Biodegradable and Compostable Plastics: A Critical Perspective on the Dawn of their Global Adoption

Abstract

The global adoption of biodegradable and compostable plastics obtained from biomass‐derived monomers, we argue in this account, is now close to the inflection point. The first industrially significant impact will affect the packaging segment of the global chemical industry. In this process, China and India will play a pivotal role. Selected guidelines aiming to foster development of bioplastics industry in both developed and developing nations are provided.

Biodegradation of Wasted Bioplastics in Natural and Industrial Environments: A Review

“…Single-use bioplastics items such as bags, dishes, coffee stirrers, glasses, horticulture pots, mulching film, dust sheets, bottles, and packaging items are produced mainly by PLA, PHAs, starch, and cellulose pulp [85]. Bioplastics made from starch can be used for packaging apples and tomato slices with a high protective barrier [86].…”

“…However, there are kinds of biopolymers that are competitive with the fossil-derived polymers in terms of cost, namely the PLA and the thermoplastic-starch-based bioplastics [57]. On the other hand, most bioplastics are not yet cost-effective [27,85], due to the high cost of the manufacturing processes [6,19,91]. Nevertheless, 40% of the net cost of a commodity is linked to the carbon feedstock value [13]; therefore, the market potential for biopolymers heavily depends on the crude oil price [57].…”

Oil refining in Sicily: A critical perspective looking to the future

“…Furthermore, the forthcoming ban of nonbiodegradable plastic bags and other disposable single-use plastic objects in several countries and the booming bioplastics production in China, suggest a forthcoming drop in the global demand of conventional commodity thermoplastics, starting from polyethylene used for packaging and in agriculture. 22 We have shown in 2016 that wealth (the global gross domestic product, W_GDP) can be modeled as a power function of the global population (W_Pop), as shown in Equation (1) 23 : Moreover, according to the latter study, the total energy consumption is linearly correlated with the global population.…”

“…A similar shift will happen with bioplastics manufacturing (whose current production levels amount to less than 1% of total plastics market) 45 in which India, and not only China, will play a pivotal role in rapidly expanding production by quick advances in both process (chemical and biochemical process) and product innovation. 22 Under these global, but "closely interconnected" conditions emphasized by Cappellani, 43 oil refining in Sicily will undergo its second major, and this time conclusive change, as the only oil fuel needed will be highly refined "jet fuel" used to power airplanes.…”

“…Furthermore, the forthcoming ban of nonbiodegradable plastic bags and other disposable single‐use plastic objects in several countries and the booming bioplastics production in China, suggest a forthcoming drop in the global demand of conventional commodity thermoplastics, starting from polyethylene used for packaging and in agriculture …”