OUR LADY OF FATIMA UNIVERSITY 1

Chapter 1

1.1 Introduction

Plastics are one of the greatest types of pollutants in history. Ever since the first synthetic
plastic was made in 1907 by Belgian inventor Leo Baekeland, it became a cheap alternative to
expensive packaging materials but the resulting waste from the use of plastics became one of the
problems that the world is currently facing in the 21st century. Single-use plastics, such as plastic
straws, Styrofoam, and plastic cutlery, cause a drastic impact on the environment, particularly in
bodies of water like the ocean and rivers.
The carbon footprint of plastic production is enormous. According to the Organization for
Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), plastic production alone is responsible for
3.4% of all greenhouse gas emissions. That is more than the Philippines’ emissions of only 0.35%
in 2016.
Plastics have a significant impact on the environment. It is one of the leading causes of
pollutants in land and water. Not only that, plastics can take a long time to decompose. It can
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take anywhere from 20 to 500 years. That means that traditional plastic made in 2023 can
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decompose between 2043 to 2523 and Styrofoam, just one of these plastics, does not N
decompose. Most of these plastics end up in landfills and some even end up in the ocean. I
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According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), 80% of marine debris is R
made up of plastic. Not only that, but it also contributes to the deaths and injuries of marine
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wildlife.
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Most of the plastic the world uses do not get recycled. In a report made by the OECD, only G
9% of the plastic waste in 2019 was recycled and 22% gets mismanaged. However, there is still a H

stark difference between OECD member countries and non-OECD member countries. OECD- S
member countries have more resources and therefore could afford to have efficient waste C
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systems. Developing and least-developed countries, however, lack the required resources to
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have effective waste management systems which mean plastic waste in these countries get O
mismanaged. This inequality is further seen in the numbers. OECD countries, on average, only L
mismanage 6% of their total plastic waste production but it rises to 39% in non-OECD member
countries and up to 54% in certain regions of Africa.

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But a new alternative is rising. With the shift to paper packaging in recent years, another
material aims to also reduce unsustainable plastic production. Bioplastics offer a better plastic
alternative. It is a material made up of natural and renewable materials that can easily be
decomposed. Not only is it eco-friendly, but it also lessens the impact of fossil fuels on the
environment. But all good things also have disadvantages. Some bioplastics do not decompose
and even produce toxic methane gas.

1.2 Background of the Study

Before the rise of single-use plastics, people opted for paper, cloth, metal, tin, and other
natural plastic materials. However, those materials were more expensive than plastic materials
the world uses today. According to the Geneva Environment Network, in the past decades, global
plastic production has grown exponentially. In the 1950s, annual production was only at 1.5
million metric tons and in 2021, it was around 391 million metric tons. The figure represents an
annual increase of 4% in plastic production. This figure is only going to increase even further as
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the population keeps growing and developing countries develop. In 2050, annual production is
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seen at 2 billion metric tons. In the same year, the global population is seen to hit 9.8 billion N
people. It is imperative that a solution to this growing problem must be found as soon as possible. I
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Plastic pollution was only a recent phenomenon. Debris from plastic materials was first R
observed as recently as the late 1960s by scientists carrying out plankton studies. In the 1970s H
and the 1980s, the reputation of plastic has fallen further as waste caused by it has risen I
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significantly. Not only that, but many plastics take a lot of time to decompose, with some plastics
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not decomposing at all.
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The effects of plastic are felt everywhere. Plastic pollution on land is harmful to the soil. C
The chemicals used in plastic production could seep into the ground and the soil. These chemicals H
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could contaminate the groundwater supply which could make humans and animals sick. Many O
wild animals can also mistake plastic waste for food and can eventually choke, injure, and kill L
them.

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In water bodies, plastic pollution has been shown to kill marine life. According to the IUCN,
14 million metric tons of plastic end up in the ocean every year and it makes up for 80% of the
total marine debris found in the ocean. Because of this, many aquatic animals can mistake plastic
for food. Studies show that all kinds of species, from planktons to seagulls, ingest plastic bits on
a regular basis. These bits of plastics can be a choking hazard to these animals and can cause
poisoning as plastics are made from hazardous chemicals. Marine life can also be entangled in
this plastic waste.

The bioplastic industry is a booming industry. Projections show that this field can be a
$300-billion industry as recent as 2030. Many companies are looking for sustainable alternatives.
Bioplastics offer more eco-friendly alternatives to plastics. However, bioplastics are still more
expensive to produce than plastics that the world still uses to this day although in the future,
bioplastics will be a lot more affordable for more business worldwide.

1.3 Statement of the Problem S

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General Problem N
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Plastic waste pollution is a growing problem. Its use is only expected to grow as demand O
for different products grows because of rapid population growth. The environment has been R

severely impacted by the introduction of plastics into the environment. This pollution is already
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causing negative impacts not just on the wildlife affected by it but also on the humans. I
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Biodegradable plastics now offer an eco-friendly alternative to plastic but they are still expensive
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and are not feasible for small businesses. This research will be testing biodegradable plastics as
an alternative to traditional packaging. S
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Specific Problem H
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• The introduction of plastics into the environment has caused tremendous amounts O
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of pollution.
• The rapid increase of plastic pollution.

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• Plastic pollution is causing destruction on the ecosystem which in turn kills wildlife
in the areas it affects.
• It takes a long time to break down plastic waste, with some of it never being broken
down at all.
• Biodegradable plastics are still expensive to produce.

1.4 Objectives of the Study

General Objectives

The purpose of this study is to reduce plastic waste materials that are being used as it
affects humans' health and the environment. Reducing the use of plastics is essential because it
reduces pollution and the demand for fossil fuel consumption while saving natural resources and
energy. It also reduces greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change. This
research also aims to study the ways on how waste can be reduced by finding traditional plastic
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packaging.
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Specific Objectives N
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• To help in looking for alternatives to traditional plastic packaging. O
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• To aid in reducing plastic waste.
• To analyze the viability of biodegradable plastics as a replacement for traditional plastics. H
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• To determine the pros and cons of bioplastics for businesses. G
• To find cheap alternatives in making such bioplastics. H

• To test the abilities of biodegradable plastics and how it holds up against other types of
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packaging. C
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1.5 Scope and Limitations

Scope

This research will assess the potential benefits of biodegradable plastics as an alternative
for traditional packaging, with a special focus on single-use plastics. The assessment will include
their reduced environmental impact as less pollution and carbon emissions will be produced,
their potential for composting, and their ability to help reduce waste in landfills and oceans. This
study shall be done in an experimental manner.

Limitations

• This study is within the study of biodegradable plastics only. Any other packaging,
such as those made of paper, is not covered although it could be mentioned in
some circumstances.
• This study will not be experimenting with paper and cloth packaging.
• The main subject of this study is the assessment of biodegradable plastic or
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bioplastics as an alternative to traditional plastic packaging.
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• This subject shall only be conducted in Our Lady of Fatima University – Antipolo N
Campus and in the residences of the researchers. I
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1.6 Significance of the Study H

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This study is conducted to benefit the following groups: G
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1. Business Owners. This study could serve as a guide into making more sustainable
and eco-friendly products without sacrificing a lot of profit. As S
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2. Government. The government could use this study in order as a basis to pass H
relevant laws in order to reduce plastic waste and encourage the use of O
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biodegradable plastics, bioplastics, and other biodegradable materials as opposed
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to traditional plastics so that the environmental impact of plastic pollution could
be reduced.

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3. Students. Any student that is planning to start a business could be guided with
sustainable ways to pack their products.
4. Future Researchers. This study could serve as a backbone into researching more
eco-friendly, sustainable, and inexpensive packaging materials. This study could
also be used by them to conduct further studies in this field.

1.7 Definition of Terms

1. Alternative. Another option for something.

2. Biodegradable. An object or substance that could be decomposed by bacteria and
other living organisms.
3. Bioplastic. A type of plastic made from biodegradable and renewable materials.
4. OECD. An acronym for Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, a
group of 38 countries across the world. Most of its members have rich and highly-
developed economies. S
5. Packaging. The material used to wrap products before they are sold to consumers to E
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protect them from the elements. I
6. Pollution. The introduction of harmful contaminants and materials to the natural O
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environment that could cause negative effects on the ecosystem and the environment.
7. Renewable. Resources that could be replenished over time. H
8. Sustainable. To fulfill the current needs of the generation while also thinking of the I
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future generations. H
9. Waste. Everything that has been discarded or thrown away because it is defective, no
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longer useful, and/or worthless.
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Chapter 2

Review of Related Literature

2.1 Local Literature

The primary harmful pollutant endangering the environment is plastic. The translucent
and glossy bioplastics derived from potatoes, taro, and cassava were the most common. Based
on the study of Cataquis, et al. n.d, the goods mimic packaging materials such as Elastomers,
Silicone, and Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC). The bioplastic made from pure cassava has the highest
moisture content (70.8%), indicating electrical solid properties. In contrast, the bioplastic made
from pure taro has the lowest percentage of water absorbed, suggesting that it is the most
dielectric of the six samples provided. Their research findings show that atmospheric pressure
and temperature had little to no impact on the bioplastics' exterior looks. After two weeks of
being immersed in the soil, the samples lost some mass that was likely being degraded to the soil
and disintegrated.
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Most primary plastic is produced by the packaging sector, with low-density polyethylene
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(LDPE) being the polymer type that makes the most waste. Bioplastics were created as a potential N
replacement for conventional plastic in order to address this problem. Their research intends to I
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develop a bioplastic material appropriate for single-use, non-food contact packaging applications R
using carrageenan as a raw ingredient. In the light of this study Hortaleza, et al. (2021) synthesized
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six distinct bioplastic formulations using carrageenan as their raw material. It also stated that,
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there are only so many practical, readily available biodegradable thermoplastic polymer G
alternatives in the Philippines. H

Many studies are being done to find uses for agricultural wastes because they are still S
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underutilized globally today. A few biopolymers in agricultural waste are appropriate for H
bioplastics (Aventurado et. al., 2022). In the study of Peralta, et al. (2019), biological films need O
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high mechanical and barrier qualities for food packaging materials. Current research on these
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qualities is concentrated on enhancing them to produce natural films for food packaging
equivalent to widely used plastic packaging materials. Due to novel potential applications for
materials at the nanoscale scale, nanomaterials are receiving a lot of attention. The qualities of
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the films may be effectively improved by nanotechnology-based modification of the

biodegradable film.

Most plastic is used for single-use items, making up around 36% of all plastic output.
According to Dayrit and F. M. (2019), single-use plastic is the most noticeable and troublesome
pollution since it is intended for disposal and because of its size. Furthermore this study also
states that 3Rs cannot be utilized to address the problem of single-use plastic because it is not
designed to be reused and is expensive and challenging to recycle (reduce, reuse, recycle). Also,
managing plastic trash requires effective recovery, which is rare in most developing nations. The
3Rs should be expanded to the 5Rs, which stand for redesign, reduce, reuse, recover, and recycle

2.2 Foreign Literature

Population around the world is rapidly increasing as well as the production of plastic
because of human’s needs. According to the OECD (2022), the amount of plastic garbage
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produced worldwide has doubled over the past two decades, with just 9% of it successfully
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recycled and most of it ending up in incinerators, landfills, or leaking into the environment. One N
of the possible solutions to reduce plastic production is biodegradable plastics. Due to the I
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potential biodegradability and safety of biodegradable plastics, it attracted the attention of many R
researchers. This is because managing the problem of the accumulation of plastic waste in the
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environment would be most effective with biodegradable plastics.
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According to Ashter (2016), bioplastics are produced completely either through part using
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microorganisms like yeast or sustainable biomass sources like sugarcane and corn. Under the
correct circumstances, some bioplastics are compostable or even biodegradable. The study of S
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M.K. Marichelvam, et al. (2019) showed that the corn and rice starches have better H
biodegradability than the existing plastics materials. “The average thickness of the bioplastics is O
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0.25 mm (250 microns). The average moisture content is 13.2%. The solubility in water is 11.9%.
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The biodegradability of the sample is 48.7%, and it is achieved in 15 days. The maximum tensile
strength of the bioplastics is found to be 12.5 MPa. The water contact angle of 70° was obtained”,
said by the researchers. From the result they have tested, it can be said that bioplastics can
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replace LDPE and HDPE plastic bags as well as be utilised as packing materials. Additionally, by
substituting natural polymers for petroleum-based ones, starch can be utilized to minimize the
carbon footprint of conventional resins. It is also highly degradable, thus using it with a
compostable polymer will not stop the degradation from taking place (Green dot bioplastics,
2023).

In another study (Moshood et al., 2022), it was shown that biodegradable plastics can still
take on characteristics of traditional plastics but with increased environmental benefits. The study
stated that many issues can be solved and that the future could be more preserved because of
the production of biodegradable plastics, though it also concluded that steps must be taken to
bring down its high production costs, as well as the poor performance of some biodegradable
plastics.

However, despite the advantages that bioplastics have, some researchers said that it also
has drawbacks to the environment. Bezirhan E. and Bilgen H. (2015) said that some disadvantages
of bioplastics are high-cost materials, recycling and reducing raw materials. It is said that
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bioplastics cost two times more than the traditional plastics. However, in the long run, increased E
demand for petroleum-based products will drive up the cost of conventional plastics, while rising N
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demand and expanding manufacturing capabilities for bioplastics will drive down the cost of O
these materials (Jiang et. al., 2022) . Moreover, inappropriate disposal of bioplastics can damage R
recycling equipment and contaminate batches of reclaimed plastic. So, it is necessary to dispose
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bioplastics properly. I
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Chapter 3

Methodology

This chapter discusses the research approaches and methodologies chosen, as well as the
location of the study, the data gathering instrument, the data gathering procedures, and the
data analysis procedures followed by the researchers.

3.1 Research Design

The most suitable study design for this study was quantitative approach. This design was
defined as a study design that includes measuring variables with a numerical system, analyzing
these data with any of several statistical models, The quantitative research design could include
conducting experiments and collecting numerical data to measure the effectiveness and
sustainability of various biodegradable plastic materials.

The study could use statistical analysis to compare the performance of various S
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biodegradable plastics in terms of their ability to degrade in different environments, durability
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and strength, and cost-effectiveness when compared to traditional packaging materials. The study I
might further involve a survey of consumers to gather information on their perceptions toward O
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biodegradable plastics and willingness to pay for biodegradable packaging. This information could
be used to assess the market potential and demand for biodegradable packaging materials. H
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Furthermore, the quantitative research design would involve the use of numerical data G
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and statistical analysis to investigate the potential of biodegradable plastics as a sustainable
packaging alternative. S
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3.2 Research Locale O
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The researcher had chosen the school where they had been allocated in their sector. Our
Lady of Fatima University's Antipolo campus is situated at KM 23, Sta. Cruz, Antipolo City, Rizal,
and the study interview were planned and carried out both face-to-face and online. Others were

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spoken with directly, while other respondents were questioned through Google forms. This
analysis covered the students from OLFU Antipolo City, as well as waste management facilities
like landfills and recycling centers, could be used as research location for this study. By conducting
waste composition studies and analyzing landfill waste, disposal emissions, researchers could
collect data on the effectiveness of biodegradable plastics in reducing waste and their
environmental impact.

3.3 Key Informant/Population Selection

The participants here are senior high school students and college students that are
currently studying in Our Lady of Fatima - Antipolo Campus. Some of them were also a big
consumer of using plastic waste.

3.4 Research Ethics

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The quantitative research ethics of investigating the potential of biodegradable plastics as
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a sustainable alternative for packaging would involve (1) ensuring that the study is carried out I
with integrity, scientific validity, and consideration for the rights and welfare of participants and O
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the environment. (2) The study should ensure that the research does not harm the environment
or contribute to environmental degradation. (3)The study should consider the long-term effects H
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of biodegradable plastics on the environment, as well as their potential impact on ecosystems.
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3.5 Research Instruments
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The research instrument of this study would be Interviews with biodegradable plastics H
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experts, packaging professionals, and sustainability advocates which could be a way to learn O
about the present state of biodegradable plastics research and development. Experimental L
laboratory studies can be used to test the biodegradability of various types of biodegradable

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plastics in various habitats, such as soil. in addition to identifying potential impediments to

acceptance and growth opportunities in the biodegradable plastics companies.

3.6 Data Collection

The researchers will organize a brainstorming session in which they will submit all
potential questions. Using Google Form, the researcher will develop an online survey with a
collection of questions based on all the provided questions. and will use a convenience sampling
strategy to collect respondents. Respondents will engage online via the Google Form that the
researchers will submit to them, in keeping with the new regular educational system.
Respondents' completed surveys will be collected by the researchers. The information that will
be acquired will come from the students at the Our Lady of Fatima University Antipolo Campus
and will address the question, what are some alternatives to single-use plastics? What are the
environmental impacts of plastic waste? This data collection will help researchers replicate and
validate the study's findings by providing evidence to support research questions or hypotheses. S
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Data will also be collected through experiments on different biodegradable plastics, as N
well as bioplastics made from a host of ingredients, such as agar-agar. The data derived from these I
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experiments will be used to assess how biodegradable plastics could be used as a better R
alternative to traditional single-use plastics.
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3.7 Data Analysis H

Conduct a cost-benefit analysis of biodegradable plastics compared to traditional plastics. S

This could include assessing the cost of production, transportation, and disposal for each material, C
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as well as any potential economic benefits or drawbacks associated with the use of biodegradable O
plastics. O
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Using correct statistical processes, researchers can examine the statistical significance of
their data and uncover potential sources of prejudice or confounding factors that may influence
the interpretation of the results. Furthermore, the researchers in this study arranged and grouped
the data gatherers so that it could be evaluated and studied. The acquired data was coded,
tabulated, totaled, and analyzed in order to summarize and interpret the findings using
descriptive statistical measures such as those given below:

1. Distribution of frequencies. In statistics, a graph or data set is organized to demonstrate

the frequency with which each possible outcome of a repeatable event occurs when
observed multiple times. This is used to identify the gender, age, grade level, weekly
allowances, or personal profile of the respondents; it is used on purpose to compile and
summarize the survey data in a statistical manner.
2. Percentage Distribution. a data presentation that shows the percentage of observations
for each data point or cluster of data points. It is a popular way to express the relative
frequency of survey replies and other data.
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Where:
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% = Percentage
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f = Frequency
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100 = Constant Value

N = Total number of respondents

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3. The Likert Scale. a rating scale that is often used in quantitative research to assess
participants' attitudes, views, and perceptions. It typically consists of a statement or
question followed by a set of response alternatives, with participants asked to indicate
their level of agreement or disagreement with the statement/question.

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