Environmentally-friendly biodegradable packaging products

Abstract

The rise of industrialisation and widespread use of petrochemicals brought with it many useful products. One of these products was plastic, a highly polymerised hydrocarbon mainly used for its physical strength and effective microbial barrier properties. While oil is a productive and inexpensive way to produce chemicals, stocks are beginning to be depleted. Therefore, alternative ways to produce such products must be pursued. However, sustainability is becoming a necessary part of environmental management and important steps are now being made towards reduced use of non-biodegradable materials. Where old packaging was once made from polystyrene foam and CFC-containing materials, a shift back towards paper and starch based products is occurring. In the case where packaging materials are susceptible to moisture and other microbial attack, it is necessary to develop novel materials with increased barrier properties for use in such items as meat packaging.