Biodegradable plastics in the UK – past, present and future

Dr Iza Radecka University of Wolverhampton

The UK plastic heritage (BPF, 2012) 1832 - Charles Macintosh

The invention of ‘Mac’: mixture of India-rubber,naphta and cloth.

1850 - Gutta-Percha type of latex extracted from trees.

1862 Parkesine, first man-made plastic from cellulose

Alexander Parkes In 19th centaury it was the UK created the commercial plastic

industry 1933 : Discovery of polyethylene. 1980 - ICI Biopol

The UK plastic industry – KEY FACTS (British Plastic Federation, 2012)

the UK plastic manufacturing is big ~ 7% of total UK manufacturing activity 2.5 million tonnes of plastic materials in

produced in the UK 7,500 companies 180,000 people employed £ 13.1 billion sales turnover

Introduction Plastics derived from petrochemicals have earned

for themselves a dominant position. Plastics have many attractive features such as:

flexibility and versatility strength and excellent barrier properties

They also enjoy a significant cost advantage when

compared to any number of their competitors.

A modern world enabled by plastics

Problems with plastic Plastic litter effects the oceans and

the coastlines. Plastics use valuable resources of

oil ~ 4% of the world’s oil

production 40% ends up as non-biodegradable

waste in the environment.

Some can leach small amounts of pollutants, toxic to animals and humans.

Plastic problem in the UK The final disposal of such

materials continues to pose a growing problem for authorities at both the local and national level.

UK government is committed

to a greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction target of 80% from 1995 levels by 2050 (http://www.bpf.co.uk)

Tax for each plastic bag?

England plastic bag tax plan?

Liberal Democrat sources say the tax in Wales led to a drop of roughly 75%, and in N. Ireland by 80%. Retailers in Scotland will start charging for bags in October 2014

(source BBC News 14 Sept 2013)

Plastic consumption in the UK by application

http://www.bpf.co.uk/Industry

What are bioplastics?

Bioplastics are partly or wholly made from biological materials.

Definition of the European Plastics association: Biodegradable and compostable polymers

according to standards (EN 13432 a.o.) Bio-based polymers: use of renewable raw

materials

Bioplastics can be: Biodegradable / compostable but NOT bio-based e.g. :

• Synthetic Polyesters Biodegradable / compostable AND bio-based e.g.: • Natural bio-based polymers – synthesised by living organisms

• Starch/Cellulose • Polysaccharides • Proteins

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA)

• Synthetic bio-based polymers – monomers derive from renewable resources but a chemical transformation is needed for conversion to a polymer.

• poly(lactic acid) PLA

Bio-based but non-biodegradable e.g.: • PE from Bioethanol • PVC from Bioethanol • PP from Bioethanol • Polyamides http://www.bpf.co.uk/Topics/Biobased_and_Degradable.a

spx

Bio-based & biodegradable plastics

Used in a variety of applications to replace petroleum-based plastics

Most bio-based plastics used in Europe today are starch-based.

Starch bio-based bioplastics in the UK are used to manufacture:

refuse and carrier bags food and consumer goods packaging

Source : http://www.bpf.co.uk/Plastipedia/Polymers/Biobased_plastics_Feedstocks_Production_and_the_UK_Market.aspx

Bioplastic market

Bioplastics have experienced fast growth in the past decade due to: public concerns over the environment, climate change, and the rising cost of fossil fuels.

Global bioplastics production is set to grow by 500% by 2016.

source: European Bioplastics (2012) EC-Communication ‘ Innovating for Sustainable Growth; A Bio-economy for Europe, 13.02.2012

http://www.comp-bio.co.uk/compostable-liners/dogpoo.html

Biodegradable plastic market

Bioplastic market remains small compared to that of fossil-based polymeric materials

currently accounting for less than 0.5% of all plastics manufacture

BUT the significance of bioplastics in the European bio-economy is not controversial.

Consumers – people are becoming progressively more ecologically aware.

Industry – plastics manufacturers within the UK are introducing biodegradable materials into their product portfolios supporting the move towards green packaging.

ICI and Biopol

In the 1980s, the British chemical company, Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) developed and created PHA co-polyester under the trade name Biopol.

However, the interest in the future development of PHA polymers faded when it became clear that the cost of this material was too high, and its properties could not match those of synthetic plastics.

ICI patents were sold in 1996. In 2005 Metabolix in the US developed novel methods for production of PHAs, including PHB.

Microbial polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA)

Are produced by Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria as a carbon and energy storage material

Synthesized as intracellular granules

Accumulated as a result of nutrient limitation in the presence of excess supply of carbon source

Adapted from Steibuchel et al., (1995) Can.J. Microbiology 41, p. 94

Bacterial synthesis of biodegradable polyhydroxyalkanoates

Journal of Applied Microbiology Volume 102, Issue 6, pages 1437-1449, 10 APR 2007 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2672.2007.03335.x http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2672.2007.03335.x/full#f5

Bacterial PHB

Homopolimer -A-A-A-A-A- White crystalline powder High molecular weight and melting point (~180 oC) Biodegradable and non-toxic BUT rather brittle

Solution: Copolymerization

PHBV Biopol

Adapted from: Madigan M.T; Martinko, J.P and Parker, J. Brock Biology of Microorganisms 9th (or 10th) (2000)

O

CH3 H O

n

Copolymers -A-A-A-B-B-A-C- Different monomers Mixed carbon sources needed Better properties so commercially more attractive

yO

R H O

O

CH3 H O

x

CH2CH3 3-hydroxyvalerate PHBV

CH2CH2CH3 3-hydroxyhexanoate PHBHx

Adapted from: Madigan M.T; Martinko, J.P and Parker, J. Brock Biology of Microorganisms (2009)

Future To investigate new cheap organic sources for production

of biodegradable plastics to significantly reduce production costs and improve their performance.

To investigate microbes for production of biodegradable

plastics can poly-γ-glutamic acid – bacterial biopolymer be of

commercial interest ? what about bacterial cellulose?

To produce decomposable and recyclable bioplastic from

the thin wrappers found in eggshells.

Bacterial bioplastics from vegetable frying oil

Waste cooking oil Bacteria with PHA granules

Bioplastics!

Work by a research team at the University of Wolverhampton, UK suggests that using waste cooking oil as a starting material for the production of bioplastic can reduce production costs significantly.

Bioplastic from eggs ?

University of Leicester in the UK developed bioplastic from extracted eggshell proteins called glycosaminoglycans

Material natural, fully biodegradable and recyclable Can also be used for agricultural compost Eggshell is a waste product

disposal poses a significant economic problem for food companies

Application is in the packaging sector.

http://www.planetinspired.info/web/en/-/first-the-chicken-or-the-bioplastic, March 2013

Bacterial cellulose

Produced by: Acetobacter sp, Pseudomonas sp. Rhizobium sp.

Properties:

unique properties high water holding capacity high crystallinity ultrafine fibre network high tensile strength bacterial polysaccharide is

secreted free of lignin, pectin, hemicelluloses.

Bacterial cellulose pellicle produced by ATCC 10245 G. xylinus strain in static culture

Andrade et al. 2010

UK companies are now:

Increasingly employ industrial biotechnology to produce biodegradable food packaging from biological materials rather than petroleum. Flying the (potato) flag for UK biotechnology at Westminster

2013 Biome Bioplastics (UK) Ltd. has focused on using potato starch for

the production of bioplastics.

Biome Bioplast TPS made of greater than 85% starch

Biome Bioplastics Ltd. also investigate the possibility of using lignin, a waste product of the pulp and paper industry, as an alternative source of chemicals for the manufacture of bioplastics.

http://www.packagingeurope.com/Packaging-Europe-News 2013

Future

The utilization of biological systems for the production of biodegradable materials.

The research and development of: new methodologies new technological solutions to recycle

We need to create the necessary conditions to

address the urgent threat of pollution to the environment.

Microbes can and will do anything, microbes are smarter, wiser and more energetic than microbiologists, chemists, engineers, and others. (Perlmon, 1980)

Thank you

References Madigan M T, Martinko J M & Parker J (2003 ) Brock Biology of Microorganisms Prentice Hall, London pp..677- 679 Andrade F K, Pertile R N, Dourado F, Gama F M: Bacterial Cellulose: Properties, Production and Applications; In: Cellulose: Structure and Properties,

2010 Nova Science Publishers, Inc pp.427-458

Verlinden R. A. J., Hill D. J., Kenward M. A., Williams C. D. and Radecka I. (2007) Bacterial synthesis of biodegradable polyhydroxyalkanoates. Journal of Applied Microbiology 102(6), pp1437-1449.

Kedia G., Hill D., Hill, R. and Radecka, I. (2010) :Production of Poly-γ-Glutamic Acid by Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis with Different Growth Media. Journal of Nanosciences and Nanotechnology, 10, (9), pp.5926-5934

Buescher J M and Margaritis A (2007) Microbial Biosynthesis of Polyglutamic Acid Biopolymer and Applications in the Biopharmaceutical, Biomedical

and Food Industries Critical Reviews in Biotechnology, 27, pp 1–19 Verlinden R. A. J., Hill D. J., Kenward M. A., Williams C. D. Piotrowska-Seget Z and Radecka, I (2011): Production of polyhydroxyalkanoates from

waste frying oil by Cupriavidus necator. Applied Microbiology Biotechnology Express 1 (11).

Shen, L; Worrell E and Patel M.K (2010) Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining, Volume: 4, Issue: 1 European Bioplastics (2012) EC-Communication ‘ Innovating for Sustainable Growth; A Bio-economy for Europe, 13.02.2012

Thielen M. (2012) Bioplastics still on rise. Bioplastic Magazine 06/12 vol.7 page 10

http://www.nnfcc.co.uk/bio-based-products/working-groups

http://www.nnfcc.co.uk/bio-based-products/our-services/analysing-markets-for-starch-bioplastics

http://www.nnfcc.co.uk/publications/nnfcc-renewable-polymers-factsheet-bioplastics

http://www.biomebioplastics.com/products.php Bioplastics: the important component of global sustainability

http://www.bpf.co.uk/plastipedia/polymers/biobased_plastics_feedstocks_production_and_the_uk_market.aspx Biodegradable Plastics Market: by

Types (Starch, PLA, PHA, PCL and PBS) Applications, Regulations, Prices, Trends & Forecast (2011-2016)