Does end-of-life matter for bioplastics? Yes!

International Conference and Exhibition on Biopolymers & Bioplastics

August 10-12, 2015 San Francisco, USA

S Blake Lindsey and Michael N Mang

Posters-Accepted Abstracts: J Material Sci Eng

Abstract :

The commercial development of bioplastics was seen as a solution to a number of environmental issues, including litter remediation,
conservation of landfill space, and mitigation of ocean wildlife injury. Over the course of this development the industry has taken
a more nuanced view of how end-of-life options matter, and how bioplastics can specifically add value to users of plastic materials. We
will discuss several case studies for specific articles and show how different end-of-life options can affect the environmental impact
of use and disposal of bioplastics articles. We will also discuss how the various end-of-life options can affect the material selection
process for bioplastics, and how these criteria can differ from those used for traditional, and non-degradable petroleum derived
plastics.