Bioplastic from renewable based materials : method of processing / Nur Alia Najeeha Abd Wahab

The new generation of bioplastics are from renewable source which are able to substantially minimize the environment problem in terms of both energy use and the greenhouse effect of a particular application. Bioplastic may be manufactured with various properties in a variety of materials. Bioplastic is a family substance that, whether it is biobased, biodegradable, or both, differs from traditional plastics. Bioplastic was mainly derived from plants rich in carbon-hydrogen such as maize or sugarcane, where it was called food crops or feedstock of the 1st generation. The production of bioplastic from 1st generation of feedstock are the best as it required the least amount of land to grow the plants along with producing higher yields. But due to some reasons, the bioplastic industry is also doing a research on the use of non-food crop (2nd and 3rd generation feedstock). For example, the cellulose and other waste material sugarcane bagasse, banana peel, or even tomato peel on the review of these materials' further use. Bioplastic and starch-based plastics are mostly used in special industrial applications these days, where degradability is needed. Most of the bioplastic are 100% biodegradable, recycle-free from hazardous chemical and toxic substance. Biodegradable plastic products use less energy for recycling, decreasing reliance on limited fossil resources that are primarily shipped to other countries and reducing greenhouse gas emissions as well. As the human population increased, the demand for plastic had also increased. In this research, bioplastic can be produced from renewable sources with different process methods and resulting different biodegradability.