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Superfast Biodegradable Plastic
Vish writes "Anyone's who ever seen the grim flotsam of plastic bags which pollute developing countries should take heart from this new bio-degradable plastic from Australia - made from cornstarch and breaks down into the air. At last, some decent technology. Even Linux isn't this cool."
Where's the troll polka early post!?
Well, it's good, but it isn't the great solution to our plastic pollution problems. As the author of the article points out, the thing that makes the material biodegradable - its water-solubility - is also its major drawback. I wouldn't anticipate starch-based bags replacing traditional plastic ones in the shopping bag market any time soon. Perhaps in other packaging markets...
:^)
Starch-based replacements for plastics aren't a new concept. Ever had something shipped to you packed in those cylindrical extruded starch packing peanuts? They're out there replacing the old foam polystyrene ones to some extent, and they dissolve in water quite readily. And taste pretty bland, unfortunately.
Now if they could make a plastic-like material out of a more water resistant polysaccharide like chitin or cellulose, then the environmentalists could start celebrating.
The angel in the oatmeal.
In the words of George Carlin, The planet will just incorporate plastic into a new paradigm, the earth, PLUS PLASTIC! The planet is fine, the people are fucked.
Ever heard of rm -rf ? That beats biodegradability by a long shot.
If it degrades in an hour, how is it going to keep my Twinkie fresh?
Wait! I know, we'll wrap it in a plastic bag!!
"Sometimes the truth is stupid." - Lawrence, creator of Prime Intellect
Remember, to keep those biodegradable plastic bags together just ship them inside plastic bags.
God sucks at running this place. Impeach God at
Just because it biodegrades, doesn't make it an environmental godsend. Manure is biodegradable and its excess runoff has done a fine job of screwing up the Chesapeake Bay (just to name one of a multitude of places). Then there are the energy costs of producing it to look at. The article makes no mention of it but from the cost, it sounds like it is at least on par with current petro plastics. And just how enviromentally friendly is the manufacturing process itself?
Then there is the growing of the corn itself. With orders for large quantities of it possible, it sounds like another factory farming nightmare. Genetically modified strains, pesticides, fungicides, fertilizers, irrigation.... don't assume that because something was grown, that it is environmentally friendly. Sugar is grown and it farming and processing are the major reasons for destruction of the Florida Everglades habitat.
Don't get me wrong, I am very much interested in finding ways to do things better that are currently very harmful. But rather than be gulled by the happy glowing ads, we need to look at the full picture in every situation.
You could always try these very simple and effective solutions: Bake your own cookies. Buy them at your local bakery and bring your own container for them to put them in. And if you're going shopping, try the bulk section and bring your own REUSABLE cloth bags. No one ever said you had to use the grocery stores plastic or paper bags. A lot of stores will give a small credit too for using your own bags and saving them some operating/overhead costs.
:::Horrendous Experiences Make Amusing Anecdotes:::
this reminds me of something else currently in development - edible foodwrap (made from fruit) instead of plastic.
usda.gov
freshangles.com
Do you even lift?
These aren't the 'roids you're looking for.
This has been around a long time, and it is not nearly as amazing and interesting as Linux.
Reminds me of rice paper.
Plastic is a major problem. There's almost no recycling in Brazil which is one of the most developed of the developing countries (and is where I live). There are huge amounts of garbage around major and even small cities.
That is one of the reasons why I do not like capitalism: something has to sell so it has to be presentable. To be so, it's likely to have some layers of plastic protecting it and so on.
Also, most things which go inside a refrigerator have plastic. Necessary or not, it goes all into the garbage. Milk, for example, goes into boxes which wheight quite something.
Now biodegraadble plastics are developed almost everywhere. In Brazil, some of them have been produced with local available material (like parts of mandioc which is abundant as sun...). But why bother with the use of new technology if petroleum is abundant... that's a problem of capitalism and lack of political will.
reason defies logic
"Why Oz? Chalk one up for government-funded research. A federal center developed the bioplastic and transferred the patent to Plantic. A scientific consulting firm took it from there, selling investors on the idea and hiring a management team."
"Transferred." So... does that mean that Plantic paid money? Made a royalty deal? Transferring the patent implies Plantic now controls it, instead of just getting a license to it. That means no competition from anyone else. What are Australian citizens getting out of the use of their tax dollars besides the right to benefit Plantic twice (once with the patent, once when buying their products)?
You have a choice: tax and spend Democrats, or borrow and spend Republicans. Choose wisely.
why do i keep seeing articles that were allready in wired. I mean honestly....who is modding this anyway?
"Once upon a time men were lions and machines were mice, but since it was so long ago, now its twice upon a time."
Isn't the point of plastics to have some kind of synthetic medium that doesn't degrade? I'd hate to have my ziploc bags falling apart on me.
this is my sig
Who could forget the wonders of Kramer's Krumbling Krud?
Dahlmann tightly grips the knife, which he may have no idea how to use, and steps out into the plain.
Capitalism is about selling.
Political will is about forcing people.
We have yet to invent a philosophy of buying.
We could but that would involve forcing people unnaturally, and capitalism is about the only rational and fair way to "force" people.
Maybe if more people bought the less presentable stuff there would be less cost to the environment, less cost to the manufacturer, and less cost to the people.
Wait... that would be cAPITALISM!
The message on the other side of this sig is false.
Being an Aussie as I am, I've known about this product for a bit over a year now. But from my personal point of view, I think 'we' have the wrong focus. The "search" for a bio-friendly fuel frustrates me every time I hear about it, because the answer is simple. Ethenol, and vegetable based oils that are turned into diesel. Apperently Mr Diesel even intended to use vegetable based oils for his fuel source.
I don't like wearing clothing that is made with polyester or other petroleum based products, they're not as comfortable as natural products. I don't like furniture with polyester in it. I don't like linoleum. I don't like carpet (because it collects dust).
I just happen to think that natural products (including linnen, and hemp based products, etc) are the best for getting the job done. With the resources we have today, I think we are now at a stage where we can have _all_ of the creature comforts that we have gotten used to, and design them so that they don't adversly (in a major way) affect the environment we habitate.
I hope this product (and the others like it being developed) has a wide spreading affect on the world as we know it.
"I love deadlines. I love the "whooshing" sound they make as they pass by." - Douglas Adams.
It's true. Plastic is rather unfairly given a bad name.
YES- Plastic adds to landfills, and stays there.
YES- Burning plastic contributes to the greenhouse effect
BUT:
Something like less than 5% of the worlds oil
production is used for plastic. The rest? We burn it.
Burning plastic gives nearly the same amount
of energy as oil - with the added bonus of a lifetime of other uses.
If it's deposited in landfills, then there is no contribution to the greenhouse effect,
but an unsightly scar in the landscape.
Either way, plastic isn't the environmental hazard it's made up to be.
Less cars, or more fuel-efficient ones could easily make up for the pollution caused by burning all the plastic in the world.