In Thailand and Malaysia, researchers have successfully developed bioplastic made from waste pineapple stems.
The team from Mahidol University and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia also produced a test version of a bread clip using this material, which successfully held a bag closed.
“Plastic waste poses a significant challenge for the environment, particularly smaller plastic products that are often difficult to recycle or collect, according to the paper abstract in peer-reviewed journal Polymers. “In this study, we developed a fully biodegradable composite material from pineapple field waste that is suitable for small-sized plastic products that are difficult to recycle, such as bread clips. We utilized starch from waste pineapple stems, which is high in amylose content, as the matrix, and added glycerol and calcium carbonate as the plasticizer and filler, respectively, to improve the material’s moldability and hardness.”
The team also found that when buried in the soil, the material completely decomposed into tiny pieces within a just two weeks.