Biological plastic - technology of the future

With rising oil prices and the threat of climate change today, bioplastic products will be one of the traditional plastic alternatives in the near future. However, ensuring food security will be a challenge for this new technology.

Mr. Scheer, 55, is the owner of Cereplast, a US company that designs and manufactures starchy plastic materials in cassava, corn, wheat and potatoes. He believes that with the current high oil prices, bioplastic products will be the choice for traditional plastic products in the near future.

A woman is drying cassava flour next to Shell gas plant in Nigeria - Photo: Telegraph

"World oil prices have risen to about $ 95 a barrel and at that price, our products may be cheaper than traditional plastic products," Scheer said. At $ 95 a barrel, I think people will turn to bio-plastic products. '

According to Scheer, when oil prices could rise in 2013, large chemical plastic companies like Dupont and BASF will have to cooperate with him in the production of bioplastics. Mr. Scheer also hoped that by 2020, revenues from plastic production from the US market would be $ 10 billion, up $ 1 billion compared to current revenues. Meanwhile, the world market for current traditional plastic products is worth about 2,500 billion dollars.

Currently, Cereplast Company has 25 employees, working in California and Indiana to produce bioplastic products with an advanced technology, with an annual turnover of about 5 million dollars. Cereplast's products are mainly cups, lids and plastic bags. In addition, this company also produces synthetic polypropylene plastic used to make furniture in cars and children's toys.

"Our polypropylene synthetic resins have up to 50% of the substances in agricultural products. This will greatly reduce the amount of carbon dioxide released into the environment," Scheer said. "To produce 1kg of polypropylene synthetic resin In the traditional way, you will release 3.15kg of CO2 into the atmosphere. Meanwhile, we produce 1kg of propylene bioplastic, we only discharge 1.4kg of CO2 into the environment. Clearly, our technology contributes to a significant reduction in greenhouse gases compared to traditional plastic production. '

Every year, Americans consume about 110 billion plastic cups. These plastic products are mainly produced from fossil fuel sources such as oil, but these materials take about 70 million to 100 million years to form and they are gradually running out. Meanwhile, bioplastic production from potatoes and corn will be a more sustainable solution.

In the future plastic will be produced mainly from marine algae? - Photo: Wordpress

However, some scientists are concerned that the production of biofuels could make the world a food shortage crisis. To address this concern, Scheer is planning to produce bioplastics from seaweed instead of agricultural products.

"Seaweed is also rich in starches like in agricultural products. We can grow algae on a large scale to help reduce the price of plastic products," Scheer said. The school of bioplastic products is produced from algae by the end of 2010. This will be a major breakthrough in the 'green revolution' that the world is aiming to deal with climate change phenomenon.