The modern world’s addiction to plastic shows no sign of ending, with forecasts indicating that demand for the material is likely to rise steeply in the coming decades.
As a result, efforts to design and produce less harmful alternatives have ramped up.
Cutlery, bottles and plates can now be made out of plant material, and some even degrade into fish food.
But can they replace the need for traditional plastic?
Is biodegradable the answer?
Given the problems created by conventional plastics, mostly generated from fossil fuels, is the answer to be found in biodegradable alternatives?
Starch, cellulose (plant fibres), biologically derived polymers and proteins are the starting points for various biodegradable plastics, including packaging materials. Some biodegradable plastics are compostable, meaning that they turn into a nutrient-rich substance.
There’s a perception if it says biodegradable it will rot down. That’s not the case at all
Phil Purnell,
University of Leeds
“There are many types of compostable plastics,” said Dr Teresa Domenech, associate professor in industrial ecology and the circular economy at University College London.
“The most common ones are polylactic acid derived. The feedstock is starchy products such as sugar cane, corn starch … but they can be derived from a variety of biomaterials, including agricultural waste.”
Researchers are investigating potential new materials, as evidenced by a study published in June by scientists at the Dubai campus of the Indian university Bits Pilani.
The scientists found that a composite of starch, cellulose, chitin (which can be obtained from fungi, for example) and date seed extracts could be useful as a food packaging film.
Starch is widely available from plants including wheat, corn and potatoes but, on its own, tends not to prevent the growth of microorganisms that cause food to spoil.
With the date seeds extract included, the film was better able to protect the fruit from deteriorating.
“Addition of extracts from date seeds to the prepared composite film imparted antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, which when used for fruit wrapping suggested that the freshness of the fruit was retained for a much longer period,” the researchers wrote in Food Bioscience.
When conditions are optimal, the film degraded in composting soil in five to seven weeks.
In another example, scientists in China recently found that a mix of cellulose nanofibres and part of the sweetcorn stalk called the corn straw core was a potential food packaging material because it resisted ultraviolet light and was not water vapour permeable.
The researchers’ paper in the journal Food Hydrocolloids described corn straw cores as “by far the most readily available” type of crop waste.
Breaking down the truth
While such results may appear to suggest that biodegradable packaging could be the answer to society’s plastic problem, “there are all sorts of caveats”, according to Prof Phil Purnell, a professor of materials and structures at the University of Leeds in the UK.
Key among them is that materials that are compostable typically break down under a specific set of circumstances.
“There’s a perception if it says biodegradable it will rot down. That’s not the case at all,” Prof Purnell said.
“If you bury them in the garden, after a year they will still be there.”
According to a 2020 Greenpeace East Asia report, Biodegradable Plastics: Breaking Down the Facts, 83 per cent of biodegradable plastic used for packaging is “industrially compostable”.
This means that for it to turn into compost, it must be processed in particular conditions, with humidity carefully managed and temperatures above 50°C.
If compostable material is put into a regular compost bin or thrown on the ground, it will probably not degrade because conditions will not be hot enough.
Another issue with biodegradable plastic, such as packaging, is that it can contaminate recycling streams for regular plastic waste.
As a result, biodegradable plastic needs to be kept separate from non-biodegradable plastic, which is not easily done.
“At the moment we have to be cautious in terms of replacing conventional plastic packaging with compostable materials because there’s not a clear route for the end of life of these plastics,” Dr Domenech said.
“They are perceived by the public as low carbon or low impact, but they don’t necessarily have to be low carbon or low impact.”
Are we better off sticking to regular plastic?
Indeed, at the moment it may be more straightforward to process conventional plastic than biodegradable plastic.
“Packaging materials like PET [Polyethylene terephthalate] are basically recyclable through plastic mechanical recycling and there are already structures. In some cases, these have a clear route and there is a closed loop,” Dr Domenech said.
A closed loop means that the plastic can be turned into another product of the same type, rather than something different.
There is also concern that biodegradable plastics may encourage consumers to continue to buy products wrapped in single-use plastics because there is a perception that the environmental impact is reduced. It is a concern for the environmental organisation Greenpeace.
“Our position is clear on this: We consider these technologies false solutions that do not stop the plastic crisis. There is no way to throw away, the solution is to reduce and reuse,” said Dania Cherry, of Greenpeace Mena.
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Indonesia's plastic museum: in pictures
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More on Quran memorisation:
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
Poland Statement
All people fleeing from Ukraine before the armed conflict are allowed to enter Poland. Our country shelters every person whose life is in danger - regardless of their nationality.
The dominant group of refugees in Poland are citizens of Ukraine, but among the people checked by the Border Guard are also citizens of the USA, Nigeria, India, Georgia and other countries.
All persons admitted to Poland are verified by the Border Guard. In relation to those who are in doubt, e.g. do not have documents, Border Guard officers apply appropriate checking procedures.
No person who has received refuge in Poland will be sent back to a country torn by war.
Jewel of the Expo 2020
252 projectors installed on Al Wasl dome
13.6km of steel used in the structure that makes it equal in length to 16 Burj Khalifas
550 tonnes of moulded steel were raised last year to cap the dome
724,000 cubic metres is the space it encloses
Stands taller than the leaning tower of Pisa
Steel trellis dome is one of the largest single structures on site
The size of 16 tennis courts and weighs as much as 500 elephants
Al Wasl means connection in Arabic
World’s largest 360-degree projection surface
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
TOURNAMENT INFO
2018 ICC World Twenty20 Asian Western Regional Qualifier
The top three teams progress to the Asia Qualifier
Thursday results
UAE beat Kuwait by 86 runs
Qatar beat Bahrain by five wickets
Saudi Arabia beat Maldives by 35 runs
Friday fixtures
10am, third-place playoff – Saudi Arabia v Kuwait
3pm, final – UAE v Qatar
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Three trading apps to try
Sharad Nair recommends three investment apps for UAE residents:
- For beginners or people who want to start investing with limited capital, Mr Nair suggests eToro. “The low fees and low minimum balance requirements make the platform more accessible,” he says. “The user interface is straightforward to understand and operate, while its social element may help ease beginners into the idea of investing money by looking to a virtual community.”
- If you’re an experienced investor, and have $10,000 or more to invest, consider Saxo Bank. “Saxo Bank offers a more comprehensive trading platform with advanced features and insight for more experienced users. It offers a more personalised approach to opening and operating an account on their platform,” he says.
- Finally, StashAway could work for those who want a hands-off approach to their investing. “It removes one of the biggest challenges for novice traders: picking the securities in their portfolio,” Mr Nair says. “A goal-based approach or view towards investing can help motivate residents who may usually shy away from investment platforms.”
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
How it works
A $10 hand-powered LED light and battery bank
Device is operated by hand cranking it at any time during the day or night
The charge is stored inside a battery
The ratio is that for every minute you crank, it provides 10 minutes light on the brightest mode
A full hand wound charge is of 16.5minutes
This gives 1.1 hours of light on high mode or 2.5 hours of light on low mode
When more light is needed, it can be recharged by winding again
The larger version costs between $18-20 and generates more than 15 hours of light with a 45-minute charge
No limit on how many times you can charge
The biog
Nickname: Mama Nadia to children, staff and parents
Education: Bachelors degree in English Literature with Social work from UAE University
As a child: Kept sweets on the window sill for workers, set aside money to pay for education of needy families
Holidays: Spends most of her days off at Senses often with her family who describe the centre as part of their life too
UAE's final round of matches
- Sep 1, 2016 Beat Japan 2-1 (away)
- Sep 6, 2016 Lost to Australia 1-0 (home)
- Oct 6, 2016 Beat Thailand 3-1 (home)
- Oct 11, 2016 Lost to Saudi Arabia 3-0 (away)
- Nov 15, 2016 Beat Iraq 2-0 (home)
- Mar 23, 2017 Lost to Japan 2-0 (home)
- Mar 28, 2017 Lost to Australia 2-0 (away)
- June 13, 2017 Drew 1-1 with Thailand (away)
- Aug 29, 2017 v Saudi Arabia (home)
- Sep 5, 2017 v Iraq (away)
Full Party in the Park line-up
2pm – Andreah
3pm – Supernovas
4.30pm – The Boxtones
5.30pm – Lighthouse Family
7pm – Step On DJs
8pm – Richard Ashcroft
9.30pm – Chris Wright
10pm – Fatboy Slim
11pm – Hollaphonic
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
THE BIO
Favourite author - Paulo Coelho
Favourite holiday destination - Cuba
New York Times or Jordan Times? NYT is a school and JT was my practice field
Role model - My Grandfather
Dream interviewee - Che Guevara
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
Crazy Rich Asians
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeon, Gemma Chan
Four stars
What is Diwali?
The Hindu festival is at once a celebration of the autumn harvest and the triumph of good over evil, as outlined in the Ramayana.
According to the Sanskrit epic, penned by the sage Valmiki, Diwali marks the time that the exiled king Rama – a mortal with superhuman powers – returned home to the city of Ayodhya with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman, after vanquishing the 10-headed demon Ravana and conquering his kingdom of Lanka. The people of Ayodhya are believed to have lit thousands of earthen lamps to illuminate the city and to guide the royal family home.
In its current iteration, Diwali is celebrated with a puja to welcome the goodness of prosperity Lakshmi (an incarnation of Sita) into the home, which is decorated with diyas (oil lamps) or fairy lights and rangoli designs with coloured powder. Fireworks light up the sky in some parts of the word, and sweetmeats are made (or bought) by most households. It is customary to get new clothes stitched, and visit friends and family to exchange gifts and greetings.
Veere di Wedding
Dir: Shashanka Ghosh
Starring: Kareena Kapoo-Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Swara Bhaskar and Shikha Talsania
Verdict: 4 Stars
Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
MATCH INFO
Day 2 at Mount Maunganui
England 353
Stokes 91, Denly 74, Southee 4-88
New Zealand 144-4
Williamson 51, S Curran 2-28
