Keith Matthew, Koller Martin, Lackner Maximilian
School of Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
Institute of Chemistry, NAWI Graz, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria.
Polymers (Basel). 2024 Jun 7;16(12):1621. doi: 10.3390/polym16121621.
Today, 98% of all plastics are fossil-based and non-biodegradable, and globally, only 9% are recycled. Microplastic and nanoplastic pollution is just beginning to be understood. As the global demand for sustainable alternatives to conventional plastics continues to rise, biobased and biodegradable plastics have emerged as a promising solution. This review article delves into the pivotal concept of carbon recycling as a pathway towards achieving a zero-waste future through the production and utilization of high-value bioplastics. The review comprehensively explores the current state of bioplastics (biobased and/or biodegradable materials), emphasizing the importance of carbon-neutral and circular approaches in their lifecycle. Today, bioplastics are chiefly used in low-value applications, such as packaging and single-use items. This article sheds light on value-added applications, like longer-lasting components and products, and demanding properties, for which bioplastics are increasingly being deployed. Based on the waste hierarchy paradigm-reduce, reuse, recycle-different use cases and end-of-life scenarios for materials will be described, including technological options for recycling, from mechanical to chemical methods. A special emphasis on common bioplastics-TPS, PLA, PHAs-as well as a discussion of composites, is provided. While it is acknowledged that the current plastics (waste) crisis stems largely from mismanagement, it needs to be stated that a radical solution must come from the core material side, including the intrinsic properties of the polymers and their formulations. The manner in which the cascaded use of bioplastics, labeling, legislation, recycling technologies, and consumer awareness can contribute to a zero-waste future for plastics is the core topics of this article.
如今，所有塑料中有98%是基于化石的且不可生物降解，在全球范围内，只有9%被回收利用。微塑料和纳米塑料污染才刚刚开始被人们所了解。随着全球对传统塑料可持续替代品的需求持续上升，生物基和可生物降解塑料已成为一种有前景的解决方案。这篇综述文章深入探讨了碳循环这一关键概念，它是通过生产和利用高价值生物塑料实现零废物未来的一条途径。该综述全面探索了生物塑料（生物基和/或可生物降解材料）的现状，强调了其生命周期中碳中性和循环利用方法的重要性。如今，生物塑料主要用于低价值应用，如包装和一次性用品。本文揭示了生物塑料越来越多地被应用的增值应用，如更耐用的部件和产品以及苛刻的性能要求。基于废物分级范式——减少、再利用、回收——将描述材料的不同使用案例和生命周期结束场景，包括从机械到化学方法的回收技术选择。特别强调了常见的生物塑料——热塑性淀粉（TPS）、聚乳酸（PLA）、聚羟基脂肪酸酯（PHA）——以及对复合材料的讨论。虽然人们认识到当前的塑料（废物）危机很大程度上源于管理不善，但必须指出，根本的解决方案必须来自核心材料方面，包括聚合物的固有特性及其配方。生物塑料的级联使用、标签、立法、回收技术以及消费者意识如何有助于实现塑料的零废物未来是本文的核心主题。
