Rationale, Drivers, and Design for Biodegradable and Biobased Plastics, 2002 PLACE Conference Proceedings

Sustainability, industrial ecology, ecoefficiency, and green chemistry are the new principles that are guiding the development of the next generation of products and processes. Thus, new products have to be designed and engineered incorporating a holistic “life cycle thinking approach”. Paper-plastic combination products as laminates or composite products are used extensively in myriad of applications. Currently, these products are designed with limited consideration to its ecological footprint especially as it relates to its ultimate disposability. Designing these materials to be biodegradable and ensuring that they end up in an appropriate disposal system is environmentally and ecologically sound. Polymeric adhesives and other plastic laminates used in paper products need to be designed for ease of operation and non-interference in paper recycling operations. This paper provides the rationale basis and drivers for biodegradable plastics, the design considerations for its manufacture, and introduce emerging technologies in this area.