Biogas production from bioplastic

Plastic litter currently accumulates in oceans, causing a ‘plastic soup’. Therefore, the past years many biodegradable plastics were developed and marketed. Most biodegradable plastics after their use end up in organic recycling, where materials are turned into compost and renewable energy (biogas and heat). However, many biodegradable plastics that are claimed to be ‘biodegradable’ are actually not biodegradable under commercial waste processing conditions. Under lab-scale conditions bioplastics poorly degrade. The biodegradable potential of bioplastics is therefore currently not used.
At least two types of biodegradable plastics (rigid versus foil) of commercial bioplastic producers will be anaerobically digested using the gas displacement method. Both biodegradability and biogas production will be analysed. To possibly speed up the anaerobic digestion process, the effect of pretreating the biodegradable plastics (e.g. particle size reduction) on biodegradability will be investigated.

Faculty Supervisor:

Bishnu Acharya

Student:

Partner:

HAS University of Applied Sciences

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Sustainability & the Environment; Green/Alternative Energy; Environmental Science and Technology

University:

University of Prince Edward Island

Program: