bio plastic

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Bioplastic is a plastic which is completely derived from renewable biomass sources, including vegetable fats and oils, as well as corn starch and microbiota. Natural feedstocks including corn, potatoes, rice, wood cellulose, wheat and palm fibers are all commonly used to create bioplastics, and transformed into plates, cutlery, bottles, bags, textiles and packaging materials.

Before a product receives a Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) compostable logo (in the United States) it must:

-Disintegrate rapidly during the composting process

-Biodegrade quickly under the composting conditions

-Not reduce the value or utility of the finished compost, with the humus manufactured still being able to support plant life

-Not contain high amounts of regulated metals

Why do we need bioplastic?
Bioplastic can not only be used to eliminate the waste created by petroleum-based plastic packaging, but also used in non-disposable applications to create sustainably resourced products. This includes mobile phone casings, plastic piping and fuel lines which are designed to be long-lasting and resilient, without the negative environmental consequences of their traditional plastic counterparts.

Bioplastics are also promising in the medical field, with implants made from polylactic acid able to be dissolved within the body, preventing patients from needing a second operation to remove them at a later date. In agriculture they can also be used in compostable mulch films produced from starch polymers, which don’t need to be removed and disposed of in rural communities.

The environmental benefits and challenges of bioplastic
Because so many different types of bioplastic exist, each with their own environmental benefits and challenges, the overall impact of bioplastic is still hotly debated. They generally require less fossil fuel for their production and release fewer greenhouse gas emissions, as well as resulting in less hazardous waste than petro-plastics which can remain in their solid state for hundreds of years.

In many cases, fossil fuels are still used in substantial quantities to produce bioplastics in the form of energy required to power farm machinery, as well as produce fertilizers and pesticides. Fossil fuels may also be used to transport crops to processing plants where bioplastics are created. But in some cases, renewable energy sources are implemented instead and petroleum can be avoided all together.

Genetic modification is another challenge facing the industry, with many bioplastic factories using genetically modified crops or bacteria to optimize efficiency. Understandably, this raises concerns and requires careful management to ensure that non-GM crops aren’t affected.

While petroleum-based plastics have long been a more affordable option, the increasing cost of crude oil in recent years has made them less lucrative. This, in turn, has seen the worldwide consumption of bioplastics increase exponentially. There are concerns that the large-scale production of bioplastics could lead to accelerated deforestation and soil erosion, as well as having detrimental effects on water supplies if not managed adequately. Sustainably grown biomass is essential if bioplastics are going to be the environmental savior that they have the potential to. Effective composting programs and infrastructure also need to be developed to help support their biodegradation on a large scale.

Graph based on research from "Material revolution - sustainable multi-purpose materials for design and architecture" book

bio plastic

Published: May 9th 2017

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