{"id":27040,"date":"2023-02-15t19:07:33","date_gmt":"2023-02-15t19:07:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dev.planetforward.com\/2023\/02\/15\/innovators-develop-seaweed-based-alternatives-to-plastic-food-wrappers\/"},"modified":"2023-02-24t14:37:24","modified_gmt":"2023-02-24t14:37:24","slug":"seaweed-alternative-plastic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/\/www.getitdoneaz.com\/story\/seaweed-alternative-plastic\/","title":{"rendered":"innovators develop seaweed-based alternatives to plastic food wrappers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
this article was originally published in mongabay<\/a> on jan. 17, 2023.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n seaweed, a common name for thousands of marine plants and algae found in different water bodies, not only provides food and shelter for marine animals, but it can also help solve the plastic pollution problem. materials researchers from flinders university in australia and german biomaterials developer one \u2022 f\u0131ve<\/a> have developed a new nonpolluting seaweed-based coating material \u201cdesigned to replace conventional fossil-based plastic coatings used in grease-resistant fast food packaging.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n the initiative aims to transform the global packaging and plastics industry by significantly reducing reliance on highly pollutive conventional plastic, according to flinders university\u2019s media release<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n the packaging used to wrap the hamburgers, fries and chips we order from fast food establishments is typically laminated with a thin layer of plastic in order to make it grease-resistant. however, this poses a problem in terms of recycling, as this layer is typically made of synthetic polymer<\/a>, which is derived from petroleum, such as polyethylene or polypropylene. this does not biodegrade and it breaks up into smaller pieces called microplastics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n the one \u2022 f\u0131ve and flinders researchers have developed an alternative: a seaweed-based coating that is not made from synthetic polymer. this fits with the goals of recently proposed revisions to eu rules for packaging and packaging waste<\/a>. the main objectives of the proposed rules are to prevent the generation of packaging waste, to boost high-quality \u201cclosed loop<\/a>\u201d recycling, and to reduce the need for primary natural resources and create a well-functioning market for secondary raw materials that will increase the use of recycled plastics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n a number of conditions have to be met for biodegradable and compostable plastics to have positive environmental impacts. first, the biomass used to produce biobased plastics must be sustainably sourced. second, the biodegradable plastics must be approached with caution and should not be used as an excuse to litter. lastly, industrially compostable plastics will be allowed for only some products and should be used only when they have environmental benefits, they do not negatively affect compost quality and there is a proper biowaste collection and treatment system in place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n according to zhongfan jia, lead researcher from the flinders institute for nanoscale science and technology, the seaweed-based coating material they developed uses natural polymer rather than fossil fuel-based products. contrary to synthetic polymers, natural polymers occur in nature and are extracted from plants or animals. the new coating material is derived from sodium alginate<\/a> \u2014 which is obtained from brown seaweed and typically used as a thickening agent, gelling agent, emulsifier, stabilizer and texture-improver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n