Meet Our Breakthrough Eco-Cassette Materials Partner

From Fossil Fuels to Future-Proof: Introducing SymbioTex
Why Seaweed? The Science Behind the Solution
The Plastic Problem We’re Actually Solving
Scale Meets Sustainability: The Manufacturing Reality
What This Means for Your Projects
The Bigger Picture
What Happens Next

Meet Our Breakthrough Cassette Materials Partner:
Beyond Recycling: We’re Not Fixing Plastic, We’re Replacing It

It is estimated that over 2 billion lateral flow tests are produced globally, destined for landfill or incineration within minutes of use; and whilst these diagnostic tools have revolutionised healthcare – from pregnancy tests to rapid disease detection- they’re adding to an environmental problem we can no longer ignore.

A recent study concluded that each test produces 12.3g of plastic waste, with two-thirds coming from the test components themselves. Cambridge Design Partnership found that cassette (the housing around the test strip) accounts for around 30% of the carbon footprint and 40% of the plastic waste.

Traditional recycling isn’t the answer here. Medical devices can’t use recycled plastics due to infection prevention requirements, and the multi-material blends used in device casings make them virtually impossible to recycle anyway. So we’ve stopped trying to fix plastic. Instead, we’re working on replacing it.

From Fossil Fuels to Future-Proof: Introducing SymbioTex

We’re delighted  to announce that Abingdon Health has partnered with UK-based SymbioTex (Symbio Technologies Ltd) for exclusive supply of their patented compostable, bio-based material derived from red seaweed.

This isn’t a minor tweak to existing processes – it’s a fundamental shift in how we look to manufacture diagnostic devices into the future.

We’ve already developed working prototype cassettes in both standard format and mid-stream urine sample format (as used in common pregnancy and fertility testing). But unlike conventional polystyrene cassettes that persist in the environment for centuries, SymbioTex’s material is compostable.

Let that sink in. Compostable.

Not “recyclable in theory.” Not “industrially compostable if you can find the right facility.” Actually compostable, disintegrating rather than adding to landfill.

Why Seaweed? The Science Behind the Solution

The choice of red seaweed isn’t arbitrary. Seaweed, one of the world’s fastest growing organisms, thrives in a variety of marine environments and is categorised into three main types: brown algae, red algae, and green algae, each with unique properties. Red seaweed is particularly abundant, richer in biopolymers, and easier to cultivate at scale than alternatives like brown seaweed.

Seaweeds have numerous advantages compared to other biomass:

• no need for pesticides
• no wide land use
• fast growing
• easy to harvest
• inexpensive

Unlike other bioplastics such as PLA (polylactic acid), which is derived from crops like corn and sugarcane, seaweed doesn’t compete with food production for arable land or freshwater. With 45-day cultivation cycles, seaweed grows rapidly whilst naturally sequestering as much as 173 million metric tons of carbon each year from the ocean.

The material properties are equally impressive. SymbioTex’s seaweed-based pellets can be processed using standard injection moulding equipment – the same machinery currently used for traditional plastics – but at lower temperatures, delivering significant energy efficiencies. This means manufacturers can adopt the material without investing in entirely new infrastructure, delivering a genuine ‘plug and play’ solution.

And we know this, because Abingdon Health has been developing these eco-housing options for use in our own contract development and manufacturing offerings, including the development of seaweed-based prototype cassettes for women’s health and plant disease tests to begin with.

The Plastic Problem We’re Actually Solving

The statistics around single-use plastics are sobering. Approximately 50% of all plastics produced globally are for single-use purposes, used for mere moments before disposal. The trend is forecast to triple by 2060 under business-as-usual scenarios. Plastics account for at least 85% of all marine waste, and less than 10% of total plastic waste generated globally to date has actually been recycled.

The healthcare sector faces a particular challenge. Single-use plastics may have increased as much as 300 percent since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The NHS aims to reach Net Zero by 2045, yet in just one example, continues to distribute over 60 million inhalers annually in the UK with only 0.5% ever being recycled. The current approach just isn’t sustainable.

Scale Meets Sustainability: The Manufacturing Reality

This isn’t a laboratory curiosity. Abingdon Health’s facilities have capacity to deliver an annual manufacturing volume of millions of devices. By opting to use SymbioTex’s material in their chosen lateral flow test eco-housing – it comes at a very similar price point to the traditional plastic alternative – our customers can now actively contribute to reducing single use plastics in MedTech.

We’re talking about industrial-scale production of diagnostic devices using seaweed rather than plastic.

The implications extend beyond environmental credentials. Consumer awareness of plastic pollution is driving demand for genuinely green products. Companies that can demonstrate authentic eco-commitment – not greenwashing – will have a significant competitive advantage. Our exclusive partnership with SymbioTex provides exactly that: a verifiable, scientifically robust alternative to petroleum-based plastics.

What This Means for Your Projects

If you’re developing a lateral flow diagnostic product, selecting a CDMO partner isn’t just about technical capability anymore.

Increasingly, regulatory frameworks, procurement requirements, and consumer expectations demand environmental accountability. Regulatory compliance and industry standards such as ISO 14001 (Environmental Management Systems) validate product sustainability claims and build trust with consumers.

Through our exclusive-use partnership with SymbioTex, our seaweed-based cassettes maintain all the functional requirements you’d expect: proper sample flow, appropriate housing for test strips, protection from environmental factors, and sufficient stability for transport, storage and test accuracy.

We are also first to deliver something conventional plastics never can: a genuine end-of-life solution that doesn’t involve “hoping” users dispose of  this properly.

For companies focused on eco-friendly sustainable material selection in their diagnostic product development pathways, this partnership offers a clear path forward. You’re not compromising on quality or functionality, you’re accessing a material that performs comparably to traditional plastics whilst actually solving the waste problem.

The Bigger Picture

This partnership represents more than just an alternative material option: it is proof that medical device and rapid diagnostics manufacturing can move beyond the false choice between functionality and sustainability.

Seaweed-based bioplastics are marine and soil biodegradable and compostable within 8-12 weeks, offering a viable solution to plastic pollution.

The production process itself is cleaner. SymbioTex’s material requires no strong chemicals or temperatures exceeding 160°C. It is 100% certified bio-based and utilises 100% of the feedstock of a renewable resource that doesn’t create harmful by-products upon disposal . In fact, as a natural fertiliser, seaweed is actually beneficial to the environment when it breaks down.

Where the product serves its purpose within minutes and then becomes waste, this is the optimal solution. Our equivalence testing of the material for use in rapid test products also demonstrates the stability of the product and its shelf-life, without additional investment to enable manufacturing at scale and, often most importantly, the cost isn’t prohibitive.

What Happens Next?

The climate crisis demands action, not incremental improvements. The NHS’s commitment to Net Zero, combined with growing regulatory pressure and consumer expectations, means that sustainable materials aren’t a ‘nice to have’ – they’re becoming essential.

• The problem is massive: Over 2 billion lateral flow tests are produced annually, with each test generating 12.3g of plastic waste that typically cannot be recycled due to medical device requirements.
• We’re replacing, not fixing and it actually works: We’ve developed working prototypes in standard and mid-stream formats with early equivalence data showing comparable shelf-life and stability to traditional plastic housings, processable using standard injection moulding equipment.
• The science is sound: Red seaweed grows rapidly (45-day cycles), sequesters carbon naturally, requires no arable land or freshwater, and provides 100% usable feedstock for material production.
• Scale is achievable: Our partnership enables annual manufacturing volume capability exceeding 100 million devices—genuine industrial-scale production of sustainable diagnostics.
• It’s good for business: With regulatory pressure increasing and the NHS targeting Net Zero by 2045, sustainable material selection is becoming essential, not optional, for commercial success.

Abingdon Health has always been committed to fast-tracking diagnostics and devices to improve lives. Now, we’re ensuring that improving lives doesn’t come at the expense of the planet. Our partnership with SymbioTex demonstrates that we can deliver both: high-performance diagnostic devices that genuinely solve the plastic waste problem.

If you’re developing a lateral flow test and want to explore truly sustainable lateral flow diagnostic housing options – without compromising on quality, stability, or manufacturability – this is your opportunity. We’ve done the development work and ratified the options available. We’ve proven the concept. We’re ready to scale.

The question isn’t whether the industry will shift to sustainable materials. It’s who will lead that transition…