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Increase in plastic waste accumulation is considered a growing concern, resulting in white pollution. It is unavoidable that an inventive method to reduce pollution will be required. Increased recycling of plastic waste is not a practical solution. Therefore, reducing petroleum-based polymer utilization is essential for environmental sustainability. Biobased polymers are gaining appeal as a promising alternative to petroleum-based polymers. Based on several studies, biobased plastics could be produced by several microbial species, particularly algal species, rather than petroleum-based polymers. Bioplastic synthesis from microalgae is a new option that calls for further studies. Algal biorefinery that integrates bioplastic complimentary activities will be investigated to determine its economic viability and environmental impact. Consequently, this chapter discusses the current status of bioplastic production technologies from microalgae species and different types of bioplastics produced by various algal species and the bioplastic material production methods from microalgae.

Plastic materials compose a wide range of products with small useful lifespans, leading to the production of large quantities of waste. A more easily biodegradable alternative tο fossil-based plastics are bioplastics. Microalgae can produce poly (hydroxy alkanoate) esters (PHAs), which are biodegradable aliphatic polyesters. Poly (3-hydroxy butyrate) ester (PHB), belonging to the short-chain PHAs, is the most common and well characterized biopolymer. PHB compounds can be completely broken down into carbon dioxide and water under aerobic conditions and are characterized as environmentally friendly, with their thermal and mechanical properties being comparable to those of petrochemical polymers. A large number of microalgae species have been reported in literature as an alternative source of energy and carbon. In order to further mitigate the environmental footprint of microalgae cultivation for bioplastics production, a small number of published works have examined bioplastic production from microalgae cultivated in wastewater, reaching 5.5-6.5% of dry biomass weight.

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