Imperial College London in the UK has collaborated with sustainable packaging company Notpla to introduce home-compostable, seaweed-based packaging at its campus food and drink outlets.
The move is aimed at minimising single-use plastic throughout its campus catering services.
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It is part of Imperial’s Sustainable Imperial strategy, which seeks to deliver evidence-based responses to climate change and promote the adoption of new technologies.
Notpla co-founders Pierre Paslier and Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez first developed their product concept, the edible liquid bubble Ooho, during their time on Imperial’s innovation design engineering Master’s programme.
The company gained early support through Imperial initiatives such as the Venture Catalyst Challenge and the Undaunted accelerator programme (now called The Greenhouse).
Notpla’s products are made from renewable seaweed extracts, are home-compostable, comply with UK and EU regulations, and contain no plastics or PFAS chemicals.
Paslier said: “To see our packaging now being used at Imperial, where the journey began for us, is incredibly meaningful. It shows how universities can lead by example – supporting innovation, closing the loop, and educating the next generation at the same time.”
The university expects the partnership to have significant environmental benefits over the coming year by replacing more than 450,000 units of single-use plastic packaging and saving 1,185kg of plastic waste. It also anticipates a 13,300kg reduction in carbon emissions.
Imperial is considering expanding the initiative across additional campus sites.
These steps form part of Imperial’s wider Sustainable Food and Drink Policy 2026-2031, and its Science for Humanity strategy announced in 2024.
Imperial president Hugh Brady said: “Notpla represents the power of science and enterprise to provide solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems – in this case by helping businesses to replace millions of pieces of single-use plastic. It’s a proud moment to see Notpla go full circle from students with big ideas, to entrepreneurs scaling their business in our ecosystem, to being suppliers in our own sustainability efforts on campus. We are delighted that Rodrigo and Pierre are still part of the Imperial community.”
