Introduction

An estimated 290.7 million metric tons of polymer materials would be produced globally in 2021,
an increase of 4% yearly. Plastic production has risen since the 1950s. Just 9% of this is recycled, and
over half of it is made of single-use plastic. Food and drinks are known to be the major cause of plastic
pollution, 31.14% of it is being produced and thrown away. Because many of these single-use plastics
cannot be recycled or reused due to a lack of technology and recovery markets, they are the most
dangerous types of plastics. Many single-use plastics are the most harmful kind since there aren't enough
markets for recycling and technology that's easily accessible.

The advantages of polymers over metal and paper include low manufacturing energy costs, simple
maintenance, resistance to corrosion, light weight, and durability, which makes them increasingly used.
When compared to other materials like metal and paper, plastic polymers are produced at a higher rate for
a primary reason. For instance, polymer foam insulators have increased building energy efficiency by a
factor of 200. (Dr. Layla Filiciotto, Prof. Dr. Gadi Rothenberg, 28 October 2020).

In the food industry, plastic packaging extended product shelf life without preservatives. The
statement made demonstrates the risks associated with polymers. Although they are small,
inexpensive, and simple to make in large quantities, they take a long time to vanish. Use of
biodegradable plastics is one solution we can implement (BPs). When exposed to microbes, BPs are
made to disintegrate.

It is often made from natural byproducts and is kept in industrial facilities under strict control of
temperature and humidity. It is acknowledged that some industrial and environmental protection programs
used BPs successfully. Although some BPs have shown good physicochemical, mechanical, and
degradable qualities in various industrial applications, it is widely recognized that BPs are currently not a
substitute for conventional plastics (Rujnić Sokele and Pilipović, 2017). Although BPs can be a promising
notion when it comes to plastic pollution, some still beg the question: this alternative can be a wonderful
option to solve the waste disposal problem and plastic pollution in the long term.
 Hypothesis

The following hypotheses are indefinite and may change in the future.

- Because biodegradable plastics may be derived from organic materials, they can serve as a
permanent solution. Biodegradable and compostable plastic is frequently derived from biobased
sources, such as seaweed, sugar beets, and other plants, rather than fossil fuels. In this situation,
and if sustainably obtained, these materials can provide environmental
benefits such as less emissions, less waste, and the avoidance of toxic chemicals; in
addition, they disintegrate faster than conventional plastics.

- In relation to the first question, we can say that biodegradable plastics can be a sustainable source
of plastic, as they are derived from organic variables such as seaweed, sugar, beets, and other
plants and do not contain any harmful chemicals that can harm the environment. Bioplastic is a
biodegradable material that is derived from renewable sources, and has the potential to reduce the
problem of plastic waste that is going to hurt the planet and pollute the environment.

- There are several advantages to biodegradable polymers, when biodegradable materials organically
disintegrate, they are eventually absorbed by soil and other natural components. This natural
mechanism eliminates the need for an artificial chemical reaction to initiate the process, resulting
in less pollution. They are nearly indistinguishable from petroleum-based polymers, yet provide
several environmental advantages. Bioplastic packaging preserves the planet's natural resources
and provides additional possibilities for the responsible disposal of packaging, making it a much
more eco-friendly packaging option. Studies indicate that there are more than five trillion bits of
plastic in our waters, polymers account for 13% of our current garbage, or around 32 million tons
per year. If current trends continue, there will be more plastic than fish in our oceans by 2050, due
to the widespread usage of plastic. Even our attire, consider the packaging and trimmings that
accompany your clothing. All of these little pieces of plastic pile up. Traditional plastics can
produce harmful chemicals such as methane or bisphenol A (BPA) during the breakdown process,
which can affect both the environment and human health. This is not the only chemical found in
plastic varieties, we also discuss phthalates like BBP, DBP, and DIBP. These substances have
been deemed detrimental to
human health. Because bio-polymers do not contain harmful toxins, our environment and health
are not damaged when they biodegrade.
 SCOPE

This study aims to cover finding ways on how we can lessen the use of single-use plastics in our
everyday life. It is a fact that as our society progresses, the more plastic we use. In this research, our
team wants to focus on finding a great alternative for plastics by combining different experiments from
different researchers on the use of plastics. The scope of the study is not limited to the packaging
industry only, but it is targeted towards the general society who use excessive amounts of plastics.
Through this study, we can observe how Biodegradable Plastics (BPs) can be an alternative to single-use
plastics. Research says that BPs are designed to break apart when exposed to microbes. BPs take fewer
fossil fuels and produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions that can harm the planet. Therefore, it can not
only help us by decreasing the risk of air pollution, but it can also help us lessen the use of plastic.

LIMITATIONS

Although we want to find alternatives to single-use plastics, this study does not cover how we can stop the
use of plastic. It is only limited to how we can find biodegradable ones which can assist us in slowly
switching to the alternative that we will find. Our researchers want to find an eco-friendly counterpart that
will lessen the risk of air and plastic pollution in our world. Since the COVID-19 pandemic increased the
demand for use of single-use plastic. This work shows that more than eight million tons of
pandemic-associated plastic waste have been generated globally, with more than 25,000 tons entering the
global ocean. Furthermore, our study cannot cover the risk
Significance of the study

The researcher is finding a solution for the research problem of biodegradable plastic. In a
landfill, bioplastics won't disintegrate. Landfills are not intended to decompose anything. The researcher
is unsure of how to deal with these enormous compacted piles of rubbish. This study claims that if we
do not think of other alternatives our society will suffer. This can affect human health, endangers aquatic
life, and has other unintended negative effects on the economy. The researcher thinks that this study will
not only produce information that will be useful to her, but also to the following groups of people:

This study will help students, pets, children, and all people in the world. Not only will it help
the people and animals of this world, but the world itself will be helped and cleaned of all pollution. It
will help our future; we can give a clean and safe environment for the future generation. It will improve
our lives by creating a more clean environment, resulting in better health within us.
 This research will be used for future purposes. This can be used to save our world from plastic
pollution. These days, plastic pollution has the potential to modify ecosystems' capacity to adapt to
climate change, altering habitats, natural processes, and social and economic well-being for millions of
people. This research can also help future generations.

Definition of terms

● Bioplastic
-plastic materials produced from renewable biomass sources, such as vegetable fats and oils, corn
starch, straw, woodchips, sawdust, recycled food waste, etc.
● Social well-being
-achieved when we are able to create and maintain healthy, reciprocal relationships with the people
around us. Positive social relationships can provide us with comfort and support in difficult times,
increasing our resilience and ability to cope with life's challenges.
● Economic well-being
-means people have their most basic survival needs met and have sustainable income and assets so
they can prosper. During and after crises, people may be forced to make short-term decisions to
survive—such as pulling children out of school to work—that will have long-term negative
consequences.
● Climate change
-refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. These shifts may be natural, but since
the 1800s, human activities have been the main driver of climate change, primarily due to the burning
of fossil fuels (like coal, oil and gas), which produces heat-trapping gases.
● Polymers
-a substance or material consisting of very large molecules called macromolecules, composed of
many repeating subunits. Due to their broad spectrum of properties, both synthetic and natural polymers
play essential and ubiquitous roles in everyday life.

● Metal
-a material that, when freshly prepared, polished, or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and
conducts electricity and heat relatively well. Metals are typically ductile and malleable. These
properties are the result of the metallic bond between the atoms or molecules of the metal.
● Physicochemical
-refers to things that involve the principles of both physics and chemistry, meaning that they are
 dependent on, or produced by, the combined actions of physical and chemical attributes.
● Biodegradable plastics (BPs)
-plastics that can be decomposed by the action of living organisms, usually microbes, into the water,
carbon dioxide, and biomass.[1] Biodegradable plastics are commonly produced with renewable raw
materials, micro-organisms, petrochemicals, or combinations of all three.
● Microbes
-organisms that are too small to be seen without using a microscope, so they include things like
bacteria, archaea, and single-cell eukaryotes — cells that have a nucleus, like an amoeba or a
paramecium. Sometimes we call viruses microbes too.
● Greenhouse gas
-a gas that absorbs and emits radiant energy within the thermal infrared range, causing the greenhouse
effect. The primary greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere are water vapor (H2O), carbon dioxide
(CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and ozone (O3). Without greenhouse gases, the average
temperature of Earth's surface would be about −18 °C (0 °F), rather than the present average of 15 °C
(59 °F). The atmospheres of Venus, Mars, and Titan also contain greenhouse gases.
● Air pollution
-contamination of the indoor or outdoor environment by any chemical, physical or biological agent
that modifies the natural characteristics of the atmosphere. Household combustion devices, motor
vehicles, industrial facilities, and forest fires are common sources of air pollution.
● Plastic pollution
-occurs when plastic has gathered in an area and has begun to negatively impact the natural
environment and create problems for plants, wildlife, and even the human population. Often this
includes killing plant life and posing dangers to local animals.
● Decompose
- the process by which dead organic substances are broken down into simpler organic or inorganic
matter such as carbon dioxide, water, simple sugars, and mineral salts.

● Landfills
-also known as a tip, dump, rubbish dump, garbage dump, or dumping ground, is a site for the
disposal of waste materials. A landfill is the oldest and most common form of waste disposal,
although the systematic burial of the waste with daily, intermediate, and final covers only began in the
1940s.
● Fossil fuels
- a hydrocarbon-containing material formed naturally in the Earth's crust from the remains of dead
plants and animals that is extracted and burned as fuel. The main fossil fuels are coal, oil, and
 natural gas.
● Biopolymers
-natural polymers produced by the cells of living organisms. Like other polymers, biopolymers
consist of monomeric units that are covalently bonded in chains to form larger molecules.
● Methane
- a hydrocarbon that is a primary component of natural gas. Methane is also a greenhouse gas (GHG),
so its presence in the atmosphere affects the earth's temperature and climate system. Methane is
emitted from a variety of anthropogenic (human-influenced) and natural sources.
● Bisphenol A (BPA)
-a chemical compound primarily used in the manufacturing of various plastics. It is a colorless
solid that is soluble in most common organic solvents but has very poor solubility in water.
● Phthalates
-a group of chemicals used to make plastics more durable. They are often called plasticizers. Some
phthalates are used to help dissolve other materials. Phthalates are in hundreds of products, such as
vinyl flooring, lubricating oils, and personal-care products (soaps, shampoos, hair sprays).

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