BIODEGRADABLE PACKAGING

MATERIAL THAT EXPANDS ON

CURRENT VERSIONS
Oral defense by Abigail Rawls
Introduction
The project in question was designed to test the following:

Can a bioplastic be made Does the bioplastic What effect will the new
with cheaper materials degrade faster than bioplastic have on the pH
than current bioplastics? existing models as well as of soil?
average plastic?

Hypothesis: If bioplastics are used to make a soda ring prototype, then it will break down
faster than ordinary plastic packaging while causing less damage to the environment
than current ‘biodegradable’ packaging.
Lit Review
Below are the main points from journals regarding bioplastics and the importance of the
matter:
• W. Abotbina and their team effectively create a bioplastic film using natural
ingredients, mainly cornstarch (Development and Characterization of Cornstarch-Based
Bioplastics Packaging Film Using a Combination of Different Plasticizers).
• N. Gómez-Gast experiments with different kinds of vegetal fibers in order to determine
which ones work best as a biocomposite (Biopackaging Potential Alternatives: Bioplastic
Composites of Polyhydroxyalkanoates and Vegetal Fibers).
• W.L. Filho’s study found that the participants of a survey have a good understanding of
the links between the concepts of ‘bioplastics’ and ‘biodegradable’, implying a positive
view of bioplastics (Consumer attitudes and concerns with bioplastics use: An
international study).
Procedure
• Make a mold with mold putty using the blueprint
(right)
• Create a bioplastic with glucose, PVA glue and
cornstarch
• .Leave the bioplastic in a controlled environment
exposed to the elements alongside normal plastic
and recycled bioplastic
• Test the pH of the soil after 3 weeks have elapsed
and note the degradation of each plastic
Results
Unfortunately, the experiment did not yield any promising results. Plastic can’t be
biodegraded in the span of three weeks; therefore, the results were mostly
inconclusive. Regardless, this project should serve as a wake-up call to address
alternative measures to the plastic that we use so frequently and ignore when it
contributes to pollution.

Plastics in their control environment Plastics after three weeks in the elements
 Review and Corrections
What could have changed the results/ made the experiment better overall?

Since there isn’t much

The pH strips used to test the
soil had very vague instructions
and most likely gave inaccurate
data
There wasn’t enough time
available to break down the
plastics any significant
amount
knowledge of bioplastics yet,
it was tricky to figure out how
to construct the bioplastic,
and, in the end, the prototype
wasn’t as solid as it should
have been
Next Steps
While this experiment might have failed to create a revolutionary bioplastic, this
data should be better utilized to create an authentic prototype. The issue of
pollution is a pressing matter, and many leaps and bounds have been taken to fix it.
Even so, more capable scientists should consider picking up the cause and conduct
similar experiments to better understand what bioplastics can do for our
environment.
THANK YOU
FOR YOUR TIME