Abstract
The chemical industry and subsequent value chain of plastics are facing significant challenges from the viewpoints of resource conversion and environmental burden. Now is the time to explore the future direction of plastics, which will require an integrated scheme using resource circulation, carbon neutrality, and a social system to promote after-use treatment under the concept of a circular economy. Polylactic acid (PLA) should help reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as a biobased material and contribute to waste management after use due to its biodegradability if managed properly. That is, it will be necessary to treat biodegradable products appropriately in closed systems such as composting facilities after use and recovery. To realize the implementation of fully approved composting facilities in society, simply evaluating biodegradability in the laboratory is insufficient. In this study, a pilot-scale test using PLA under actual composting conditions was conducted in accordance with both international standards and domestic evaluation methods. The results not only confirm its biodegradability and disintegration, but also demonstrate that the presence of a biodegradable plastic product has a negligible impact on the composting process. The obtained compost did not adversely affect plant germination or growth, demonstrating its safety and high quality. Such a multifaceted perspective makes this study unique and useful for creating a social framework.
Highlights
In the early 1990s, biodegradable plastics [1,2] attracted attention as a potential solution for waste treatment problems associated with the shortage of landfills and environmental concerns, which were represented by fur seals entangled in fishing nets
Around 2005, market growth was slowing due to various reasons: difficulty collecting and sorting products, insufficient properties compared with alternative products such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), use of edible resources, and decreased cost competitiveness with fossil fuel resources caused by a decline in oil prices
The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the importance of a pilot-scale composting test, rather than a laboratory test, to show that composting is the proper treatment method for social implementation after using packaging made of polylactic acid (PLA) contaminated with food waste
Summary
In the early 1990s, biodegradable plastics [1,2] attracted attention as a potential solution for waste treatment problems associated with the shortage of landfills and environmental concerns, which were represented by fur seals entangled in fishing nets. Extensive development was conducted, market growth was slower than biodegradable plastics manufacturers expected because sorting biodegradable products from non-biodegradable products was not trivial, and the necessary infrastructure to treat biodegradable products appropriately was not well developed. Around 2005, market growth was slowing due to various reasons: difficulty collecting and sorting products, insufficient properties compared with alternative products such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), use of edible resources, and decreased cost competitiveness with fossil fuel resources caused by a decline in oil prices. In 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted. To achieve these goals, the chemical industry is expected to transfer raw material sources from fossil fuel
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