ETH Zurich develops waste-based DAC
Analysis based on 6 articles · First reported Jun 11, 2026 · Last updated Jun 15, 2026
The new direct air capture technology developed by ETH Zurich, utilizing food waste, could significantly reduce the cost and energy intensity of carbon removal. This innovation could disrupt the existing carbon capture market, potentially impacting companies like Climeworks by offering a more sustainable and cost-effective alternative, and creating new opportunities in the environmental services and food processing industries.
Researchers at ETH Zurich, led by Raffaele Mezzenga and Zhou Tong (archer), have developed a novel and more efficient direct air capture (DAC) method. This technique utilizes waste products from dairy and tofu production, processing them into porous protein beads loaded with potassium hydroxide. These beads can absorb 97 milligrams of CO2 per gram of material, a 10-50% improvement over conventional methods. The captured CO2 is released using a mild acid and base at room temperature, making the process less energy-intensive and more cost-effective than current DAC technologies. The protein beads are reusable for thousands of cycles and are biodegradable, offering a sustainable solution for carbon removal and potential integration into a circular economy.
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