How to Make Bioplastics and Why It Matters
Coffee grounds, banana peels, orange peels, and just about any fruit or vegetable can be used to make flexible or durable plastic without the pollution
NATUREFORAGINGARTCULTURE
Colomba Klenner
9/1/20262 min read
What are Bioplastics?
Bioplastics are plastic materials made out of biodegradable materials.
They are a more sustainable alternative to traditional plastic that can be used for things such as bags, toys, or arts and crafts. And the specific recipe that one follows will determine the relative flexibility or durability of the bioplastic in question
Why it Matters?
Plastics are building up in our brains, testicles, and even breast milk, and many of the long-term health consequences of this dramatic change to our bodies is still coming to light. This relentless exposure to plastics also contributes to air pollution around the world.
Learning bioplastics is a great way to have fun, teach others, and help build the world we want to live in where plastic is not as ubiquitous. We already have natural ways of designing many objects.
What do you need to make bioplastics?
Generally a bioplastic is made out of these 4 core ingredients:
Water - If you’re using plain water your bioplastics will come out clear. If you’d want to use leftover food waste, you can make your bioplastics out of puree and water. *sample recipes below
Vinegar - Vinegar is used as an acid to dissolve the thickening agent and to regulate the pH of the mixture.
Glycerin - Glycerin is what makes the plastic flexible. The amount you add can be adjusted based on the desired flexibility of the plastic.
Thickening agent - There are many options for thickening agents. The more you add, the harder your plastic will come out. If you add too much you could end up with a hard brittle plastic. Thickening agents can be potato starch, tapioca starch, corn starch, agar-agar, and more.
Here is a simple recipe for a flexible silicon-like bioplastic made with coffee grounds. There are also ways to make bioplastics out of bascially any fruit or vegetable as long as your puree it, and some common ones include tea leaves, banana peels, and orange peels.
This recipe will make roughly 6-8 10x12” sheets. As the bioplastic dries up, they lose moisture and hence become smaller.
Ingredients:
Water- 1250ml
Coffee - 100g of dried coffee grounds (make sure they’re dry to avoid mold!)
Vinegar - 30ml
Glycerin - 80ml
Agar agar - 40g
Instructions:
Measure all the ingredients.
Add the water to a pot and put the stove on at medium heat.
Add the rest of the ingredients. Whisk them in well and make sure there are no clumps.
Mix for 8-15 mins until a thicker consistency forms. Mix consistently to avoid the mixture burning on the bottom.
Pour the mixture into silicone molds right away while hot. Do not wait until the mixture cools. As soon as the heat and stirring is off, the plastic will start forming.
Let it dry. This can take anywhere from 2 days to 10 days. To avoid mold, leave them in a hot room with limited humidity.
Enjoy your bioplastics!
