No one would have thought that this great invention of the 20th century, namely plastic, would become a huge environmental problem in a few years. The situation brought about by this material is so serious that even a garbage island has appeared in the Pacific Ocean, which is caused by the abuse and use of plastic. In this world, there are also some people and groups who want to contribute to environmental protection. This time, I will introduce you to 5 biodegradable ecological materials that can replace plastics in the future.
1. A mixture of wood fiber and spider web silk
In Finland, researchers imitated the advantages of nature and developed a durable, strong and biodegradable material as a solution to the use of plastics. This invention is a mixture of wood fiber and spider web silk, which has the advantage of not destroying nature like microplastics. In addition, the silk used is not taken from real spider webs, but is produced by researchers using synthetic DNA bacteria. Within the framework of the so-called "Korvaa" project, the world's first headphones of this material have already come out.
2. A straw made of avocado core
In Nuevo Leon, Mexico, BIOFASE's products have unique biopolymer manufacturing technology. From agricultural industrial waste such as avocado seeds, hundreds of tons of straws can be produced, which have a service life of up to 240 days and can then be reintegrated on the earth.
3. Fungal material
In New York City, there is a company called Ecovative Design, which uses mycelium (the vegetative root structure of fungi) as a high-performance packaging method. Its cost is very competitive with traditional foam. The company's mission is to be able to replace plastics with new materials, thereby completely changing the way of consumption.
4. Bioplastics made from cacti
As a non-toxic and biodegradable product, there is a bioplastic made of cactus. Sandra Pasco, a researcher at a university in Mexico, discovered the benefits of using the product as a biopolymer. The degradation time of the material is only one month, and it can even be eaten. The purpose is that once the prickly pear cactus is used, other plants can continue to survive better and produce more fruits.
5. Biodegradable plastic made from tomato peel
Scientists at the Institute of Materials Science in Seville and the University of Malaga have created a biodegradable plastic made from tomato peels. According to his research, its main ingredient is a kind of biopolyester, called "keratin", which exists in the skin of fruits. Cutin is a non-toxic, biocompatible and biodegradable product that exists in nature, for example as a protective layer for fruits and leaves. This makes it suitable for commercial environments and used for food packaging.
