Bio-plastics could almost completely replace petroleum plastics
Aside from fuels, one of the biggest uses of petroleum is in the production of polymer materials like plastics. Just as automakers have attempted to reduce the use of petroleum-based fuels, researchers are also working on reducing the other dino juice applications. One of the best known applications of bio-plastics to date is the soy-foam seats used by Ford that debuted in the 2008 Mustang. The new foam cushioning material has since been added to other cars in the lineup.
A new study from Utrecht University in the Netherlands indicates that bio-plastics, while a small business today today, could expand rapidly in the next decade. The researchers estimate that these new materials could supplant 90 percent of all petrochemical plastics over time. No specific timing is given for when that level might be reached, but it will likely take many years. In the meantime, we could make a huge difference by just eliminating all the blister packs used in product packaging.
[Source: GreenCarCongress]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Snoopy 1:33PM (11/09/2009)
Darn straight on that last point!
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Beavker 2:37PM (11/09/2009)
...and the U.S. will be the last to employ them. There are some old, rich white guys on K street that will be very busy lobbying this right out of existance on U.S. soil.
The fits over using our 'food' sources for fuel raised hell, imagine now we use it for other things that help our planet.
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Boyprodigy1 3:33PM (11/09/2009)
I can't agree with this. The problem with E-85 is that there was no real supporting evidence that it helped our planet. There was a lot of argument for the fact that it could give us negative energy returns and worse carbon footprint per mile driven. The thing about using it for plastic though is that it is a tangible recyclable resource and we aren't burning it, which in turn makes a lot more sense. I could however be completely wrong as I am not too well educated on the whole plastics thing, or the E-85 thing for that matter, but I just thought I ought to throw out average Joe's perspective.
john 5:02PM (11/09/2009)
I know this probably sounds silly to those who are in-the-know, but how do they treat these bio-plastics to prevent them from dissolving if they get wet? If you let biodegradable corn-starch-based packing peanuts get wet, they turn into a mush!
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Ren Nagata 8:28PM (11/09/2009)
"like"
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Andy 10:26PM (11/09/2009)
Nothing new, isn't linoleum a bio-plastic. That coverered a lot of floors.
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Laurens 4:11AM (11/10/2009)
Maybe we can recycle organic material from the poor Chinese guy who's job it is to post adds on web-logs, to make mayonnaise ;-)
OT: if it is cost beneficial, to produce the same or better quality, why not. We just have to agree on what the environment is worth.
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carazoocars0 6:57AM (11/10/2009)
That's a great idea. Mother Earth is suffocating with plastic and not to talk about carbon dioxide.
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Mark Kiernan 7:17AM (11/10/2009)
This and vegetable leather upholstery is the way to go.
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