Advances in Bio-Based and Biodegradable Plastics

Bioplastics and biodegradable plastics have crept into the industry in recent years and have generated a lot of interest in their use and sustainability for both the industrial and domestic markets.

These bio-based plastics are made from renewable sources, such as vegetable fats and oils, starch or microorganisms. Whereas, other types of plastic tend to be made from petroleum or gasses.

While most plastics tend to linger in the environment unable to break down once thrown away, and also require large amounts of fossil fuels to produce, advances in bio-based plastics could change this.

The indicated developments will allow polymers in these materials to break down naturally once used and thrown away. This could completely change how plastics are viewed and used as we’re heading into a more environmentally conscious world.

In order to achieve these properties, the plastic needs to be either bio-based, intentionally made from substances derived from living organisms, or biodegradable, capable of being decomposed by organisms, or in some cases, both.

The perceived environmental benefits have led to bio-based and biodegradable plastics being used more and more, from medical uses to packaging, from agriculture to automotive.

Many biodegradable materials are available at a low cost while retaining the required amount of strength for each specific application and now allow for environmentally friendly disposal and lower power consumption upon production.

It’s a no brainer as to why so many industries are choosing to use biodegradable or bio-based plastics in their practices.

If every company were to adopt using bio-based polymers over other plastic materials, it would help to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill by huge numbers.

Bio-based polymers play an important role in the future of our industry’s sustainability, and the benefits to the planet should not go unnoticed.

Currently, both biodegradable and bio-based plastics are not widely available in all industries but this is set to change.

If you want to know more about which plastics your business should be using to help the environment or you’re wondering if plastic could be the solution to your building problem, contact our team today.