Bio-based Degradable Footwear

Chinese researchers have recently developed and produced bio-based degradable shoes which are stable for everyday use but can degrade rapidly under composting conditions.

The research team from Beijing University of Chemical Technology first developed a bio-based polyester rubber and used it as the material for the soles of the shoes, with other parts made from hemp fiber, bamboo fiber, and corn stalk latex.

The team, under the direction of Zhang Liqun, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, has completed the 1,000-tonnescale pilot test production of the polyester rubber, which can also be used to produce bio-based degradable tires and oil-resistant seal rings. The team has started a smallscale production of such shoes and will work with enterprises to realize mass production.

The lack of biodegradable rubber material has limited the development of degradable shoes in China, and as many as one billion pairs of shoes are discarded every year, posing a threat to the environment, said Prof. Wang Zhao of the research team.

In the first half of this year, China completed additional 2,043.5 km of rail lines, including 995.9 km of high-speed railways. Nearly 1.95 billion tonnes of cargo were transported by train, up 5.5 percent over the same period of last year, and the transport revenue has grown by 9.6 percent yearon-year to reach RMB 234.4 billion. A total of 7,514 train trips were made between China and Europe, carrying 724,000 TEUS, representing an annual increase of two percent and three percent respectively.