Comments on: Do bio plastics represent the solution for the future?

By: Jeanine Cooper

Jeanine Cooper — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 09:01:16 +0000

I was looking for polythene packaging for the rice that I produce when I stumbled on this fascinating discussion. Apparently, bio-polythene can be made even from rice stalks but also from other wood by-products instead of fossil fuels. I’d have to research the process much more profoundly but this is great news.
Then I note the point made by James Clark that 50% of food spoils in the developing world before reaching the consumer. When many of these countries are facing severe food insecurity and a massive global industry is devoted to resolving this, more attention on reducing the wastage makes good sense. When you add in the efforts to reduce poverty in the same countries where 75% and upwards of the populations are subsistence farmers, usually it would seem prudent to devote more time to relatively simple (I hope) solutions such as improved use of by-products.
If any of you have suggestions for further research or exploration on these topics, I’d be very interested.
Thank you.

By: James Clarke

James Clarke — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 08:52:07 +0000

Having worked in Plastics, Bio-polymers, and Oxo-Biodegradable Plastics, I think I can say with some credibility that there is not one correct solution. We cannot live without plastic, and they do make things better for us.

Examples:
Can you imagine Life Saving Plasma and Blood in a Tin Can?

In the third world 50% of Food produce spoils before it reaches the consumer. In the Western world this is less than 3%. Much of this is due to better handling and packaging, as well as the storage advantages etc.

My feeling is that each plastic has its own market niche, and more effort should be put into making sure the correct material is used for each application, and not just looking at cost or squandering the material.

On individual materials; my issue with Plastics is they come from a very Finite source. Bio-polymers, though using materials such as Sugar Beet need an awful lot of energy to convert them, and mass of raw product (over 10,000 kg of Sugar Beet are need to make 1,000kg of PLA).

By: T Underwood

T Underwood — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 14:19:45 +0000

Gareth: Did you mean to say http://www.biosmart.ca ?

By: Gareth Weale

Gareth Weale — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 03:19:53 +0000

Bioplastics are the future for the plastics industry. We are now in the process of developing a bioplastics process scalable for full volume manufacturing of automotive grade bioplastics – the company (http://www.biosmart.com). We need support from the consumer to support the cost disadvantage the new technology will face at introduction – will you be willing to pay a higher ~$200 for your next car to have the plastics made from biomass?

Costs are the main limitation, we have the technology, we can make it “green” and it doesn’t have to consume human food chain materials (just the farming land).

Your responses are definitely welcome.

By: George Fee

George Fee — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 07:49:06 +0000

The 3 “R”-Reduce-Reuse-Recycle has gone to 4 (Recover). I now want to add number 5, namely REMOVE. When plastic has gone through “Reduce” and “Remove”; if collected will go to “Recycle.” and “Recover.” But what about the plastic that never gets collected? Hundreds of Thousands of tonnes of LITTER. By making this litter oxobiodegradable, it can be gone in a couple of years, and thus save hundreds of thousands of sea mammals and other wildlife. Recyclers have their place in this-but they only recycle about 15% of plastics: WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER 85% that never sees a recycler??

By: c.m.srivastava

c.m.srivastava — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:27:30 +0000

at present time no any plastic who decompose completely.bio plastic may be a very good solution in future .bioplastic basically starch based plastic .so in environmentwhen they expose ,twotypes enzymetic reactions catalyze by mesophillic and thermophillic bacteria . so in bioplastic they act only on starch part and decompose remain the plastic part .in this way vol. of plastic reduse in large extent.these types enzymetic reaction have no sufficient energy of activation that degredate the plastic portion of bioplastic.bioplastic (called as organic plastic)derived from renewable source,may be starch based ,polylactic acid(PLA),poly-3 hydroxybutyrate,polyamide-11.each and every organic matter(plastic) degredate naturally .but if it degredate at much slow rate as to be considered non-biodegradable.we must produse the bio-based plastic,because there is no any defficiency of biomass being renewable and eco friendly.

By: Eduardo de la Tijera (Mexico)

Eduardo de la Tijera (Mexico) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:20:49 +0000

No plastic coming from non-renewable resources should be degraded but recycled. This is a matter of conservation not convenience. It is a matter of responsibility all (from producers to users, retailers and consumers) that we all should accept and share.
Unfortunately, the notion that degradation and its most pervasive bias (biodegradation) “are good” is gaining acceptance and momentum in society, commerce and some segments of our industry. However, few really know the meaning, significance and implications of degradation when applied to non-renewable resoruces. For instance, glass comes from sands, a finite resource, and is also a packaging material discarded at will and ending its life in landfills. I have not seen anyone pledging in favor of biodegradable glass.
Worse tha that, suppliers of oxo-degradants are missinforming users and consumers when they label their products as “bio”. If they were of such nature why is it that they have not agreed to test their products as bioplastics suppliers do and have asked?
Thanks for the opportuniy.
Eduardo de la Tijera (Mexico)

By: Plastics 2020 Challenge

Plastics 2020 Challenge — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 08:12:40 +0000

Biodegradability can indeed be a very useful characteristic but it is important that degradation does not occur during the actual use phase of the application resulting in a loss of physical properties. On the other hand, at the end of its life the plastic product needs to be treated in a way that total degradation is actually achieved.
As regards recyclability the vast majority of plastics (thermoplastics) are in principle 100% recyclable. Provided the same plastic type is being recycled then good properties can be obtained. However the properties achievable from a mixture of different plastic types are much reduced and variable. Mixed plastics can be used in a limited number of applications to substitute other materials (e.g. fence posts etc.). For such mixed plastic waste streams ,where recycling is not an option, the preferred solution could be their use as solid fuels, replacing traditional fuels such as coal, while reducing the impact on the environment

By: JaneFrewer

JaneFrewer — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:46:57 +0000

People should read Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the way we make things. We should be heading towards either using completely biodegradeable products, or products that are 100% recyclable (closed loop system).