Natural and Biodegradable Plastics

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how, although plastic seems to be as indispensable as glass and metal for use in everyday life, it can be argued that no other material has had as immense an impact on the decline of the environment as plastic and the methods used in its production. It looks at such alternatives as biopolymer plastics and compares the functionality between the bio-derived and the synthetic plastic product.

From the Paper:

"It was estimated that in the year 2000 alone, more than 148 million tons of plastics were used worldwide in consumer and industry applications. Further, internationally, plastic use is projected to continue to rise (depending on location) at a rate of 4.8-5.2% annually. Of course, the main reason plastics are used so widely is their amazing ability to function in infinite capacities-car parts, industrial applications, medical instrumentation and equipment, consumer containers, food distribution and preservation, and high-tech components to name just a few. Yet, in its most popular forms, plastic is also highly polluting both in its production, as well as in its inability to degrade back into the natural environment."

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