Imagine
walking on the beach. The sun is shining, everyone is having fun but then
someone gets hurt because he or she stepped in a sharp piece of plastic. It may seem
very exaggerated but this will happen very often in the near future unless
something changes.
I’m sure
that every one of you knows that pollution by plastic is a global problem. But
nevertheless, I’m also convinced that most of you won’t pick up an empty
bottle, or any other kind of plastic, and throw it in the appropriate garbage
can. This attitude will eventually lead to animal death and finally also to an
unpleasant environment to live in.
We
scientists created these polluting plastics, so it’s our task to think about
renewable ones and alternative raw materials that can be used to develop them.
One of the
newest discoveries in this research field is the development of a renewable
plastic from a chemical that is called pinene. Pinene is the fragrant chemical
from the terpene family and is responsible for the distinctive “Christmas
smell” of pine trees. A significant advantage is the fact that pinene is a
waste product from the paper industry and now can be turned into something
useful instead of being thrown away. Sugar cane and corn are also interesting
raw materials for the development of bio-based plastics. Researchers are hoping
that this kind of plastic can be used in a great range of applications,
including food packaging, plastic bags and even medical implants.
Other
studies consist of syntheses of biodegradable polymers where Biopol (poly hydroxyl
butyrate valerate), a copolymer containing β-butyrolacton and β-valerolacton
and synthesized by a micro organism (Alkaligenes eutrophus), is a running project
in Belgium.
Personally,
I think this kind of research can be a step forward to a whole new generation
of plastics whereby the impact on the environment will be enormous (but now, at
least, in a good way).