An alternative to plastic pollution

An alternative to plastic pollution

Subject: Environment

Section: Pollution

Context- Mumbai-based start-up Zerocircle zeroed in on seaweed in its quest to replace single-use plastic.

Concept-

• UNEP data shows that global production of primary plastic will touch 1,100 million tonnes by 2050.
• Nearly half of this is designed for one time use.
• Recycling is an option, but 85 per cent ends up in landfills or oceans, as using virgin raw mater­ials are cheaper than recycling.
• Microplastics pollute the ocean, the air, and our bodies. If no action is taken, there will be more plastic in the sea than fish by 2050.

Seaweed- a solution to one time plastics:

• Seaweed is the common name for plankton.
• Seaweed could also be used to make bioplastics — plastic material made from renewable biomas­s sources — and it is more sustain­able compared with agricultural sources such as corn and sugarcane.
• If one want to create bioplastics from agricultural products, it would take 7 per cent of arable land besides needing fertilisers and freshwater, among other inputs. Seaweed, on the other hand, is easier to cultivate and can be harvested within 30 to 40 days.
• Naturally growing seaweed is not plucked out (from the oceans). The cultivation technique, if done cor­rectly, will make the water cleaner.
• When seaweed grows, it absorbs ex­cess nitrogen, phosphorus and car­bon dioxide in the oceans.
• Seaweed cultivation becomes an additional source of income for fisher families.
• After it is harvested, the seaweed is dried and powdered. Carbo hydrates are extracted, gelatinised and processed to produce a flexible plastic film roll.

About Bioplastics:

• Bio-based plastics means they are developed form biomass (plants) such as corn, sugarcane, vegetable oil or wood pulp.
• Biodegradable plastics are those which possess the characteristics of biodegradability and composability.
• They can be converted into natural substances like water, carbon dioxide, and compost by the action of microorganisms in the environment.
• Bioplastics are biodegradable materials that come from renewable sources and can be used to reduce the problem of contaminating plastic waste that is suffocating the planet and contaminating the environment.
• As an alternative to plastic , the use of bioplastics is being promoted, consisting in obtaining natural polymers from agricultural, cellulose or potato and corn starch waste.

 Types of Bioplastics:

• Bioplastics can be prepared from a variety of materials like starch, sugar, cellulose etc.
• Cellulose-based plastics are made from wood pulp and they are used for making film based materials such as wrappers.
• Thermoplastics are starch based plastics. They are used for production of drug capsules as starch has ability to absorb moisture.
• These represent the most widely used bioplastic, constituting about 50 percent of the bioplastics market
• Polylactic Acid (PLA) is made from the fermentation of starch from crops. It is used for preparing computer and mobile phone casings, cups, bottles and other packaging.
• Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is used for making bank notes and car parts etc.
• Polyamide 11 (PA 11) prepared from vegetable oils is used for making oil and gas flexible pipes, and electrical anti-termite cable sheathing etc.
• Photo-degradable plastic which degrades on exposure to light.