Paper or plastic? How many times have you heard that in the grocery store? Feels like a no-brainer does it? Many would gladly choose paper. They would instantly assume that it is “greener” to choose paper. But did you know that 14 million trees are cut down just to sustain United States consumption of paper bags a year? And the bulk of this is made from virgin pulp because it is considered stronger. Would that prove that plastic bags are better?

Did you know that the average person uses about 1,000 plastic bags a year? And only 1-2 % of that is being recycled. Conventional plastic bags are made from petroleum. So this would mean millions of barrels of oil are wasted. But scientists are not disheartened. They continue to find new alternative resources such as corn, grass, potatoes etc. These are continually being developed to create a biodegradable plastic that would also be marketable.

All scientific and technological advancements in both paper and plastic products would be futile unless we, ourselves, do something about it. The question...

30 million tons a year of plastic solid waste is dumped into the United States and only about 5% is recycled. It is undeniable why plastic has become important in our daily life. It is convenient but we never see the entire picture, in particular the wasting part. That is why scientists continue to create plastics that can easily break down through the years while eliminating or at least reducing the use of oil and its garbage footprint. This does not only lessen the cost of plastic made but also creates a greener approach on plastics.Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a main ingredient of plastic is derived from oil. Due to the surge of oil prices, big companies are now tapping into bioplastic’s potential. Huge conglomerates are now using bioplastics, namely: Coca Cola, Nestle, Toyota and Procter & Gamble. Coca Cola has introduced their new bioplastic fusion bottle plant to the market.This is a fusion of 30% monoethylene glycol (MEG) which is derived from sugarcane and 70% petroleum-based terephthalic acid (TPA). Even with the obvious advantages of bioplastic to our environment, some...

Did you know that every year the United States uses 1.6 billion gallons of oil just to produce plastic for a year? That’s right. The good news is that because of the ever growing awareness and campaign for a greener way of life, corn plastic is born. Corn plastic, as its name pertains, is made from corn – specifically, polylactic acid (PLA).

Polylactic acid (PLA) is a resin derived from corn. It is biodegradable. The projected break down is one to five years depending on the conditions. It is considered cheaper than plastic polyethylene terephthalate (PET) compared to the high cost of oil. The biggest advantage of using corn plastics is that it comes from a reusable resource, meaning it can be recycled.

Since the developments in corn plastic are fairly new, some drawbacks are becoming more apparent. Corn plastic has a low melting point. Certain applications can be tricky such as making soda bottles. However, the pioneers in this industry are studying its potential so that even just 25% of the total plastic waste can be reduced. With this, the market...