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Agro-industrial waste as an option for the sustainable development of bioplastic

Abstract:

Agro-industrial waste is all those generated from the transformation of agricultural raw materials, for the production of various foods for human consumption. Every year, tons of this type of wastes are generated worldwide and although they are reservoirs of sugars and other compounds of commercial interest, they are generally burned or disposed of as garbage without any use. The introduction of new production approaches with a focus on sustainability and product life cycle analysis guides the use of what was previously waste as an option for the production of new materials. This chapter addresses the use of agro-industrial waste as second-generation raw material, to obtain bioplastics through sustainable processes that have characteristics similar to traditional plastics, capable of meeting the various needs of use existing in the market. The role of biorefineries as an industrial complex is included in the raw material transformation process and ends with a look to the future, visualizing the possibility of success that bioplastics have within a nearby market focused on the bioeconomy.