New Packaging Materials Based on Renewable Resources: Properties, Applications, and Prospects

Abstract

More and more in our daily lives new words are appearing with specific prefixes, such as “green-,” “eco-,” or “bio-,” that refer to sustainable management. The new wordage does not exclude packaging science and industry, as they should contribute to the environment’s protection by promoting recycled, but also renewable materials. These new products are called “bio-based materials” or “bio-plastics,” which are full of other materials with the same nomenclature. One of the major concerns and questions is where are we now in the “bio-plastics” world? Are they all from renewable resources? Are they biodegradable? What about their availability? Another aspect is the use of bio-plastics. They must be reserved for high value and specific materials, with original and unique properties, and not used for substitution of petrochemical materials. All of these points are discussed as a critical review in this chapter and allow the emergence of several questions for the future, as pointed out in the conclusion.