Eco Clean’s founder on a crusade for a fully circular marine agriculture industry

“It’s all about changing the way we look at the waste.”

By Mark Hamilton, Director and Co-founder of Eco Clean

My name is Mark Hamilton, and I am a director and co-founder of Eco Clean. Our aim is to turn waste from the aquaculture industry into highly profitable, environmentally friendly biosurfactants for the industrial sector to replace petrochemical ones.

I see a massive opportunity to neutralize the by-products from the fishing industry, such as leftover trimmings and by waste from Scottish fish farms. My current challenge is to find support in the sectors to work together on how we can turn low value waste into highly profitable products. The correct investment will be crucial as we streamline and perfect the process, move on to scale-up, and ultimately set up a plant, and this will likely mean finding the right government bodies that want to change the way we do things and support ethical solutions.

There is an opportunity here for two industries: the fishing industry can solve its problem of waste and the chemical industry can benefit from a cost-effective green biosurfactant, replacing the petrochemical ones that exist today. On top of that, there is also an opportunity to serve the people who live in rural coastal communities by creating jobs and reinvigorating rural economies with a sustainable model.

It’s a win-win for all.

This part of the project is going well, and will continue to evolve. With the salmon industry doubling by 2030, and the North sea having a continuous supply, there is a fantastic opportunity to start the work in partnership now to see impact 2 years, 5 years, 10 years down the line.

Eco Clean also has a vision to give back by starting a sustainable investment fund for wild salmon and their habitat. We plan to set aside a percentage of profit to help us contribute to serving the industry and sustainable growth in Scotland.

Having grown up in Tarbert, Loch Fyne, I am so proud to see Scotland lead the way in developing leading-edge solutions to the global waste challenge. It may not be overnight, but with the drive and passion to achieve this vision, supporting our farms and communities, together we will put Scotland on the world stage with an innovation-driven biotech solution, changing how we look at aquaculture waste.