Sustainable Bioplastic Spoon and Fork made from Cornstarch

ABSTRACT

Plastics are part of our daily consumption habits. The foods that we buy from markets are supplied in plastic bags, plastic films and other kinds of plastic containers. A major issue with plastic - particularly single-use plastic which at most is used are thrown away that creates vast amounts of waste, in turn directly affecting our environment and nature. The biggest problem is that in many cases the plastic is used only briefly and thrown away immediately - sometimes ending up in water bodies. One way to tackle the problem is that to encourage people to produce less rubbish or to opt for products where the use of plastic is limited. 

Regarding the situation, a product is created that will help us in maintaining our marine animals and ocean. The bioplastic utensils which is a product made of non-toxic materials will help reducing water pollution. Unlike plastics, bioplastics are biodegradable because of its green characteristics. It is possible to decrease waste products in our ocean floor and the marine animals will not be in danger or worst be extinct someday.

INTRODUCTION

Ocean and the array of species that call it home are succumbing to the poison of plastic. For the last half-century, plastic has become an integral part of our daily life. From furniture to grocery bags, from vehicle parts to toys, plastic is an unavoidable element of our lives in a variety of forms. However, from being regarded as a very vital presence in the contemporary world, plastic has now come to be looked upon as a material of immense potential destruction and harm.

          As is commonly known, plastic isn’t biodegradable, which accentuates the threat of lingering waste plastic for years and for generations to come. According to estimates, people around the world throw away almost four million tons of trash every day, of which 12.8% is plastic, polluting land, air and water. While plastic thrown into landfills contaminates the soil and groundwater with harmful chemicals and microorganism, the effects of marine pollution caused by plastics are immeasurable.

          Just like on land, even in the ocean areas, the effects of plastic on marine life has started to be felt. The studies reveal that around 12.7 million tons of plastic waste are washed into the ocean every year. The United Nations Environment Program estimates that there could be as many as 51 trillion microplastic particles in the ocean already.

Regarding the situation, the group formed a product that will help us in maintaining our marine animals and ocean. The bioplastic utensils, spoon and fork, which is a product made of non-toxic materials, will help in reducing water pollution. Unlike the original plastic, bioplastics are biodegradable. Because of green characteristics, it is possible to decrease waste products in our ocean floor and the marine animals will not be in danger or worst be extinct someday.

OBJECTIVE

The main objective of the project is to create a product that will help lessen the pollution of our bodies of water, which will save sea animals and their habitat as well. It is under the Sustainable Development Goal 14, which is “Life Below Water”. This SDG aims to sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems from pollution, as well as address the impacts of ocean acidification. The plan is to create a biodegradable plastic, molded into spoon and forks, that will replace the original plastic.

ALL ABOUT THE PRODUCT

Sustainable Bioplastic spoon and fork made from Cornstarch is a product made of materials that are eco-friendly, cost-efficient, and easy to find. It is made up of mainly of cornstarch, water, glycerin, and vinegar. Our product will be molded into the shape of spoon and fork, and can be used by everyone, especially in homes and dining establishments.

One characteristic of this bioproduct is that it is eco-friendly. Its materials are not harmful to the environment. Cornstarch, water, and vinegar are consumable materials by both humans and animals. For Glycerin, it is mostly used for the skin but it can also be edible, since there are many types of glycerin. But in this product, we will use the type of glycerin that is not harmful to the animals living under water. Glycerin is classified as readily biodegradable and is considered practically non-toxic to aquatic organisms on an acute basis according to Product Safety Assessment of Glycerin. Also, bioplastic is less toxic and does not contain bisphenol A (BPA), a hormone disrupter that is often found in traditional plastics. This product will help solve the problem of harmful effect of plastics in marine life.

Our bioplastic spoon and fork made from cornstarch is also cost-efficient, simply because, all the materials used in creating this product is budget friendly. Water is almost everywhere, and since we are surrounded by bodies of water, there is an abundant source of this ingredient. For cornstarch, 1kg costs 145 pesos and for vinegar, 1-2 liters cost 50-70 pesos. Lastly for glycerin, 100 mL costs 85 pesos. All prices are from Lazada.com but will still change depending on the brand and the place where the materials will be bought.

Most of the materials in making this bioplastic is easy to find. Most houses contain condiments like vinegar and cornstarch. Water is a necessity as well. Glycerin is available on supermarkets. The availability of the materials for this product becomes an advantage because all materials can be found locally so it consumes less time for locating them and more time for creating the product.

DESIGN

For our design, spoons and forks will be the output. In the broader sense of bioplastics, with all the ingredients needed for the creation of it, different shapes can be molded out of it, depending on what the people needs or what they want. This gives them the freedom of choosing what shape they like, according to their taste or preferences.

The proposed design of the bioplastic spoon and fork made from eco-friendly materials

Our group will mix all the ingredients in a heated pan, and will continue stirring until the mixture is in the desired state. Afterwards, it will be placed in the molder where it can be molded into the shapes of spoon and fork. Let it dry until it’s hard, like the original plastic spoon and fork.

TARGET USERS

This Sustainable Bioplastic Spoon and Fork made from cornstarch will target food stalls and fast food chains. Since our product is molded into spoon and fork, it will be useful for eating so we plan to target those establishments. Our bioplastic spoon and fork will also be placed in supermarkets and grocery stores for the consumers to be able to buy and use them at their own homes, without the need to go and buy food from restaurants and food stands just to obtain our product. No age limit will be a restriction for the usage of our bioplastic spoon and fork. Sustainable bioplastic spoon and fork will target everyone who eats using spoon and fork, but the fastest way for our product to be notice by the society, we plan to target the food industry since our product is related to food.

MARKET STRATEGIES

Our bioplastic spoon and fork will be more useful to help our bodies of water if the people will know more about them. Advertising is one essential factor in promoting our product. Below are our market strategies.

·       Launching a campaign for bioplastic product

It is powerful to launch a zero-plastic campaign in order to give an upper-hand for the bioplastic product. For the public to notice the product, we will give a free product for them to test its quality and will make sure that it is cheaper than the disposable utensils made of plastic in the market. The plan for giving a free product will be situated in supermarkets around Manila area where millions of people are situated. For the people to take our product, we will be giving a scope of ice cream together with the bioplastic utensil. It is also for the public to test if the utensil taste chemicals and will affect their health.

·       Using social media

Social media will be used as an intermediate for the successful launch of the product. We will use Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to update everyone about our product, especially its benefits. Since not all can come to our campaign, not everyone can witness it, we will use these social media to inform the people about our product. We can post some information in our Facebook account, and videos on how we made them in our Youtube channel. People mostly tend to spend more time using their phones and other gadgets so we will use in our advantage.

HOW THE GROUP GOING TO MAKE A PROFIT FROM THE VENTURE?

Since our product are utensils used for eating, we will be targeting first the fast food chains in the Philippines which are the main user of disposable plastics. We will try to sell our product to their company. The price of our bioplastic spoon and fork will be the key in succeeding with the deal. But, if somehow the deal got rejected, bioplastic utensil will always be available in the market for the use of the public. Not just the quality and cheap price of the product will encourage the customer to buy but also the environmental factors that will help to make our surrounding green and clean.

            A survey was also conducted in order to have an idea of what are the insights of the possible users of the product. With this survey, enhancement and development of the bioplastic may be done based on the results of the survey. The product may be improved, depending on the feedbacks of the respondents. More profit will come if the product is promising to the users. So, this survey is another factor on how we can gain more income.

Figure 1. Age of the Respondents

The researchers managed an online survey to get the responses and feedbacks regarding the bioplastic. The researchers had gathered survey from forty one (41) respondents. The majority of the respondents are twenty one (21) years old as shown in  Figure 1.

Figure 2. Percentage of Individuals Who Often Use Plastic

Figure 2 shows that 65.9% of the respondents often used plastic and 34.1% seldom used plastic. This means that there is a high probability that the plastic they used will go to the seas and affects the sea creatures.

Figure 3. Percentage of Individual Who Cares for Seas and Sea Creatures

Figure 3 illustrates the percentage of those who cares and does not care on our seas and sea creatures. 100% of the respondents care on our seas and sea creatures. This means that many people still care for our environment and will help lessen the water pollution.

Figure 4. Percentage of Individuals who are Aware that Plastic is the Number One Pollutant

According to Figure 4, out of 41 respondents, 95.1% of these are aware that the number one pollutant of the seas are plastics and 4.9% of the respondents are not aware. This means that many of them knows that plastic is one of the harmful material found in our seas.

Figure 5. Percentage of Individual who are Willing to Use Bioplastic

According to Figure 5, 100% are willing to use the biodegradable form of plastic. This is means that many will try and use the product to help lessen the water pollution of our bodies of water.

Figure 6. Percentage of Individual’s Opinion if Bioplastic will Lessen the Pollution on our Seas

Figure 6 shows the majority of individuals answered that bioplastic will lessen the overwhelming plastic usage that contributes pollution on our seas. This means that they have high hopes that the product will be helpful on sea creatures and nature.

Figure 7. Percentage of Individuals who will Recommend Bioplastic to Others

Figure 7 presents the percentage of those who are willingly to recommend bioplastic in the future to their friends and family. 97.6% agrees while the rest does not. This means that bioplastic is a promising product and it is a good idea to lessen plastics and lessen the pollution on our seas.