Renewable resources environmentally degradable

The increased importance of renewable resources for raw materials and recyclability or biodegradability of the material at the end of its useful life is demanding a shift from petroleum-based synthetics to agro-based materials in industrial applications. Increased social awareness of environmental problems posed by the non-degradable, non-recyclable content of their products is forcing manufacturers to enhance the biodegradable content, which in turn favors a switch to biomaterials [1]. 

H. Schnitzer, Agro-based Zero Emissions Systems, Environmentally Degradable Polymers from Renewable Resources Workshop, Bangkok (2006). 

Environmental costs would manifest themselves in the forms of persistent pollution and depletion of resources. Green chemistry directly addresses both of these potential costs by stipulating that no pollution is preferable to pollution, nonpersis-tent pollution is preferable to persistent pollution, efficient use of resources is preferable to wasteful use of resources, and renewable resources are preferable to nonrenewable resources. The combination of preventing pollution and designing for degradation can potentially abbreviate the lifetime of pollution to such an extent that it fits within the lifetime of our generation. 

Bio-based materials are receiving wide attention, in consequence innovative technologies and competitive industrial products are reducing the dependence on petrochemicals for the production of polymers. Increasing concerns about the environmental degradation caused by conventional polymers have directed worldwide research toward renewable resources. Natural polymers are one of the readily available alternatives for the synthesis path of polyurethanes. The functional groups present in this kind of polymer can be activated for condensation polymerizations, and polyurethane is produced by this route. The incorporation of moieties from natural polymers into the synthetic polymer chain allows tailoring of the properties of polyurethane products for widespread application. 

As a partial solution to the global issue of plastic waste, in recent years much interest has been devoted to the formulation of environmentally degradable plastic materials. In particular the use of natural polymers presents several advantages such as biodegradability, utilizing of renewable resources, recyclability. At the same time water sensitivity and degradability of natural polymers limit their possible applications. Consequently bioplastics cannot replace synthetic plastics in every application but they can result appropriate in specific products especially for those applications in which recovery of plastics is not economically feasible, viable and... 

E. Chiellini, A. Cord, Developments and Future Trends for Environmentally Degradable Plastics, eds. by P. Fomasiero, S.M. Graziani Renewable Resources and Renewable Energy A Global Challenge, vol 91 (Taylor and Francis Group, LLC, 2011)... 

Composites can also be classified on the basis of the intended application. For example, one can distinguish between two types of biocomposites. Biocomposites for ecological applications are combinations of natural fibers or particulates with polymer matrices from both nonrenewable and renewable resources and are characterized by environmental degradability. Biocomposites for biomedical applications are combinations of biostable or degradable polymers with inert or bioactive... 

Water based hydrogen production processes are inherently advantageous due to the abundance of renewable carbon-free resources and the prevention of environmental degradation associated with fossil fuel based hydrogen producing processes. 

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