Sustainable Packaging from Waste Material: A Review …
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flame retardance is enhanced by adding phenol novolac and aluminum hydroxide
in PLA. Carbon dioxide absorption ability of natural fibers (Ramos et al. 2016;
Sarker et al. 2012; Chen and Patel 2011); non-renewable raw material usage and
accumulation of non-biodegradable materials causes an environmental problem.
5 Biopolymer Based Packaging Materials
There is a great demand for plant-based materials as an alternative to conventional
single-use plastic in food packaging and are known to reduce the effect of the environmental footprint on the packaging industry. Bio-based plastics from organic polymers, paper and pulp are gaining importance as alternatives to petroleum-based packaging. Just like their counterparts like PHB, bioplastic materials made from biomass
waste, oleochemicals waste and like-plastic plant-based materials, the Polylactic acid
(PLA) is an excellent substitute for plastic made from fermented plants and are proven
to be biodegradable. Polysaccharide-based polymers are recently found to be more
suitable for use in coatings films and composites—such as edible films or coatings
for fresh food packaging to increase the product shelf-life. However, cellulose-based
packaging is gaining importance in food packaging due to its excellent properties
and cost-effective solutions as well as reducing environment footprint compared to
fossil-based polymers.
Several biopolymer sources have been researched and experimented as reviewed
by Siracusa and Rosa (2018). Through the use of recycled and renewable raw
materials and energy efficient production process and minimal waste disposal,
sustainability can be achieved. The end product should be biodegradable and/or
compostable thereby contributing to reduced municipal solid waste problem.
Biodegradable polymers are polymers that undergo decomposition into CO 2 , CH 4 ,
H 2 O, inorganic compounds or biomass through predominantly the enzymatic
action of microorganisms. Some of these polymers can also be compostable,
where decomposition takes place in a compost site at a rate consistent to
known compostable materials (Siracusa et al. 2008; Song et al. 2009). The most
prominent polymers are extracted directly from biomass such as polysaccharides
obtained from starches of potatoes, rice, corn, maize, and wheat, from hemicelluloses of barley; from gums of guar, alginate, carrageenan and pectin, and
from chitosan and chitin. Additionally polymers extracted from animal proteins
(such as casein, whey, collagen, and casein) and from plant proteins (such as
zein, soy, and gluten) are also in use. Synthesized monomers from renewable
resources (named bioderived monomers) such as polylactic acid, bio-polyethylene
terephthalate, and bio-polyolefins such as bio-polyethylene are also used as polymers. Some polymer are directly obtained from microorganisms such as the
family of polyhydroxyalkanoates e.g., polyhydroxybutyrate, polyhydroxyvalerate,
and polyhydroxybutyrate-co-valerate copolymers. Biodegradable materials obtained
from monomers of petroleum resources such as polybutylene adipate and its copolymers with polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene succinate and its copolymers
265
flame retardance is enhanced by adding phenol novolac and aluminum hydroxide
in PLA. Carbon dioxide absorption ability of natural fibers (Ramos et al. 2016;
Sarker et al. 2012; Chen and Patel 2011); non-renewable raw material usage and
accumulation of non-biodegradable materials causes an environmental problem.
5 Biopolymer Based Packaging Materials
There is a great demand for plant-based materials as an alternative to conventional
single-use plastic in food packaging and are known to reduce the effect of the environmental footprint on the packaging industry. Bio-based plastics from organic polymers, paper and pulp are gaining importance as alternatives to petroleum-based packaging. Just like their counterparts like PHB, bioplastic materials made from biomass
waste, oleochemicals waste and like-plastic plant-based materials, the Polylactic acid
(PLA) is an excellent substitute for plastic made from fermented plants and are proven
to be biodegradable. Polysaccharide-based polymers are recently found to be more
suitable for use in coatings films and composites—such as edible films or coatings
for fresh food packaging to increase the product shelf-life. However, cellulose-based
packaging is gaining importance in food packaging due to its excellent properties
and cost-effective solutions as well as reducing environment footprint compared to
fossil-based polymers.
Several biopolymer sources have been researched and experimented as reviewed
by Siracusa and Rosa (2018). Through the use of recycled and renewable raw
materials and energy efficient production process and minimal waste disposal,
sustainability can be achieved. The end product should be biodegradable and/or
compostable thereby contributing to reduced municipal solid waste problem.
Biodegradable polymers are polymers that undergo decomposition into CO 2 , CH 4 ,
H 2 O, inorganic compounds or biomass through predominantly the enzymatic
action of microorganisms. Some of these polymers can also be compostable,
where decomposition takes place in a compost site at a rate consistent to
known compostable materials (Siracusa et al. 2008; Song et al. 2009). The most
prominent polymers are extracted directly from biomass such as polysaccharides
obtained from starches of potatoes, rice, corn, maize, and wheat, from hemicelluloses of barley; from gums of guar, alginate, carrageenan and pectin, and
from chitosan and chitin. Additionally polymers extracted from animal proteins
(such as casein, whey, collagen, and casein) and from plant proteins (such as
zein, soy, and gluten) are also in use. Synthesized monomers from renewable
resources (named bioderived monomers) such as polylactic acid, bio-polyethylene
terephthalate, and bio-polyolefins such as bio-polyethylene are also used as polymers. Some polymer are directly obtained from microorganisms such as the
family of polyhydroxyalkanoates e.g., polyhydroxybutyrate, polyhydroxyvalerate,
and polyhydroxybutyrate-co-valerate copolymers. Biodegradable materials obtained
from monomers of petroleum resources such as polybutylene adipate and its copolymers with polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene succinate and its copolymers