Environmentally friendly alternative plastics are constantly appearing

Plastics are everywhere in everyday life. From storage boxes to furniture, even cars, they are either made of plastic or contain plastic components. Indeed, plastics are durable and flexible, and can be easily made into a variety of shapes.

Plastic is a high molecular compound synthesized from carbon (including environmentally harmful substances such as petroleum and fossil fuel products) and plastic resins that are heated, decomposed and reconstituted at high temperatures. The biggest advantage of plastic resin is its durability, which is not easy to rot and decompose, but it also means that it can not be degraded, except for part of it can be recycled, most of it is filled with garbage dump. Plastic, like heavy metals and softeners, is a substance that is harmful to humans.

Elemental Encyclopedia: Although plastic products seem indispensable, more and more environmentally friendly alternatives are emerging, and there are also some new technologies that make traditional plastic products more environmentally friendly.

Glass

It seems that we can't live without plastic products, but plastic products are harmful. Studies have shown that certain chemicals in plastics can cause disorders in the body's endocrine system, leading to problems related to hormones, body growth and reproduction. We know that plastics usually contain bisphenol A (BPA) or bismuth citrate. Bisphenol A helps to prevent shatterproof and shockproof plastic products (usually used in baby bottles or laser discs), while bismuth makes plastics more durable and durable. (usually used in plastic storage boxes and toys).

The plastic is made of fossil fuel and the glass is made of sand. Sand is not only a renewable resource, but also does not contain any chemicals that may infiltrate your food and body. Glassware is also easy to recycle, you can throw it into the trash can for sorting and recycling, and you can use the old bottle to hold new things. Although the glass is easy to break, it will at least not invade the inside of your body.

2. Butyrate

If plastic is a renewable resource and is not made of petroleum, the culprit of global warming, it would be great, and this requirement sounds a bit harsh. However, scientists have invented a new environmentally degradable plastic product made of bacteria, which is an improvement of butyrate. Butyrate is a new energy source made from a variety of bacteria through natural biological fermentation.

The special feature of this plastic is that although it is made of bacteria, it is very similar to synthetic polypropylene and can be completely degraded. It is less flexible than traditional plastics made from petroleum, but can be used in packaging, agriculture and biomedical products.

3. Liquid wood

“Liquid wood” is a promising new bioplastic, also known as “biopolymer”. This material looks, feels, and looks very much like plastic, but it is a bit different from traditional plastics, which are degradable. "Liquid wood" is made of lignin extracted from pulp and is a highly plastic composite material that is strong and non-toxic. The "liquid wood" production process is to first mix the paper mill's by-product lignin with water and then manufacture it under high temperature and high pressure. “Liquid wood” is an excellent alternative to plastics. German researchers have used this material to make a lot of products, including toys, golf tees, and even high-fidelity speakers.

Since this material is made of wood, it can also be recycled like wood, or broken down into small pieces as a filling, or burned directly.

4. Biosynthesis butyrate

The words "degradable" and "plastic" seem to be incompatible, but a new technology developed by ECM BioFilms in the United States makes this possible. Adding this additive from ECM to polyolefin plastic products can effectively help its degradation. In addition, plastic articles containing such additives are not sensitive to heat and light and have a relatively long shelf life. However, it will completely degrade in the soil within 9 months to 5 years – whether it is in landfills, waste dumps or roadsides.

With this technology, disposable plastic products such as diapers, garbage bags or food bags (including fast food boxes) do not have to be piled up in the garbage dump for hundreds of years, which is more conducive to the benign development of the global environment. However, this technology is still under development, and additives for electronic equipment casings, toys, and auto parts are not yet available.

5. Corn plastic

Elemental Encyclopedia: Polylactic acid (PLA) is a plant extract, usually from corn. The advantage of this plastic is that it can be degraded within 47 days, does not produce toxic gases when incinerated, and is less used in the production process than traditional plastics. 20%-50% fossil fuel.

Corn plastic can be used as a package for the production of food and consumer goods. Wal-Mart Group managers believe that if they use 114 million corn plastic bags a year, they can save 800,000 barrels of oil. Corn starch bags can replace traditional plastic bags and can degrade in landfills or waste dumps.

In theory, although corn plastics are derived from renewable plant starch, which can reduce carbon emissions, the facts are not perfect. Because corn plastics are usually made from genetically modified corn, cultivating GM corn is prone to environmental, human health, and economic problems, and its final degradation may be longer than expected.