Biodegradable and compostable alternatives to conventional plastics
Biodegradable and compostable alternatives to conventional plastics
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DOI：
10.1098/rstb.2008.0289
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发表时间：
2009-07-27
影响因子：
6.3
通讯作者：
Davies, G. B. H.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Song, J. H.;Murphy, R. J.;Davies, G. B. H.
包装废弃物构成城市固体废弃物的重要部分，并引起越来越多的环境问题，导致旨在减少产生量的各种法规得到加强。在其他材料中，目前广泛的油基聚合物用于包装应用。这些几乎都是不可生物降解的，并且一些由于是具有不同污染水平的复杂复合材料而难以回收或再利用。最近，在生物可降解塑料的开发方面取得了重大进展，主要来自可再生自然资源，以生产具有与油基聚合物类似功能的生物可降解材料。这些生物基材料的扩展对整个生命周期的温室气体平衡和其他环境影响以及对可再生资源而不是有限资源的使用具有若干潜在好处。生物可降解材料的使用将有助于可持续发展，并减少与处置油基聚合物相关的环境影响。生物可降解材料的多样性及其不同的特性使得很难进行简单的通用评估，例如生物可降解产品都是“好”或石化产品都是“坏”。本文讨论了可生物降解包装材料及其废物管理的潜在影响，特别是通过堆肥。它提出的关键问题，告知判断这些材料的好处，相对于传统的，石化为基础的同行。具体的例子给出了在模拟“家庭”堆肥系统的生物降解性的新研究。作者认为，可生物降解的包装材料最适合一次性使用的一次性应用，其中消费后废物可以在当地堆肥。
Packaging waste forms a significant part of municipal solid waste and has caused increasing environmental concerns, resulting in a strengthening of various regulations aimed at reducing the amounts generated. Among other materials, a wide range of oil-based polymers is currently used in packaging applications. These are virtually all non-biodegradable, and some are difficult to recycle or reuse due to being complex composites having varying levels of contamination. Recently, significant progress has been made in the development of biodegradable plastics, largely from renewable natural resources, to produce biodegradable materials with similar functionality to that of oil-based polymers. The expansion in these bio-based materials has several potential benefits for greenhouse gas balances and other environmental impacts over whole life cycles and in the use of renewable, rather than finite resources. It is intended that use of biodegradable materials will contribute to sustainability and reduction in the environmental impact associated with disposal of oil-based polymers.The diversity of biodegradable materials and their varying properties makes it difficult to make simple, generic assessments such as biodegradable products are all 'good' or petrochemical-based products are all 'bad'. This paper discusses the potential impacts of biodegradable packaging materials and their waste management, particularly via composting. It presents the key issues that inform judgements of the benefits these materials have in relation to conventional, petrochemical-based counterparts. Specific examples are given from new research on biodegradability in simulated 'home' composting systems. It is the view of the authors that biodegradable packaging materials are most suitable for single-use disposable applications where the post-consumer waste can be locally composted.