Current Affairs

Issue

A study has demonstrated a new method for making plastics from sugarcane scraps and CO₂, which is more durable than artificial plastics.

 

Background

Packaging is a real problem in society, causing pollution, and taking up a lot of raw materials. There is still hope for this sugarcane-based process, especially as technologies continue to evolve and innovate.

 

Details

• The process has many steps, all that have been demonstrated before, and the end result is a plastic polymer called polyethylene furandicarboxylate, also known as PEF. This plastic is very similar to the PET used for water and soda bottles.

• Since every step in the process has been done before, the study focuses on a life cycle analysis of the manufacturing process to compare exactly how this PEF method stacks up against the competition.

• The process could start with something like the leftover plant material from sugarcane pressing. After a few reaction steps, which include the addition of some captured CO₂ and some ethylene glycol produced from corn plants, you end up with a plastic polymer called polyethylene furandicarboxylate, otherwise known as PEF.

• One area where the new process really shines is in the production of greenhouse gas emissions. Compared to the manufacturing of PET, PEF emits about one-third fewer greenhouse gases, and that is with the electricity required coming from natural gas. 

• And if you opt for processes that use food sugars rather than leftover plant material, you can even decrease the emissions further.

• One drawback is that this PEF process costs more to produce than PET. The study estimates PEF production amounts to about $2,400 per ton, while conventional PET is produced for a mere $1,800 per ton.