Challenges and opportunities of biodegradable plastics: A mini review

pregledni rad (znanstveni)

pregledni rad (znanstveni)

Challenges and opportunities of biodegradable plastics: A mini review

Vrsta prilog u časopisu
Tip pregledni rad (znanstveni)
Godina 2017
Časopis Waste management & research
Nadređena publikacija Waste management & research
Volumen 35
Svesčić 2
Stranice str. 132-140
DOI 10.1177/0734242X16683272
ISSN 0734-242X
EISSN 1096-3669
Status objavljeno

Sažetak

The concept of materials coming from nature with environmental advantages of being biodegradable and/or biobased (often referred to as bioplastics) is very attractive to the industry and to the consumers. Bioplastics already play an important role in the fields of packaging, agriculture, gastronomy, consumer electronics and automotive, but still they have a very low share in the total production of plastics (currently about 1% of the about 300 million tonnes of plastic produced annually). Biodegradable plastics are often perceived as the possible solution for the waste problem, but biodegradability is just an additional feature of the material to be exploited at the end of its life in specific terms, in the specific disposal environment and in a specific time, which is often forgotten. They should be used as a favoured choice for the applications that demand a cheap way to dispose of the item after it has fulfilled its job (e.g. for food packaging, agriculture or medical products). The mini-review presents the opportunities and future challenges of biodegradable plastics, regarding processing, properties and waste management options.

Ključne riječi

Bioplastics, biodegradable plastics, biobased plastics, biodegradation, composting