(199c) Bioplastics: Past, Present and Future

The unpredictable price of crude oil, reduced land-fill space and escalating environmental threats are daily headlines. The government's push for green products, consumers' desire, and energy conservation are some of the key factors that drive research towards the development of renewable resource-based materials. Renewable resource based bioplastics like polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), biobased polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT), cellulosic plastics and vegetable oils derived bioresins need value-added and diverse applications to compete with the fossil fuel derived plastics. This presentation will highlight the current status, opportunities and challenges of bioplastics for uses in car parts, consumer goods and sustainable packaging.

Acknowledgements: Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA)-New Directions Research Programs; University of Guelph-OMAFRA (Bioeconomy for Industrial Uses); Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)-Discovery Grant; and AUTO21.