Plastics are widely used in various aspects of our lives and have become a significant part of our daily lives. As a global estimate, approximately 330 million tonnes of the plastics are produced per annum. The production process, application and disposal of the plastic products has caused huge damage and pollution to the environment. Millions of sea animals die each year and soil fertility declines because of plastic's non-biodegradability.
The disposable, biodegradable products are produced to be biodegradable with similar functionality to that of traditional plastics. By using to compostable and biodegradable dinnerware, it has the positive impact on reducing the dependence on petrochemicals based plastics and relevant environmental pollution. In addition, these eco-friendly plastic alternatives result in 80% fewer carbon dioxide emissions.
The revolution of bio-plastics and natural material products will be a key to the long run approach for the plastic pollution. Nevertheless, a widespread public awareness is also crucial to create a plastic free
Biodegradable disposable
The main substitutes of single-use and non-degradable plastic dinnerware is biodegradable plastic product, paper product, bamboo product, wooden product, etc. Among them, natural materials include trees, bamboo, reeds and so on. Also, bio plastics are biodegradable plastics, which are derived from plants and/or microorganisms rather than fossil fuels.
Materials type
Natural material
On the one hand,it is mainly wheat, rice, corn, potato, rape, cotton, sugarcane and other crop straws, as well as bamboo, pine and other woods. The above are used as raw materials for pulping and papermaking. The product material itself is naturally degradable and recyclable. The advantages of environmental protection, especially paper products for food contact, are safe and healthy in use and meet food-grade requirements. The natural degradation of waste is in line with the concept of green environmental protection, and it is also very easy to recycle.
List some examples, “wood” this category, reed、sugarcane in herbaceous plants category.
Wood can be made into various types of disposable biodegradable food packaging, such as wooden knives and forks. After wood pulp makes flexibly paper, can produce eco-friendly products, such as paper cup and paper straws. These food and drinking packaging is 100% natural, BPA free and non-toxic, so it is clean and hygienic tableware substitute products.
Reed is a common plants of wetlands which is tall and grass-like. Reed could be manufactured to reed straws, which is biodegradable, 100% natural, and environmentally friendly. Reed straws are friendly to the earth and the sea creatures that live on it.
The stalk of sugarcane is the sugar-making and edible part. Its bagasse can be effectively recycled. Complete bagasse or mixed with bamboo stalks can be used for pulping and papermaking. It can be made into disposable bowls, plates, and lunch box. The paper product, its material is natural and environmentally friendly, and it is safe, healthy and non-toxic in use.
Bio plastics
Another is biodegradable plastics. Biodegradable plastics refer to those that exist in nature under natural conditions such as soil and/or sand, and/or specific conditions such as composting conditions, anaerobic digestion conditions, or aqueous culture solutions. Microbial action causes degradation, and finally completely degrades into carbon dioxide or methane, water and mineralized inorganic salts of the elements contained therein, as well as new biomass plastics. According to the source of raw materials, biodegradable plastics can be divided into bio-based biodegradable plastics and petrochemical-based biodegradable plastics.
petrochemical-based biodegradable plastics，one of the material representatives “PBAT”, an environmentally friendly and excellent material in petrochemical-based biodegradable plastics, it is the main raw material for biodegradable plastic film, which is both biodegradable and compostable. It can be used to produce different biodegradable plastic products and fight white pollution. Products made of PBAT can be broken down by microorganism into carbon dioxide and water within required time. Organic fertilizer can be created under composting conditions. For example, It can be used to produce 100% biodegradable plastic bags.
PBAT belong to thermoplastic biodegradable plastics with good ductility, elongation at break as well as heat resistance and impact resistance and biodegradability. Currently, it's one of the most industrialized and commercialized biodegradable polymers globally.
Bio-based biodegradable plastics is the main statement, it can be divided into four categories: the first category is plastics directly processed from natural materials; the second category is polymers obtained through the participation of microbial fermentation and chemical synthesis; the third category is polymers directly synthesized by microorganisms The fourth category is the biodegradable plastics obtained by blending these materials or these materials and other chemically synthesized biodegradable plastics.Generally, cellulose and starch are the main bio-based components, and corn is generally used as the principle of biological component extracts.
Bio-based biodegradable plastics, one of the material representatives “PLA”, the same is also an environmentally friendly and excellent material.
Polylactic Acid (PLA) is the common thermoplastic that could be produced from a plant-based feed stock such as corn or sugarcane, and yet be processed by the traditional melt processing technologies.Furthermore, Polylactic Acid is produced at the largest industrial scale of all biodegradable polymers. Mass production has tremendously reduced the cost of PLA production, making it an economically viable choice for disposable catering supplies.
PLA is a eco-friendly material to utilize paper coating and the result is the paper cup with these characteristics: water resistance and oil proof.
The advantages
Biodegradable dinnerware are made from renewable and sustainable materials, such as corn starch, sugarcane bagasse, reed etc. Also, they are sterilized by ultraviolet ray, so the final products are toxic free, safe and healthy.
Plastic food containers are easy to store food, but it is harmful to human health due to BPA ingredient and other toxic chemicals. Biodegradable dinnerware are made from natural material, such as corn starch and sugarcane bagasse. They are completely safe for food contact. Moreover, it is freezer friendly and microwavable. By using to biodegradable dinnerware, you are not only having a strict hygiene tableware but also lead to a greener life.
Plastic pollution is having a negative impact on our oceans and wildlife health. An estimated 20 percent of all plastic waste in the oceans comes from marine sources. In some regions, marine sources dominate: More than 50% of plastics in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP) come from fishing nets, ropes and lines. Using biodegradable dinnerware will reduce environmental pollution.
You can choose a greener life, please start from using the biodegradable disposable!