Swiroset.com

It’s been 40 years since Mr. McGuire pulled Benjamin Braddock aside at his prom and said, “I just want to tell you one word. Just one word…Are you listening?…Plastics. There’s a great future in plastic.”

The future is still in plastics, but today Mr McGuire would probably whisper “bioplastics”. Based on increases in the price of crude oil, from which most plastics are derived, and consumer interest in just about anything “green,” the time is right for a surge in this next generation of plastics. The European bioplastics trade group forecast that annual capacity would more than triple to 1.5 million tonnes by 2011. BCC Research forecasts that the global market for biodegradable polymers will grow at a compound average growth rate of more than 17 percent until 2012. Still, bioplastics comprise a small niche of the global plastics market, which is projected to reach £500 billion worldwide by 2010.

The case of bioplastics

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, only 6 percent of plastic made in the United States was recycled in 2005. (That compares with a 50 percent recycling rate for paper, 37 percent for metals and 22 percent for glass). that falls into landfills has a life measured in thousands of years. Because most bioplastics are produced from agriculturally based renewable resources, under the right conditions they are biodegradable and compostable. The green aspect of bio-based plastics appeals to companies looking for non-toxic containers that don’t leak questionable chemicals and harmlessly return to nature after disposal.

Additionally, American consumers get more than 100 billion polyethylene bags each year, but only 1.2 percent is recycled. Reusablebags.com estimates that as many as 1 trillion plastic bags are delivered to consumers worldwide. It may be less expensive for retailers to deliver a paper or polyethylene bag, but the environmental cost of bioplastic bags is less in terms of disposal. Consumers like lightweight plastic bags and tend to find other uses for them before throwing them away. Very few people return them to the store, which explains the small recycling rate. Replacing polyethylene bags with bioplastic would be safer for the environment.

Banned in San Francisco, and even in China

In San Francisco, petroleum-based bags are prohibited in supermarkets and pharmacies. Other communities, both in the US and internationally, have taken notice and are initiating tariffs or banning petroleum-based plastic shopping bags altogether. In January, China’s State Council banned the production of plastic bags, and as of June 1, stores, supermarkets and outlets across the country are banned from distributing them.

In Ireland, government officials passed a tax on plastic shopping bags in 2002. When customers began receiving the 33 cent fee on each and every plastic shopping bag, usage changed in a matter of weeks to cloth bags or reusable backpacks. Consumer behavior changed and carrying a plastic shopping bag was akin to wearing fur or smoking in a room full of people; within a matter of a few years, the behavior became socially unacceptable.

California also banned chemicals called phthalates, which are found in soft plastics, toys and baby products. Research on bisphenol-A (BpA), used to make polycarbonates, shows that the compound mimics the human hormone estrogen and has been found to stimulate certain types of cancer, cause genetic damage and leach from plastic bottles into humans. food and drinks.

Safer alternatives are beginning to appear. Bioplastics are appearing not only in food packaging, but also in the automotive industry, medical devices, hardware for the computer and electronics industry, take-out disposables (cups, plates, cutlery) and in toys.

Bioplastics Engineering for Expanded Uses

Typically thought of as coming from corn, bioplastics can and are being produced from other plant-based feedstocks such as potatoes, sugar beets, sugarcane, cassava, wheat, tapioca, and soybean oils. Companies have produced hybrid bioplastic products that incorporate a blend of plant starch with conventional polymers that help manufacturers reduce their reliance on non-renewable resources and add features such as heat resistance or durability to their products, but cannot claim to be completely biodegradable or compostable.

As technology continues to evolve, bioplastics will be engineered with the heat resistance and strength needed for broader use. For example, Metabolix, a Massachusetts company, has developed a biodegradable polymer called Mirel made from bacteria, corn, and air that is capable of withstanding boiling water.

Innovative companies will look at their raw materials, be aware of what is driving consumer demand, and assess the potential health risks of conventional plastics. They will also be on the lookout for new technologies or raw materials that will help solve some of the early challenges associated with bioplastics as they move from niche industry to the mainstream. Take Cereplast for example. The company now makes 15 grades of resins in its Compostable(TM) line, including a CP-TH-6000 heat resistant product that can withstand temperatures up to 155p F. It also has a hybrid resin that is heat resistant up to 250p. To meet the demand for bioplastics, Cereplast announced that it is building a new manufacturing plant in Indiana. It will have a capacity of 500 million pounds when fully operational in 2010.

Completing the Bio-Cycle

In the future, bioplastic products could be recycled into biodiesel. Researchers at the Polytechnic University of New York have developed a fuel-latent plastic that is stronger and more durable than standard polyethylene. After use, the product can be placed in a simple converter where enzymes break it down into biodiesel suitable for home heating fuel. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) awarded researchers at the university $2.34 million to advance the technology and transfer it to industry. The military has shown interest in its discovery for use on the battlefield, where it could generate its own fuel and dispose of waste at the same time.

Any company planning to jump on the bioplastics bandwagon, whether producing the resin or turning products into a plant-based alternative, should also be aware of what’s happening in the biofuels arena. Bioplastics may be the darlings of the bio-based industry right now, but they will compete for resources with biofuel producers for limited resources. That could result in higher commodity prices, which could negatively affect the economics of both industries. Furthermore, while bioplastics are perceived as environmentally friendly, environmental groups raise questions about the diversion of resources from food crops to industrial uses. Certain raw materials, such as corn, are more dependent on agrochemicals and water than others, and environmentalists are concerned that excessive or irresponsible use could affect our environment. They are also concerned that millions of acres of savannah and rainforest will be lost to organic farming. This complicated environmental equation could dramatically alter the dynamics.