(501b) Development of Bioplastic: Need of the Hour

As a necessary component of our daily lives, plastics are becoming increasingly vital. The majority of commercially available plastics today are petroleum-based, which means that they can take hundreds of years or more to breakdown. As previously stated, degradation is not conceivable since the plastics generated are artificial polymers that are not recognised as food by the microorganisms that would be required to breakdown them.

Bioplastics, which are biodegradable polymers that contain components produced directly from renewable raw plant materials, have the potential to be a more ecologically friendly alternative to the currently non-degradable plastics used in consumer products. They are derived from plant materials and decompose into natural components that are inert in the soil and do not pose a threat to the environment. A number of bioplastics can degrade within a few weeks after being introduced.

The current research effort focuses on the creation of biodegradable plastics that are made from bio-based components, with the goal of making it more attractive to use biodegradable plastics in the first place. This breakthrough will herald a change in the way plastic is used since it will be based on an ecologically beneficial approach.