Professional Documents
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Biodegradable plastic
CHAPTER 1
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Plastics are a part of our daily lives. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean they’re safe or
responsible. Most of the things we buy use disposal plastic, packaging, cosmetics, straw even
fishing nets. Plastics are not inherently bad, and they have many redeeming ecological features;
in fact, many of the techniques we utilize in our designs involve targeted use of plastic
products. Their durability and low maintenance reduce material replacement, their light weight
reduces shipping energy, their formulation into glue products allows for the creation of
engineered lumber and sheet products from recycled wood, and their formulation into superior
insulation and sealant products improves the energy performance of our structures.But Plastics
pose a threat to the environment because the breakdown of different types of plastic leads to
the release of various toxic chemicals.
Using glutinous rice is in developing biodegradable plastics is one big step to lessen, if not total
eliminate, our global concerns. “Malagkit” is tagalog word for glutinous rice. Here inPhillipines,
glutinous rice is grown mostly in Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog as very popular food
ingredient in the Philippines. It is widely used in making native delicacies such suman, puto,
biko, etc.Why is it so sticky? It all comes down to starch content: the starch in rice has two
components, amylose and amylopectin. Medium and long-grain rices have a higher proportion
of amylose, whereas the starch in short-grain glutinous rice is almost all amylopectin,
contributing to its moist and stickier texture.
Biodegradable plastic is plastic that decomposes naturally in the environment. This is achieved
when microorganisms in the environment metabolize and break down the structure of
biodegradable plastic. The end result is one which is less harmful to the environment than
traditional plastics. Biodegradable plastics are made from all-natural plant materials. These can
include corn oil, orange peels, starch, and plants. Traditional plastic is made with chemical fillers
that can be harmful to the environment when released when the plastic is melted down. With
biodegradable plastic, you get a substance made from natural sources that does not contain
these chemical fillers, and does not pose the same risk to the environment. We knew that
cassava starch was effective as a component for biodegradable plastic but the reseachers
want to compare the glutinous rice in cassava starch if this component is also effective for
biodegradable plastic.
HYPOTHESIS
Alternative:
- Glutinous rice along with the other main ingredients, could create biodegradable platstic.
Null :
-Glutinous rice along with the other main ingredients, could not create biodegradable plastic.
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this study aims to determine the effectiveness of glutinous rice as component
of making biodegradable plastic. We do this project because biodegradable plastic has a high
demand in industry in our country. This is why we came up with this project, to prove that
plastics can also be made by using a natural base, such as potato starch, and by using this as the
base we can make plastics that are biodegradable, to make a product that would be safe for the
environment.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The findings of this study benefits the major stakeholders of plastic industry, government
agencies that focuses in the environment,and people in general.
Government
Because of the high demand of plastic in industry, the result of the study could be a significant
element of the government’s intervention.
People
The study would also benefit the people because it is environmental friendly and it’s not
harmful.
Biodegradable plastics hold many advantages over standard plastics with a lesser impact on the
environment being one of its greatest advantages. This study would also benefit researchers
and scientific community as a reference for future studies that might be parallel to the study.
Set up one which was the cassava starch and set up two which was the glutinous rice .
CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Plastic
The word plastic came from the Greek word plastikos, meaning it fit for moulding.
Plastics can be as hard as metal or as soft as silk. polymer chains. Everywhere you look you will
find plastics. We use plastic products to help make our lives cleaner, easier, safer and more
enjoyable. You will find plastics in the clothes we wear, the houses we live in, and the cars we
travel in. The toys we play with, the televisions we watch, the computers we use and the CDs
we listen to contain plastics. Even the toothbrush you use every day contains plastics.
Biodegradable plastics are plastics that are capable of being decomposed by bacteria or
other living organisms.