Pharmaceutical Material Science, UEA, to learn more about their exciting company.
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John, what inspired you to create iBoxit?
Originally, I set up the company to create a more sustainable way of packaging topsoil for British Sugar. At the same time, I was trading in Scottish Salmon worldwide and identified they had serious issues with product wastage. I was introduced to Sheng, and we were awarded an EIRA grant to work on a project to create an antimicrobial solution to address the spoilage issue. However, then Covid struck, and progress came to a halt.
Whilst trading in salmon I also observed huge issues with pollution and wastage of contaminated single-use EPS boxes. I realised a solution was also desperately needed to address this problem. Around this time, I reconnected with Sheng and together we bid for an Innovate UK grant, which was successful, awarding us £850k to bring to market a sustainable alternative to EPS, as well as an antimicrobial film and spray to kill bacteria and increase the shelf life of product.
What has iBoxit achieved so far?
In just over 12 months we have developed two formulations for the antimicrobial spray derived from natural sources. We have also created a prototype multi-trip produce box derived from a plant-based composite, with better thermal properties than EPS; and a prototype single-trip produce box derived from a waste plant-based source. The single-trip box has better thermal properties than EPS and is stronger, it also degrades into an organic fertiliser. Both box applications are carbon negative, providing carbon credits to purchasers. At iBoxit, we want to change the narrative around waste and make the recipient responsible for the correct disposal or return of our boxes. To achieve this, the boxes are installed with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tagging that traces temperature, impact, and tamper, whilst also providing the exact location of the box.
“At iBoxit, we want to change the narrative around waste and make the recipient responsible for the correct disposal or return of our boxes.”
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Who makes up the iBoxit team?
Our team consists of me, John Farley, Founder and CEO, Gary Addison our Financial Director, Fergus Christie our Project Manager, Rob Cole our Operations Director, and Sheng Qi the Academic Lead, supported by Yan Fen, a Senior Research Associate in School of Chemistry, Pharmacy and Pharmacology at UEA.
I guess I am the creative one who has all the wacky ideas that somehow become a reality. It is my responsibility to drive the company forward, pull things together and make connections. Coming from a business background, I witnessed a significant problem, engaged with industry to understand their needs and have developed an effective solution.
Gary handles all the finances and keeps me grounded. It is very easy to be carried on a wave when you have a great solution. Gary reminds me that anything is possible providing you have the funding. Fergus has a long-established record of bringing concept ideas to market. I met him through a former supplier and coincidently he contacted me to see if I was doing anything after Covid, which was perfect timing for iBoxit. Timing is everything, and definitely in respect of this project. Rob looks after our original investors, keeping them in the loop with our progress, maintains our IT systems and writes our website copy and information packs. Sheng Qi is the driving force behind iBoxit research and innovation.
What are the greatest challenges you have overcome?
The biggest challenge was getting industry to buy into the solution. To overcome this, we spoke with logistics companies and producers and realised we had to replicate systems that already exist to succeed. We investigated the competitive space and identified the flaws in the various proposals. The challenge now facing us is the manufacture of the single trip box, which we feel we have a solution for.
In the production of the produce boxes, another significant challenge we have had to overcome was identifying the feedstock for the construction, and ensuring such products are available worldwide to enable us to deliver an international solution. We have trailed various plant-based products and now have 15 options, including strawberry plant fibres, miscanthus and hemp.
New EU Packaging regulations state that all packaging, including that of fish, has to be reusable- 40% by 2030, 70% by 2040, and 100% by 2050. We feel that our products have the potential to meet these requirements.
Sheng, how did you and John start working together?
John reached out through UEA’s Research and Innovation (RIN) department to enquire if anyone was working with Chitosan. Chitosan is a biodegradable, natural polymer derived from chitin, which is found in the exoskeletons of crustaceans like shrimp and crabs and plants such as mushrooms. It is known for its biocompatibility, antimicrobial properties, and environmental sustainability. John read about their antimicrobial properties and wanted to incorporate it into the packaging solution. My pharmaceutical research involves using Chitosan as a functional excipient for drug delivery. I responded to the RIN team's call and was subsequently introduced to John.
What has enabled iBoxit's innovation?
The most important factors have been the company's determination and the collaborative effort of our multidisciplinary team. Innovation relies on good collaboration – we approached industry, listened and discussed. Our UEA team has driven the scientific development by applying our expertise to ensure the technology is supported by robust scientific evidence. Each project partners' specialised knowledge and unique perspective have been critical in tackling challenges from multiple angles, enabling us to design and develop a packaging solution that not only addresses environmental concerns but is also well-received by end users.
“Innovation relies on good collaboration – we approached industry, listened and discussed”
Can you tell us more about the antimicrobial spray?
The antimicrobial spray was developed by incorporating food grade natural compounds into a liquid solution. It works by creating a thin, protective barrier on the surface of the product, which inhibits the growth of bacteria that cause spoilage.
By preventing microbial contamination, the spray has the potential to extend the freshness and shelf life of perishable products, including fish, and ensure products remain safe and appealing for longer periods. We are currently testing how long our spray could extend the shelf life of seafood.
In the fishing industry, this could make a profound difference by reducing post-harvest losses, maintaining product quality during transportation and storage, and opening up access to broader markets. Additionally, it helps mitigate food waste, which is a significant contributor to global environmental challenges.
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"Extending the shelf life of fish with iBoxit’s packaging solutions could lead to significant environmental benefits, including reduced food waste by preventing spoilage during transit and storage, which conserves marine biodiversity and lessens the need for overfishing."
What are the potential environmental benefits of iBoxit products?
Extending the shelf life of fish with iBoxit’s packaging solutions could lead to significant environmental benefits, including reduced food waste by preventing spoilage during transit and storage, which conserves marine biodiversity and lessens the need for overfishing. It lowers the carbon footprint associated with producing, transporting, and discarding spoiled fish, while by ensuring more of the catch is consumed, rather than wasted, it makes the fishing process more resource-efficient and sustainable. By utilising biodegradable, chitosan-based materials, iBoxit could reduce plastic pollution, particularly in marine environments where single-use plastics are a major threat to ecosystems and supports a circular economy that prioritises resource conservation and waste reduction. Together, these innovations foster a more sustainable and environmentally responsible fishing industry.
Finally, John, what’s next for iBoxit?
We’ve secured funding from Norwich Research Park to test the antimicrobial spray against Listeria, in partnership with Quadram Institute. We believe the formulation will work, and if it does, we’ll have not only a shelf-life enhancer but also the foundation for a sanitisation product that could revolutionise the global food processing industry. We will also be doing an industrial trail with the antimicrobial to test its performance with live product.
Soon we will embark on a full-scale industrial trial with Flying Fish from Cornwall, who supply all the Michelin star restaurants as well as The Royal Family, allowing us to understand how well the multi-trip box stands up to constant use.
The single-trip box technology serves as a direct replacement for EPS, which means we can apply the same technology for packaging for white goods, refrigerated panels, construction lintels, and any other use currently reliant on EPS. Starting to eliminate one of the world’s worst pollutants in any way possible is perhaps the most impactful change we can achieve – and we will continue to innovate with this technology.
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