Plastics Derived from Biological Sources: Present and Future: A Technical and Environmental Review

Abstract

In the time period 2010 2015, the worldwide annual production of plastics is very likely to surpass 300 million tons,1,2 requiring multiple amounts of petroleum and leading to hundreds of millions of tons ofCO2 in addition to health risks for the public due to the release of other types of emissions.1,3 A large amount of plastics (at least 40% of the total consumption) is used in short-term applications, and the resulting waste can quickly lead to additional environmental damage unless adequate waste management systems are in place. For example, conventional petrochemical plastics are harmful for terrestrial and sea animals as well as birds that tend to eat plastic residues;4 these impacts could be reduced by plastics that are biodegradable by microorganisms. In short, petrochemical plastics are not sustainable and bio-based sustainable plastics should be developed to avoid problems caused by the petrochemical plastics.