Biopolymers As a Contemporary Packaging Materials

1514 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Prons and corns of environmental and social impact assessment

INTRODUCTION

In conditions of lack of natural enemies, also as exponential scientific, technical and technological growth, some problems occurred that human kind wasn’t face earlier. With some actions that are taken, humans have succeeded to affect the ecosystem, unfortunately this effect was basically negative, and is manifested trough the climate changes or a nonrenewable resource waste.
All the needs of contemporary society, such as food, fuel, energy and materials, mostly depends on energy sources produced from nonrenewable resources that originates from fossil fuels, while the same time a total quantity of waste, that jeopardizes an ecosystem, increases (Sudesh & Iwata, 2008). Synthetic polymers are recognized as the most serious polluters in the category of a solid waste, whereas the large number of this kind of materials is resistant to physical and chemical degradation (Leja & Lewandowicz, 2010).
Due to good barrier performances, polymer materials have an intensive application in a packaging material production. It is assumed that packaging materials produced from polymer materials make more than 50 % of total packaging units (Jovanović & Džunuzović, 2011). According to that statistic, also as the earlier mentioned link between synthetic polymers and solid waste that represents an environmental threat, it becomes clear there is a need for alternative solutions in regards to packaging materials production. Therefore, degradation resistant synthetic polymers have focus a public attention towards the development of biodegradable polymers (Ashwin Kumar et al., 2011).
Biopolymer materials represent an alternative for conventional packaging materials, whereas the basic idea of their production is the savings of nonrenewable r...

... middle of paper ...

...107.
7. Jovanović, S., Džunuzović, J. (2011). Pravci razvoja ambalaže od polimernih materijala, Hem. Ind. 65 (6): 621-635.
8. Lazić, V., Novaković, D. (2010). Ambalaža i životna sredina, Tehnološki fakultet, Novi Sad
9. Leja, K., Lewandowicz, G. (2010). Polymer Biodegradation and Biodegradable Polymers – a Review, Polish. J.of Environ. Stud. 19(2): 255-266.
10. Plackett, D. (2011). Introductory Overview. In: Plackett, D., editor. Biopolymers – New Materials for Sustainable Films and Coatings. 1st edition. Chichester, United Kingdom: John Wiley & Sons: 3-15.
11. Sudesh, K., Doi., Y. (2005). Polyhydroxyalkanoates. In: Bastioli, C., editor. Handbook of biodegradable Polymers. 1st edition. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Rapra Technology Limited: 219-257.
12. Sudesh, K., Iwata, T. (2008). Sustainability of Biobased and Biodegradable Plastics, Clean Journal 36(5-6): 433-442.

Show More
Related

  • Kevlar Aramid Fiber

    736 Words  | 2 Pages

    A group of polymer chains can be organised together in a fiber. How the polymer chains are put together is important, as it improves the properties of the material. The flexibility, strength and stiffness of Kevlar fiber, is dependent on the orientation of the polymer chains. Kevlar fiber is an arrangement of molecules, orientated parallel to each other. This orderly, untangled arrangement of molecules is described as a “Crystalline Structure”. A manufacturing process known as ‘Spinning’ is needed to achieve this Crystallinity structure. Spinning is a process that involves forcing the liquefied polymer solution through a ‘die’ (small holes).

    Read More

  • Humanity: Earth’s Infection

    1315 Words  | 3 Pages

    Through our ingenuity and industrialism, we have separated ourselves from natural restrictions. Because of this progress, we have been destroying the natural cycles of Earth’s environment and continue to do so at an alarming rate. Humanity has become Earth’s infection, ravaging the world with our relentless expansion and over-manipulation of natural resources.... ... middle of paper ... ...

    Read More

  • Polyethylene: Manufacturing Cycle and Environmental Impact

    885 Words  | 2 Pages

    National Center for Manufacturing Sciences. (2004, August 11). Environmental Roadmapping Initiative. Retrieved October 14, 2011, from Plastics Impacts, Risks and Regulations: http://ecm.ncms.org/ERI/new/IRRPlastics.htm

    Read More

  • Plastic Pollution: A Threat to Oceans and Humanity

    952 Words  | 2 Pages

    There is also debate on how much better biodegradable plastics are in the first place. This is because as biodegradable plastics break down, they break up into smaller and smaller pieces, but never quite disappear. This leaves the potential that the plastic would continue entering the food chain. But although biodegradable plastics aren’t perfect, they are still much safer than standard plastic and present a much lower risk. In addition, by making the shift to ban single use plastics, research towards better plastic alternatives will speed up and better solutions will become available. Over time, these new alternatives to plastics may spread to other items that aren’t single use, making an even greater impact on the health of humans and the

    Read More

  • Pros And Cons Of Polyhydroxybutyrate

    235 Words  | 1 Pages

    Landfills are being overrun with more than 15 million tons of discarded plastic a year. What if I told you there was a better way? Currently, many of our plastics such as bottles, packaging, and furniture are petroleum-based plastics. And while we do our best to recycle, this plastic is not completely biodegradable. I think there is a better choice, and that choice being polyhydroxybutyrate also known as PHB. “PHB is a product of bacteria storing carbon and energy in molecules of glycogen, which is polymer of glucose molecules or lipid.” (p.72) With little chemical alteration, PHB can be the “green” plastic that replaces petroleum-based plastics.

    Read More

  • Water Pollution: Plastic in the Ocean

    1110 Words  | 3 Pages

    Ironically, plastic, which is a material designed to last forever, is generally used for things we tend to throw away. Every year, about one hundred to two hundred billion pounds of plastic are manufactured. Only 31% of that plastic is actually recycled. Biomass packaging estimates 10% of that plastic ends up in the ocean annually. About 20% of it coming from ships and other platforms, and the other 80% coming from land derived sources, such as international garbage dumping, winds or tides, either way it finds its way to the ocean.

    Read More

  • Plastic Pollution and its Consequences

    949 Words  | 2 Pages

    The world population is living, working, and vacationing along the coasts. They are contributing to an unprecedented tide of plastic waste. Pollution is defined as the process that alters a substance or molecule on planet earth, the pollution is caused by the physical contact of an organic decaying particle with a clean particle in the same spot, at the time the two particles join together is when occurs pollution in which the environment is greatly altered. Too many, plastic is a modern day miracle, versatile, inexpensive and durable (Rochman 2014). To others, it is a scourge, a non-degradable pollutant that threatens to choke the global environment. Plastic pollution has led to the deaths of many animals, natural resources, and people (Rochman 2014). It is time to change America’s thinking and to learn from past mistakes.

    Read More

  • BPA Essay

    1339 Words  | 3 Pages

    Although companies across the globe continue to produce multiple polycarbonate #7 plastic products with BPA, more is being noticed about the adverse health effects to humans can be harmful. Testing on mice has proven that some exposure to BPA can be linked to Cancer and neurological disorders. In countries which have banned the use of BPA in different products, would agree that this chemical is toxic and dangerous. However, as long countries like the United States, who do not currently support banning BPA countrywide due to limited scientific data to back all claims, BPA will continue to be a global issue which continues to be hidden in the dark and a mystery globally

    Read More

  • Essay On Cellulose

    1216 Words  | 3 Pages

    Cellulose is an abundant polysaccharide consisting of a β-1, 4 linkage of D-glucose [1,3]. There is an array of applications for cellulose, including, but not limited to: biofuels, reinforcement agents, thickeners, dietary fiber, and even wound care. As of late, cellulose, as a waste product, has been in high demand as a reinforcement agent in synthetic, petroleum-based polymer matrices (petroleum based plastics) [3]. Cellulose I has good flexibility, it is abundant in nature and also biodegradable. Because of its fiber- like structure, it has been compared to carbon nanotubes (CNT’s) [3].

    Read More

  • Plastic Bags

    816 Words  | 2 Pages

    Millions of plastic bags are given out to consumers by supermarkets and stores to carry their goods in. They are also cheap, light, durable, easy to carry and in many cases, free. The most commonly used shopping bag is made of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE). This type is used in the majority of supermarkets and stores. After these bags are used, they often end up in landfills or as litter, roughly only three percent of plastic bags is actually recycled per year (Planet Ark, 2011). The materials used in making plastic bags make them non-biodegradable. According to the science dictionary, 2011 refers to “these materials cannot be decomposed into environmentally safe waste materials by the action of soil bacteria.” These harmful substances are toxic and take approximately four hundred years to break down, or in this case photo-degrade; which is how plastics made from (HDPE) break down. Since they are not biodegradable, they remain in the environment and are absorbed in soil or water (Indian Centre for Plastics in the Environment, 2010). This essay will discuss the various harmful effects of plastic bags, and demonstrate the risks that these bags impose on humans, animals and the environment. It will also discuss a series of suggested solutions that could help reduce plastic bag usage.

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of Human Abuse The Environment

    1445 Words  | 3 Pages

    Humans abuse the environment and contribute to the reason it is in decline which affects our planet in so many different ways. If humans continue abusing the environment at

    Read More

  • Nanotechnology Essay

    1814 Words  | 4 Pages

    Green Packaging: Nano fibres can be constructed from organic corn or lobster shells and are both antimicrobial and biodegradable.

    Read More

  • Recycling And Recycling Of Recycling

    1317 Words  | 3 Pages

    Recycling is the process by which a waste material is converted again into reusable process and disposal is a process by which we get rid of something. Polymers are not very reactive so this property makes them very useable for storing food but this property makes it difficult to recycle or dispose of polymer. This difficulty in recycling and disposing of polymer is a major cause of environment hazard. Since the waste of polymer is increasing day by day so proper measurement should be taken to reduce the use of polymer and different method should be made to properly dispose and recycle waste. Following are the process by which a polymer is recycled or disposed.

    Read More

  • Final Essay

    1475 Words  | 3 Pages

    It is hypothesized that through laboratory studies, it will be provable that microplastic expansion has gotten worse over the years and is greatly impacting marine life. The results in this study supported the hypothesis of the research because it states: “Several million tonnes of plastics have been produced since the middle of the last century (more than two hundred million tonnes annually)”(Ivar do Sul, Costa, 2013). This has significance when looking at pollution because: “Microplastics are reportedly present on six continents, and higher amounts are commonly related to densely populated areas. In a study of the types (mostly fibers) and materials (frequently polyester and acrylic) of microplastics, suggested that the plastics were produced by sewage effluents, including wastewater from washing machines”(Ivar do Sul, Costa, 2013). These results indicate that pollution is present on six of the seven continents and it comes from largely populated areas.

    Read More

  • Biodegradable Plastics Essay

    712 Words  | 2 Pages

    In this paper, we will explore the different biodegradable polymers and the current technologies involved in their

    Read More

More about Biopolymers As a Contemporary Packaging Materials

Open Document