The rising fuel prices and environmental issues are currently top concerns for humanity. Therefore, research and development of eco-friendly consumer products has become a priority for scientists and manufacturers worldwide. The emergence of “bioplastics” technology is seen as a solution to gradually reduce dependence on fossil fuels while contributing to improved health and environmental protection.
Currently, there are no official statistics on the global production of bioplastics, but manufacturers believe that this sector holds only a modest market share in the global plastic industry, estimated at $250 billion with a total production of about 180 million tons annually.
At present, the production capacity of NatureWorks, the leading brand of bioplastics in the United States, is around 150,000 tons – equivalent to 0.001% of the global market share. However, eco-friendly plastic products have a competitive advantage due to their benefits for consumer health and the environment. Manufacturers are offering a diverse range of products varying in characteristics and types, from food containers and kitchenware to lipstick tubes, fabric fibers, and promotional shopping cards…
The biodegradable properties of bioplastics can offset the lengthy recycling processes of conventional plastics. For instance, in 2005, only 6% of the plastics produced in the United States were recycled. Furthermore, bioplastics also help the U.S. reduce its petroleum consumption by 10% – the primary raw material used in plastic production.
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Some products made from bioplastics. (Photo: treehugger) |
Another significant advantage of bioplastics is that these products do not contain polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which is harmful to human health. However, according to Mike Schade from the Center for Health, Environment, and Justice (a non-profit organization in Virginia), this promising new technology is also facing several challenges, such as not receiving absolute support from environmental experts, and the production materials derived from crops like corn, sugarcane, and sweet potatoes require land and water for cultivation while the production costs are three times higher than conventional plastics.
The latest bioplastic brand is Mirel from Metabolix in the UK. This product decomposes faster than other materials (about 2 months on average) due to the use of genetically modified bacteria to accelerate the decomposition process. Mirel was first applied in July 2007 when the retail chain Target used gift cards made from this type of plastic in 129 of its supermarkets.
However, NatureWorks – a product of Cargill – is currently the most widely used brand. The advantage of NatureWorks over Mirel is its suitability for producing transparent packaging such as water bottles. The production process of NatureWorks consumes 68% less fuel compared to traditional plastics. This type of plastic is being used in 45,000 supermarkets worldwide, from Marks & Spencer (UK) to E-Mart (South Korea). NatureWorks is increasingly integrated into daily life, from the casing of Sony’s Walkman to shopping bags at Wal-Mart.
Other biodegradable plastic products include Ecoflex (BASF AG – Germany), Mater-Bi (Novamont S.P.A – Italy), Cereplast (Hawthorne – USA), and recyclable products from two plastic companies, DuPont (USA) and Braskem SA (Brazil)…
THUY TRUC
