Mycologists believe the solution to some of our biggest pollution issues is under our feet. Humble fungi are now being used as meat alternatives, eco-friendly leather and to help break down waste such as plastics. While a new industry, the market for mycelium, the root-like structure of fungi, is forecast to reach $6.5 billion by 2032. Now nascent startups are using it to help curb pollution from the seafood industry.

The solutions created by these startups are timely. South Korea has banned marine buoys made with Styrofoam from 2025, and MPs in Canada are calling for a similar ban. The European Union has stated that in 2025, manufacturers will be responsible for the end life of fishing gear. And the United Nations is expected to release a global treaty to curb plastic pollution by the end of 2024, adding more pressure.

Plastic foam can break down into microplastics, which marine wildlife commonly mistake for food to the detriment of their health. Research shows seafood consumption is one way humans can be exposed to microplastics. Fishing gear accounts for a major portion of the plastic polluting the ocean: 10% globally, but up to 100% in certain places, according to a recent overview study.

In 2022, mycologist Sue Van Hook launched MycoBuoys in Maine, U.S., a startup aiming to reduce the sea’s plastic burden by turning mushrooms into buoys for the aquaculture industry. Van Hook discovered that mycelia could float while at New York-state based Ecovative, one of the biggest innovators in mushroom-based materials. “[Mycelia] have these uniquely evolved proteins to repel water for a certain amount of time,” Van Hook says.