Plant-based materials and transitioning to a circular economy

Plant-based materials play an integral part in transitioning to a circular economy. Bioplastics are a growing industry but still account for less than 1% of the total plastic production. Cellulose and starch are abundant, widely available plant polymers that are used extensively for paper, packaging, food service items, bags and biofuels. Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) which is derived from starch by a fermentation process and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) which are renewable, microbial derived biodegradable polyesters that can be processed similar to various commodity plastics. Both polymers are projected to grasp an increasing market share of commodity plastics as production costs drop. Other synthetic biodegradable polyesters and plant-based commodity plastics are commercially available and have expanding markets. The growing use of plant-based materials will have environmental benefits including waste reduction, lower greenhouse gas emissions, promote rural investment, reduce the volume of harmful chemicals/pollutants, conserve ecosystems and biodiversity, and will help transition to the circular economy. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Institution of Chemical Engineers.