Energy News
BIO FUEL
Are bioplastics really the wonder alternative to petro plastics
Are bioplastics really the wonder alternative to petro plastics
By Isabel MALSANG
Paris (AFP) Oct 30, 2024

Alternatives to petrochemical-based plastics are emerging, made from everything from banana leaves to tomato skins, especially for food packaging.

But questions remain about how biodegradable and compostable they are, as well as their impact on the environment.

- What is biosourced plastic? -

Biosourced means made with less petrol, using non-fossil agricultural products such as sugarcane waste, corn, or wheat starch. Primarily used in packaging, these biosourced plastics account for less than one percent of global plastic production.

But labs around the world are coming up with more and more new plastics derived from tomato skins or banana leaves.

The French chemicals company Arkema, for instance, is pushing PBAT, made from castor oil, which is used to make sports shoes and car interiors.

Bananatex is a biodegradable textile made from banana leaves that has been developed by a Swiss brand and its Taiwanese partners.

However, "biosourced doesn't necessarily have to be 100 percent" from natural materials, warned Christophe Doukhi de Boissoudy, president of the French association for biosourced compostables.

In Europe, the minimum 50 percent requirement to be considered biosourced "will rise to 60 percent in January 2025", he added.

- What is a bioplastic? -

The generic term "bioplastic" can be confusing, as it can mean either biosourced or compostable: the definition varies by country.

But in Europe, the term is clearly defined -- a bioplastic is a polymer that is both biosourced and compostable, either in soil or industrially.

Not all bioplastics completely degrade under natural conditions.

Some, like PLA (polylactic acid), need to be composted industrially at temperatures between 35 and 60 degrees Centigrade (140 degrees Fahrenheit).

One of the most highly developed bioplastics currently used in textiles or for food packaging, PLA was originally fossil-based but is now being made from fermented plant biomass (corn, beet or sugarcane).

"What alarms us is the speed at which China is advancing its legislation to convert its packaging to PLA, aiming to abandon petrochemical plastics, while Europe is stagnating," said Frederic Van Gansberghe, founder of Belgium-based bioplastics company Futerro, which has a factory in China and plans to open one in France in 2026.

- What environmental impact? -

In its "Atlas of Plastic", the Heinrich Boll Foundation estimates that most biosourced plastics are neither completely biodegradable or compostable, and "actually just sidestep the problem".

For Nathalie Gontard, research director at the French National Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment, biosourced plastic "has absolutely no benefit" because these polymers don't degrade in natural conditions but instead fragment into micro- and then nano-plastics.

"What matters is biodegradability under natural conditions," she said.

"Biodegradable" is not well-defined, she argued, as some use it for materials that completely degrade in a few months or years, while others refer to much longer periods.

The environmental benefit of biosourced plastic lies in how they reduce the CO2 emissions of the plastics sector. But caution is needed here, experts warn.

"Additional demand for land to grow the raw materials for biosourced plastics can lead to land-use changes or deforestation," the OECD warned, which in turn can increase CO2 emissions.

"By developing bioplastics, we place the burden of manufacturing these materials on agricultural land that should primarily serve to feed the population," insisted Pauline Debrabandere from the NGO Zero Waste.

Related Links
Bio Fuel Technology and Application News

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
BIO FUEL
Baylor engineers introduce ultra-clean biofuel combustion technology
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 17, 2024
Baylor University researchers from the Cornerstone Atomization and Combustion Lab (CAC) have developed an advanced method for burning biofuels with minimal emissions. Using a new Swirl Burst (SB) injector, the team successfully achieved ultra-clean combustion of glycerol/methanol blends, a fuel type typically challenging to ignite due to its thick consistency. This innovative approach marks a major step forward for sustainable energy. "The current research demonstrates how viscous bio-waste can be ... read more

BIO FUEL
Solving interface mystery in organic solar cells makes them more efficient

CSIRO facility launches flexible solar technology for broad real-world use

New method enhances solar energy storage and utilization

Quality control in synthetic photosynthesis validates natural light-harvesting mimicry

BIO FUEL
Azerbaijan: a country steeped in hydrocarbons

'Waiting in vain': year on from pledge, world clings to fossil fuels

Fake X accounts promote COP hosts UAE, Azerbaijan

Canada proposes emissions cap on oil and gas sector

BIO FUEL
Nations gather for crunch climate talks in shadow of US vote

1.2 billion people at 'high risk' from climate change: World Bank

Papua New Guinea to boycott 'waste of time' UN climate summit

Lancet calls for urgenet shift in fossil fuel investment to tackle climate health impacts

BIO FUEL
Silk Thread Innovation Powers Smart Textile Technology

Direct Observation of Space Charge Layers Inside Fuel Cell Electrolytes

Exploring the cost and feasibility of battery-electric ships

EU's extra tariffs of up to 35.3% on Chinese EVs angers Beijing

BIO FUEL
Are bioplastics really the wonder alternative to petro plastics

Cobalt copper tandem catalysts transform CO2 into renewable ethanol

Advanced biodegradable plastics achieve unprecedented toughness and sustainability

Vast and GGS Energy launch Project Bravo to power US green fuel production

BIO FUEL
Paris to restrict traffic in centre: city hall

Volkswagen profit plunges on high costs, Chinese slump

Chinese EV giant BYD beats Tesla in quarterly revenue for first time

Germany urges compromise in EU-China EV row; Volkswagen profits plunges on China slump

BIO FUEL
Making agriculture more resilient to climate change

France says still room for negotiation over China's brandy tariffs

Surf and Turf: Oregon State researchers to study feeding seaweed to cattle

Czech Republic curbs animal movement over bluetongue spread

BIO FUEL
To tackle plastic scourge, Philippines makes companies pay

Laser measurements aid in tracking space debris and mapping Earth's water resources

New laser technology speeds up landmine detection process

New 3D printed metal alloy enhances durability for space exploration

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.