With the increasing global awareness of environmental protection, the use and production methods of food bags are also quietly changing. Traditional plastic food bags have received more and more attention due to their harm to the environment. Countries have taken measures to limit their use and promote the research and development and application of degradable materials. This article will explore the current situation of food bags, the challenges they face, and the future development direction.
1. The current situation of food bags
As an indispensable packaging material in daily life, food bags are widely used in supermarkets, catering, takeaways and other fields. According to statistics, the number of plastic bags produced worldwide each year is as high as trillions, and a considerable part of them are used for food packaging. However, the use of plastic bags has brought serious environmental problems. It takes hundreds of years for plastic to decompose in the natural environment, and harmful substances will be released during the decomposition process, polluting soil and water sources.
In recent years, many countries and regions have begun to realize this problem and have introduced policies to restrict the use of plastic bags. For example, the European Union passed the Plastic Bags Directive in 2015, requiring member states to reduce the use of disposable plastic bags to 90 per person per year by 2021. In addition, China has also implemented a “plastic ban” in many cities to encourage businesses to use degradable materials.
2. Environmental hazards of plastic bags
The environmental hazards of plastic bags are mainly reflected in the following aspects:
Marine pollution: A large number of plastic bags are discarded at will and eventually flow into the ocean, becoming part of marine garbage. Marine organisms mistakenly eat plastic bags, causing their death or abnormal growth, seriously affecting the ecological balance.
Soil pollution: When plastic bags decompose in the soil, they release harmful chemicals, affecting the quality of the soil and the growth of plants.
Resource waste: The production of plastic bags consumes a lot of petroleum resources, which could have been used for other more valuable purposes.
3. The rise of degradable food bags
Faced with the environmental problems caused by plastic bags, many companies and scientific research institutions have begun to develop degradable food bags. These bags are usually made of renewable materials such as plant starch and polylactic acid (PLA), which can be naturally degraded under certain conditions, reducing the burden on the environment.
Plant starch bags: This type of bag is mainly made of plant raw materials such as corn starch, and has good biocompatibility and degradability. Studies have shown that plant starch bags can be completely degraded within a few months under suitable conditions.
Polylactic acid bags: Polylactic acid is a bioplastic made from renewable resources (such as corn starch) with good mechanical properties and transparency, suitable for food packaging. Polylactic acid bags can be degraded within 6 months under industrial composting conditions.
Other innovative materials: In addition to plant starch and polylactic acid, researchers are also exploring other degradable materials, such as seaweed extracts, mycelium, etc. These new materials are not only environmentally friendly, but also provide better packaging performance.
4. Challenges of degradable food bags
Although degradable food bags have obvious advantages in environmental protection, they still face some challenges in the process of promotion and application:
Cost issues: At present, the production cost of degradable materials is generally higher than that of traditional plastic materials, which makes many merchants still tend to use cheap plastic bags when choosing packaging materials.
Consumer awareness: Many consumers have insufficient knowledge of degradable food bags and are still accustomed to using traditional plastic bags. How to improve the public’s environmental awareness and encourage them to choose degradable products is the key to promotion.
Recycling system: The recycling and treatment of degradable food bags requires the establishment of a sound system. At present, many places have not yet formed an effective recycling mechanism, which may cause degradable bags to be mixed with ordinary plastic bags during the treatment process, affecting the degradation effect.
5. Future Development Direction
In order to promote the popularization and application of degradable food bags, governments, enterprises and scientific research institutions should work together to take the following measures:
Policy support: The government should introduce relevant policies to encourage enterprises to develop and use degradable materials, and provide subsidies or tax incentives to businesses that use degradable bags.
Public education: Through publicity and education, improve the public’s awareness of degradable food bags and encourage consumers to choose environmentally friendly products.
Technology research and development: Increase investment in the research and development of degradable materials, reduce production costs, and improve material performance to better meet market demand.
Improve the recycling system: Establish and improve the recycling and treatment system of degradable materials to ensure their effective degradation after use and reduce the impact on the environment.
Conclusion: The road to environmental protection of food bags is long and arduous, but with the advancement of science and technology and the improvement of public awareness, we have reason to believe that future food packaging will be greener and more environmentally friendly. Through joint efforts, we can create a better living environment for future generations.
Post time: Dec-07-2024
