Bioplastics

Bioplastics are a form of plastic that can be prepared from renewable bio-based resources. Many bioplastic materials are considered to be biodegradable, and some are designed to be compostable. These things are important for the functionality of the end product and for its disposal. When considering the environmental effect of disposing of a bioplastic product, the difference in meaning between biodegradable and compostable is important. Whether a bioplastic product is made from a biodegradable material or a compostable material is dangerous for minimising environmental impact and increasing sustainability. It is an important element for demanding greater sustainability of bioplastics over conventional plastics or for claiming improved functionality of one bioplastic over another. It’s also significant in choosing the most suitable way to dispose of an item or material.

Plastics are all over the place. Bags, bank cards, bottles, and even boats can all be made of this renowned but much-maligned material. Yet most of us know next to nothing about plastics. We do know that they are practical and low-priced but they also represent a massive environmental problem, for they literally take ages to decay. Green plastics are the focus of an emerging industry focused on making suitable living consistent with environmental stability. One reason to make a shift toward the use of green plastics is the convenience of raw materials. Green plastics can be made using polymers that originate from agricultural and marine feedstocks. These are plentiful natural resources that are constantly being replaced. This, in turn could regenerate rural economy, both agricultural and marine, by providing extra demand for currently underutilized land.

Although thermoplastics and thermosetting sound related, they have very different properties and tenders. Understanding the performance differences can help you make better sourcing decisions and recover your product designs. The primary physical variance is that thermoplastics can be remelted back into a liquid, whereas thermosetting plastics always remain in a permanent solid state, thermosetting plastics can only be heated and shaped once.

By modifying plastics we can improve and add a variety of characteristics. For example, we can make the bio based polymers more heat or moisture resistant, more soluble in water, more sustainable, more flexible, more clear, and more compatible and/or biodegradable. Biopolymers may also have unique characteristics such as antimicrobial effects, which can be used to add worth to end products. Modifying plastics is realised chemically by changing the structure of polymer chains, by processing or by adding additives such as plasticisers.

Bioplastics are from renewable biomass sources, such as vegetable fats and oils, corn starch, or microbiota. Bioplastics can be made from agricultural spin-off and also from used plastic bottles and other containers by microorganisms. Ordinary plastics, such as fossil-fuel plastics are derived from petroleum or natural gas. Production of such plastics tends to require more fossil fuels and to generate more greenhouse gases than the production of biobased polymers. Bioplastics may be biobased, biodegradable, or both. The global bioplastics production capacity is set to grow 300%by 2018. Bioplastics have been specified a lead market by the European Commission. The bioplastic market’s immense growth will help drive the further evolution of a bioeconomy in Europe.

In search of new material solutions and proceeding an eye on the goal of sustainable production and consumption, bioplastics have various (potential) advantages. The use of renewable resources to produce bioplastics is the key for increasing resource efficiency, the resources can be naturalised on an (at least) annual basis, the principle of cascade use, a decrease of the carbon footprint and green house gases  emissions of some materials and products - saving fogy resources, and for replacement them step by step. The research of Bioplastics used in different systems the North America market totaled $38.3 billion in 2013. This market should increase to about $40.2 billion in 2014 and should hit about $51.8 billion by 2019, Presenting a CAGR of 5.2% from 2014 to 2019. The Latin American market totaled $3.4 billion in 2013. This market should strecth almost $6.8 billion by 2019, a CAGR of 12.6% from 2014 to 2019.

Manufacturers add chemicals and additives to products and packaging on the market to increase performance abilities and presence. Bioproducts are advertised as green and sustainable, however, this industry has a particular concern to ensure their products are certainly safe for the public and the environment. One trend in the bioplastic industry has been to improve bioplastic performance characteristics (such as barrier properties) by developing nanotechnology. We caution against the use of nanotechnology for several reasons that are discussed in the following.

As per the science, biomaterials are about fifty years old. The study of biomaterials is called biomaterials science. It has experienced static and strong growth over its history, with many companies investing large amounts of money into the development of new products. Biomaterials science treats elements of medicine, biology, chemistry, tissue engineering and materials science. Though they still account for only a small share of the plastics market as a whole, bioplastics have become a real alternative to standard plastics produced from petrochemical feedstock’s. The term 'bioplastics' is used for a whole range of various products with different properties and applications. In its recently published study, the market research institute .Markets and Markets is a global market research and consulting company based in the U.S. at a time of 2012-2017. The global market for biomaterials is estimated at $44.0 billion in 2012 and is poised to grow at a CAGR of 15% from 2012 to 2017 to reach out $88.4 billion by 2017.

The real engineering starts when the science that is developed, is being applied to a specific application. Thus, the engineering process either introduces a new material (or product) into the market or supplements an existing one. Some of the applications of Bioplastics and /or biocomposites are applied in packaging, civil, construction and building, biomedical, automotive etc. Processing is a critical step in engineering of Bioplastics and /Or Biocomposites. Especially, for industrial applications and mass production, there is a requirement which mandates that any processing step that is newly developed is well integrated. To ensure sustainable production and consumption, Bioplastics have some added benefits like increase in efficiency, eco-friendly advantage and renewability that can be cultivated annually. Currently Bioplastics is at its infancy and going through a growth phase. A lot of expectations are pinned on Bioplastics and many other aspects have to be evaluated in terms of techno-economical feasibility in order to make the process commercially viable.

Research and development of bioplastics substances for medical, dental and pharmaceutical use have hovered on the front lines for years. In some instances, products are already available, and are actively being used by pharmaceutical companies, field hospitals, trauma centers, surgeries, and clinics. Gelatin-based capsules made of animal or vegetable matter, for example, which naturally dissolve in the digestive tract, are in common use to control dosages for many OTC (over-the-counter) and prescription medications. Biodegradable stitches, which do not require manual removal after healing, are regularly used to suture wounds and surgical incisions. Biodegradable bandages designed to promote clotting and proactive skin regeneration are also actively in use for traumatic wound care.

In the arena of single use health care products and packaging, reducing the environmental impact of medical waste while eliminating passive transfer of toxins into tissue can be significantly addressed via the replacement of artificial plastics with biodegradable plastics. Millions of plastic gloves, packages, pill bottles, syringes, tubes, masks, and bandage covers are discarded in homes, clinics and at hospitals across the world every day. Much, if not most, of this waste came in direct contact with medicine, living beings, or both, during use. Though the risk of toxic leaching from petrochemical plastic is low in these instances, it is not particularly desirable in a healthcare scenario. When the trash factor is added to the conversation, the argument in favor of using bioplastics for product packaging and therapeutic care products is strengthened.