Today and tomorrow about degradable plastics (2)

Second, the development status and problems of degradable plastics at home and abroad

The research and development of degradable plastics started in the 1970s. After experiencing great ups and downs in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and development of spurious commercial behavior, the development of degradable plastics has become more sensible. Calm down, face the reality positively, comprehensively consider resources, technology, environmental protection, economy, market and other aspects, develop new technologies, develop new products, and open up new markets. However, in terms of the overall level, the current degradable plastics are still in the process of further deepening the research of the technology, and the process is further improved, and is dedicated to improving the performance, reducing the cost, expanding the use, and gradually promoting the marketization process.

1, foreign development status

At present, the major foreign countries that produce degradable plastics are the United States, Japan, Germany, Italy, Canada, Israel, and other countries. The varieties produced include photodegradation, light/biodegradation, disintegrative biodegradation, and completely biodegradable plastics. In recent years, various types of degradable plastics in foreign countries have progressed to varying degrees. Photodegradation technology is relatively mature, and research and development of biodegradable plastics are the most active. Representative and industrially produced biodegradable plastics are shown in Table 2. According to a recent ECN report, the current annual global production of fully biodegradable plastics is approximately 30,000 tons. By 2001, the biodegradable plastic production in the United States, Western Europe, and Japan will increase from 14,000 tons in 1996 to 70,000 tons, from 1996 to 2001. The average growth rate is 35%. Among them, the U.S. production and consumption accounted for more than 50%, and Western Europe accounted for 1/3. In the United States in 1997 - six companies entered the biodegradable plastics market: BASF, Biol, Dow, Dupont, Monsanto, and Easlman.

The biodegradable plastics described in the table can degrade into carbon dioxide and water in a relatively short time under certain environmental conditions, but the price is high, which is about 6 to 10 times that of the common plastics, and its use is greatly constrained. In addition to high-value-added packaging materials, it is difficult for large-scale product markets, such as disposable packaging films (bags), garbage bags, tableware, and plastic film, which have a large impact on the environment, to get involved. In order to overcome the price problem and at the same time promote its products to enter the market soon, in recent years, Europe, the United States, Japan and other countries have controlled the potential on the original process to improve the raw material synthesis purity and product quality, and actively explore new uses, such as water for civil use. Sheets, aquaculture nets, magnetic cards for industrial and domestic use, and laminating with paper products, etc., and efforts to accelerate the practical process. On the other hand, we will intensify the development of natural materials and biodegradable plastics, common plastics, and blending new products, such as the copolyester and starch blends developed by BASF, Germany: BIOTIC's developed starch/PCL blended degradation films. , Tableware and ordinary plastics and natural materials filled with, disintegrating and degradable plastic: PCL/polyolefin blended film developed by Japan JSP Co., Ltd. "Starbuckle" starch filled polyethylene "Ecostar" from NOVON International, USA. Although the application performance or degradation performance of these degraded plastics is affected to a certain extent, the performance-cost ratio of these degradable plastics is relatively suitable, and it is easy to be introduced to the market, and it is also conducive to reducing environmental pollution.