Production challenge: compounding bioplastics in a bioplastic machine

Bioplastic processing can be quite challenging, especially at the compounding stage. The wide range of available base polymers and differences in formulation makes it difficult to design a material handling and feeding system. For the final product to meet the required standard, you must set every process in the bioplastic machine to precision to avoid production loss.

However, technological developments in the compounding process make the process less challenging. One of them focuses on easily processing bioplastic polymer compounds through twin-screw extrusion. They increase the mixing efficacy of different components, providing a homogeneous result.

However, the properties of some bioplastics, such as thermal instability, difficult heat saleability, brittleness, low melt strength, limit their use as a film in food packaging applications.

Another downside and worry in the production of bioplastics is their impact on agriculture and biodiversity. It competes with food production for agricultural resources and raw materials such as corn starch or sugar cane and utilizes a large portion of agricultural land.

Lifespan of bioplastics

The longevity of a bioplastic depends on its end uses. For instance, for foods with a shelf-life of less than six months, opt for bioplastics with high biodegradability, including starch and cellulose. For foods with about five years shelf life, use options such as Polylactic acid (PLA). It takes a long time to biodegrade and undergo recycling. However, it is not advisable to store water-sensitive products in PLA for a prolonged period. Regardless of duration, bioplastics can be disposed along with other organic household waste. Microorganisms break them down into carbon dioxide, water, and biomass at the same rate as other organic materials.