In the current era where the concept of environmental protection is increasingly deeply rooted in people's hearts, biodegradable materials are gradually moving from laboratories to people's daily lives. With their characteristic of "originating from nature and returning to nature", they are quietly changing our daily routines. This kind of material, made from biomass raw materials (such as starch, plant fibers, microorganisms, etc.) and capable of being decomposed into harmless substances by microorganisms in the natural environment, is playing an important role in various life scenarios.
一、Daily Necessities: From "Disposable" to "Disappearing"
In the field of tableware, the application of biodegradable materials is the most intuitive. Take starch - based biodegradable tableware as an example. It is mainly made from the starch of crops such as corn and potatoes. Its appearance and usage feel are almost the same as those of traditional plastic tableware. However, when discarded in the natural environment after use, under suitable temperature and humidity conditions, it can be decomposed into carbon dioxide and water by microorganisms within a few months, without causing "white pollution" like plastic tableware. Nowadays, in many takeout and fast - food industries, this kind of biodegradable tableware has become a standard, allowing people to enjoy convenient meals while reducing the burden on the environment.
There are also biodegradable garbage bags, which are usually made by mixing polyethylene with degradable components such as starch and cellulose. They not only have the load - bearing capacity and sealing performance of ordinary garbage bags, but also can be gradually degraded in the natural environment after use. For the kitchen waste generated in family daily life, after being collected with biodegradable garbage bags, they can be composted together with the garbage bags, realizing the resource utilization of garbage.
二、Packaging Field: Green Wrapping to Protect Products
In the field of food packaging, biodegradable materials are widely used. For example, the inner packaging films of some candies and chocolates are made of degradable materials such as polylactic acid (PLA). This material is made from corn starch through fermentation, has good barrier properties and temperature resistance, can effectively protect the freshness of food, and can be completely degraded after use. In addition, some trays for fresh products are also mostly made of degradable materials, replacing traditional foam or plastic trays, reducing the impact of packaging waste on the environment.
In express packaging, degradable buffer materials are gradually emerging. Traditional foam buffer materials are difficult to degrade, while degradable buffer pads with starch as the main raw material are light in texture and have good shockproof effect. They can be quickly degraded in the natural environment after use, providing a new idea for solving the problem of express packaging pollution.
三、Agricultural Field: Assisting Sustainable Cultivation
The application of biodegradable materials in agriculture further reflects their harmonious coexistence with nature. Degradable mulch film is a typical representative. It is made of materials such as starch and polyvinyl alcohol. Covered on the surface of farmland, it can play the role of heat preservation, moisture retention and weed growth inhibition like traditional plastic mulch film. However, after the end of the crop growth cycle, it will be decomposed by microorganisms in the soil, and will not remain in the soil like traditional mulch film, damaging the soil structure and affecting crop growth. At present, this kind of degradable mulch film has been applied in the cultivation of various crops such as cotton, corn and vegetables, and is very popular among farmers.
In addition, degradable agricultural seedling pots also bring convenience to agricultural production. Traditional plastic seedling pots need to take out the seedlings during transplanting, which is easy to damage the root system. However, degradable seedling pots can be gradually decomposed by soil microorganisms during the growth of seedlings. During transplanting, the seedling pots can be directly buried into the soil together with the seedlings, which not only protects the root system of the seedlings, but also avoids the generation of plastic waste.
With the continuous progress of technology, the performance of biodegradable materials is constantly improving, and the cost is gradually reducing. Their application scope in life is also continuing to expand. From daily tableware and packaging to agricultural production materials, biodegradable materials, with their unique environmental advantages, are becoming an indispensable part of our lives, promoting human society to develop in a more sustainable direction.
