Green Plastics

摘要

Biodegradable plastics (green plastics) decompose completely after use through the action of bacteria in the natural environment. Efforts are underway to adopt them in food packaging.rnBiodegradable plastics, so-called "green plastics" in Japan, decompose completely into water and CO_2 when disposed of, through the action of bacteria in the soil or ocean. They are equivalent to general-purpose plastics in almost all properties, such as transparency and hardness.rnThe source materials for the plastics are broadly categorized into natural, bacterial and synthetic chemical materials. Those made of natural materials, such as the cornstarch used as feed, have attracted particular attention.