In what could perhaps become a new generation in plastics material, at least two companies and one agricultural agency have either developed or announced plans to develop plastic products made from plants -- specifically soy, corn and sugar beets -- instead of petroleum.

Under the aegis of the United Soybean Board, the University of Delaware has developed a modified soybean oil resin for use in molded products. According to the USB, "The current versions of soy plastic perform much like conventional thermoset plastic materials. They are not biodegradable, are resistant to ambient heat and retain resilience at cool temperatures."

Others are also testing the market for plastics made from renewable resources. Chronopol is marketing its Heplon family of polyactide resins which it says are made from corn products and can be used to manufacture thermoformed, injection-molded, extruded and blow-molded items. According to the company, the "natural" resins are made from a renewable resource and offer "a more positive life cycle impact."

Cargill Dow Polymers, a new joint venture between Dow Chemical Co. and Cargill Inc., will be experimenting with lactic acid-based plastics as a substitute for petrochemical-based materials such as polyethylene, polystyrene and polyester. According to the company, the polyactic polymers will be derived from corn and sugar beets.

Commendable Concept
At first glance, the idea of making a more "environmentally-friendly" plastic product seems almost too good to be true. But there has already been success in certain applications.

For example, Milwaukee, WI-based Contemporary Products Inc. has been successful in test molding the new soy plastic. A 3-foot by 8-foot conceptual door for a hay baler was made from the molded fiberglass-reinforced soy material for the John Deere Co. using typical "production conditions."

According to Chronopol, other potential markets for these renewable plastics include: the medical, packaging, filtration, food processing, marine and consumer products industries.

Food for Thought
So now that traditional "food" sources have invaded the plastics market, will we soon be seeing plastics entering the food chain?

It's not as ridiculous as it may seem. If plastic is safe enough to use for packaging our food and beverages, as eating utensils, and as artificial replacements for bones and joints in our bodies, then with more technology, who's to say it won't some day become one of the "by-products" in a processed food?

It's something to think about.

Plastics Machining & Fabricating
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