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SUSTAINABLE BIOBASED

BIODEGRADABLE PLASTICS: An Alternative

to Non-Biodegradable Plastic Products

Dr Sudhakar Muniyasamy

CSIR-Chemical Cluster,

Advanced Polymer and Composite Research Group,

Pretoria 0001

NSTF Seminar: Plastics – substitutes vs recycling

15 November 2019

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Presentation Outline

• Introduction

• Plastics waste management options

• Sustainable bioplastics from renewable resources

• Market and Economics

• Biodegradation claims/Certification/Logo

• A success of bioplastics in Italy: A case study

• Overview of CSIR R&D bioplastic technology

• Key findings

• Conclusion and Recommendations

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Potential risk of contamination of recycling systems biodegradable vs non-

biodegradable petroleum based plastics?

Is bioplastics threat to recycling industry?

Is recycling economical viable with taking concerns about the cost of

separation, and about increased contamination, yield loss and impact on

recycled materials quality and processing?

Is biodegradability a solution to plastics end-of-life?

Questions on Bioplastic technology?

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Still bioplastic degrade as microplastic or 100% biodegradable?

What are bioplastics, biodegradable plastics and compostable

plastics?

How long the biodegradable plastics take to degradation in landfill, home

compost, industrial compost and marine water?

How to identify biodegradable plastic vs compostable plastic vs

conventional plastics?

Questions on Bioplastic technology?

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50-55%

Non-durable items application

World Plastics Production

Ref : Adapted from Plastic Europe 2018

Growth of world plastics production

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Plastics Packaging

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• The world faces a global plastics pollution crisis

• Plastic takes more than 100 years to degrade

• Harmful to many living organisms

• Globally, more than 8 million tonnes per year of single-use plastics are dumped in

landfill site or oceans

Copyright:© Daniel Müller / Greenpeace Image by Daily Maverick

Reference: https://plasticoceans.org/the-facts/; Plastics SA 2016

Plastics Pollution

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• Plastics are cheap to produce but very

expensive to clean the environment.

• Future generation will suffer from the

pollution caused by plastic.

Plastics Pollution

Source : EPA 2017, WEF 2019

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Source: Science 2015: Vol. 347, Issue 6223, pp. 768-771

Mismanagement of plastics waste

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Environmental impact of plastics & waste

management in South Africa

• 90% of the waste generated in SA is still disposed of to landfill (dumpsites) including plastics

• Valuable finite resources (fibre, polymer, metals, etc.) lost (>R17b is being lost to the SA economy)

DST 2014. SA RDI waste road map http://www.wasteroadmap.co.za/

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Plastics Waste Management Options

Solid Waste Management Hierarchy

Compost biodegradation

• It was found that the land filling of all waste is generally the worst strategy from an

environmental point of view.

• Significant reductions of gaseous emissions can be accomplished through biogasification and

composting of the biodegradable materials.

Source: Waste Management 23 (2003) 403–409; Environmental Protection Agency, http://www.epa.gov; Torfaen County

Borough, Environment & Planning: Composting

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Source: EPA 2017; European Bioplastics 2017

• There is global drive to reduce the use of single-use plastics

• African countries such as Kenya, Ivory Coast, Tanzania and others

have outlawed the use of petroleum-based single and short-term use

plastic items

Bioplastics for a Circular Economy

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Environmental effects: No hazards in raw materials sourcing Decreased consumption of non-renewable

resources Reduction in GHG emission during biobased

polymer production Biodegradation and recycling opportunities for

biobased products

Drivers of Bioplastics

Source : http://www.southafrica.info/business/economy/policies/ndp2030.htm#.UE0p-6TrrAA#ixzz261HHvhNQ]

Social effects: Contribution to rural development for biomass

sourcing Increasing sustainability and greening of chemical

industry Improve workforce health and safety Decrease in human toxicity

Economic effects: Utilization of wastes and by-product streams Contribution to rural development Competiveness of raw materials compared to fossil

fuels Creation of jobs and maintaining production in some

cases savings in production costs, investment costs Possible green premium within the value chain from

chemicals to bio-based plastics Market entry in environmentally friendly products New innovations and products with superior

functionality Saving waste charges

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No production on African continent

BIOPLASTICS MARKET (Global production)

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BIOPLASTICS MARKET

• World plastics production was approximately 335 million tonnes in 2017 with an

annual growth rate of 3% (Source: Plastics Europe-2018)

• It is predicted that bioplastics will account for 4% of market share in 2019

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Total:

2.11 million

tonnes in %

BIOPLASTICS MARKET (segment)

Packaging remains the largest

field of application for bioplastics

with almost 60% (1.2 million

tonnes) of the total bioplastics

market in 2018

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Agricultural Feedstocks for Industrial Uses

Source : European Bioplastics

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What are bioplastics?

Source : European Bioplastics

The term “biobased" signifies whether

the carbon content in any substance

comes from organic sources, such as

plants and agricultural sources, rather

than fossil sources such as oil and coal.

The value proposition with products

made from plant biomass that does not

exist with products made from oil or coal

PBAT – PVOH –

PCL – PBS

PLA – PHB – PHBV –

CELLOPHANE –

THERMOPLASTIC

STARCH

PE – PP – PVC –

PET – PA – PBT –

PA – PUR – ABS -

NYLON

GREEN PE –

GREEN PP –

GREEN NYLON

PETRO

BASED BIO

BASED

BIODEGRADABLE

RECALCITRANT

Biodegradable vs Biobased Plastics

Question : Is biodegradability a solution to plastics

end-of-life?

Ans : Yes with certified, verifiable

biodegradable/compostable plastics offers responsible

end-of-life options for plastics waste in harmony with

the circular economy model

Question : Is bioplastic a solution to plastic pollution?

Ans : No

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Misleading biodegradation claims/

labelling

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/apr/29/biodegradable-plastic-bags-survive-three-

years-in-soil-and-sea

A plastic bag labelled

biodegradable after three

years in the marine

environment

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Misleading biodegradation claims/

labelling

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Composting plant in the USA,

contaminated with oxo-degradable

PE bags

Ref: Source from Prof C.Bonten, IKT, Germany

“Oxo-degradable” additives

Consist of transition elements (cobalt,

manganese, iron, zinc) that promote

oxidation and chain cleavage of conventional

plastics when these are exposed to heat, air

and UV light.

This chain degradation results in very small,

hardly visible polymer particles (microplastic)

which will not biodegrade and will move

through the food chain.

Scientific evidences on biodegradation

claims is lacking

What is Oxo-additives technology

and Microplastic?

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Correct labelling/

Verified

Certification bodies, Standard and Logos

for Biodegradable Polymer Products

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Challenges in the Biobased/Biodegradable

Polymers

» Low mechanical and thermal properties

» Not suitable for conventional processing

» Low scale up production

» 3 to 5 times expensive than conventional plastics

» Contamination in plastics recycling when biopolymer mixed with non-

biodegradable plastics

Ref: European Polymer Journal 2013, 49(10):2839-2858

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The success of bioplastics: a case

study in Italy

• Identified plastic carrier bags most common plastic waste items in marine

environment approx. 41% of the total

• One of the solution represented by Biodegradable and compositable carrier bags

certified by accredited certification bodies

• Characteristic carrier bags in compliance with European standards EN 13432 :

(i) absence of heavy metals; (ii) Biodegradability within six months; absence of

negative impacts on the composting processing;

• Biodegradation occurs in soil and marine environments

Mater-Bi Home

compostable bags - Italy

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A case study in Italy : Biodegradable and

Compostable bags

• Plastic Ban in 2011 – light weight traditional plastic bags

• Positive effects – increase of reusable bags, use of first biodegradable and

compostable bags and biowaste bags with more environmental awareness

• 94% Italian support

• In Italy almost 40 million people make separate collection of organic waste

• Quality rate organic waste collected – 95.73%, i.e 5mtons, capture rate

90kg/per person/yr

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• New agro-industrial value chains

• In synergy with agricultural local production

• New opportunities for traditional – plastic transformation industry

• Boost for local growth areas - affected by crisis

• New investments in R&D

• New job opportunities

• Represents a model for new regulations in the environmental field

Bioplastics : A case study in Italy of

Bioeconomy

» AGRO-RESIDUES DERIVED FROM AGRI-INDUSTRIES THAT CONTRIBUTE

SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE SA-GDP AND ARE CURRENTLY UNDER DISTRESS,

SUCH AS:

– Paper & pulp waste streams, Sugarcane, maize, chicory,

pineapple and other high-value agro-crops waste streams.

» LONG TERM IMPACT WILL BE TRANFORMATION OF SOUTH AFRICAN

INDUSTRY TOWARDS BIO-BASED PRODUCTS AS A BASE FOR SOUTH AFRICAN

BIOECONOMY

CSIR R&D Aligned to SA Bio-Economy

Strategy

Crops

Waste Streams Tonnage potential

(metric tons)

Waste residues

from crop

Maize / Corn Cob, stover, stalk,

leaves 10,584,269

Cobs

Stalks

Sugarcane Bagasse 6,302,133 Bagasse

Forestry Saw dust 300 000

Paper & Pulp Sludge 300 000

CSIR led biorefinery technologies in development of new

value chains from lignocellulosic biomass

CSIR Focus

LED BY CSIR

CHEMICAL

CLUSTER

OPERATING

UNIT Sugar Baggase

(waste

streams)

Paper & Pulp

(waste

streams)

Maize Stalk

(waste

streams)

Biofuel Crops

(waste

streams)

SA Agro-Industry

contributing to GDP

Value added R&D for

niche applications 32

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Cellulose

Starch

Hemicellulose

Lignin

Oil

Biobased Products

THE CONVERSION CHAIN (BIOREFINERY)

Biomass (agro-based, ligno-

cellulosic and organic waste) Bioplastics

Use

Sugarcane

bagasse Maize stalk

Intermediates Additives (Modifier)

adhesives, coating, microfibrillated

cellulose nanofibres

Manufacture

Recycle Biodegrade

Reuse

Disposal

CSIR R&D Overview: Agricultural biomass

for bioplastics and biobased products

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Biodegradable plastic

bag production

CSIR R&D

BIOPLASTIC FRUIT CRATE水果箱

Extracted from

biomass

Processing

• Extrusion

• Blown film

moulding

• Injection

moulding

Bioplastic

formulation

Retailer

systems Consumers

Bioplastic Fruit Crate

CSIR Bioplastics for Packaging

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Advantages of CSIR bioplastic technology

Good mechanical properties that is

similar to conventional plastics

Processing by conventional

techniques (melt extrusion, blown

film extrusion & injection moulding)

100% biodegradable in soil,

compost and water

100% recyclable (mechanical)

Renewable resource based and

non-toxic

Suitable for packaging applications

(films/bags/crates), agricultural

applications (mulch films/nursery

pots)

Bioplastic fruit crate

Agricultural Mulch films

POTENTIAL PRODUCTS

Biodegradable

plastic bag

Nursery pots

Biodegradable cutleries Biodegradable

Sanitary Pads

CSIR Bioplastics for Packaging

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Biodegradation Testing Facility for Bio-Products:

Environmental Claims & Certifications

Completion of carbon cycle in short span

CSIR Biodegradation testing Facility

0 day 17 days 30 days

After biodegradation in water medium

After biodegradation testing in microscopy

100

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

Bio

de

gra

da

tion

(%

)

180160140120100806040200

Incubation Time (Days)

Neat PLA

Cellulose (reference)

CSIR bioplastic R&D

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After 60 days After 30 days After 140 days

Biodegradation testing of CSIR R&D

bioplastic bag : sea water conditions

100% biodegradable in Sea water

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After 60 days 0 day After 90 days

100% Biodegradable in Soil

Biodegradation testing of CSIR R&D

bioplastic bag : soil conditions

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Aggressiveness of Biodegradation and its

Mechanisms

Biodegradation mechanisms of

carbon backbone & hetero chain

polymer

The trend of plastic production & consumption and mounting of environmental concern caused by plastic waste, are in favour of an increasing acceptance and diffusion of biodegradable plastics(BDPs).

The improved utilization of agricultural undervalued by-products in biomaterial formulations by green technology research (renewable, recyclable and reusable) has opportunities to create new biomaterials for uses in packaging and other sectors.

Renewable resources can be used as cost-effective feedstocks for production of BDPS.

BDPs will replace conventional commodity plastics in those segments where recycling or feedstock recovery is difficult and heavily penalized from an economical standpoint.

Biobased polymers from non-food agricultural ligno-cellulosic biomass have a potential role to play in the development of the bioeconomy due to their potential to address environmental concerns regarding plastic waste and economy challenges.

Conclusions and Recommendations

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Acknowledgements

FUNDING • NRF • Department of Environmental Affairs • Department of Science & Innovation –RDI waste road map • Department of Science & Innovation - BioEconomy • CSIR

INDUSTRIAL PARTNERS INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION

University of Pisa – Italy

Tiajin University – China

IITmadras- India

Alagappa University – India

University of Guelph-Canada

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19 September 2018

Thank you