Where Engineering & Chemistry Intersect for Broader Impact

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14 Biodegradable Plastics Industry Plastics in the Medical Sphere Medical disposables can be defined as single-use products that are used in surgical and procedural applications. A fact sheet published by the American Chemistry Council, a plastic trade group, says, “Single-use plastics are the cleanest, most efficient way” to facilitate health and hygiene in hospitals. [14] As established in the previous sections, plastic plays an important role within the health-care sphere. The benefits of plastics are apparent in medicine and public health due to their versatility, cost-effectiveness, and minimal energy required to produce, compared to metals and glass. Due to this, polymers are used in various health applications, such as disposable syringes and intravenous bags, sterile packaging for medical instruments as well as joint replacements, tissue engineering, etc. Currently in the market, alternative products, often biodegradable, are costly to produce and can be a source of criticism due to their differing waste disposal procedures and slow decomposition times. One major challenge is to find a plastic alternative that would degrade swiftly without releasing harmful toxins into the environment and that would serve as a safe alternative. Recently, significant progress has been made in the development of biodegradable materials with similar functionality to that of oil-based polymers, commonly used in packaging applications. The expansion into these biodegradable materials has potential benefits for greenhouse gas balances and other environmental impacts over whole life cycles. It is intended that use of biodegradable materials will contribute to sustainability WHERE ENGINEERING & CHEMISTRY INTERSECT FOR BROADER IMPACT NGUYEN, KATIE
15 and reduction in the environmental impact associated with disposal of petroleum-based polymers. Our research seeks to achieve this and beyond. Imagine a biodegradable plastic that would begin decomposition when introduced to a certain environment, like water or air. The global biodegradable plastic market was valued at $4.65 billion in 2019 and is expected to reach a market value of $12.06 billion by 2025. [15] Based on type, the starch blend segment accounted for two-fifths of the global biodegradable market share in 2018 and is expected to dominate the market through 2026. On the other hand, the segment for polylactic acid plastic (PLA), made from renewable resources, is projected to grow 22.0% YOY annually from 2019 to 2026. [16] The market is driven by the rising income in emerging economies, high growth in the agriculture and horticulture, packaging and bags, and the textile industries. As regulations and prohibitions against plastic items (see Appendix B) are increasing worldwide, the market for biodegradable plastics continues to grow. Biodegradable Supply & Demand The production of biodegradable plastics is currently very low: estimated at around 4 million tons per year, which accounts to just over 1 percent of global plastics production. [17] According to the report, Biodegradable Plastic Market, from Markets and Markets, the Asia Pacific region is expected to be the fastest growing market for biodegradable plastics with China and India among the fastest growing economies in the world. [18] Companies such as NatureWorks (US), BASF (Germany), Total Corbion PLA (Netherlands), Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation (Japan), and Biome Bioplastics (UK) are WHERE ENGINEERING & CHEMISTRY INTERSECT FOR BROADER IMPACT NGUYEN, KATIE
Page 2 and 3: 2 “As a chemist, I have the capab
Page 4 and 5: 4 Table of Contents Table of Figure
Page 6 and 7: 6 Executive Summary In the Hunter a
Page 8 and 9: 8 Global Plastic Waste The increasi
Page 10 and 11: 10 inadequate incineration or the i
Page 12 and 13: 12 Figure 2: Environmental activist
Page 16 and 17: 16 the major players in the global
Page 18 and 19: 18 industry will continue to requir
Page 20 and 21: 20 experimenting with combining thi
Page 22 and 23: 22 Progress Summary - Fall 2020 Res
Page 24 and 25: 24 Further attention to degradation
Page 26 and 27: 26 Recommendations This analysis fi
Page 28 and 29: 28 of nurses had been forced to reu
Page 30 and 31: 30 Figure 11: PPE found on beaches
Page 32 and 33: 32 consumers are more likely to see
Page 34 and 35: 34 [9] Padmanabhan, K. & Barik, D.
Page 36 and 37: 36 from https://www.businesswire.co
Page 38 and 39: 38 from https://www.unenvironment.o

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