Hello World.
I'm Imagination.
Today I'm going to talk about Biodegradable
plastic.
Biodegradable plastics are plastics that can
be decomposed by the action of living organisms,
usually microbes, into the water, carbon dioxide,
and biomass.
Biodegradable plastics are commonly produced
with renewable raw materials, micro-organisms,
petrochemicals, or combinations of all three.
While the words "bioplastic" and "biodegradable
plastic" are similar, they are not synonymous.
Not all bioplastics are biodegradable.
Biodegradable plastics are commonly used for
disposable items, such as packaging, crockery,
cutlery, and foodservice containers.
In principle they could replace many applications
for conventional plastics, however, cost and
performance remain problematic.
Their usage is financially favorable only
if supported by specific regulations limiting
the usage of conventional plastics.
For example, biodegradable plastic bags and
shoppers have been compulsory in Italy since
2011 with the introduction of a specific law.
Biologically synthesized plastics (also called
bioplastics or biobased plastics) are plastics
produced from natural origins, such as plants,
animals, or micro-organisms.
Cellulose bioplastics are mainly the cellulose
esters, (including cellulose acetate and nitrocellulose)
and their derivatives, including celluloid.
Cellulose can become thermoplastic when extensively
modified.
An example of this is cellulose acetate, which
is expensive and therefore rarely used for
packaging.
With the rising concern for environmental
ramifications of plastic waste, researchers
have been exploring the application of genetic
engineering and synthetic biology for optimizing
biodegradable plastic production.
This involves altering the endogenous genetic
makeup or other biological systems of organisms.
Biodegradable plastics help conserve petroleum
supplies.
Traditional plastics come from heating and
treating oil molecules until they turn into
polymers.
Bioplastics come from natural sources including
crops like corn and switchgrass.
This makes them conserve non-renewable sources
of energy such as petroleum.
One of the main advantages of using biodegradable
plastic is a significant reduction in carbon
emissions during the manufacturing process.
Furthermore, since the materials used to create
biodegradable plastics are plant-based, minimal
carbon is emitted during the composting process.
The manufacturing process of biodegradable
plastics requires fewer amounts of energy.
Also, they do not need fossil fuels to be
recycled.
Since the energy requirement is less, pollution
and environmental impact are significantly
reduced.
Biodegradable plastics require composting
or recycling to ensure proper breakdown of
the plastic pieces.
The requirement to properly dispose of biodegradable
plastic products automatically reduces the
amount of waste.
This waste would otherwise be sent to landfills
in order to discard them.
Moreover, the land areas can be used for agriculture,
residence, or industrial applications instead
of converting them to landfills.
As you can see, biodegradable plastic is extremely
significant and proves to be of great importance
when it comes to reducing waste and helping
the environment.
With the increased use and manufacturing of
bioplastics, we can expect a greener and a
more sustainable future for our planet.
That's all for today.
Thanks for watching.
