Alternatives to plastic

One way to address the growing amount of plastic in our environment is to produce alternative replacements. These alternatives are often bio-derived plastics – plastic with a biological component. It’s also a win-win situation when the products are created from materials that would ordinarily be considered waste products.

As bio-derived plastics become more commonly available, it’s important to understand their properties so we are aware of how to dispose of them.

Learn more about bioplastics and examples of bioplastic products.

Articles

• Bioplastics

• Biodegradability, compostability and bioplastics

• The future of plastics: reusing the bad and encouraging the good

• The ZESPRI biospife

• Starch-based disposable plates and trays

• Skateboards made out of harakeke?

• Turning old into new

Activity

• Testing the degradability of potato plates

Media

• The biospife story

• Making bioplastic clips from wine industry waste

Image: The University of Waikato Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato