This news article was originally written in Spanish. It has been automatically translated for your convenience. Reasonable efforts have been made to provide an accurate translation, however, no automated translation is perfect nor is it intended to replace a human translator. The original article in Spanish can be viewed at La importancia de los bioplásticos y la biodegradabilidad

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The role of plastics in the environment protection

The importance of bioplastics and biodegradability

Drafting PU29/09/2008

September 29, 2008

The EuPC is the European industry of transformers of plastic. It represents some 50,000 companies in this sector, producing some 45 million plastic stressed every year. The European plastics industry makes an important contribution to the welfare in Europe due to its innovations, giving quality of life for its citizens and providing the resources necessary for the protection of the environment. For this reason it attached great importance to the innovation of bioplastics.

'Bioplastics' are generally considered a form of plastic derived from natural resources such as wood, vegetable (of corn) oils, sugar or starch.

What are bioplastics?

In the minds of the people who are part of the sector, the term 'bioplastics' is used to describe two different at the same time concepts. These two concepts are:

• Functionality – which are biodegradable plastics and organic waste.

• Source of materials: use of renewable or biomass of plastic.

Recently the term 'bioplastics' has been replaced by the term 'biodegradable plastics'. Europe accepts the test of combining the two definitions of plastic. Simply describe the method for determining the biodegradation of polymer in the time of the industry of organ systems.

Biodegradation

It is a process which describes the organizational structures for the micro-organic mineralization. These micro-organisms make bioplastics in carbon dioxide, methane, water and biomass.

While many bioplastics are biodegradable, others not, which it can call 'durable'. A traditional plastic based on fossil resources such as for example ethylene is not biodegradable. Some modified traditional plastics are sometimes called degradable. For example, they may contain an additive that plastics can degrade under conditions of ultra violet and oxygen. This phenomenon is known as 'photodegradation of plastics'. Others may contain an additive to initiate degradation under specific conditions of temperature and humidity. In this case, the plastic is alluded to as 'oxo-degradable plastic' but the degradation process is not started by microbial action.

Is there any difference between biodegradable plastics and composite plastics?

Biodegradable plastics are degraded by the phenomenon of cell mediation (micro organisms, bacteria, enzymes, mushrooms...). A material is biodegradable when degradation is the result of the action of microorganisms and the material is ultimately converted into water, carbon dioxide, methane and biomass.

Composite plastics are degradable because the biological process occurs during composting and are converted into carbon dioxide, water and biomass. There are no side effects such as toxic waste to water, land, plants and living organisms. Currently these plastics are based on natural resources.

How is composting?

Micro-organisms and enzymes and fungi bacteria can metabolize biodegradable bioplastics: the polymer becomes their source of food and energy, micro-organisms then transformed the biodegradable plastic into carbon dioxide, water and biomass.

To a certain level of temperature hot, the water and the oxygen are required by active microorganisms and bacteria of fungi for an efficient and effective biodegradation.

Packaging for food.

A product is only made when specific conditions (temperature, humidity and time) are in the composting system. These conditions are very different in that home composting in the industrial. As a result, many products that have been found in commercial/industrial composting facilities may not be done in the home composters.

The most common market for bioplastics today is the packaging. There are applications included in biodegradable plastic bags, the collection of compostable waste bags or trays of food based on biomass and the packing of food service

The majority of bioplastics are used for food packaging and containers.

How can traditional plastics and bioplastics I compare?

Bioplastics Act different than conventional ones.

They do not have the same characteristics but in an area of specific areas.

Several applications in other sectors are currently under development specializing in the automotive and electronics sector.

Benefits of bioplastics

The transformation of plastics industry supports the innovation of bioplastics that provide many opportunities for society:

• Expansion of the raw material, with the quality and the correct price. This will improve competition.

• Use of existing technology processes.

• New area of business, including niche products.

• Possible reduction of the fossils of coal in the lifecycle of the product.

•. Additional benefits for the function of a product through the biodegradability.

• Promotion of certain products such as food to bring in a professional package.

Bioplastics will eventually find your site in the complex world of the plastics industry.

Another important aspect of its benefits is that bioplastics offer new potential for the industry of agriculture.

The raw material (which is renewable) plays a very important role in the production of bioplastics, and with them, the agriculture Gets a whole new market of food.

How much land is necessary? Depending on the type of plant and the type of bioplastic, biomass requires approximately 2 stressed of bioplastic which can grow in each hectare.

The potential surface depends on the market to develop.