The development of alternative materials to plastic continues with the same usefulness but without environmental impact. Spain is the cradle of some of these innovations. Researchers from the University of Alicante (UA) have developed a process for obtaining a new water-soluble plastic material based on potato starch. According to those responsible, it does not pollute the seas and is suitable for use as packaging.
Developed by UA’s Waste, Energy, Environment and Nanotechnology (REMAN) research group, this plastic material is will be made available to the market shortly. Solublion is a technology-based company (EBT) of the aforementioned academic institution affiliated with the Alicante Science Park.
The product is also compostable and biodegradable, making it ideal for use as a flexible film, preferably in bags and packaging.and, as Chemical Engineering professor Ignacio Martín Gullón explains, offers huge advantages over existing ones.
Its development stemmed from the thesis of Daniel Domene López, current president and CEO of Solublion, entitled “Thermoplastic starch for the development of environmentally sustainable materials.”
This thesis sets forth the intention that this new material represents an important contribution to reducing the impact caused by the mismanagement of traditional plastic waste. If it mixes with natural ecosystems at the end of its useful life, it does not create an environmental problem.
According to Domene López, it is estimated that Before the pandemic, 370 million tons of plastic materials were consumed worldwide, a figure that they estimate could exceed 400 million in the coming years due to the increase in disposable packaging and materials.
Above all, before the pandemic, only two million were biodegradable plastic and the forecast shows there will be eight million tons of biodegradable plastic demanded by consumers by the end of this decade.
According to the UA in a press release, the plastic developed by the REMAN group has high stability and a low migration rate.
“Our solutions are geared towards their use in the packaging industry and disposable plastic products., as a direct replacement for traditional alternatives. In addition, our patented technology allows us to offer a wide range of mechanical properties, allowing us to tailor our products to our customers’ needs,” said Martín Gullón.