Mini Project 1 Report

On

ECO-FRIENDLY PLASTIC (BIO-PLASTICS)

Submitted for the partial fulfillment of the Award

Of

Master of Business Administration

(Session: 2022- 2023)

SUBMITTED BY
Mansi Saxena
Roll No.- A2022MBA9051

UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF

Name of the Guide- Mrs. Sonia Gandhi

Department of MBA

IMS ENGINEERING COLLEGE, GHAZIABAD

AFFILIATED TO
DR. A.P.J. ABDUL KALAM TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY
(FORMERLY UTTAR PRADESH TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY),
LUCKNOW (FS-14)

IMS Engineering College, Ghaziabad – Delhi NCR

NAAC ACCREDITED INSTITUTION
(Approved by AICTE & Affiliated to Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam Technical University,
Lucknow)
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Ms./Mr Mansi Saxena Roll No._A2022MBA9051 is a

bonafide student of MBA 1st semester during session 2022-2024. The Mini
Project Report entitled_ECO-FRIENDLY PLASTICS (BIO-PLASTIC) has
been prepared by him/ her in partial fulfillment for the award of degree of
Master of Business Administration of Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical
University, Lucknow (formerly UPTU Lucknow).

(Faculty in charge) Head-MBA

Mrs. Sonia Gandhi Dr.Meenu Baliyan

 Student Declaration & Certificate

I “MANSI SAXENA” hereby declare that the work which is being presented in this report
entitled “ECO-FRIENDLY PLASTICS(BIO-PLASTICS)” is an authentic record of my own
work carried out under the supervision of Mr. / Ms./ Dr. “MRS. SONIA GANDHI”.

The matter embodied in this report has not been submitted by me for the award of any other
degree/ Diploma/ Certificate.

Department of MBA Name of Student

Date:

This is to certify that the work which is being presented in this report entitled “ECO-
FRIENDLY PLASTICS(BIO-PLASTICS)” is an authentic record of the student carried out
under my supervision. The statements made by the candidate are correct to the best of my
knowledge, based on the candidate’s declaration.
 Acknowledgment

We hereby regard our sincere thanks to Mrs. Sonia Gandhi , Project guide under whose

guidance this project was undertaken. I would like to thank all the faculty members who have

provided me substantial guidance & support in preparation of this project

The successful completion of this project could not have been possible without their co-

operation and support. I would also like to give some share of thanks to my friends for their

support.

I would like to thank my friends for their generous support and the respondents who gave their

valuable piece of time for participating in the survey to complete the study.

DATE:

PLACE: GHAZIABAD (NAME OF STUDENT)

CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1

• Introduction

• Need

• Scope

• Objective

CHAPTER 2

• Types of Bio Plastics

• About the business

• Industry and Markets

• Sustainability performances for biodegrable plastics

• Environmental Impact

• Pros and Cons

• Companies of bio-plastics in India

• Companies of bio-plastics around the world

CHAPTER 3

• Conclusion

BIBLIOGRAPHY
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION

Sustainable means involving the use of natural products and energy in a way that does not harm

the environment. Sustainability consists of fulfilling the needs of current generations without

compromising the needs of future generations, while ensuring a balance between economic

growth, environmental care and social well-being. As we all are aware, that with time, things

have really changed around us. With increasing industrialization, development, innovations,

inventions and new technologies coming up daily human life has become smooth in many

aspects. But these developments sure have some repercussions on the environment which in

turn may prove harmful to mankind in long-run. The harm that being caused to the environment

has detrimental effects to the existence of the living organisms on this planet. Pollutions of all

kinds i.e.land, air, water,, noise etc., increasing population, deforestation, climate change,

radioactive waste, urban sprawling and many more such activities are a huge cause to the

deterioration to the environment. Future changes are expected to include a warmer atmosphere,

a warmer and more acidic ocean, higher sea levels, and larger changes in precipitation patterns.

The extent of future climate change depends on what we do now to reduce greenhouse gas

emissions. The more we emit, the larger future changes will be.

There are many such human-made substances which are proving to be fatal for the

environment. Among which plastic is the most harmful one. Plastics are a group of then

hardened to retain materials, either synthetic or naturally occurring, that may be shaped when

soft and the given shape. Plastics are polymers. A polymer is a substance made of many

repeating units. Accumulation in the environment of synthetic plastic products to the point that

they create problems for wildlife and their habitats as well as for human populations is called

plastic pollution. Plastic pollution has become one of the most pressing environmental issues,
 as rapidly increasing production of disposable plastic products overwhelms the world’s

ability to deal with them. Not only present but future generations will face the consequences

of this.

We need to save the environment for our future generations. For which we can switch to

sustainable lifestyle. Firstly, we need to understand what is sustainable lifestyle? Sustainable

living means understanding how our lifestyle choices impact the world around us and finding

ways for everyone to live better and lighter. An example of sustainable living is buying items

made using recycled materials or designed to be zero-waste. When a community practices

sustainable living, they help the environmental quality. Maintaining a sustainable lifestyle

helps reduce your carbon footprint. When a community pursues sustainability, air pollution

reduces.

Few principles of sustainable lifestyle are-

• Effective land use and wildlife protection.

• Sustainable water usage.

• Supporting local and organic foods.

• The use of sustainable materials.

• The use of sustainable transport.

• Zero waste and zero carbon.

• Creating own healthy environment.

• Realize local cultural values.

Sustainability is the key to a better future. Humans rely on natural resources for business,

activities, and survival. Ignoring sustainability can lead to the exhaustion of natural resources.

Sustainability is important to study even if you aren't an environmental science major.

Sustainability improves the quality of our lives, protects our ecosystem and preserves natural
 resources for future generations. In the corporate world, sustainability is associated with an

organization's holistic approach, taking into account everything, from manufacturing to

logistics to customer service.

Few sustainable practices are-

• Avoid Disposable Items.

• Reduce Your Food Waste.

• Make Your Own Cleaning Products.

• Grow a Sustainable Garden.

• Buy Products with Less Packaging.

• Recycle Properly.

• Take Meat Off the Menu.

• Buy Less, Buy Better.

So, to work for improving environment quality and increase sustainability a business for

production of BIO-PLASTIC has been started. Firstly, what is bio-plastic?

Bioplastics are plastic materials produced from renewable biomass sources, such as vegetable

fats and oils, corn starch, straw, woodchips, sawdust, recycled food waste, etc. Some

bioplastics are obtained by processing directly from natural

biopolymers including polysaccharides

(e.g. starch, cellulose, chitosan and alginate) ,proteins (e.g. soy protein, gluten and gelatin),

while others are chemically synthesized from sugar derivatives (e.g. lactic acid) and lipids (oils

and fats) from either plants or animals, or biologically generated by fermentation of sugars or

lipids. In contrast, common plastics, such as fossil-fuel plastics (also called petro-based

polymers) are derived from petroleum or natural gas. The first known

bioplastic, polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), was discovered in 1926 by a French

researcher, Maurice Lemoigne, from his work with the bacterium Bacillus megaterium.

Bioplastics currently make up an insignificant portion of total world production of plastics.

Commercial manufacturing processes are plagued by low yields and are expensive. However,

improvements in metabolic and genetic engineering have produced strains of microbes and

plants that may significantly improve yields and production capabilities while reducing overall

costs. These factors, when added to increasing oil prices and growing environmental

awareness, may expand the market for bioplastics in the future. Bioplastics that don't

biodegrade that quickly are called "durable," and some bioplastics made from biomass that

cannot easily be broken down by microorganisms are considered non-biodegradable.

Compostable – Compostable plastic will biodegrade in a compost site.

NEED OF THE STUDY

What is the need of bio plastics? Before that let’s learn few things about plastic. Plastics are a

wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials that use polymers as a main ingredient.

Their plasticity makes it possible for plastics to be moulded, extruded or pressed into solid

objects of various shapes. This adaptability, plus a wide range of other properties, such as being

lightweight, durable, flexible, and inexpensive to produce, has led to its widespread use.

Plastics typically are made through human industrial systems. Most modern plastics are derived
from fossil fuel-based chemicals like natural gas or petroleum; however, recent industrial

methods use variants made from renewable materials, such as corn or cotton derivatives. It was

in 1862 that Alexander Parkes introduced the world’s first-ever man-made plastic, at the

London International Exhibition. “Parkesine,” as it was called, was marketed as an alternative

to ivory and horn that Parks discovered while trying to develop a synthetic substitute for shellac

for waterproofing. Though the product was not a commercial success, Parkesine represented

an New York discovered a way to manufacture an improved version of Parkesine, most

commonly known as celluloid, important first step in the development of man-made plastic.

The material didn’t start to truly show its potential value and diversity of applications until

John Wesley Hyatt in Albany, A staggering number of plastic and chemical innovations

emerged in the period surrounding World War II like- Polyethylene (PE) was created in

England in 1933 and was a closely held state secret, as the lightweight plastic was used to

insulate radar cabling, sufficiently lightening them to be placed on airplanes and giving

Britain’s planes a significant advantage against the Germans’. Polystyrene (PS) was created

first as an alternative to die-cast zinc, but quickly became a replacement for rubber in the

copolymer of polystyrene and butadiene: styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR). Nylon, which

DuPont released for sale as synthetic silk hosiery in 1939 to much fanfare, was quickly rationed

by the U.S. military for use in parachutes and ropes. The largest application for plastics is as

packaging materials, but they are used in a wide range of other sectors, including: construction

(pipes, gutters, door and windows), textiles (stretchable fabrics, fleece), consumer goods (toys,

tableware, toothbrushes), transportation (headlights, bumpers, body panels, wing mirrors),

electronics (phones, computers, televisions) and as machine parts.

But plastic has many disadvantages which are causing to be deleterious to the environment.

Plastics manufacturing also involves the addition of potentially hazardous compounds like

stabilisers or colourants. Many of these have not been subjected to environmental risk
assessments; therefore their influence on human health and the environment is unknown at this

time. Phthalates, which are used in the production of PVC, are one such example. PVC has

been used in toys for young children in the past, and there have been concerns that when these

toys are chewed, phthalates may be produced. The impacts of phthalates on the environment

are currently being assessed for risk. The disposal of plastics products also has a significant

influence on the environment. Most plastics are non-biodegradable, and once landfilled, they

might take a long time to decompose. With an increasing number of plastic products, especially

plastic packaging, being discarded quickly after purchase, the amount of landfill space required

by plastic waste is becoming a major concern.

Cheap production and easy availability make plastic very useful, but it has many shortfalls and

its harmful effects are a cause of huge concern for us to save our earth and ourselves. Its few

disadvantages are listed –

• Natural decomposition of plastic can last from 400-1000 years and few types of plastics

are non-degradable as well.

• Plastic materials clog waterways, oceans, seas, lakes etc. 1 in 3 species of marine

mammals have been found entangled in marine litter.

• Many animals eat plastic materials and die. Over 90% of all seabirds have plastic pieces

in their stomachs.

• Plastic is widely used in packaging. Eating food out of plastic containers may cause

cancer.

• Both creation and recycling of plastic produce toxic gases and residues which causes

air and water and land pollution.

 • Few additives such as phthalates etc. which are added in plastics to prevent its structure

may cause serious hormonal imbalance in males and females.

• Plastic causes many fire hazards.

• Its cost of recycling is also very high.

Disadvantages of plastic bags are well known that is they are difficult and costly to recycle and

most end up on landfill sites where they take around 300 years to photodegrade. They break

down into tiny toxic particles that contaminate the soil and waterways and enter the food chain

when animals accidentally ingest them. This is the reason why use of plastic bags has been

restricted in most of the countries in the world.

To overcome the use of the shortcomings of plastics, bio-plastics were invented. It is quite

evident that without the use plastics in today’s world it’s hard to survive Plastics are

everywhere and are used in almost all areas in the modern-day including in the making of

cutleries, packaging and wrapping items, bottles, food containers, clothes, wearables, vehicle

parts, electronics, pens, and furniture among many other items. Their wide usage is because of

their versatility in 3D modelling, durability, and ease of work within various manufacturing

and production processes. In comparison to that Bio-plastics are bio-degradable and

environment-friendly.

The need for this study is to understand the advantages of bio-plastics over regular plastics.

Bio-plastics save non-renewable source of energy meaning biodegradable plastics help

conserve petroleum supplies. Traditional plastics come from heating and treating oil molecules

until they turn into polymers. Bio plastics come from natural sources including crops like corn
and switch grass. This makes them conserve non-renewable sources of energy such as

petroleum. Secondly, bio plastics reduces carbon emissions i.e., significant reduction in carbon

emissions during the manufacturing process. Furthermore, since the materials used to create

biodegradable plastics are plant-based, minimal carbon is emitted during the composting

process. Thirdly, it consumes less energy. This can be explained as the manufacturing process

of biodegradable plastics requires fewer amounts of energy. Also, they do not need fossil fuels

to be recycled. Since the energy requirement is less, the pollution and environmental impact

are significantly reduced. Lastly, bio plastics provide an eco-friendly solution meaning

Biodegradable plastics require composting or recycling to ensure proper breakdown of the

plastic pieces. The requirement to properly dispose of biodegradable plastic products

automatically reduces the amount of waste. This waste would otherwise be sent to landfills in

order to discard them. Moreover, the land areas can be used for agriculture, residence or

industrial applications instead of converting them to landfills.

As you can see, biodegradable plastic is extremely significant and proves to be of great

importance when it comes to reducing waste and helping the environment. With the increased

use and manufacturing of bio plastics, we can expect a greener and a more sustainable future

for our planet. The responsibility to save the environment shoulders upon this generation and

the use of bio-plastics is one way to do it.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

Scope of bio-plastic industry or business can be very broad. As it will tend to replace the areas

in which plastic is used. Few commercial applications for bio plastics. Bio plastics are used for
disposable items, such as packaging, crockery, cutlery, pots, bowls, and straws. Various

applications-

Bio plastic Packaging

In relation to the production of packaging, conventional plastics are being replaced by bio

plastics at a rapid pace. Bio plastic packaging options include bags for compost, agricultural

foils, horticultural products, nursery products, toys and textiles. They are also often used for

disposable cups, salad bowls, plates, cling film and food containers.

The development of sophisticated bio plastic packaging for food products has greatly improved

the shelf life of the food and its use helps brands to connect with their customer’s by showing

they are conscious of their environmental footprint.

Bio plastics for Consumer Electronics

The electronics industry has made big strides in tackling its environmental impact, largely

through producing more energy efficient devices and through more efficient recycling options

for electronic waste. Most recently it has started to address the sustainability of the materials it

uses in its products. Bio plastics provide the electronic industry with an excellent opportunity

to improve their environmental credentials as they can be injection moulded with similar
characteristics to traditional plastics without modifying any machinery. Electronically product

casings, circuit boards and data storage are all traditionally made from oil-derived plastics –

and the plastic helps keep the products lightweight and durable. So obviously there’s an

opportunity to switch these components over. But there’s plenty of other opportunities too,

including touch screen computer casings, loud speakers, headphones, keyboards, mobile phone

casings, laptops, games consoles and vacuum cleaners. Obviously, the nature of electronics is

more complex than packaging and because plant derived bio plastics is generally processed at

a lower temperature than traditional products – in the past there were issues in relation to poor

temperature resistance. This caused a bit of a barrier for electronic applications. However new

technology has produced some big advancements in this area – improving temperature

resistance – as a result bio plastic a now a suitable alternative for many components produced

by the electronics industry.

Food Service

Grabbing food and drinks on the go is increasingly popular for people with busy lifestyles but

with it comes increased waste – that needs to be disposed of responsibly.Bioplastics are helping

to reduce the impact of this waste on the environment and are being used in applications such

as thermoformed coffee cup lids, injection moulded disposable cutlery and plates along with

food containers of all shapes and sizes.

Medical

Nontoxic biodegradable bio plastics sutures, commonly referred to as stitches, are now being

used by medical professionals in hospitals and surgeries. They are easy to sterilise, robust and

remain in place until the tissue has healed at which time they are the dissolved by the body

leaving no marks behind. Biodegradable plastics are also being used for medical devices. For

example, pins, tacks and screws which are used to help bones heal and during reconstructive

surgery are being produced with bio plastics. Dentist are also getting on board and are using

bio plastics for dental implants that fill in the hole that remains after a tooth has been extracted.

Containers for tablets and creams can also be produced using bio plastic.

Aerospace and Automotive

Transport is considered to be one of the greatest contributors to carbon emissions on a global

scale. The aerospace and auto industry are examining how they can design more sustainable

vehicles that cause less of an impact. The shift in these industries is being led by both

governments and consumers and new products such as hybrid cars are one of the most exciting

developments. Both industries invest a significant amount of resources investigating how they

can reduce the weight of their vehicles so that fuel consumption and emissions are lower, and

plastics are often a solution. Safety and performance are two crucial factors for both markets.

The good news is that bio plastics can perform to the same standards as their traditional plastic
counterparts. With bio plastic – we are going to see a big leap in the use of bio plastic

components in these sectors.

Cosmetics

The cosmetics industry is another big producer of packaging for its products. Many of these

products have a short life span once disposed of they end up in landfills. When you consider

the impact disposable products such as toothbrushes, hairbrushes, cotton buds and razors are

having – it’s no wonder that brands are starting to look towards alternatives. This market is

heavily consumer focused and today’s shoppers expect certain standards from the brands they

use. Bio plastic alternatives enable brands to satisfy this requirement without impacting on

product quality. Even small parts of cosmetic products such as bio plastic caps can be injection

moulded.
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

Using biodegradable plastics could cut down on the amount of space taken up in landfills and

reduce the impact that litter has on the environment. Bio plastics on a whole take less energy

to produce, but must be recycled carefully. The main objective served by bio-plastics is that it

reduces pollution on earth. As plastics are one of the main sources of causing land pollution on

earth because it does not degrade easily and heaps of plastics are being collected over years

and years. Plastics are polluting land and water bodies which are in turn harmful for land

animals and aquatic animals too. Many such incidents where polythenes are found inside

animals like cows, dogs etc and in fishes too. Polythenes causes air pollution too. The burning

of plastics releases toxic gases like dioxins, furans, mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls

(better known as BCPs) into the atmosphere, and poses a threat to vegetation, and human and

animal health. Incineration of plastic waste in an open field is a major source of air pollution.

Polystyrene is harmful to Central Nervous System. The hazardous brominated compounds act

as carcinogens and mutagens. Dioxins settle on the crops and in our waterways where they

eventually enter into our food and hence the body system. These Dioxins are the lethal

persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and its worst component, 2,3,7,8 tetrachlorodibenzo-p-

dioxin (TCDD), commonly known as agentorange is a toxic compound which causes cancer

and neurological damage, disrupts reproductive thyroid and respiratory systems. Thus, burning

of plastic wastes increase the risk of heart disease, aggravates respiratory ailments such as

asthma and emphysema and cause rashes, nausea or headaches, and damages the nervous

system. Hence, a sustainable step towards tomorrow's cleaner and healthier environment needs

immediate attention of the environmentalists and scientists. This presents the hazards of

incineration; open burning of plastics and effects of plastic in water and also a possibility of

working out strategies to develop alternate procedures of plastic waste management and bio-
plastics serves the purpose by eradicating the shortcomings and threats caused by plastics to

the environment. As bio-plastics is eco-friendly and are made from organic compounds so they

easily degrade posing no threat to the environment and causing almost no pollution serving

living-organisms for good.

CHAPTER 2
TYPES OF BIO PLASTICS

• Starch-based plastics

Thermoplastic starch represents the most widely used bio plastic, constituting about 50 percent

of the bio plastics market. Simple starch bio plastic film can be made at home by gelatinizing

starch and solution casting. Starch is cheap, abundant, and renewable. Starch-based films

(mostly used for packaging purposes) are made mainly from starch blended with thermoplastic

polyesters to form biodegradable and compostable products. These films are seen specifically

in consumer goods packaging of magazine wrappings and bubble films. In food packaging,

these films are seen as bakery or fruit and vegetable bags. Composting bags with these films

are used in selective collecting of organic waste. Further, starch-based films can be used as a

paper.

• Cellulose-based plastics

A packaging blister made from cellulose acetate, a bio plastic. Cellulose bio plastics are mainly

the cellulose esters and their derivatives, Cellulose can become thermoplastic when extensively

modified. An example of this is cellulose acetate, which is expensive and therefore rarely used

for packaging. However, cellulosic fibres added to starches can improve mechanical properties,

permeability to gas, and water resistance due to being less hydrophilic than starch.

• Protein-based plastics
Bio plastics can be made from proteins from different sources. For example, wheat gluten and

casein show promising properties as a raw material for different biodegradable polymers.

Additionally, soy protein is being considered as another source of bio plastic. Soy proteins have

been used in plastic production for over one hundred years. For example, body panels of an

original Ford automobile were made of soy-based plastic.

• Aliphatic Polyester

The aliphatic bio-polyesters are mainly polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) like the poly-3-

hydroxybutyrate (PHB), polyhydroxyvalerate (PHV) and polyhydroxyhexanoate

(PHH).Polylactic acid (PLA) is a transparent plastic produced from maize or dextrose.

Superficially, it is similar to conventional petrochemical-based plastics. Its advantages are that

it is derived from plants and it biodegrades readily. PLA is used on a limited scale for the

production of films, fibres, plastic containers, cups, and bottles.

• Bio-derived polyethylene

The basic building block (monomer) of polyethylene is ethylene. Ethylene is chemically

similar to, and can be derived from ethanol, which can be produced by fermentation of

agricultural feed stocks such as sugar cane or corn. Bio-derived polyethylene is chemically and

physically identical to traditional polyethylene – it does not biodegrade but can be recycled.

.
ABOUT BUSINESS
According to this research on bio-plastics, to create a more environment-friendly product an

industry is set-up to manufacture bio-plastics and then supply it into different where it can

replace non-biodegradable plastics like packaging industry, food-servicing industry, automatic

industry, consumer electronics, toys industry, cosmetics etc.

• Manufacturing

As we, have understood in the above paragraph, that bio-plastics are made from agricultural

products which makes it bio-degradable. Bio-plastics can be manufactured from

agricultural products as well as agricultural waste. The industry to manufacture bio-plastics

is set-up near an agricultural field owned with the industry. This way both the agricultural

products and agriculture waste could be put to good use especially the agriculture waste.

The main approach is to use waste material from agriculture such as fruit and vegetable

peels, inedible parts of fruits and vegetables and unsold fruit and vegetables. The waste

powders are simply mixed with specific solvents or water of defined pH without the

addition of any other components. The solvent ‘attacks’ and destroys the crystalline of the
 cellulose components of the wastes, resulting in homogeneous solutions, and after casting

and solvent evaporation, homogeneous plastic

films are formed.

• Financial Planning

The industry of bio-plastic will also be backed by the agricultural field that is also owned

along with the bio-plastic firm. Bio-plastics will be sold to many industries or brands which

are environment conscious. The most profit bringing industries are packaging and food-

servicing industry. Along with that fresh organic fruits and vegetables are also being sold

to the restaurants and some organic food stores. The price of bio-plastics is Rs. 220/kg.

The annual turnover is of INR 20 Crores covering all the activities of manufacturing, day-

to-day operations, marketing etc.

• Marketing

Increasing eco-awareness among consumers, mandates & regulations, corporate

becoming more focused on sustainability, technology stabilization and cost

reduction are factors driving the India bio-plastics market. Packaging segment is

expected to account for almost 60% of the overall market share to become the

dominant in the India bio-plastics market. Bio-plastics are extensively used in the

manufacturing of bottles, loose-fill, cups, pots, blows, flexible films, and other

products. Rigid and flexible packaging is two most common types of bio -plastics

packaging. Packaging finished product from bio-plastics are used in the packing

fresh food, dry snacks, candy, bakery goods, juice bottles, and meat trays as well as

coatings for beverage cups, films, and card stock. The report covers the market

leaders and followers in the industry with the market dynamics by region. It will

also help to understand the position of each player in the market by regio n, by

segment with their expansion plans, R&D expenditure and organic & in -organic

growth strategies.

• LEGAL REQUIREMENTS

The government of India had announced that from October 2, 2019, all SUP items will be

banned all over India. Afterwards, due to massive oppose from plastic industries, the ban

could not be implemented. Later on, the government released the guidelines to implement

the SUP ban in a staggered manner starting from October 2021 and gave the plastic industry

enough time to be prepared. After that the bio-plastics became into great use. As a first step

write down a four or five page business plan. This should include brief details of the product

you want to manufacture, what quantity, what are the inputs needed, what wastes are
generated, plant and machinery needed. Land and buildings needed and the investment

needed. In case the investment in plant and machinery is more than Rs 5 crores you have

to file industrial entrepreneur memorandum with Secretariat for Industrial Assistance,

Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Udyog

Bhawan, (this is also available on line) New Delhi & obtain Acknowledgement.

INDUSTRY AND MARKETS

Bio plastics remain less than one percent of all plastics manufactured worldwide. Most bio

plastics do not yet save more carbon emissions than are required to manufacture them. It is

estimated that replacing 250 million tons of the plastic manufactured each year with bio-

based plastics would require 100 million hectares of land, or 7 percent of the arable land

on Earth. And when bio plastics reach the end of their life cycle, those designed to be

compostable and marketed as biodegradable are often sent to landfills due to the lack of

proper composting facilities or waste sorting, where they then release methane as they

break down anaerobically.

SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCES FOR BIODEGRADABLE

PLASTICS.

Plastic usage is increasing the number of pollutants in the environment. Plastic particles

and other plastic-based pollutants are found in our environment and food chain, posing a
 threat to human health. From this perspective, the biodegradable plastics material focuses

on creating a more sustainable and greener world with a smaller environmental imprint.

This assessment should consider the entire life cycle assessment of the objectives and

priorities for producing a wide range of biodegradable plastics. Biodegradable plastics can

also have properties similar to traditional plastics while also delivering additional benefits

due to their minimized impact on the environment in terms of carbon dioxide, as long as

appropriate waste management includes such as composting, are contained. The demand

for cost-effective, eco-friendly materials increases to reduce waste management and

pollution issues. This study seeks to comprehensively understand biodegradable plastics

production and applications research, product prospects, sustainability, sourcing and

ecological imprint. Bio-plastics are more sustainable as these are easy to reuse and are

environment friendly. This will reduce plastic production and land pollution securing the

future generations.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Materials such as starch, cellulose, wood, sugar and biomass are used as a substitute for fossil

fuel resources to produce bio plastics; this makes the production of bio plastics a more

sustainable activity compared to conventional plastic production. The environmental impact of

bio plastics is often debated, as there are many different metrics for "greenness" (e.g., water

use, energy use, deforestation, biodegradation, etc.). Hence bio plastic environmental impacts

are categorized into non-renewable energy use, climate

change, eutrophication and acidification. Bio plastic production significantly

reduces greenhouse gas emissions and decreases non-renewable energy consumption. Firms

worldwide would also be able to increase the environmental sustainability of their products by

using bio plastics. Although bio plastics save more non-renewable energy than conventional

plastics and emit less green house gasses compared to conventional plastics, bio plastics also

have negative environmental impacts such as eutrophication and acidification. Bio plastics

induce higher eutrophication potentials than conventional plastics. Another issue with

bioplastics is that some bioplastics are made from the edible parts of crops. This makes the bio

plastics compete with food production because the crops that produce bio plastics can also be

used to feed people. These bio plastics are called "1st generation feedstock bio plastics". 2nd

generation feedstock bio plastics use non-food crops (cellulosic feedstock) or waste materials

from 1st generation feedstock (e.g. waste vegetable oil). Third generation feedstock bio plastics

use algae as the feedstock.

PROS AND CONS OF BIO-PLASTICS

The Pros of Bio plastics

1. Bio plastics are made from plant raw materials instead of petroleum oil, the raw

material used to make conventional plastics. No oil drilling, coal mining or fracking are

needed to make plant-based bio plastics.

2. Plant raw materials are renewable and sustainable unlike oil which is a limited and finite

resource.

3. The carbon footprint of manufacturing bio plastics is reportedly 75% lower than that of

PET and PS alternatives i.e. their manufacture is kinder to the environment.

4. Bio plastics are non-toxic and won’t leach chemicals into food or soil. There are also

many studies that show that plastics can leach toxic chemical additives into the
 environment and landfills. Compostable bio plastics break down into harmless natural

and safe compounds.

5. Bio plastics are biodegradable and compostable.

6. There is a variety of zero waste end of life options for bio plastics. Bio plastics can be

recycled; they can be cleanly incinerated and industrially composted. This is makes bio

plastics a great material for food packaging as used packaging does not require cleaning

since food and packaging can be composted or incinerated together. An additional

benefit of composting is that nutrients from food waste are returned to soil to nurture

new plants, improving soil fertility and food security.

The Cons of Bio plastics

1. Growing demand for bioplastics creates competition for food sources, contributing to

the global food crisis. This is a misleading argument commonly used against

bioplastics. The raw material for bioplastics is an industrial-grade corn which is not

grown for human consumption. Recent technological developments in the bioplastics

industry have shown that that it is possible to make biodegradable bioplastics from
 hemp, seaweed and other plants. As the market grows, we can expect to see many new

innovative production approaches. Humans have always used plants for non food

purposes.

2. Bioplastics won’t biodegrade in a landfill. Landfills are not designed to break anything

down. They are huge compacted piles of waste that we don’t know what to do with. No

organic waste breaks down well in a landfill.

3. Bioplastics encourage people to litter more. We hope not and do not encourage littering

with our products. Littering is a human behavior, which requires education, raised

awareness and a good infrastructure to be reduced.

4. Bioplastics contaminate plastic recycling streams. This is another myth. Recycling

systems are excellent at separating different materials, and need to be because there is

a great deal of different plastic types and they all need to be separated before they have

any chance of being recycled. Compostable bioplastics do not pose more of a threat

than any other of the many types of plastic. Bioplastics can also be recycled and the

recycling market will grow as bioplastics are used more and more.

5. Bioplastics are not the answer to marine litter. You can read why bioplastics are not the

answer to marine litter here.

 BIO-PLASTICS COMPANIES IN INDIA

• TGP Bio plastics Pvt Ltd. based in Satara, INDIA

• Bio plastics International. Office in New Delhi, INDIA.
• Oilgae. Based in Chennai, INDIA.
• Nesho Recycling. based in Faridabad, INDIA
• DCC INFRA PRIVATE LIMITED. based in West Delhi, INDIA
• ANDRITZ Separation - ANDRITZ Group.
• Amaani Polyflakes

BIO-PLASTICS COMPANIES AROUND THE WORLD

• BASF SE.
• Eastman Chemical Company.
• Plantic Technologies.
• Futamura Group.
• NatureWorks LLC.
• Polymateria Ltd.
• TIPA Corp Ltd.
• Biome Bio plastics Limited.
CHAPTER 3
Conclusion

This plastic takes over 400 years to degrade. Thus, having a sustainable alternative in bio

plastics that take significantly less time to decompose not only benefits the environment, but

also reduces the stress on land resources due to lesser landfills and recycling centres. Plant-

based plastic (also known as bio-based plastic or bio plastic) will play a role in charting a path

towards circularity.

Using bio based and compostable PLA bio plastics help 'close the cycle', increasing resource

efficiency and contributing to a more circular economy. The process starts with using

renewable, sustainable plant-based resources to make bio based plastic products. Along with

the growth in variety of bio plastic materials, properties such as flexibility, durability,

printability, transparency, barrier, heat resistance, gloss and many more have been significantly

enhanced. Bio-based plastics can be recycled. Bio-based plastics such as “BioPE” or

“BioPET” are chemically identical to their fossil based versions “PE” and “PET”. That's why

they are called drop-ins. Therefore they can be perfectly integrated in established recycling

streams. Typically plastics manufactured from bio-based polymers — stand to contribute to

more sustainable commercial plastic life cycles as part of a circular economy. Biodegradable

plastics or bio plastics are made from natural plant-based raw materials that enable the natural

decomposition process. This is achieved when the bacteria and fungi present in the surrounding

environment naturally metabolizes the plastics. Even more, bio based plastics reduce

dependence on fossil resources whilst improving a product's carbon footprint. Biodegradable

plastics allow enhanced end-of-life scenarios for disposal and recycling. This may lessen the

burden on our existing waste systems and also the environment. According to the report, bio

plastic bottles and packaging accounted for nearly 138,000 barrels of oil in petroleum

savings and between 65-80% in greenhouse gas emission reductions as compared to petroleum-
based plastics. Thus bio-plastics take us a step closer to the sustainable way of lifestyle. And it

can be considered a small milestone in building a better, healthy and cleaner environment for

our future generations.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

www.wikipedia.com

www.sciencedirect.com

www.activesustainability.com

www.britanicca.com