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ARE “BIOPLASTICS” A SCAM OR THE SOLUTION TO OUR ENVIRONMENTAL PLASTIC PROBLEMS?
ARE “BIOPLASTICS” A SCAM OR THE SOLUTION TO OUR ENVIRONMENTAL PLASTIC PROBLEMS?
Biomass derived plastics are commonly called “Bioplastics”
The IUPAC considers this misleading because it suggests that any bioplastic is “environmentally friendly.” However, not all plastics and bioplastics are created equal in terms of environmental friendliness.
Are Bioplastic “environmentally friendly”?
There are many different types of plastics and bioplastics.
We need to start by explaining what plastic actually is. To do that we need to explain the basics of the different types of plastic and how they are made. But beyond how they are made, how different plastics break down is just as important in terms of environmental friendliness.
Petrochemicals are the most commonly used in producing plastic, and as the name suggests, are derived from petroleum. Petroleum is not only a product of the crude oil industry, but the natural gas industry as well. Surprisingly, 85% of plastic produced in the USA is derived from natural gas instead of crude oil now because the price of natural gas is currently significantly cheaper (due to the fracking industry).
What actually is plastic?
Biomass derived plastics
Biomass derived plastics are created from renewable biomass sources and are referred to as bioplastic. The most commonly used biomass sources for plastic production are vegetable fats and oils, corn starch, and pea starch. However, bioplastics can be made from any starches, cellulose, biopolymers, as well as a variety of other materials. Most recently, bioplastic has also started to be produced from the biopolymers Chitin and Chitosan, which are fibers that can be extracted from crab and shrimp shells – a byproduct of the crab and shrimp industry. We should also mention that there are a lot of “blends” of bio and petro plastics out there, and these materials can sometimes be simply labeled as bioplastics. Furthermore, there is much debate surrounding the sustainability of GMO’s, pesticides, insecticides, and other chemicals sometimes used in growing the plant based biopolymers.
How do these different plastics break down?
Oxo-Biodegradeable
Hydro-Biodegradable
Photo-Biodegradable
Water Soluble
Biodegradable Compostable
Bioplastics
What is the future?
According to scientists at the Wyss Institute at Harvard University, the Chitosan bioplastics they developed in March of 2014 may be the first fully degradable (aka compostable), completely non-toxic, functional plastic created.
As mentioned earlier, Chitin, or Chitosan, is a fiber in crab and shrimp shells, insects and more. It is the second most abundant polymer in the world, only behind cellulose in plants. If it comes from a sustainably harvested source, it is completely eco-friendly since it is a byproduct of the crab and shrimp food industry that is usually wasted.
