1. Environmental Success Story : “Green” Plastics
By : Eugene Baek

2. The Problem Being Addressed
Large amounts of waste in landfills has been a huge problem around the world. The waste that humans create pollutes the ground and pollutes groundwater and aquifers below the surface.
The waste is also responsible for large amounts of the greenhouse gas, methane, in the atmosphere.

3. How the “green” plastic comes into play
Most of the plastic used to package food is made from petrochemicals is not biodegradeable.
Two different projects called SUSFOFLEX and SUCCIPACK developed plastics made of PLA and PBS, respectively. PLA and PBS can both be derived from by-products produced by farming crops such as wheat.

4. How the “green” plastic comes into play (cont.)
Both of these projects created the base for the commercialization of biodegradeable plastics.
These plastics can be utilized in grocery and department stores worldwide for pre-packaged fruits, vegetables, and meat.
We, as consumers, can purchase packaged goods that are labeled as “biodegradeable” in supermarkets and reduce our own personal carbon footprints in that way. Not only will we feel better about ourselves, but you also probably hear the earth saying thank you to you later.

5. How it works
Susfoflex developed special techniques to combine the PLA with cellulose drawn from wheat straw, a by-product of the farming of wheat, and mixed it with a natural antioxidant found in orange peels.
Susfoflex’s plastic also includes “nanoclay” particles and silver nanoparticles. The nanoclay strengthens the PLA and prevents air from getting into the packaging. The silver particles prevents the growth of harmful pathogens. Both serve as safety measures for consumers.

6. How it helps
Plastic is more dangerous when the plastic is broken down and chemicals are released by the bacteria that break them down. With the new plastics being developed, those harmful chemicals are gone and the decomposers can safely break down these plastics without the chance of polluting the ground and bodies of water.
The plastic(s) could drastically decrease our carbon footprint and reduce pollution levels in bodies of water from plastic if implemented worldwide.

7. Works Cited df