Bioplastic
Materials
Ninety percent of plastics could be derived from plants instead of fossil fuels. Bioplastics can be biodegradable and often have lower emissions.
Rank and results by 2050 #47
Bioplastic
| Reduced CO2: | 4 gigatons |
|---|---|
| Net cost (Billions US$): | $19.15 |
TOTAL CO2-EQ REDUCTION (GT)
Total CO2-equivalent reduction in atmospheric greenhouse gases by 2050 (gigatons)
NET COST (billions US $)
Net cost to implement
SAVINGS (billions US $)
Net savings by 2050
Impact:
We estimate the total production of plastics to grow from 311 million tons in 2014 to at least 792 million tons by 2050. This is conservative, with other sources estimating over 1 billion tons if trends continue. We model the aggressive growth of bioplastics to capture 49 percent of the market by 2050, avoiding 4.3 gigatons of emissions. While technical potential is even higher, this solution is constrained by limited biomass feedstock available without additional land conversion. The cost to produce bioplastics in this scenario is $19 billion over thirty years. While the financial costs are currently higher for producers, they are dropping quickly.
Bioplastic
Materials
Ninety percent of plastics could be derived from plants instead of fossil fuels. Bioplastics can be biodegradable and often have lower emissions.
Globally, we produce roughly 310 million tons of plastic each year. Almost all of it is petro-plastic, made from fossil fuels. Experts, however, estimate that 90 percent of current plastics could be derived from plants instead. Bio-based plastics come from the earth, and those that are biodegradable can return to it—often with lower carbon emissions.
What affords plastics their malleability are chainlike polymers, comprised of many atoms or molecules bound to one another. Cellulose, the most abundant organic material on earth, is a polymer in the cell walls of plants. Chitin is another abundant polymer, found in the shells and exoskeletons of crustaceans and insects. Potatoes, sugarcane, tree bark, algae, and shrimp all contain natural polymers that can be converted to plastic.
Most bioplastics are used in packaging, but they are finding their way into everything from textiles to pharmaceuticals to electronics. Research continues to push the bounds of feedstocks, formulations, and applications. Bioplastics can sequester carbon, especially when made from waste biomass. The big challenge for bioplastics is separation from other waste and appropriate processing. Otherwise, they do not fulfill their promise as more sustainable materials.
