The damaging effects of plastic pollution have become impossible to ignore. Conventional plastics derived from petroleum are clogging our oceans, harming wildlife and taking centuries to break down in landfills and the natural environment. As concerns over sustainability and the environmental impact of plastics continue to grow, researchers are looking to nature for inspiration and alternatives. Biopolymers—polymers produced from renewable biomass sources—offer a promising solution as sustainable and biodegradable replacements for conventional plastics.

What are biopolymers?

Biopolymers, also known as bioplastics, are polymers produced wholly or partly from renewable biomass sources such as vegetables and microorganisms. Some common biomass feedstocks used in biopolymer production include corn, sugarcane, cassava and microbiological fermentation of sugar. Biopolymers function in the same way as conventional plastics but have the advantage of being wholly or partly derived from renewable and sustainable sources instead of from fossil fuels. They also have the potential to be compostable or biodegradable.

Major types of biopolymers

There are several major categories of biopolymers currently in use or under development:

- Starch-based bioplastics: Made from plant starches like corn, potato or wheat starch. Starch-based bioplastics are compostable but have relatively low heat resistance. Examples include polylactic acid (PLA) and biodegradable mulch films.

- Cellulose-based bioplastics: Produced from cellulose, the most abundant organic polymer on earth found in trees and plants. Examples include celluloid, one of the earliest man-made polymers. More advanced cellulose derivatives show promise.

- Protein-based bioplastics: Produced from proteins like zein, a prolamin protein from corn. Protein-based Biopolymers exhibit good oxygen barrier properties but their water vapor barrier properties require improvement.

- Microbial bioplastics: Produced through fermentation of microbial cultures such as algae, fungi or bacteria. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are a prominent example being developed at commercial scale.

- Biopolymer composites: Combining biopolymers with other organic or inorganic materials to improve properties. For example, PLA composites with natural fibers display good mechanical properties.

Advantages of biopolymers

Some key advantages that make biopolymers promising sustainable alternatives to conventional plastics include:

Renewable sourcing: Biopolymers are produced at least partly from renewable plant and microbial biomass rather than non-renewable petroleum feedstocks.

Sustainability: Biopolymers have lower embodied fossil energy and lower greenhouse gas emissions than their petroleum-based equivalents according to life cycle analyses.

Biodegradability: Many biopolymers are compostable or biodegradable, breaking down into carbon dioxide, water and biomass when exposed to microorganisms and oxygen in composting or natural environments.

Agricultural benefits: Biopolymers production creates alternative and value-added markets for agricultural crops and byproducts while providing rural economic benefits.

Health and environmental benefits: As they are compostable, biopolymers prevent the accumulation of long-lasting conventional plastic materials in the environment that harm wildlife and enter the food chain.

Challenges and the road ahead

While biopolymers hold enormous potential as sustainable alternatives, several challenges remain in the path to widespread commercial adoption:

- Cost: Production costs of biopolymers are still higher than conventional plastics owing to raw material and processing costs. Economies of scale will be required to improve costs.

- Properties: Most biopolymers have inferior material properties like heat resistance compared to petroleum plastics that require improvement via advanced material engineering and composites.

- Standardization: Lack of international standards and definition for "compostable," "biodegradable" and related terms regarding material properties causes market confusion.

- Infrastructure: Collection infrastructure and composting facilities need to be expanded to handle large volumes of bioplastics while maximizing value recovery through compost production.

- Research gaps: Further research is needed in areas including higher efficiency fermentation, novel biomass feedstocks, upgrading biopolymer properties, sustainable recycling technologies and closed-loop bioplastic systems.

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