Sofia LarsenBergen, NorwayLiveExample project

Algae Bioplastic Packaging

Compostable packaging films made from farmed brown algae, replacing single-use plastics.

Design & Bio-MaterialsBio-MaterialsCircularPackaging

About this project

The proposal to produce compostable packaging films from farmed brown algae shows strong technical promise and clear climate/ecosystem co-benefits, but the submission lacks key methodological and transparency details needed for full verification. Scores reflect reasonably good scientific grounding and community potential, offset by gaps in open-data, lifecycle quantification, and governance that must be addressed to reach higher integrity.

AI summary by the Ozeaon Climate Intelligence System

Why this integrity score?

The OCIS Integrity Report below explains the reasoning behind the headline score — dimension by dimension — and is readable in full here.

Score Reasoning — Dimensions

The headline score is a weighted sum of six integrity dimensions assessed by the Ozeaon Climate Intelligence System.

Scientific Rigor20% weight
83
Concept aligns with peer-reviewed evidence that brown-algae polysaccharides can form compostable films, but the proposal omits detailed formulation, durability testing, and independent lab validation results.
Open Science15% weight
72
Some technical claims are plausible, but no clear commitment to publish protocols, raw data, or open-source analytical code was provided.
Measurability (dMRV)20% weight
78
Impact (plastic substitution and end-of-life outcomes) is measurable in principle, but the proposal lacks baselines, monitoring plans, and quantified emission factors for farm-to-film processes.
Additionality & Impact15% weight
79
Replacing single-use plastics can yield real climate and pollution benefits, though net additionality depends on lifecycle emissions of seaweed farming and processing which are not fully quantified here.
Transparency & Governance15% weight
76
Project concept is straightforward, but ownership, funding flows, auditability, and certification plans are not described, reducing confidence in accountability.
Community & Equity15% weight
82
Potential to benefit coastal/farming communities through new income streams is high, but explicit benefit-sharing, consent, and social safeguards are not defined.

Strengths

Clear, plausible technology pathway: brown-algae polysaccharides (e.g., alginate) can form compostable films suitable as plastic substitutes.
Strong co-benefit potential: reduction in single-use plastic pollution and local value-added processing for coastal communities.
Relatively straightforward supply chain for tracing substitution effects (farm → processing → packaging → end-of-life), making dMRV feasible once baselines are set.

Risks & Gaps

No lifecycle GHG quantification provided — seaweed farming, drying, and processing energy could erode claimed climate benefits if not low-carbon.
Lack of open data/protocols prevents independent replication and verification of compostability and performance claims.
End-of-life behavior uncertain: compostability in industrial vs home conditions must be demonstrated to avoid leakage to marine/landfill environments.

dMRV Recommendation

Tier

Tier 2 — Intermediate

Cadence

Quarterly operational monitoring (farm yields, processing inputs, product yields) + annual LCA update and independent verification; compostability/end-of-life trials reported semi-annually until stable outcomes established; end-of-project comprehensive report.

Recommended

Yes

The project is well-suited to a Tier 2 dMRV because the supply chain is discrete and tractable (defined farms and processing units), impacts (plastic displacement and composting outcomes) are directly measurable, and there is moderate complexity in production emissions that requires more than basic monitoring but not large-scale remote sensing. The recommended methods balance operational feasibility with the evidence needed to demonstrate additionality and provide third-party verifiable claims.

Supply-chain inventory + cradle-to-grave LCA (ISO 14040/44 aligned) to quantify GHG and material flowsOn-farm monitoring (production logs, GPS farm boundaries, periodic biomass sampling)Processing monitoring (energy use metering, chemical inputs, yield tracking)Product tracking (batch IDs, sales, end-use sector, QR-based chain-of-custody recording)

About this project

Generating OCIS summary & integrity report…