What are Bioplastics and Biopolymers?（I）

The definition of the word bioplastics is not definitive or universal.

It is not easy to answer the question of What are Bioplastics? There are two attributes related to bioplastics: bio-based and biodegradable but not everyone agrees on this.

Definitions evolve over time and sometimes a definition is politically and economically loaded because of the consequences one definition will have above the other.

Etymology reminds us that sometimes we use words in a wrong sense or that popular interpretations or conventional usages of words may not be …etymologically correct.

Bio-based, Bio-sourced and Plant-based

The Oxford Dictionary defines “bioplastics” as a type of biodegradable plastic derived from biological substances rather than petroleum. This is what we call “bio-based”. The “bio” refers to biological.

However, oil and petrol are to some extend also “biological”. They’re the residue of biological entities such as animals and plants that have been pressured and processed for millions of years.

Maybe the “Bio” from bio-based and bio-sourced should not only refer to “biological (entities)” but also to “biologically friendly” in the sense that they respect the fauna and flora and the ecosystem. Then again, how do you define biologically friendly?

Another aspect would be to look at the renewability. To what extend can you renew or how long do you need to renew a plant or a crop? To what extend or how long do you need to renew oil and petrol?

Biobased plastic or Bioplastics are plastics made from renewable biomass such as:

• cellulose

• hemicelluloses

• lignin

• vegetable fats and oils,

• corn starch

• pea starch

• potato starch

• sugars from sugar cane and sugar beats

However, recently there have been many inventions and scientific breakthroughs. We will be able to make bioplastics from

• avocado

• seaweeds and algae

• shrimps

• cactus

• grapes

• fish scales

• insects

• safflower

• mushrooms

• Etc.

When the renewable biomass comes from a plant, it can also be referred to as plant-based plastics.