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The first known use of biodegradable in a biological context was in 1959 when it was employed to describe the breakdown of material into innocuous components by microorganisms. [57] Now biodegradable is commonly associated with environmentally friendly products that are part of the earth's innate cycles like the carbon cycle and capable of ...
Biodegradable polymers are mostly plant-base materials, which means they originally come from organic source like soybean or corn. These organic plants have the chance to be sprayed with pesticides which contain chemicals which can contaminate the crops and be transferred into the final finished product.
Biodegradable plastics are commonly used for disposable items, such as packaging, cutlery, and food service containers. [13] In principle, biodegradable plastics could replace many applications for conventional plastics. However, this entails a number of challenges. Many biodegradable plastics are designed to degrade in industrial composting ...
Whether a material is biodegradable is determined by its chemical structure, not the origin of the material from which it is made. [14] Indeed, the sustainability benefits of drop-in biobased plastics occur at the beginning of the material life cycle, but still, when manufactured, their structure is identical to their fossil-based counterparts.
In the 1980s and 1990s, plastic recycling and the development of biodegradable plastics began to flourish to mitigate environmental impacts. [ 139 ] [ 140 ] From 2000 to the present, bioplastics from renewable sources and awareness of microplastics have spurred extensive research and policies to control plastic pollution.
Biodegradable additives can convert the plastic degradation process to one of biodegradation. Instead of being degraded simply by environmental factors, such as sunlight ( photo-oxidation ) or heat ( thermal degradation ), biodegradable additives allow polymers to be degraded by microorganisms and bacteria through direct or indirect attack.
Biodegradable. Cons. Its dark color makes it hard to see your cat’s waste. May track. Corn Cat Litter. Cat litter that’s made from corn is biodegradable, clumps well, and controls odors naturally.
Without the fibers, starch has poor mechanical properties due to its sensitivity to moisture. Starch being biodegradable and renewable is used for many applications including plastics and pharmaceutical tablets. [citation needed] Cellulose: Cellulose is very structured with stacked chains that result in stability and strength.