The bright side of plastic packaging

Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have created a fully biodegradable 'barley plastic' from plant materials.

This innovation, using barley starch and sugarbeet waste, decomposes within two months and could revolutionise the packaging industry, significantly cutting the pollution and CO2 emissions when a company produces plastic.

Unlike traditional plastics that persist in the environment and contribute to landfills, this new material integrates amylose and cellulose to form durable, strong chains. These components allow the bioplastic to break down completely in natural conditions, a major step forward from current bioplastics that require specific industrial conditions to degrade fully.

The barley-based bioplastic can withstand water better and is flexible enough for use in various products like shopping bags and food packaging.

The production process relies on existing agricultural byproducts, dissolving raw materials, and then heating them under pressure to form pellets. Not only is this method more sustainable, but it is also claimed to be more economical as it uses resources that are already widely available.

Past efforts to replace conventional plastics have struggled due to technological and financial challenges. Previous bioplastics were limited by their performance and the economic feasibility of their production processes. This new biodegradable material addresses these issues head-on, promising a more sustainable and practical solution to the ubiquitous plastic problem.

Short-term news cycles are always pessimistic. Zoom out. #TheBrightSide