Starch Blend Biopolymer
Starch-Based Biopolymers are bioplastics made from renewable resources. The polymers are derived from the starch found in corn, potatoes, wheat and tapioca root. They are biodegradable and mostly home or industrially compostable.
Starch-based biopolymers are a natural bio-based substitute for traditional polystyrene (PS), they are lightweight and often used in packaging. The biopolymer has poor mechanical properties, low water vapour, bad processability and is brittle.
Circular Features
Raw Material
The starch required to make Starch-Based Biopolymers are sourced from renewable natural plant-based resources.
Afterlife Solution
Starch-Based Biopolymers are biodegradable, depending on the supplier they can be home or industrially composted and in some instanced naturally break down in the water supply.
Issues
As with any material, there are issues worth considering before selection, with starch-based biopolymers these are;
- Raw materials for bio polymers are often sourced from mono-crops which can have a negative effect on the local environment over time.
- Recent research into the toxicity of bioplastics versus traditional plastics has raised concern over the level found in starch-based biopolymers.
- Starch-based biopolymers can cause contamination problems when recycled in traditional recycled mechanisms. This is a biodegradable material that needs to be processed correctly afterlife.