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."

Comments

Limited uses, unfortunately

[!splut]

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.

Re:Limited uses, unfortunately

[eugene ts wong]

I wouldn't anticipate starch-based bags replacing traditional plastic ones in the shopping bag market any time soon.

Actually, I could picture that. Shopping bags only need to be strong enough to get home. I suppose that some people will use them as liners for small trash cans [like the ones by a desk], but that could easily be solved by making them stronger.

I speculate that they could be used as ordinary shopping bags if they had a 24 hour disolve time built in. For example, a container of juice breaks open, and they get home in a couple of hours. Or perhaps wet vegetables drip a bit, and they get home in a couple of hours. When I was living on my own, I shopping for grocercies by taking transit. It was quite a long trip, and I never had problems.

As for small trash cans, they should be able to deal with the liquids, assuming that the trash is emptied once a day, or dry enough.

You bring up a good point.

Perhaps in other packaging markets...

I agree, in that the best place to start isn't the shopping bag market. The best place to start would be to use them for disposable cookie trays [or similar products] that are packed in regular plastic. To let people know that these trays are environmentaly friendlier, it would be wise to just say so at the bottom of the tray on both sides.

I can also see them being used for bags that hold instuctions and other things; you get them when you buy electronic items. Ikea would also be able to make good use of them, because they sell dry goods. A while ago, I went and bought a bag of screws from them.

On a slightly unrelated note, I'm willing to bet that they could come up with a version that doesn't break down very quickly, but when it does start to break down, then it goes real quick. For instance, the cell phone face plates are made of plastic. It may be worth while to use two types of biodegradable plastics with them. The first kind on the outer layer of plastic would be long lasting and durable, while the inside would break down quickly. Therefore, to break down the majority of the volume, you would just break the face plate in half, and wet it, or after the outer layer wears out, you would just wet the whole thing. Whatever.

Re:Limited uses, unfortunately

[Lars T.]

Well, it depends on how water-soluble those bags are. Imagine a bunch of kids with super soakers waiting near the super market...

Re:Limited uses, unfortunately

[g4dget]

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.

You can: fabrics made from natural fibers, wooden containers, unbleached paper, etc. Cellophane and rayon are made from cellulose and biodegrade. Glass also makes great containers and is environmentally friendly when reused. There are many environmentally friendly natural paints and coatings, often based on milk, minerals, linseed oil, etc. A lot of older plastics also are based to some degree on natural substances: casein formaldehyde (from milk or soybeans), celluloid, cellulose acetate, natural rubber, gum lac, etc. Some of those are probably fairly bio-degradable, but that probably also means that they wear faster.

I don't think we need more materials. What we need is the will to use them. And what we also need is standardization and reuse of containers in general.

Re:Limited uses, unfortunately

[p3d0]

I can also see them being used for bags that hold instuctions and other things; you get them when you buy electronic items.

But why do you think they put these in plastic bags in the first place? I'm pretty sure it's in case they get wet.

So how do you use it?

[mgessner]

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!!

Nice marketing, but...

[Dancing Tree]

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.

Re:Nice marketing, but...

[eugene ts wong]

You could always try these very simple and effective solutions:

I agree. They best way to protect the environment is to use less of it. Reusable products, and reduction of consumption, are the best solutions, by far.

The key is to be creative, and see if you can come up with an alternative to buying a new item, or way of using less resources with the same comfort level. Changing to the alternative will definitely not be easy, because it takes effort to change habits for the better, but if it is better, then it will be well worth it.

Re:Nice marketing, but...

[g4dget]

Just because it biodegrades, doesn't make it an environmental godsend.

That's true. But from the brief description in the article, it sounds like this stuff really is pretty environmentally friendly. Among other things, it seems to be composed only of carbohydrates.

And if you're going shopping, try the bulk section and bring your own REUSABLE cloth bags.

People won't do that without financial incentives. Perhaps recycling taxes on plastic bags and higher landfill costs could incentivize people; the proceeds could be used for public eduation campaigns.

Re:Nice marketing, but...

[gotih]

as we have already seen, people are also motivated by fear. i'm picturing an MSNBC expose on how toxic the grocery store plastic bags are to thier children. or, better yet, the CIA has discovered al-quaeda plans to poision shoppers through those free plastic bags in grocery stores.

riiiiiight

slightly o/t - edible foodwrap

[larry bagina]

this reminds me of something else currently in development - edible foodwrap (made from fruit) instead of plastic.

usda.gov
freshangles.com

Re:slightly o/t - edible foodwrap

[Monkelectric]

ummm its called a fruit rollup and I been eatin them since I was 7. :)

Re:This has been around a long time,

[John Hasler]

Indeed it has. What killed it the first time around was idiot ecofreaks protesting that it wasn't really biodegradeable because it wouldn't degrade in a landfill. Of course, neither would a banna peel...

I have seen it...

[Gamasta]

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.

transferring the patent to private corp?

[ketan]

Do any people from Oz have a problem with this:

"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)?