Hemp's potential to become major Australian agricultural industry for manufacturing building products
Hemp's potential to become major Australian agricultural industry for manufacturing building products
Hemp is one of the toughest plants on the planet and its potential uses range from bulletproof vests in the US to waterproof flooring for housing and other robust building products in Australia.
Brett Boag holds a small square of what appears to be ordinary wooden, 20-millimetre-thick chipboard.
Only this material is heavier and startlingly stronger.
Bulletproof in fact.
During a recent test in the United States, it withstood even a burst from a high-powered AK-47.
"It's phenomenally tough. We're making products that are even way in excess of the hardest hardwoods, very high impact resistance as well," said Mr Boag, who manufactures construction materials at a factory east of Melbourne.
The products are made from hemp — one of the toughest plants on the planet. ...
Good thing we made this illegal for decades, imagine all the terrible building materials, textiles and medical breakthroughs we'd have
It is not same hemp.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
We're making products that are even way in excess of the hardest hardwoods, very high impact resistance as well," said Mr Boag, who manufactures construction materials at a factory east of Melbourne.
But hemp went the way of sailing ships, falling from favour with the declining demand for hempen ropes and cordage and the rise of synthetics.
That ambition is supported by AgriFutures, the federal government agency that identifies and finances the research and development of Australian rural industries.
Brett Boag has a two-decade-long track record, in China and North America, manufacturing hemp into a range of very robust building and related products.
As one of the toughest plant fibres on Earth, its principal virtue has till recently been its major impediment, but there's been progress in the field as well.
Brett Boag says no other crop can deliver such a tough, versatile fibre within 100 days from planting to harvesting.
The original article contains 726 words, the summary contains 151 words. Saved 79%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!
I remember seeing something on Bamboo too and how we should be trying harder to grow it and use it as a core material. But growers are also reluctant. I admit I'm a bit outside of my domain of expertise on this but it seems we could be doing a lot better.