LESLEY Griffiths MS, minister for rural affairs and North Wales, visited teams from Bangor University’s Biocomposites Centre and Menai Science Park (M-SParc) on Anglesey to learn how Wales is working with Ireland on digital and eco-friendly projects.

Bangor University’s Biocomposites Centre is playing a key role in a £3.7million project led by the University of Limerick to turn willow trees into a versatile and eco-friendly cash crop for farmers.

Meanwhile, three companies with links to Ireland based at M-SParc are part of the new wave of tech companies developing diagnostic technology and providing digital analytics to improve customer experiences.

The Welsh Government recently announced another 12 months of additional funding for the BioWILL Interreg North West Europe-funded project.

This involves 10 organisations and companies from across Ireland, Northern Ireland, France and Belgium including universities, farmers and landowners.

Willow bark contains salicin, the pain-relief and anti-inflammatory chemical in aspirin which can be made into a range of health care products, while the rest of the tree can be pulped and made into food packaging.

This type of biodegradable packaging is an alternative to fossil fuel-derived plastics, and can be used for a range of food items including fruit and vegetables.

When the packaging has reached the end of its life, it can then be turned into a biogas, with the residue used as a fertiliser.

Work on creating the packaging is being carried out at Bangor University’s Biocomposites Centre at Mona on Anglesey, by a team headed by Dr Adam Charlton.

Dr Charlton said: “The project is looking at extracting salicin from the bark to produce skin creams and then using the residue for packaging, bio-gas and fertiliser.

“We talk to a lot of supermarket retailers, and they all have the same focus on reducing or removing single use plastic packaging across their different product ranges and substituting them with more sustainable alternatives.

“For the BioWILL project, it’s all about getting rid of single-use plastic and creating a closed circle of production, with the eco-packaging then going into anaerobic digestion to be transformed into bio-gas for energy production and bio-fertilisers.”

During her visit, Lesley Griffiths MS also called at M-SParc to meet three tech companies with links to Ireland: Blue Lobster, Capventis and Micron Agritech, all innovating to exploit digital technology in different ways.

Blue Lobster and Capventis are both software-based companies with major clients both sides of the Irish Sea, whereas Micron Agritech use artificial intelligence and machine learning to develop the Micron Kit – a rapid test solution to detect parasites in livestock.

Following the minister’s visit to M-SParc, managing director Pryderi ap Rhisiart said: “It was fantastic to welcome the minister to M-SParc today and introduce her to some of our tenants with strong links both in Wales and Ireland.

“It is very exciting to have so many tenants operating internationally with distinction, and great for us at M-SParc to develop those links across the Irish Sea and beyond, so it was a pleasure to discuss that further with the Minister today.”

Lesley Griffiths MS said: “It’s been great to see the innovation taking place at both M-SParc and in the BioWILL project.

“When we funded M-SParc it was precisely for this purpose; to support exciting and cutting-edge project in North West Wales.

“I’m pleased we are providing an additional £25,000 to allow BioWILL to continue valuable work with University of Limerick into the use of willow, which has real potential.

“This collaborative, multi-disciplinary project further showcases the strength of links between Wales and Ireland, on sustainable innovative solutions which build on our commitments set out in our Shared Statement and Joint Action Plan with the Irish Government.”