Bioplastics: friendly materials with the environment and production technologies Bioplastics: friendly materials with the environment and production technologies

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the general definition of bioplastics from their contribution to the solution of environmental problems due to plastic contamination; learn about obtaining and processing technologies, as well as biodegradation.

Design/methodology/approach: A documentary research was carried out from 2010 to 2022, concerning the definitions of plastics and bioplastics by various authors, their sources of production and processing technologies to obtain final products. Likewise, the practices that have been applied for its final disposal and/or reuse. Emphasis will be placed on the production of more environ-mentally friendly plastics based on polylactic acid (PLA), which is one of the most widely used biodegradable materials today.

Results: There is a potential and growing use of vegetable fibers and other biological materials suitable for processing bioplastics in a sustainable way. In Mexico, there is a large amount of vegetable waste to be used, and thus obtain biodegradable and less polluting materials, with the advantage of degrading in less time than conventional plastics as a productive activity in the agro-industrial sector. To do this, it is necessary to process fibers or local plant residues to integrate them into said production of bioplastics.

Limitations on study/implications: Limitarions are adjusted according to the literature cited.

Findings/conclusions: In Mexico there are various sources of waste plant material, which provides a favorable field to be used in the production of plastics with less potential for contamination and greater capacity to biodegrade, adjusting to trends currently re-quired by demand. of plastics for packaging.