Blood-based plastic a green bonus – New Zealand

Posted on June 2, 2013 by DrRossH in BioPlastics, Plastic Waste News

Blood-based plastic a green bonus – Business – NZ Herald News.

Hamilton-based Aduro Biopolymers has devised a method for making bio-plastic out of blood meal, a byproduct of the freezing works process.

Harpur said that while Novatein was more expensive than some regular plastic products, which can sell for less than $2 a kg, it solved problems for its users.

For example, strawberry farmers using the bioplastic to cover their plants wouldn’t need to spend time gathering up the material after the harvest as it’s biodegradable.

It would be nice to know what, if any, special conditions were required for biodegradation to take place.  It is hard to imagine that it will biodegrade away under ambient conditions after it has served its practical life.  What makes it last this practical time with no biodegradation,  then all of a sudden start to biodegrade away?