Biodegradable Polymers: Value Chain in the Circular Economy

Studying (bio)degradable polymers value chain can help one understand the importance of these to the environment and human health. This book provides an overview of the biodegradable polymer along the value chain, identifies and analyses existing practices for biodegradable plastics and assess the relevant legal, regulatory, economic and practical reasons for the importance of proper use and proper recycling of biodegradable plastics. It covers related materials development, environmental impacts, their synthesis by traditional and biotechnological routes, policy and certification, manufacturing processes, (bio)degradable polymer properties and so forth.

Features:

• Gives a clear idea of the present state of the art and future trends in the research of the biodegradable polymers in the context of circular economy
• Describes the entire value chain and life cycle of bioplastics are covered, considering different types of polymers
• Clarifies the life safety of (bio)degradable polymeric materials
• Presents novel opportunities and ideas for developing or improving technologies
• Determines the course of degradation during prediction study

This book is aimed at researchers, graduate students and professionals in the polymer processing industry (petrochemical polymer industry, industry producing bio-based and (bio)degradable polymers), food packaging industry, industry involved in waste management, pharma industry, chemical engineering, product engineering and biotechnology.

Joanna Rydz obtained a doctoral degree at the Jagiellonian University in 2005. She has been working at the Centre of Polymer and Carbon Materials, Polish Academy of Sciences since 1995, currently as an adjunct. She is a laureate of several scholarships and researcher positions: the Marie Curie Fellowship at Vienna University of Technology; Scholarship of Slovak Republic for research stay in Polymer Institute SAS in Bratislava; a position at Institute of Polymers BAS in So a. The area of her competence and expertise concerns environmentally friendly (bio)degradable polymers produced from renewable resources, which are currently among the most promising polymers for sustainable development with possible use in agriculture, medicine and particularly in the packaging technologies.