Biopolymers

Plastics are materials that we find present in our daily lives, from food wrappers and shopping bags to the clothes we wear. However, our use of this material is not efficient, since 79% of the plastics we dispose of end up in landfills or in the environment. Therefore, what we consider to be a great ally for our day-to-day life is becoming a growing threat due to its excessive consumption, its poor management and its great difficulty in valuing it.
For all these reasons, attention is increasingly focused on bioplastics with the aim of looking for alternatives that can replace conventional plastics, thus avoiding the problems they present.
In today’s blog we tell you everything you need to know about bioplastics.

What are bioplastics?

Bioplastics are those that have a renewable origin, that is, biologically based, such as plastics derived from vegetable products, such as soybean oil or potato starch. However, not all of them are biodegradable despite the fact that their name may indicate otherwise.
This is because biodegradability does not depend on the kind of raw material used, but on the type of chemical structure of the compound.
Even with the possibility that they do not biodegrade at the end of their use, bioplastics still have a number of advantages over conventional plastics:

• The manufacturing process of bioplastics has a lower impact on the environment due to its renewable origin, leading to a manufacturing model based on eco-innovation.
• The reduction of the carbon footprint in the manufacturing process means energy savings in production.
• They do not contain additives that are harmful to health such as phthalates or bisphenol A.
• They do not modify the flavor or aroma of food.

Uses of bioplastics

More and more objects are manufactured from biopolymers. Sectors such as medicine, food or the aerospace industry use them to carry out their different tasks.
Below are some uses of bioplastics.

Biomedical material

Biopolymers have come to the medical field to stay, as they have great advantages such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, among many others. These characteristics have made materials such as polymethacrylate used for interventions such as the repair of the human cornea.
The fact that they may or may not be biodegradable presents a strong advantage in the medical sector, since some interventions in which bioplastic is used need it to remain intact, such as prostheses, or, on the contrary, it needs to disappear with time. time, as is the case with capsules with medicine inside

Food packaging

There are more and more products that we can find in the supermarket that are protected by a wrapper made of biopolymers. This is due to their ability to increase food safety and preservation.
Due to its biocompatibility and biodegradability, different types of food packaging based on biopolymers are being developed with the ability to be consumed, that is, we can eat the food packaging that we buy.

Biopolymers in aircraft

In recent years, the aerospace industry has placed special interest in composite materials such as carbon fiber. However, looking for a more sustainable result and properties that a biopolymer composite material can offer, there are some airlines that have opted for this type of material.

Fertilizer in soils poor in phosphorus

There are a large number of biopolymers (PHAs) that end up in the water when they biodegrade. This could present a problem as it is a foreign substance in the water, however, this situation has been taken advantage of with the recovery of these PHAs together with the phosphates in the wastewater to obtain a a value-added compound (polyphosphate).
Polyphosphates can be easily assimilated by plants, favoring their growth and biodevelopment. Therefore, biopolymers would constitute a bridge to obtain a fertilizer compound of renewable origin.

Advantages of bioplastics

Next, we indicate the benefits of biopolymers:

• They can be recycled due to the possibility of their use as fertilizer.
• Its origin is 100% renewable.
• The energy requirement in its production is less than that necessary for the manufacture of common plastics.
• They do not contain chemicals harmful to the environment.
• They contribute to caring for the environment because most are biodegradable.
• Capable of meeting the requirements of new environmental laws.
• It can be used to package foods and beverages without altering their taste and smell.

Are you interested in knowing more about biopolymers and how to apply it to your products? Contact us and we will help you!