These cartridges, completely biodegradable, will reduce the impact of hunting sports, contributing to the sustainable cycle of the products

Ibi, Alicante -- (SBWire) -- 03/15/2012 --When a shot is fired, of all the cartridge components being discharged from the gun, the cartridge wad lasts longest in the environment.

Generally, the cartridge wad is shot anywhere from 50 to 80 metres, which makes them very difficult to recover in spite of the shooters’ environmental awareness.

According to the Spanish Ministry of the Environment and a report issued by Maxam Outdoors (one of the most important manufacturers of hunting cartridges), worldwide 3,000 million hunting cartridges are used yearly (1,000 million in a controlled environment and 2,000 million in open areas, with special incidence within wetlands). These wads can weigh between 2.5 & 4 grams, which equates to an annual 6,000 tonnes of non-biodegradable materials within the environment, which creates a health risk for humans and for the planet. With the market implementation of this project, a global reduction in residues of 800 tonnes is expected, 200 of which would be at a European level.

Consequently, an innovation project, initiated in August 2011, is being developed and is being supported by the European Commission within the CIP Eco-Innovation program, titled, “Biodegradable and environmental friendly component (wad) based on PVA for a cartridge.” The main objective of this project is the design, manufacture and launch onto the market of an innovative and ecological hunting cartridge wad. This wad, manufactured with the Green Cycles formulation, is water soluble, biodegradable and eco-compatible, which will minimize the environmental impact of hunting activities or shooting practice. AIJU is going to work on this project, led by the Valencian SME Plásticos Hidrosolubles (PH), for two years with the aim of improving the material formulation.

Miguel A. León, the project technician at AIJU says, “We are going to actively collaborate with Plásticos Hidrosolubles on the development of a PVA based formulation of the material so that it meets the specific requirements of this kind of product. The complexity of this development revolves around the nature of the material, as its mechanical properties vary widely according to the environmental conditions of where the product is to be found.”

We hope that many related initiatives successfully stem from this project, which in turn are able to contribute to the preservation of our environment.

About AIJU
The Toy Research Institute (AIJU) is a non-profit making organisation, located in Ibi, the Spanish geographic centre for the manufacture of toys. It was founded in 1985 with the collaboration of the Spanish Toy Manufacturers Association (AEFJ) and the Regional Government (IMPIVA).

Its aim is to transfer and allow toy manufacturers access to the knowledge of new technologies in order to improve their competitivity, while offering technological and financial assessment and supporting the professional development of people involved in the sector. For this purpose, it has a staff of 75 professionals who develop their work in the different departments that make up AIJU. Besides, this organization is provided with the required infrastructure to manage the different activities it undertakes.

The department intended to carry out these tasks is that of Product Development – Laboratory Department, specifically the Processing and Materials area. This area has several research lines for the development of new materials development, for both traditional and Rapid Manufacturing processes, manufacturing & decoration processes and pre-treatments in order to optimise such processes.

AIJU is an active member of the Rapid Manufacturing European Platform and the Spanish mirror led by ASERM, the Spanish Rapid Manufacturing Association. It is also member of EuMAT and Manufuture. AIJU is member of the “Materials” group promoted by REDIT, the RDT Centres of IMPIVA’s Network.

In the field of standardisation, the entity is working on the potential feasibility of proposed legislation as well as new safety criteria for toys, with participation in several proficiency testing schemes both, on a National and European Level. Thus, it is participating in the development of new standards for toys in the European Committee of Normalization (CEN).

Find further information at: http://www.aiju.info.