Virginia Tech researchers work to make biodegradable bioplastic from food waste | Virginia Tech News

“By developing environmentally sustainable plastics, we hope to benefit people, businesses, waste management systems and communities around the world,” said Wang, a researcher in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and College of Engineering.

The team will collaborate with other Virginia Tech experts, undergraduates and graduate students, including Haibo Huang from the Department of Food Science and Technology and Young Kim from the Department of Sustainable Biomaterials, and will focus on purifying polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) and creating high-value bioplastic products.

Kim said there are many ways to improve the world's sustainability overall. Currently, there are two main ways. One is to use more recycled and recyclable materials. The other is to use biodegradable materials. The use of bioplastics is a viable option to solve the increasing plastic pollution. Our approach is to improve sustainability by using biodegradable options.

These biodegradable products contain packaging that can be composted at home and are becoming increasingly popular.

The project has been in existence for over a year now and involves student researchers who want to contribute to more sustainable packaging for the world.

“Our first step is to make a monolayer film and see if it can be used as an actual product,” says Chen Xin, senior in packaging and systems design. If the oxygen and water vapor barrier properties and other properties are good, we can move on 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, which do not fully decompose. PHA is completely biodegradable in nature, even in a backyard environment.

Polyethylene and polylactic acid coatings are commonly found on single-use plastics such as disposable coffee mugs, the films that cover food, and even the ice cream cups we enjoy on hot summer days.

For Chloe Taylor, a fourth-year sustainable biomaterials major, participating in the project was a highlight of her college experience.

“That's what inspired me to pursue graduate study, because traditional plastics are unsustainable,” Taylor says. “We want to develop bioplastics that are viable alternatives that can be used in everyday products without harming the environment.”

This applied research is funded by a $2.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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