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Production of Biodegradable Plastics from Artocarpus odoratissimus as Alternative

Packaging

Jill Lee, Juan Munsayac, Gaby Bautista, Gian Angeles, and Vito Samson

11B - Frenum

November 11, 2022

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF FIGURES

LIST OF TABLES
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Abstract
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Introduction

The misuse and mismanagement of plastics have been a worldwide issue for decades

from giant plastic gyres to local landfills. Looking at the world through a microscope, The

Philippines, a small developing country in Southeast Asia is the top 3rd country in the world for

plastic mismanagement and leakage (Duke Nicholas Institute). With its own “Sachet Economy,”

The Philippines’ use of plastic is excessive, unreasonable, and harmful to the environment,

though millions of Filipinos still value plastics as it is affordable, versatile, and can easily

accommodate the majority of the middle class and poor sector of the country.

Bioplastic made from the seeds of Artocarpus odoratissimus research should be pursued

because it is an innovative, new, and energy-efficient way to combat the Philippines' plastic

problem. By pursuing this study of the production of bioplastics from Artocarpus odoratissimus,

local businesses in the Philippines will be able to use the research and information as a guide and

practice to implement bioplastics in different sectors of the local economy. The responsibility of

ecological sustainability is placed not only in the hands of large corporations such as Coca-Cola,

Selecta, and Nestle but also in the hands of local businesses and consumers, which make a

significant and exponential difference in the environment. By addressing the plastic problem and

the sachet economy of the Philippines, switching from traditional plastics to biodegradable

plastics allow consumers and local businesses to be assured that there is a chance to discourse the

planet’s current situation of climate change no matter how small the contribution is.

Biodegradable plastics serve as an ideal substitute for traditional plastics in the packaging

industry because traditional plastics which are petroleum based leave a lot of waste material that

takes centuries to decompose fully which has created the current world situation of plastic

pollution and climate change. By using a fruit that is typical and locally grown in parts of the
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Philippines, the seeds from Artocarpus odoratissimus are able to be used as a base to create

biodegradable plastics that have similar or mirrored characteristics and functions as traditional

plastics. This study hopes to create new bioplastic technology that can help sectors in the

Philippines decrease the use of plastic packagings like bags and sachets.

Research questions

- If biodegradable plastics have been out for years, why hasn’t the Philippines

implemented them?

- Are other plastic alternatives too time-consuming and expensive? If so, how much

time and how much money?

- How does the biodegradability of different biodegradable plastic materials

compare to traditional plastic?

- What are the most effective production methods for biodegradable plastic, and

how do they compare in terms of cost and sustainability?

- What are the most promising applications for biodegradable plastic, and how does

its performance compare to traditional plastic in these applications?

- How does the use of biodegradable plastic affect the carbon footprint of different

industries, and what are the economic implications of this?

- What are the long-term effects of biodegradable plastic on soil and water quality,

and how does this compare to the impact of traditional plastic?

- What are the potential challenges and limitations to the widespread adoption of

biodegradable plastic, and how can these be overcome?

- How can the public and private sectors work together to promote the use of

biodegradable plastic and reduce plastic waste in the environment?

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This study attempts to address the issue of the strain that plastics place on land resources,

such as landfills and recycling centers filled with plastic that degrades over hundreds of years, by

proposing an alternative plastic that is easily biodegradable and composed of natural

components. Focusing more locally, The Philippines is estimated to reach 9 metric tons of

mismanaged plastics by 2040 without any interventions (Duke Nicholas Institute). With the

country’s trajectory of plastic use, a small country like The Philippines will be one of the major

reasons that pollute the Asian oceans. By an estimate, Filipinos nationwide consume about 163

million pieces of sachets on a daily basis (World Bank), giving the country’s “Sachet Economy”

more power as developing countries such as The Philippines grasp on the unstable,

unsustainable, and excessive use of plastics to address the staggering demand of consumers. By

addressing the plastic issue with this study, local Filipino businesses are substituting the use of

traditional plastics for bioplastics that use the base of Artocarpus odoratissimus seeds locally

grown in the country.

Bioplastic is a type of plastic that can be broken down into natural, non-toxic substances

by microorganisms in the environment. It can be made from various natural materials, such as

corn starch, potato starch, or sugarcane, and is often combined with traditional plastic polymers

to improve its strength and durability. There are several production methods for bioplastic,

including extrusion, injection molding, and blow molding. These methods are similar to those

used for traditional plastic, but the materials used are different. Bioplastic has a wide range of

potential applications, including packaging, food service items, and agricultural products. It is

also being explored for use in medical devices, construction materials, and other applications

where traditional plastic is currently used. One of the main benefits of biodegradable plastic is its

potential to reduce plastic waste in the environment. Traditional plastic can take several decades
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to centuries to break down, while biodegradable plastic can break down within a few months to a

couple of years, depending on the specific material and the conditions it is exposed to. This

means that bioplastic has the potential to reduce the amount of plastic waste that ends up in

landfills and oceans. In addition to its environmental benefits, bioplastic also has the potential to

show economical benefits. It can be produced at a lower cost than traditional plastic in some

cases, and the use of natural materials can reduce the dependence on fossil fuels, which are finite

resources.

Aside from the problems this study tries to address, the Sustainable Development Goals

(SGD) of the United Nations were also taken into consideration primarily SGDs 11, 12, and 13.

SGD 11 states the Sustainable Cities and Communities goal which has a correlation with the

production of bioplastic requiring the effective collection of fruit waste and leads to the

prevention of plastic roaming freely in the environment avoiding health risks. In the long run, it

can also have an absolute reduction in plastic packaging usage in cities making cities and

communities more sustainable and eco-friendly. The production of Bioplastic is a sustainable and

better solution for cities to practice as it helps reuse the city’s agricultural waste to make different

types of bioplastic and it also tackles climate change problems and ocean pollution leading to a

more sustainable community. The goal that this study is primarily trying to tackle is SGD 12

which states Responsible Consumption and Production. Developing countries such as The

Philippines have grappled with the unsustainable use of traditional plastics that has been

implemented in Filipinos’ daily lives. The mass production and consumption of different plastic

products like single-use plastic packaging are one of the main factors of plastic contamination

and pollution in the world. With biodegradable plastics, companies and institutes in the country

can be more responsible with the production of bioplastics since it uses fewer fossil fuels and can
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decrease carbon emissions. In return, communities and individuals will also feel more

responsible and educated about the consumption of plastics and biodegradable plastics to have a

more sustainable and healthy lifestyle and community. Lastly, SGD 13 states the Climate Action

which this bioplastic study is also anchored heavily since the production of regular plastic emits

a lot of greenhouse gasses that are dangerous for the atmosphere and overall the air humans

breathe in. These CO2 emissions have triggered global warming, rising sea levels, and more

extreme disasters. With the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from bioplastic production,

this study can prevent the increasing temperature of the Earth which can be very detrimental to

all ecosystems. The long history of the production of regular plastics has not only impacted the

Earth with global warming and climate change but plastics’ nature of degradability. Regular

plastics can stay on the Earth without decaying for at least 400 years while bioplastics

biodegrade faster. These three sustainable development goals in consideration have driven and

guided this study to take action and focus on developing new technology for local businesses to

implement and tackle the global issue of climate change.

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Ch 2 - Review of other studies done

● Show innovation

● Extensive review

● Conceptual Framework

● Hypothesis

Ch 3 - Procedure / Methodology

● Past tense

● Materials and chemicals

● Procedures

● Data tables

Ch 4 - Results and Discussion

● Discuss data tables

● Answer research questions

● Analyze

Ch 5 - Conclusion and Recommendations

● Future Directions