Thailand develops bags made from tapioca starch which completely degrade in four months. (Photo: NNT)Pathum Thani (NNT/VNA) – Thailand’s National Metal and Materials Technology Center(MTEC) has joined forces with private companies and SMEs in Thailand to developbags made from tapioca starch which completely degrade in four months.
Commercializationof this innovation can help with the farming sector in keeping with theBio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economy model.
Minister of HigherEducation, Science, Research and Innovation Suvit Maesincee has observed thedevelopment process of a bioplastic bag made from tapioca starch, which willcompletely degrade in 3-4 months and help reduce manufacturing costs by 20percent.
He said thisinnovation will help bag manufacturers produce bags from more eco-friendlymaterials, and reduce the amount of plastic waste in keeping with theBio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economy model.
The tapioca-madeplastic bags were introduced at the Red Cross Fair earlier this year andreceived positive feedback. Thailand currently produces 500,000 tonnes of plastic bags each year, that have a less than 1 percent degradablerate.
The development ofthese biodegradable plastic bags started with the making of bioplastic beads ina lab, followed by the enrichment of engineering properties to make the beadssuitable to be transformed into biodegradable thin film and then intobio-degradeable plastic bags, intended to be used as containers for food waste.
The innovation isconsidered a game changer, revolutionizing plastic bag manufacturing, andhelping solve environment issues in Thailand./.
VNA
