Packaging materials sustainable

Transmaterialisation is a more fundamental approach to the problem, which, with the goal of sustainable development, would ultimately switch consumption to only those resources that are renewable on a short timescale. Clearly petroleum, which takes millions of years to form, is not an example of such a sustainable resource. For the method to be truly effective, the wastes associated with the conversion and consumption of such resources must also be environmentally compatible on a short timescale. The use of polyolefin plastic bags for example, which have lifetimes in the environment of hundreds of years, is not consistent with this (no matter how they compare with alternative packaging materials at other stages in their lifecycle), nor is the use of some hazardous process auxiliaries which are likely to cause rapid environmental damage on release into the environment. 

Sisal fiber has very important contribution to meet the future challenges of environmental sustainability in the packaging market. This has further mass scope when it combined with bio-based polymers in developing composite materials to use as packaging materials in the future. The packaging materials for bags, boxes, crates, containers, which are now made of wood can be replaced by cost-effective sisal fiber reinforced composites [17]. The estimated demand for the package materials works out to 93 lakh tons. 

The PHA produced in the above way have a cost similar to petroleum plastics, allowing PHA to compete with conventional plastics not only with its environmentally friendly features but also with its low cost and sustainability. By then PHA will have a significant share of the big pie belonging to conventional packaging materials. 

The development of new polymeric materials based on cellulose nanofibers and other polysaccharides is a pronrising strategy within the context of new sustainable and environmental-friendly materials. As exemplified in this brief review, the properties of these materials suggest that they could be successfully applied in such areas as packaging materials, particularly because bacterial cellulose is beconring a progressively more available raw material at reasonable price. 

Microbial PHA first received widespread attention during the petroleum crisis of the 1970s as a potential substitute for petrochemical-based plastics. Besides being a thermoplastic with properties comparable to that of PE, PHA are also completely biodegradable. The ability to produce PHA from renewable carbon sources also ensures a sustainable green chemistry process. A considerable amount of work has been focused on the production of various types of PHA for applications as commodity plastics. Initially, PHA were used to make everyday articles such as shampoo bottles and packaging materials. 

Flexographic printing commonly employs low-viscosity (50-500mPa) and rapiddrying fluid inks, with an emerging focus on more environmentally friendly water-based inks as an alternative to improve the quality of packaging materials and enhance their performance and sustainability (Zvonkina et al., 2014 Zolek-Tryznowska et al., 2015). 

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