A New Biodegradable Alternative to Plastic

A New Biodegradable Alternative to Plastic: Cutlery Made from Sugarcane and Bamboo Breaks Down in 60 Days

Researchers have developed an eco-friendly, biodegradable tableware made from sugarcane and bamboo that decomposes within just 60 days. Unlike traditional plastic products that can take up to 450 years to degrade, or biodegradable polymers that require high temperatures for breakdown, this new, non-toxic material disintegrates naturally in a fraction of the time. Not only is it more sustainable, but it’s also clean enough to serve food—ideal for replacing plastic cups and disposable containers. The study on this innovative material was published in the journal Matter.

From Plastic to Bamboo and Sugarcane: A Sustainable Solution

Julie, the lead researcher from Northeastern University, shared her shock upon first visiting the U.S. in 2007. “I was stunned by the prevalence of single-use plastic containers in supermarkets. While plastic makes life more convenient, it also creates waste that doesn’t decompose in the environment,” she recalled. Julie noticed more plastic bowls, plates, and cutlery being discarded at conferences and gatherings, which led her to wonder if there were more sustainable materials available.

Her quest to find an alternative to plastic led her and her team to explore bamboo and one of the food industry’s major by-products: bagasse (sugarcane pulp). By combining the long, fine fibers of bamboo with the short, coarse fibers of sugarcane pulp, they created a tightly woven network that was both mechanically stable and biodegradable.

Strong, Functional, and Biodegradable

This new “green” tableware has proven to be just as durable as plastic, capable of holding liquids, but without the environmental burden. Unlike biodegradable products made from recycled materials that may not be completely ink-free, these new containers begin to break down after 30-45 days in the soil, and completely disintegrate in 60 days.

Julie explains, “Manufacturing food containers is a challenge. We need more than just biodegradability. The material must be safe for food, have good wet mechanical strength, and be clean enough for use with hot items like coffee or lunch.”

To improve the water and oil resistance of the containers, the team added alkyl ketene dimer (AKD), a widely used environmentally-friendly chemical in the food industry. This addition strengthened the containers’ durability in wet conditions. The result is a product that surpasses commercially available biodegradable containers in mechanical strength, oil resistance, and non-toxicity, including other sugarcane-based products and egg cartons.

Reducing Carbon Emissions and Costs

Another key benefit of this innovative tableware is its dramatic reduction in carbon emissions. The manufacturing process emits 97% less CO2 than plastic containers and 65% less than paper or biodegradable plastic products. While the cost of producing these cups made from the new material is already half that of biodegradable plastics ($2,333 per ton compared to $4,750 per ton), traditional plastic cups remain slightly cheaper at $2,177 per ton.

Julie believes that one solution to reducing single-use plastic waste is to offer more sustainable, biodegradable alternatives. “It’s hard to stop people from using disposable containers because they’re cheap and convenient,” she says. “But I think one of the best solutions is to use single-use containers made from more sustainable, biodegradable materials.”

The Future of Eco-Friendly Tableware

The team’s next step is to improve the manufacturing process to increase energy efficiency and reduce costs even further, making this new material more competitive with traditional plastic. This innovative development brings us one step closer to reducing our reliance on plastics and creating a more sustainable future.

By focusing on eco-friendly alternatives like bamboo and sugarcane, this new material offers a promising solution for reducing plastic waste, benefiting both the environment and our everyday lives.