BioplasticsBioplastics , sometimes referred to as organic plastics are derived from renewable biomass sources, such as corn starch, vegetable oil, pea starch, microbiota or algae, rather than plastics which are derived from the fossil fuel petroleum (petroplastics). At the Soley Institute they are producing it from waste material left over from the growth and production of Spirulina. The Institute does not support production from food sources, rather they produce bioplastics from waste products and non-foods. Because of their biological biodegradability, the use of bioplastics is especially popular for disposable items, such as packaging and catering items. The use of bioplastics for crockery, cutlery, pots, bowls, drinking straws and shopping bags is already very common. In the instance of shopping bags and after their initial use they can be reused as bags for organic waste and then be composted. Trays and containers for fruit, vegetables, eggs and meat, bottles for soft drinks and dairy products and blister foils for fruit and vegetables are also already widely manufactured from bioplastics. Non-disposable applications include mobile phone casings and car interiors, fuel line and plastic pipe applications, and new electroactive bioplastics are being developed that can be used to carry electrical current. In these areas, the goal is not biodegradability, but to create items from sustainable resources.
The terminology used in the bioplastics sector is sometimes misleading. Most in the industry use the term bioplastic to mean a plastic produced from a biological source. One of the oldest plastics, cellulose film, is made from wood cellulose. All (bio and petroleum-based) plastics are technically biodegradable, meaning they can be degraded by microbes under suitable conditions. However many degrade at such slow rates as to be considered non-biodegradable. PLA plastics can take 100 to 1,000 years to completely biodegrade. Biodegradable plastics are plastics that will decompose in the natural environment. Biodegradation of plastics can be achieved by enabling microorganisms in the environment to metabolize the molecular structure of plastic films to produce an inert humus-like material that is less harmful to the environment. With the exception of cellulose, much of the new technology is still not currently cost competitive with petroleum-based plastics. Production often relies on fossil fuel-derived energy for manufacturing, reducing the cost advantage over petroleum-based plastic. However, the technology is important as we begin to move away from our addiction to fossil fuels.
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