Biodegradable Plastics

Extracted Attributes

• Definition

  Plastics decomposable by living organisms into water, carbon dioxide, and biomass

• Market Value

  Approximately 1 billion USD as of 2022

• Calorific Value

  17.84 to 24.21 MJ/kg

• Common Materials

  Polylactic acid (PLA), Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), and PHBVs

• Production Share

  43% of overall bioplastics production

• Primary Applications

  Flexible and rigid packaging, accounting for 60% of use

Timeline

• Publication of research on producing Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) in bacteria and plants using synthetic biology. (Source: Web search results)

  1995-01-01

• Investigation into genetically modifying oil seed rape plants to produce PHBVs. (Source: Web search results)

  1999-01-01

• British Standards published new criteria requiring biodegradable plastics to degrade to wax without microplastics within two years. (Source: Web search results)

  2020-10-01

• The global market for biodegradable plastics reached a valuation of roughly one billion U.S. dollars. (Source: Web search results)

  2022-01-01

Biodegradable plastic

Biodegradable plastics are plastics that can be decomposed by the action of living organisms, usually microbes, into water, carbon dioxide, and biomass. Biodegradable plastics are commonly produced with renewable raw materials, micro-organisms, petrochemicals, or combinations of all three. While the words "bioplastic" and "biodegradable plastic" are similar, they are not synonymous. Not all bioplastics (plastics derived partly or entirely from biomass) are biodegradable, and some biodegradable plastics are fully petroleum based. As more companies are keen to be seen as having "green" credentials, solutions such as using bioplastics are being investigated and implemented more. The definition of bioplastics is still up for debate. The phrase is frequently used to refer to a wide range of diverse goods that may be biobased, biodegradable, or both. This could imply that polymers made from oil can be branded as "bioplastics" even if they have no biological components at all. However, there are many skeptics who believe that bioplastics will not solve problems as others expect.

Web Search Results

• Bioplastics and biodegradable plastics: A review of recent advances ...

  Biodegradable plastics refer to a specific type of plastic material engineered to undergo natural breakdown and decomposition within the environment. This degradation primarily occurs due to biological processes, including enzymatic activities and microorganism metabolisms (M. Qin et al., 2021). The outcome of this degradation process is the transformation of biodegradable plastics into harmless compounds like carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O). This inherent ability to biodegrade and return [...] Biodegradable plastics (BPs) are prone to causing new environmental pollution because the traditional recycling and disposal systems on BPs are unclear, fuel conversion is expected to emerge as a viable treatment method. Here, the performance of four typical BPs for fuel utilization with combustion characteristics, thermogravimetric processes, as well as kinetic and thermodynamic parameters were studied. The results indicated that the calorific values of the BPs were 17.84–24.21 MJ/kg, [...] million tonnes of plastics produced globally each year (Döhler et al., 2022). Biodegradable bioplastics, sourced from renewable materials, make up a substantial 43 % of overall bioplastics production (Andreeßen and Steinbüchel, 2019). Bioplastics are primarily used in flexible and rigid packaging, accounting for approximately 60 % of their application (Ciriminna and Pagliaro, 2020). The market for biodegradable plastics alone was valued at roughly one billion U.S. dollars in 2022 and is

• Biodegradable plastic - Wikipedia

  In 1995, an article titled "Production of Polyhydroxyalkanoates, a Family of Biodegradable Plastics and Elastomers, in Bacteria and Plants" describes the use of synthetic biology to increase the yield of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), specifically in Arabidopsis plants. Similarly, a study conducted in 1999 investigated how the oil seed rape plant can be genetically modified to produce PHBVs. Although a high yield was not produced, this displays the early use of genetic engineering for production [...] One of the challenges for the design and use of biodegradable plastics is that biodegradability is a "system property". That is, whether a particular plastic item will biodegrade depends not only on the intrinsic properties of the item, but also on the conditions in the environment in which it ends up. The rate at which plastic biodegrades in a specific ecosystem depends on a wide range of environmental conditions, including temperature and the presence of specific microorganisms. [...] In October 2020 British Standards published new standards for biodegradable plastic. In order to comply with the standards biodegradable plastic must degrade to a wax which contains no microplastics or nanoplastics within two years. The breakdown of the plastics can be triggered by exposure to sunlight, air and water. Chief executive of Polymateria, Niall Dunne, said his company had created polyethylene film which degraded within 226 days and plastic cups which broke down in 336 days.

• Is Biodegradable Plastic Good for the Environment? ...

  Biodegradable plastics offer significant environmental benefits due to their ability to decompose naturally through the action of microorganisms, ultimately breaking down into water and carbon dioxide. This decomposition is especially effective in compost systems, where these plastics contribute to the production of high-quality organic fertilizer without negatively impacting its quality. Additionally, when incinerated, biodegradable plastics have a low calorific value, which prevents damage to [...] Biodegradable plastics can be categorized into three groups based on raw materials and manufacturing methods. The details are outlined below. ●Microbially produced: Biodegradable plastics are manufactured utilizing microorganisms. ●Natural extracted: Derived from cellulose found in plants, corn, other grains, potatoes, and similar sources. ●Chemically synthesized: Produced through chemosynthetic reactions. [...] Biodegradable plastics possess the ability to decompose in the natural environment, reverting to soil and seawater. Conversely, biomass plastics utilize renewable organic resources like plants as raw materials, reducing reliance on fossil fuels such as petroleum. Moreover, the adoption of "mono-materials" facilitates efficient material recycling, contributing to the realization of a circular economy.

• 7 Biggest Advantages of Biodegradable Plastics

  Depending on the method of breakdown, a piece of biodegradable plastic can either fully biodegrade or be reduced by a significant portion of size in 18 to 36 months. Traditional plastic can take up to 1,000 years to fully biodegrade, so this represents a huge improvement. [...] Popular: Is Zara sustainable? Contact us # The 7 Biggest Advantages of Biodegradable Plastics and How You Can Use Them ## Biodegradable plastics offer a much more sustainable option over traditional ones. Here are 7 advantages to using them. The fashion industry uses a lot of traditional plastic. Microplastics have been found in Arctic snow. Plastic bags have been found in the Mariana Trench. It’s a big problem.

• What are Biodegradable Plastics? Let us Break them Down for you…

  # What are Biodegradable Plastics? Let us Break them Down for you… Technically all organic (carbon-containing) materials can be biodegraded (broken down by microbes), it’s a matter of time. And the typical answer to ‘how much time?’ is ‘it depends.’ Without light, moisture and oxygen (i.e. similar to conditions in a landfill), very little degrades. Even newspapers have been known to be readable after decades in a dry landfill. [...] Enter bioplastics — plastics made from plant-based sources, like corn or sugar cane. These plastics break down more easily and quickly than traditional plastics. They are considered more environmentally friendly than petroleum-based plastics because they are made from renewable resources (plants). [...] One of the most common bioplastics is polylactide acid (PLA). PLA is a transparent plastic made from corn. Not only does it have similar properties to conventional plastics like polyethylene and polypropylene, but it can be processed into products easily with the same equipment. PLA is growing in popularity with companies trying to adopt green practices. It is appearing in food trays, take-out containers and single-use dishes and many other packages.