20
K. Ramani et al.
Sustainable polymers i.e. environmentally safer and renewable polymers
composed biologically compatible and biodegradable compounds and to provide
satisfactory effects to the users/industries. Biopolymers produced from biological
source including microbial and plant based components such as carbohydrate and
protein polymer as well as from animal origin like wool, silk, gelatin, and collagen are
converted into non-toxic end products. Apart from this, synthetic polymers such as
polylactic acid (PLA), PVA, and poly (butylenes succinate) (PBS) are also biodegradable. The emerging environmental issues and the increased rate of petroleum all
across the globe is the major reason towards the search of sustainable plastics [65, 67].
4.2 Plastic Recycling
Recycling of plastic waste into useful products could bring solutions to the disposal
of hazardous materials in landfill sites and to make industrially acceptable commercial products without the use of non-renewable fossil fuels. The practice on recycling
the plastic polymers not only reduces the amount of plastic polymeric waste generations but also provides the advantage on the conservation of energy, non-renewable
resources, reduces green house gas emissions, etc. Several recycling strategies for
post-consumer plastic waste are being developed. The process of melting, shredding
or granulation of waste plastics presents a new transformed material. The conversion of plastic waste into oil was performed using direct liquefaction and pyrolysis
techniques [68]. Mechanically and chemically treated plastic wastes were used in
cement-composites and other construction materials [69]. The hydrocarbons/fuels
and refined chemicals are recovered from plastic waste using catalytic conversion,
depolymerization and gasification process. The recycling approach of post-consumer
plastics with a potential to reduce huge amount of plastic waste is gaining much attention among the scientific communities and industries. This technology could provide
immense benefit to plastic waste management sectors [70].
4.3 Biodegradable Plastics: As an Alternative to the Existing
Petrochemical-Based Polymers
Technological advancements in synthetic and petroleum-based plastic polymers
have contributed several economical benefits to humans. The petroleum derived
and synthetic polymers are highly stable in nature. Hence, they are widely used in
various sectors such as agriculture, hotels, food and goods packaging, pharmaceutical industries etc. Despite of consistent stability of the plastics in the environment
as well as in the market, it is contributing to major issues like the resistant towards
biodegradation, bioaccumulation and demand for petroleum oil and their great resistance to biodegradation. On the other hand, the well known problem in the earth is
K. Ramani et al.
Sustainable polymers i.e. environmentally safer and renewable polymers
composed biologically compatible and biodegradable compounds and to provide
satisfactory effects to the users/industries. Biopolymers produced from biological
source including microbial and plant based components such as carbohydrate and
protein polymer as well as from animal origin like wool, silk, gelatin, and collagen are
converted into non-toxic end products. Apart from this, synthetic polymers such as
polylactic acid (PLA), PVA, and poly (butylenes succinate) (PBS) are also biodegradable. The emerging environmental issues and the increased rate of petroleum all
across the globe is the major reason towards the search of sustainable plastics [65, 67].
4.2 Plastic Recycling
Recycling of plastic waste into useful products could bring solutions to the disposal
of hazardous materials in landfill sites and to make industrially acceptable commercial products without the use of non-renewable fossil fuels. The practice on recycling
the plastic polymers not only reduces the amount of plastic polymeric waste generations but also provides the advantage on the conservation of energy, non-renewable
resources, reduces green house gas emissions, etc. Several recycling strategies for
post-consumer plastic waste are being developed. The process of melting, shredding
or granulation of waste plastics presents a new transformed material. The conversion of plastic waste into oil was performed using direct liquefaction and pyrolysis
techniques [68]. Mechanically and chemically treated plastic wastes were used in
cement-composites and other construction materials [69]. The hydrocarbons/fuels
and refined chemicals are recovered from plastic waste using catalytic conversion,
depolymerization and gasification process. The recycling approach of post-consumer
plastics with a potential to reduce huge amount of plastic waste is gaining much attention among the scientific communities and industries. This technology could provide
immense benefit to plastic waste management sectors [70].
4.3 Biodegradable Plastics: As an Alternative to the Existing
Petrochemical-Based Polymers
Technological advancements in synthetic and petroleum-based plastic polymers
have contributed several economical benefits to humans. The petroleum derived
and synthetic polymers are highly stable in nature. Hence, they are widely used in
various sectors such as agriculture, hotels, food and goods packaging, pharmaceutical industries etc. Despite of consistent stability of the plastics in the environment
as well as in the market, it is contributing to major issues like the resistant towards
biodegradation, bioaccumulation and demand for petroleum oil and their great resistance to biodegradation. On the other hand, the well known problem in the earth is