Innovations: The first soap made from discarded potatoes
After three months of brainstorming, determination, and refinement, Enactus-UPEI, a club dedicated to sustainable entrepreneurship, successfully developed a potato soap called Spuds2Suds.
In February, the club won top awards for its project at the Enactus Regionals event in Halifax, a prestigious competition among leading educational institutions in the Atlantic provinces. Enactus-UPEI took first place in its league in the Canadian Tire Environmental Sustainability Challenge and second place in the Innovation and Impact Challenge.
Earlier this year, the Enactus-UPEI team decided to develop a profitable, sustainable, and scalable project that would address local issues. To better understand the community’s needs, they contacted local farmers to gather information and assess the severity of potato waste. They also conducted online research, primarily through the Government of Prince Edward Island websites, to gather current and historical data and validate their initiative.
During this process, a team member also visited a local food bank and posed a key question to a volunteer: "What item do food banks frequently need but rarely receive as donations?" The answer: hygiene products.
Starting from this foundation, and with many members coming from rural areas or with agricultural experience, the Enactus team was keenly aware of the food waste caused by spoiled potatoes. These two challenges—access to hygiene products and reducing food waste—became the basis for a sustainable solution, and they successfully developed a product that addressed both problems.
Making potato soap involves several steps, beginning with harvesting unharvested potatoes from a local farmer’s field. The potatoes are ground into a smooth liquid, which is combined with a soap base, moisturizing oils, and essential oils to create a nourishing mixture. Potato starch is the key ingredient; it is rich in vitamins and minerals and contains properties that promote collagen production. Finally, the mixture is poured into molds and allowed to solidify, completing the process.
“Our project is dedicated to addressing environmental challenges while supporting our community,” said Samuel Harding, co-president of Enactus-UPEI. “We do this by recycling potatoes that would otherwise go to waste, transforming them into soap. For every bar sold, we donate one to the local food bank, ensuring that our efforts give back in a meaningful way.”
Spuds2Suds potato soap is available for purchase at the UPEI Bookstore and the Riverview Country Market in Charlottetown.
The Enactus-UPEI team is comprised entirely of UPEI student volunteers and operates as a true nonprofit organization. Looking ahead, they aim to expand their mission by creating additional hygiene products that combat food waste, such as potato-based deodorant.
As a result of their success in the regional competition, the group will compete at the Enactus Canada 2024-2025 National Exhibition in Calgary, Alberta, May 6-8, 2025.
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Source: upei.ca
Fuente: upei.ca
