Bioplastics continue to gain popularity in the packaging industry as they reduce greenhouse gas emission and saves fossil fuels

 

Bioplastics were first released into the market about ten years ago. It has become one of the biggest trends in the cosmetic industry. Bioplastics were initially created for the food packaging industry. The idea behind it was to create a product that could replace the traditional plastic packaging materials and make it more hygienic. The bioplastics were made from renewable natural resources like corn, sugar cane, potato, alfalfa, sugar beet, and leaves. There were extensive research and promotion around the negative impact conventional plastics have on the environment and bioplastics were created from naturally degradable material and sustainable resources so that this can effectively reduce recycling in a big way. At the same time, bioplastics don't contain any petroleum by-products, which can cause a lot of damage to the ecosystem.

Bioplastics were initially used in making polymers as it has the features of both the polymer and a non-polymer. As the technology advanced, different kinds of bioplastics with various applications were introduced into the market. These were mainly to provide more durable and high-quality materials to manufacturers, who require plastic materials for a wide variety of purposes. Some of these were made to replace traditional plastic materials; the other one to replace traditional wooden materials.

The bioplastics perform very well in trapping heat, they have high resistance to pressure and they do not shrink or meltdown even after they are exposed to intense temperatures. They are resistant to all types of solvents and have their own inherent properties of resistance, thermal conductivity, chemical resistance, and mechanical strength. They are also capable of withstanding ozone and UV light. Therefore, bioplastics can be considered as a viable substitute for traditional plastics since they are able to perform better than them in all areas. Recently, in May 2021, TerraVerdae Bioworks Inc. introduced a new bioplastic product line for blown/cast films, thermoforming, and injection molding.