Within
- new plastics
- potential for new design
“The Plastic Bank is setting up plastic repurposing centers around the world, where there’s an abundance of both waste plastic and poverty.
We are empowering people to harvest plastics as a currency they can exchange for tools, household items, parts & 3D printing.
Our mission is to remove plastic waste from the land, oceans and waterways while helping people ascend from poverty and transition into entrepreneurship.”
Why Plastic Waste Is Such a Problem and the Future of Bioplastics
Posted: 28/05/2013 15:12 Simon Howarth
“Positively a Southampton based company called Biome Bioplastics is in the process of developing a 100% naturally sourced and biodegradable plastic. The company is trying to replace the oil based chemicals currently used in the manufacturing process with a chemical derived from lignin, a complex hydrocarbon found in the cell walls of plants. This is such an exciting prospect because lignin is so widely available; it is actually a waste product itself from the pulp and paper industry. When lignin is broken down, by enzymes found in the stomachs of termites strangely enough, a chemical is produced that could potentially be used as a replacement for oil based chemicals.
Hopefully the process of extracting the required chemical can be realised in a cost effective manner on an industrial scale. As it stands using petrochemicals over their bioplastic counterpart is two to four times cheaper for manufacturers, but the chemical derived from lignin could potentially replace the petrochemicals currently being used. Not only would this make the plastic more environmentally friendly, but production costs would be significantly lower. The research has also been backed by the Government's Technology Strategy Board with a £150,000 grant, so we might not have to wait too long until a 100% naturally sourced biodegradable plastic is on the market.”
biodegradability
Source; Frost & Sullivan, 1998
A lot of technical information on starch.
http://www.bionomicfuel.com/corn-starch-plastic-the-advantages-and-disadvantages/
Advantages and Disadvantages of Starch Based Plastics.
Outwith
Many children’s toys are made of wood as - depending on the wood chosen - can have various degrees of toughness, come in many forms and can be painted and varnished. The wood products seem of a higher quality than the equivalent plastic products and so are sometimes a more attractive purchase, however this is reflected in the price.
During my field visits I have not seen any educational products made of metal, however some products more aimed towards adults are made out of metal - often puzzles.
No comments:
Post a Comment