Plastics generate curiosity as a result of they’re straightforward to make however very troublesome to degrade resulting in a plastic stable waste disaster.
Most plastics are a by-product of petroleum refining, which make their presence a assure so long as we use fossil fuels.
Some would possibly say that we are able to recycle plastics into different merchandise like constructing blocks, diesel and many others
Nonetheless, is that this type of recycling- additionally referred to as chemical recycling- actually sustainable?
The extra we preserve plastics round us, the extra they’ll hold circulating within the type of microplastics which pose an excellent better hazard.
Moreover, changing plastics into gas requires copious quantities of warmth to facilitate breakdown of lengthy molecules to smaller ones.
So is there a solution to the plastic downside?
Sure, nevertheless it isn’t so simple as it’s put.
STOP PLASTIC MANUFACTURE
Stopping the manufacture of plastics is troublesome (if not outright unimaginable) due to two causes:
First, as said earlier than, plastics are a by-product of the petroleum business.
Stopping manufacture is tantamount to difficult oil refineries and associated industries that energize our lives.
Some would argue that it’s nonetheless attainable to take action.
Which takes me to the second level.
Plastics have a lot been intertwined with out lives that it’s almost unimaginable to do with out them.
Image your common month-to-month groceries.
How a lot of it’s packaged in plastic bottles, containers, paper baggage (although they’re banned in some jurisdictions like Kenya)?
The reality is that if we’re to cease storing cooking oil we use at residence in plastic, what alternate options do we have now?
Glass!, we’d say.
Sure, glass is an choice however how many people can afford it?
Now this takes me to the third level.
AFFORDABILITY
Plastics are manufactured en masse.
Which means economies of scale kicks in reducing the price of manufacturing astronomically.
That’s why a soda in a plastic bottle might price method lower than taking the identical soda in a glass container.
When confronted with such dilemmas, what choices do we have now in defeating this plastic downside that appears to have strangled us as humanity?
WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES?
If we intend to strike off an inexpensive product, then we have to be ready to supply one other cheaper various.
Biodegradable plastics are a very good start line on this regard.
However biodegradable plastics derived from agricultural waste are much more interesting.
STARCH FOODS.
In our conventional African setups, we’re cultural shoppers of starches like candy potatoes, arrowroots, cassava, and yams, amongst others.
Whereas getting ready these meals, we often peel off the skins which find yourself within the mud bin.
Nonetheless, what if we use these ‘wastes’ to make bioplastics?
HOW NOW?!!!
Take some uncooked rice, place it in water and see the cloudiness seem over time.
This cloudiness is as a result of presence of starch.
Now the peels from these starchy meals include a considerable amount of this type of starch which might be extracted simply through the use of water.
Afterwards, the water-starch combination might be left to settle then decanted to get well the white (or mild coloured) starch.
This commodity might be saved to be used within the kitchen or used to make bioplastic packaging.
BIOPLASTICS FROM WASTE STARCH
Place the starch in water, add vinegar and a few glycerine then ramp up the temperature of the cooker to low warmth beneath fixed stirring.
Over time, the answer thickens.
This porridge like consistency might then be unfold on a flat floor and allowed to dry in a single day.
It might then be peeled off and used to bundle greens, fruits and different groceries.
The cool factor with this packaging is it dissolves in water and may be eaten safely.
Higher nonetheless, it’s plastics derived from waste.
WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF BIOPLASTICS
The plastic downside can’t be solved by a one-size-fits-all answer.
Nonetheless, changing agrowastes into starch primarily based bioplastics might herald a brand new age of profitable the battle towards plastics.
Nonetheless, extra R&D is required to scale up into the manufacturing of bioplastic bottles, cups, plates and others.
The reality is that the round economic system has options to our on a regular basis issues provided that we are able to dig deeper.
So I invite you to take a deep dive into analysis and innovation of bioplastics, which might assist substitute petroleum primarily based plastics we use on daily basis.
