Inside this conditioned chamber in Rafael Auras’ lab at Michigan State University, researchers can regulate composting conditions, including temperature, humidity, and airflow, while measuring the carbon dioxide produced by microbes as they digest materials in the bioreactors. Credit: Matt Davenport/MSU
Researchers from Michigan State University's top-ranked School of Packaging have developed a way to make a promising, sustainable alternative to petroleum-based plastics more biodegradable.
A team led by Rafael Auras has developed a bio-based polymer blend that's compostable in both home and industrial settings. The work is published in the journal ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering.
"In the U.S. and globally, there is a large issue with waste and especially plastic waste," said Auras, MSU professor and the Amcor Endowed Chair in Packaging Sustainability.
Less than 10% of plastic waste is recycled in the U.S. That means the bulk of plastic waste ends up as trash or litter, creating economic, environmental, and even health concerns.
By developing biodegradable and compostable products, we can divert some of that waste," Auras said. "We can reduce the amount of landfill waste."
Another bonus is that plastics destined for the compost bin won't need to be cleaned of food contaminants. This is a major obstacle to efficient plastic recycling. Recycling facilities routinely must choose between spending time, water, and energy cleaning dirty plastic waste or simply throwing it out. You wouldn't need to rinse or wash those, you could just compost."
More information: Pooja C. Mayekar et al, Breaking It Down: How Thermoplastic Starch Enhances Poly(lactic acid) Biodegradation in Compost─A Comparative Analysis of Reactive Blends, ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering (2023). DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.3c01676
Journal information: ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering
By Aditi Kesarkar
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