How researchers are turning food waste into biodegradable plastic
New research out of Virginia Tech aims to transform discarded materials into eco-friendly alternatives, potentially reshaping the world’s approach to sustainability.
November 6, 2024 | By Mark Stephen
Adobe Stock/Pixel-Shot Extraordinary amounts of energy, water and capital are put into food systems throughout the world—and far too much of that is wasted. Globally, an estimated one-third of all the food that’s produced ends up in landfills; and in Canada it’s even worse, with approximately 58 per cent of the food we produce ultimately going to landfills.
All of which begs the question: What if there was a way to convert this wasted food into something that people can use every day?
Researchers in Virginia Tech’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, in Blacksburg, Va., are attempting to do just that by developing biodegradable bioplastics from food waste to give those materials a new—and useful—life.
In specific, the project tackles the challenge of oceanic plastic pollution that’s becoming even more prevalent with so-called microplastics—defined as plastic debris that are less than five millimeters in length, that result from both commercial product development and the breakdown of larger plastics—and which is estimated by agencies such as the World Wildlife Fund to effect nearly 88 per cent of all marine species, primarily by inadvertently swallowing the tiny particles.
Because they can quickly biodegrade in sea water, the Virginia Tech bioplastics have the potential to reduce the effect of pollution on marine life across the globe. “By creating cost-effective bioplastics that naturally decompose, we can reduce plastic pollution on land and in oceans and address significant issues such as greenhouse gas emissions and economic losses associated with food waste,” says lead researcher Zhiwu “Drew” Wang, associate professor in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering and director of the Center for Applied Water Research and Innovation.
PROVING IT OUT
Said to be the first of its kind, the pilot project will develop and demonstrate an affordable modular bioprocessing system to produce biodegradable bioplastics from food waste.
Researchers will harness microorganisms to convert food waste into fats, which are then processed into bioplastics. This process, akin to fermentation in microbreweries, ensures that the produced bioplastics can be easily composted, mitigating marine pollution caused by microplastics. The project aims to demonstrate the feasibility and scalability of this bioprocessing system on both national and global levels. “By creating environmentally sustainable plastics, we hope to benefit people, companies, waste management systems and communities worldwide,” Wang says.
Collaborating with other experts at Virginia Tech, as well as both undergraduate and graduate students—including Haibo Huang in the Department of Food Science and Technology and Young Kim in the Department of Sustainable Biomaterials—the team led by Wang focuses on the purification of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) and the creation of high-value bioplastic products.
“While there are many ways to generally improve sustainability in the world, there are two primary methods right now—one is to use more recycling and recyclable material, and the other is to use biodegradable material,” Kim says. “Using bioplastic is a viable option to solve our increased plastic pollution. Our approach is to improve the sustainability using the biodegradable option.”
These biodegradable products include home compostable packaging, which has become increasingly popular. “Our first step is to make single-layer film to see if it can be utilized as an actual product,” says Chen Shin, a research team member and senior student in Virginia Tech’s packaging and system design program. “If it has good oxygen and water vapour barriers and other properties, we can move to the next step. We aim to replace traditional coated paper products with PHA. Current paper products are often coated with polyethylene or polylactic acid—also known as PLA—which are not fully degradable. PHA is fully biodegradable in nature, even in a backyard environment.”
Polyethylene or PLA coatings are often found on single-use plastics, which can include disposable coffee mugs, films covering food, or even the ice cream cups enjoyed on a hot summer day.
A US$2.4-million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture is funding the Virginia Tech research.
This article was originally published in the Fall 2024 issue of Food & Beverage Engineering and Maintenance.
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