Foam in the News: Using Foam to Help Solve Hunger

There are many ways foam is used for positive social and environmental purposes, and recent media coverage has shone a light on these unusual applications. In a news article and video from BBC News, foam is being used by communities around the world as an alternative farming method.

At eFoam, and across the wider industry, we talk a lot about foam sustainability, reducing wastage, increasing recycling and repurposing offcuts into new products. But new innovations are exploring fresh possibilities for giving foam a new lease of life, and it's the material qualities of foam that suit it to unusual applications such as growing produce in harsh environments. A recent story about the use of foam mattresses in Jordan shows much promise.

Foam gardens in Jordan

Unfavourable soil conditions in Jordan, notably in desert environments, are paving the way for foam "gardens". Tony Ryan, a chemistry professor at the University of Sheffield, began studying how things could be grown in foam during his PhD. While working at a refugee camp in Jordan, he recognised there was no logical or environmentally friendly way to dispose of the hundreds of used foam mattresses piling up. Foam's composition allows any environment to be created in terms of temperature and moisture, and by using it to hold a plant or seed in place by its dense structure, all that's left to add is water. As the water doesn't drain away, growing produce in foam uses only around 20% of the water typically needed for crops.

Hydroponics in practice

The idea is based on hydroponics, where plants grow without soil and nutrients are sourced in a water solvent. By placing a small cut-out of foam in an old cup or pot, the perfect growing environment is formed. The University of Sheffield team is pioneering the programme on the ground, teaching residents of the Zaatari refugee camp the basics of hydroponics; more than 1,000 people there have learned the technique, and it's growing in popularity, with attendees given a starter kit to take home. The simple innovation has already benefited residents' mental health, with many elderly people who once enjoyed gardening able to return to a favourite pastime, bringing a sense of hope and home to those displaced. For more on growing with foam, see our guide to foam for horticulture.

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Frequently asked questions

How is foam used in hydroponics?

A small cut-out of foam placed in an old cup or pot holds a plant or seed in place by its dense structure, creating a controlled growing environment to which water is added. It's based on hydroponics, where plants grow without soil and nutrients come from a water solvent.

Why use foam mattresses to grow food?

In places like Jordan's desert environments, soil conditions are unfavourable and used foam mattresses pile up with no environmentally friendly way to dispose of them. Repurposing them as foam "gardens" solves both problems, and because the water doesn't drain away, it uses only around 20% of the water typically needed.

Who developed foam hydroponic gardens?

Tony Ryan, a chemistry professor at the University of Sheffield, began studying growing in foam during his PhD and recognised the opportunity while working at a refugee camp in Jordan. The university's team has taught the technique to more than 1,000 people at the Zaatari camp.