As concerns increase about plastic pollution—especially from single-use plastics—bioplastics are garnering interest for their potential role in the development of a circular economy for plastics. Bioplastics, which are made with organic, plant-based resources, are viewed as an important alternative to fossil-produced plastics as a significant means of reducing the influx of conventional plastics. Yet, bioplastics also face limitations in terms of functionality and cost compared to their conventional counterparts.
Given the “bio” in its name, bioplastics can give the impression that they are always all-natural or biodegradable when this is not necessarily true.
Some researchers are investigating the use of microorganisms in bioplastic production. A 2020 study found that bioplastics can be produced using microalgae obtained from wastewater, and there is research on producing PHB from microalgal biomass. There is also research into using organic chemicals in bioplastic production. Biome Bioplastics partnered with the University of Warwick’s Centre for Industrial Biotechnology and Biorefining to extract organic chemicals from lignin (from cell walls in plants) that potentially can be used for bioplastic manufacture.
Biome Technologies plc (LON:BIOM) is a growth oriented, commercially driven technology group. The Group’s primary activity is the development of its fast growing business in bioplastics. The Group comprises two divisions: Biome Bioplastics and Stanelco RF Technologies.
