Three Things You Need to Know About Bioproducts
Three Things You Need to Know About Bioproducts
Everything from the makeup that you put on your face to the plastic fork that you ate with at your picnic can be made from bioplastics. Bioproducts are all around in stores, our home, and workplaces. These products are helping our environment in many ways. During this blog I would like to share how using bioproducts is going to help our environment, through harvesting from sugar crops, switching to bioplastic bags, and where you can find these products.
What is a biobased product? This is any product that is derived from starch, sugar, wood, cellulose, lignin, proteins. One common crop that a lot of people are familiar with is sugar. Crops like sugar are used to make bioproducts and no piece goes to waste. You heard that right! Every single part of a sugar crop is used for some type of purpose, making it very good for our environment. When extracting materials from sugar beets and sugarcane, they are brought to the mill for sugar extraction. Through the process of crushing and milling a lot of materials are left behind, but that doesn’t mean companies just throw them away. Farmers like to use these materials in their factories, and a way of giving back to the community. One way that this is done is from the leaves of the sugar beets, they can be used to feed cows and other animals as well as power equipment in the factory. Furthermore, in the process of breaking down the sugarcane, the molasses that is left behind is used in dog food as well as baking ingredients. Sugars can also be drawn from starch and cellulose making multiple more bioproducts.
Walking down the street there is plastic thrown everywhere. Plastic pollution fills the world around us in our neighborhoods, oceans, parks, and forests. Plastic pollution can be found in the way of plastic cups, automobile parts, packaging materials, and even medical devices. The world produces around 350 million tonnes of plastic waste each year and in just the last two decades plastic pollution has doubled! Plastic is entering our oceans and harming animals and even our safety with drinking water. Everyone says to cut down on the use of plastics because they are bad for the environment, but why? The reason that this is said, is that plastics take so long to break down, leaving them in the soil, water, and landfills for ages. For example, it takes 400 years for a plastic drinking cup, 450 years for a disposable diaper to decompose. So next time you're thinking of throwing your baby's diaper behind a tree in the park …...THINK AGAIN! Plastic is extremely bad for animals and the climate, so is an alternative?
Bioplastics could be an alternative by using plastics derived from plant products. These sources are derived from renewable bio based resources making them more affordable and better for the environment. A common misconception is that all bioplastics are biodegradable. This is incorrect, for example coca-cola bottles use more plant products in their recipes but they are not completely biodegradable. Biodegradable plastics differ structurally from non-biodegradable plastics in that their chemical bonds can be broken down easier. Some examples of bioplastics are PLA, PHA, or starch blends. Moving towards non-biodegradable plastics has been a step in the right direction for companies because one large jump can be extremely difficult. For something to be bio-bbased and biodegradable it MUST be made from plant products.
How are these products being implemented? When walking through your local grocery store you may see the sticker on the right hand side on some products. Many companies are starting to certify their products through the USDA (US Department of Agriculture). The USDA is hoping to increase the development, purchase, and use of bio-based products and reduce the need for petroleum. Some resources used for bio-based products are made from plants, fungi, and microbes, relying more on renewable agricultural resources. One reason the government and companies are pushing to be bio-based is because they aim to replace materials that contain toxins and are difficult to recycle or reuse. Once a company is approved by the USDA, their product is placed under a category in the bio-preferred catalog. Some examples of biobased products are deodorant, kitchen cleaners, fertilizers, facial cleansers, cutlery, and so many more. By having this label it is easier for consumers and businesses to see what is best for the environment and is strictly bio-based.
Plastic bags are out and bioplastic bags are in! While some may have doubts about implementing bioplastic bags and other materials.. The implication has already begun. China noticed a surplus of plastic waste in their landfills and want to make a change. China placed a ban on using non-biodegradable plastic bags and accepting plastic waste from the US and other countries. Plastic bags are not allowed in shopping malls, grocery stores, or for your garbage at home. During the 2008 Beijing Olympic games, biodegradable plastic products were successfully implemented. During this time plastic bags were banned and in just the 2008 olympic games 186 tons of biodegradable garbage bags were used! The PLA products are on a rise and helping remove plastics in Chinese landfills.
What Can YOU do?
When shopping in a grocery store, it might cross your mind to start looking for the bio-based stickers or using bio-based plastic bags when going to the grocery store. While you may feel that you're just one person and your single bag won’t leave a large impact, it does. It starts with one person. Will you make a change? Will you move towards a more bio-based and sustainable environment? The choice is yours.
References
Lesson 18, Crops to Sugar, BBE 1002, UMN
Lesson 20, Bioplastics, BBE 1002, UMN
How Much Plastic Waste Ends Up in the Ocean
https://ourworldindata.org/how-much-plastic-waste-ends-up-in-the-ocean
From Lab to Market: Bio-Based Products Are Gaining Momentum
China aims to go as big in bioplastics as it did in solar panels
Lesson 21, Pathways to Bioproducts, BBE 1002, UMN
Comments
Post a Comment