Bioforcetech is a technology company dedicated to improving modern waste management practices while providing sustainable alternatives to toxic materials like carbon black pigments, which pose health risks. To address these issues, Bioforcetech transforms waste materials, such as biosolids, using a patented process that eliminates contaminants and produces a black pigment, OurCarbon®, which replaces petroleum-based materials. We interviewed Garrett Benisch, co-founder of the OurCarbon® brand, to better understand the approach and material.
How did the OurCarbon® project come about?
Garrett Benisch: OurCarbon® emerged from the unique technology developed by Bioforcetech Corp. This technology specializes in treating biosolids—solid residues from wastewater treatment—especially in their most challenging forms, such as highly wet and contaminated waste, converting them into an eco-friendly, high-value carbon-based product.
How does this technology work?
Garrett: The process involves two main units working in tandem. The first is a biological dryer that uses bacteria to dry the waste instead of relying on natural gas or electricity, making the process low-energy. The second step is pyrolysis, which is crucial for carbon transformation. For example, if we burn a piece of paper in the open air, the carbon in it combines with oxygen to form CO2, which is released into the atmosphere, leaving only ash. However, if we heat the same paper in an oxygen-free environment, the carbon has no elements to bond with, so it bonds with itself and becomes ‘fixed,’ preventing its release into the atmosphere. The bonds formed through this process can last up to 1,000 years, and this is what makes our material, OurCarbon®, so unique.
What types of waste are used in this process?
Garrett: In the United States, biosolids – solid residuals from wastewater treatment – are typically disposed of in landfills (~30%) or applied to soil (~55%). When organic material is placed in a landfill, it decomposes, releasing methane, a greenhouse gas 80 times more potent than CO2. Our process specifically targets this difficult-to-manage material due to the significant harm it currently causes. All the OurCarbon® we produce is made from biosolids diverted from landfills, which has a huge impact right from the start by choosing such a challenging waste.
What are the potential uses for the carbon-based material you produce?
Garrett: The material we produce has been tested by the EPA, showing it contains no PFAS and other contaminants. It is a carbon-negative material, meaning each gram represents the same amount of CO2 sequestered. It can replace carbon black (a byproduct derived from fossil fuels found in almost everything black – from tires to mascara), which may be carcinogenic (IARC) and emits 2 to 5 tons of CO2 per ton produced. Although replacing carbon black requires extensive research due to differences in production methods and chemical composition, our material offers a strong black pigment.
How are you integrating your material into different sectors?
Garrett: With OurCarbon®, we’ve developed a powdered form of the material for various sectors where it can be used as a pigment for masterbatch, inks, and coatings. Integration also depends on the printing method, which requires precise adjustments. We work with manufacturers to create inks and solutions that can be formulated with their ingredients.
What challenges have you faced in introducing this new material?
Garrett: In one example, a company considering our black pigment was concerned about the lack of other colors in our range, which their clients might request. They chose not to use our material to avoid explaining this to their customers.
This feedback highlights the importance of setting clear expectations about our material’s capabilities and its value in the production chain. We’ve also found that replacing a significant amount of polymer with our material can impact the mechanical properties of a product. This shows that while our material can help achieve carbon neutrality, it is crucial to manage expectations and understand the customer’s needs.
What are your plans for expanding this technology?
Garrett: The goal is to build a resilient value chain with various applications offering different levels of value and volume. The highest volume use for our material today is in concrete, where it allows for traceable carbon storage. In pigmentation, while our material replaces carbon black, the end of life is difficult to guarantee, so it is not a traceable carbon creditable supply chain beyond cradle to gate.
Currently we are also collaborating with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to create a database for converting various waste types into designed carbon, which can be used in applications from batteries to pigments. This aims to create impactful solutions and a new value chain extending beyond biosolids.
Bioforcetech Corp has a subsidiary in Italy. What projects are you developing there?
Garrett: In Italy, we already have 20 biological dryers and expect to start pyrolysis in the next few years and will install units directly at wastewater treatment plants. These will be placed at the end of the process, where solids are separated from water. Instead of sending the wet, muddy material (80% water) to a landfill or to land application, it will go directly to our machines on-site. This approach allows us to envision small systems at every plant, making the process more localized and efficient.
Any advice for those looking to live more sustainably?
Garrett: I believe schools should teach material ethics – understanding the lifecycle of products is crucial. By learning about the materials and products we use, we can make more informed decisions as designers, employees, or consumers. For instance, mixing sawdust with plastic creates a non-compostable product, which is problematic. Our message to producers and companies is that understanding a product’s entire lifecycle helps them remain relevant and sustainable now and in the future.
Moreover, materials currently considered waste are often quite valuable. Just as gasoline, once a byproduct, became a major material with the advent of engines, identifying effective solutions will reveal which materials, like ours, will become the new carbon in the coming decade.
Bioforcetech’s innovative approach to transforming biosolids into OurCarbon® offers an eco-friendly alternative to fossil fuel-derived carbon black pigment, addressing both environmental impact and waste management challenges. This technology also provides a versatile, carbon-negative material for industries looking to reduce their environmental footprint. To learn more about how Bioforcetech and OurCarbon® are redefining the future of pigments, visit their website and follow their Instagram page! Ph. courtesy OurCarbon®
