Is there a biodegradable plastic?

Answer 1

Yes, there are biodegradable plastics on the market. But first biodegradable has to be defined. May plastics can degrade over time (100 years), but what is a reasonable time in terms of the ecology of a site used for refuse dumping. Maybe a few weeks?
The bags i have been using for research are primarily made of corn starch (made from non-GMO corn), BioBags also consist of Novamont resin and fully biodegradable polymers or polylactic acid. Production of BioBags use less energy and produce two-thirds less greenhouse gasses than the manufacture of plastic bags.

Any plastics made to this criterea will be biodegradable.

Answer 2

Biodegradation is the decomposition of organic material by microorganisms.
Contents

The term biodegradation is often used in relation to sewage treatment, environmental remediation (bioremediation) and to plastic materials. Organic material can be degraded with oxygen (aerobically) or without oxygen using other electron acceptors such as nitrate, ferric iron or sulphate. A term closely related to biodegradation is mineralisation, in which organic matter is converted to into CO2 , H2O, (+ CH4 in anaerobic conditions) through microbial action.

Biodegradable matter is material that will biodegrade. For example, most plastic bags are not biodegradable, but paper bags are in a general sense. However, UV-degradable bags are easy to design and manufacturers have tried to make biodegradable versions.

Answer 3

Yes, many plastics are biodegradable. Nylon,polypropylene and polyethylene are the most common biodegradable plastics.

Plain old polyethylene supermarket bags are biodegradable - they just take up to 1000 years to fully biodegrade. Just because a bag is biodegradable doesn't mean you can throw it away - it may cause just as many environmental problems as an ordinary plastic bag.

Answer 4

There are biodegradable plastic alternatives that perform just as well as traditional plastic. There are rumours of a well known mobile phone company who are developing a biodegradable phone with a seed implanted in the case so when you've finished with your phone you don't bin it, you plant it and a flower grows!

Superb ecological thinking!

Answer 5

No I don't think so although there are alternatives that are. O bought a pen for example which was completly biodegradable and looked like plastic but was made of some sort of strach, I think, you could tell by chewing it!

Answer 6

Yes.
By adding Calcium Carbonate into the Vat of Pastic granules ( Raw Material) the percentage I do not remember, will form minute break point in the Plastic structure.
This over time when exposed assist the Pastic to parcially Decompose.
The negative side is that the Higher the Percentage of C.Carbonate the weaker the strength of pastic.

Answer 7

yes. Don't know anything about it but Supermarkets were trying out biodegradable plastic bags, I think it takes ages to degrade still.

Answer 8

i heard they are developing something like that for drinks bottl;es

Answer 9

yes there is. it is not as yet widely avaliable though.

Answer 10

not any i know of,,,,,,,,but i think they are tryin to develop smething like dat