“Green chemists” from the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg are working to produce useful compounds from wood and other fast-growing, non-edible plant waste.
Cashew nut shells contain oil compounds that can cause contact dermatitis (similar in severity to poison ivy). Which is why the delicious snack is not typically sold to consumers in its husk.
But instead of simply throwing them away, researchers are recycling the pods to help protect humans, livestock, and polymers from the Sun’s harmful rays.
