Made from environmentally friendly plastic. Plastic environmentally friendly windows - myth or reality? What is in Russia

Design and interior 20.09.2019

Design and interior

Interest in new, environmentally friendly materials, intensified in recent decades expectedly had implications for plastics and synthetic resins as well. The concept of creating materials from natural materials of biological origin has firmly occupied the minds of inventors in this area.

21st century packaging

It should be clarified that the widely used term "bioplastics" is not a characteristic definition of one group of substances and may refer to polymers of various origins.

Thus, it is necessary to separate bio-based (bio-based) and biodegradable (biodegradable) plastics. If the first involves obtaining a monomer from natural raw materials, and then polymerizing the monomer into conventional plastics (PE, PA, PET, etc.), then for the second, the key aspect is the ability to quickly decompose plastic into natural environment for a short time.

Example: Ethyl alcohol is obtained from biological raw materials, from which ethylene is produced. Polymerization of ethylene resulted in polyethylene (PE). Such PE can be classified as biobasic (because it was produced from natural raw materials), but the product is indistinguishable from petroleum-derived PE.

At the same time, polybutyl succinate (PBS), which is a biodegradable plastic, can be obtained from n-butane, which is a product of the C 4 fraction.

According to the European Institute of Bioplastics (Fig. 1), the global bioplastics production capacity is 4.16 million tons, which is less than 1% compared to the market for conventional plastics. Only 12% of this capacity is directly biodegradable plastics.

Rice. 1. Global bioplastic production capacity

In the structure of consumption of biodegradable plastics (Fig. 2) in the world, up to 75% is occupied by packaging. Other consumption sectors are: public catering and fast food - up to 9%, fibers and threads - 4%, medicine - 4% and agrochemistry - 2%.

Rice. 3. Structure of consumption of biodegradable plastics

So great importance packaging in the sector can be explained by the very idea of biodegradable plastics: to reduce the burden on the ecosystem from used packaging materials, which make up a significant part of the mass of household waste.

Unlike the vast majority of plastics, biodegradable polymers can be broken down in the environment by microorganisms such as bacteria or fungi. A polymer is generally considered biodegradable if its entire mass degrades in soil or water over a period of six months. In many cases, the breakdown products are carbon dioxide and water.

Biodegradable polymers were developed several decades ago, but their full-scale commercial application has been very slow. This was because they were, in general, more costly and less sustainable. physical properties than traditional plastics. In addition, there were not enough incentives for plastics manufacturers to include biodegradable materials in their products.

Thus, the viscose-based biopolymer, cellophane, well known to the Soviet consumer, fully met the concept of environmentally friendly clean materials, rapidly decomposing in nature, but was quickly replaced by BOPP films and films made from PE and Dacron due to their better mechanical characteristics and chemical resistance. Now they, in turn, will be replaced by a new generation of biodegradable polymers.

The development of biodegradable plastics has been significantly influenced by two factors:

Legislative restrictions on the use of "regular" plastic packaging in a number of countries for a number of reasons.
Development of technologies to reduce production costs and improve their mechanical properties

Market

World consumption biodegradable plastics is developing rapidly (Figure 3). The average annual growth is 27%. In the period from 2012 to 2016, consumption increased by 2.7 times. Consumption growth rates exceeded the rates previously predicted by a number of experts.

Rice. 3. World consumption of biodegradable plastics, thousand tons

Containers, films and foams made from biodegradable polymers are used to package meat, dairy products, baked goods, etc. Another most common use is in disposable bottles and cups for water, milk, juices and other beverages, plates, bowls and trays. Another market for such materials is the production of bags for the collection and composting of food waste, as well as bags for supermarkets. An emerging application for these polymers is the agricultural film market.

In the structure of biodegradable plastics (Fig. 4), the largest (up to 43%) place is occupied by polylactide (polylactic acid, PLA), being the most typical and widespread bioplastic, similar in properties to ABS plastics, polyethylene and polystyrene. Another common biodegradable plastic in this series is polybutyl succinate (PBS), an analogue of polypropylene, polybutyrate adipterephthalate (PBAT) - 18%, polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), other polyhydroxyalconates - 11%.

Rice. 4. Structure and ratio of biodegradable plastics

The largest companies producing biodegradable plastics are in the USA: NatureWorks, in Europe - BASF, Novamont, in Japan Mitsubishi Chemicals.

To a large extent, the development of biodegradable plastics is facilitated by legislative restrictions on the use of packaging made from conventional plastics in a number of countries (see table).

Table. Legislative restrictions on the use of conventional plastic packaging

There is a fundamental possibility of obtaining highly processed products from natural raw materials. So, from wood chips, the cost of which is no more than $40 per 1 ton, it is possible to obtain a number of products, among which, in addition to xylose and lignin, there is glucose, which is a raw material for products of a higher processing stage, among which, in turn, ethyl alcohol, polyhydroxobutyrate (PHB), polyhydroxyl alkonates (PHA). The product of lactic acid fermentation of glucose is lactic acid (the main use of lactic acid in the world is food industry: preservative and food additive E270. In 2016, the average price in Russia amounted to $1,851/t.), polymerization of which, for example, using the technology of Sulzer Chemtech Uhde Inventa-Fischer, produces polylactide (PLA). The average import price of polylactide (PLA) (TN VED code 3907700000) in 2016 was $9,500/t. The difference in these values - $40 and $9,500 per 1 ton is the commercial potential for the production of biodegradable plastics based on polylactide.

PLA Market

World consumption of polylactide is growing every year by an average of 20%. In 2012-2016 its consumption increased from 360.8 to 1,216.3 thousand tons/year.

In Russia, consumption is realized only by imported supplies of PLA. In 2016, PLA imports to Russia amounted to 261.5 tons, which is less than 0.003% of the global consumption of this product. Such a small share of Russian consumption of polylactide is explained by the lack of legislative initiatives on the part of the state (in the packaging segment), and the lack of high-tech industries that could meet the demand for PLA. There are reports (https://sdelanounas.ru/blogs/93795/) that PLA for medical purposes is produced at JSC VNIISV, Tver, but there is no information that the production is of commercial importance.

A significant point in the technology of production of PLA and products from it is the presence of stereoisomers in the lactic acid molecule (Fig. 5). The lactic acid molecule and its polymer can exist in two versions (L and D), which are mirror images of each other. 100% L-PLA has a crystalline structure, a distinct melting point and certain properties, while a mixture of isomers has an amorphous glassy structure. By varying the ratio of isomers, it is possible to achieve a wide range of properties in products, depending on the purpose.

Rice. 5. Optical isomers of lactic acid and properties of polylactide

Polybutyl succinate (PBS)

The next most important biodegradable plastic is polybutyl succinate, which is a product of polycondensation succinic acid and 1,4-butanediol (both n-butane derivatives). This biodegradable plastic can be produced from both biological raw materials and petroleum products. World consumption of PBS reached 456.5 thousand tons in 2016.

Rice. 6. Scheme for obtaining PBS

PBS is used in the production of packaging, film, tableware and medical products. Its other names are: Bionolle, GsPLA, etc.

Polybutyrate adipterephthalate (PBAT)

For biodegradable wrapping materials, polybutyrate adipterephthalate (PBAT) is used:

It is a random copolymer based on adipic acid, 1,4-butanediol and dimethyl phthalate. Its properties are similar to low-density polyethylene. Also known under the trademarks: Ecoflex, Wango, Ecoworld, etc.

Rice. 7. World consumption of PBAT

Polyhydroxyalconates (PHA)

In a broad sense, all of the above products belong to the class of polyhydroxyalconates with the general formula:

In a narrow sense, PHA refers to products with other substituents. A wide range of such compounds serves certain tasks.

MAIN CONCLUSIONS

World consumption of biodegradable plastics reached 2.315 million tons in 2016, up to 75% of this volume falls on packaging.
The main drivers of growth in the consumption of biodegradable plastics are legislative bans in a number of countries on the use of conventional plastics in packaging and demand from developing high-tech industries (medicine, cosmetology, etc.).
The most important among biodegradable plastics isPLA. In 2016, its consumption amounted to 1.216 million tons. Russia accounts for less than 0.003% of this number. PricePLAin Russia in 2016 amounted to 9500 USD/t.
ReceiptPLA, PBSand other biodegradable plastics, possibly both from biological raw materials and from petroleum products.

A new trend of modern entrepreneurship today has become - social and environmental activities, in which business decides important questions for the improvement and development of cities, the search for alternative solutions in the field of energy and resource use. Here are some interesting foreign and domestic projects that help us look at business from a completely different angle.

Micromidas - biodegradable plastic

On the this moment Only about 10% of plastic is recycled in the world. The most conscientious try to sort and, if possible, use plastic products as little as possible. Savvy entrepreneurs find more progressive solutions.

Micromidas is a California company that has invented an alternative to conventional plastic - their plastic is made from inexpensive and recyclable materials (used paper, agricultural residues and wood), and therefore decomposes much faster than usual. John Bissell, co-founder of Micromidas, was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list last year as the world's brightest entrepreneurial talent.

In addition, Micromidas invented a formula for using bacteria to turn waste from Wastewater into high-grade plastic, which completely decomposes throughout the year. Thus, Micromidas immediately solve 2 problems:
1. Prevent pollution of the planet
2. Help clean sewage water by transforming human waste and turning it into material useful to mankind.

In addition, the technology they use is much cheaper: the oil from which ordinary plastic is made needs to be pumped, and this is a rather costly process in financial and resource terms. At the same time, sewage waste is a more accessible material.

PVC (polyvinyl chloride material or just vinyl) is today the cheapest, and therefore the most common, type of plastic. PVC is mainly used in construction areas (building cladding, plastic windows, wall panels, pipes, etc.) and less than 20% of products made from this type of plastic are used in household and other areas of life. Moreover, in Russia this figure is almost 50%, while in Europe they try to refuse this type of plastic as much as possible. Why is this happening? After all, the advantages of PVC are obvious: cheapness, practicality, strength ...

In Europe, the name has long been fixed for PVC "poison plastic" (poison plastic). The harm of polyvinyl chloride for surrounding nature and human health is huge: it not only contains many dangerous components, but also releases poisonous gas when heated or burned.

Unfortunately the material polyvinyl chloride - a very common type of plastic. It can be found everywhere. This includes linoleum in the apartment, plastic windows, stretch ceilings, vinyl wallpaper, and plastic toys (from dental rings that kids put in their mouths to dolls), and different types packaging (bags, bottles, food containers).

When buying PVC products, you should remember:

To make polyvinyl chloride elastic, plasticizers are added to it, which, when entering the body, reduce its immune properties, and can also cause damage to the kidneys and liver, cause infertility and cancer. This is the main harm of PVC. In addition, PVC may contain other hazardous elements: chromium, cadmium, lead, etc.

The advantages of PVC are absolutely incomparable with the danger posed by burning polyvinyl chloride material. During combustion, up to 50 mg of harmful dioxins are formed from 1 kg of polyvinyl chloride. This amount is capable of causing cancerous tumors in about 50,000 small laboratory animals.

Safe technology PVC recycling, as well as the production of PVC products, does not exist. Polyvinyl chloride material is not recyclable, and the highly toxic dioxins released during the disposal of products made from this plastic spread over thousands of kilometers.

The production of PVC products carries no less danger to the environment. Harm plastic windows, for example, is that the production of one window produces 20 g of toxic waste. A complete apartment renovation using polyvinyl chloride generates about 1 kg of toxic waste.

How to identify PVC products?

In countries that monitor the environmental situation and give preference to safe materials, it is customary to mark the types of plastic - put an icon with a number surrounded by arrows. In Russia, the labeling of plastic products is not yet mandatory, which means that all plastic products have such a label, but it is also useful for us to know what this or that sign means.

1. PETE or PET (polyethylene terphthalate) - a type of plastic that is used in the manufacture of bottles, boxes, cans and other packaging for bottling water, juices and soft drinks. This material is also used in packaging for powders and bulk food products. Polyethylene terphthalate is one of the most common and safest types of plastic. In addition, it is highly recyclable.

2. HDPE or LDPE (high pressure polyethylene). This type of plastic is used in the manufacture of bags and mugs for water or milk, bottles for shampoos, bleaches, cleaning products and detergents, canisters for machine oils. It is considered a safe type of plastic, lends itself well recycling and processing.

3. PVC or PVC (polyvinyl chloride) belongs to one of the most dangerous types of plastic. We are talking about him today. It is used for the packaging of washing liquids, the production of windows, pipes, wall and floor coverings, garden furniture, films for stretch ceilings, oilcloth, blinds, bathroom curtains, etc. Food containers and children's toys can also be made from it. However, the harm from PVC is quite large, because it contains heavy metals and plasticizers, which can cause damage to the kidneys and liver, infertility, and cancer. At the same time, it is difficult to process, and when burned, it releases into the air dangerous poisons– carcinogenic dioxides. If possible, it is better to abandon this type of plastic or reduce its use to a minimum.

4. LDPE or HDPE (low pressure polyethylene) - the type of plastic used to make plastic bottles and other flexible plastic packaging. Thanks to this material, we have plastic bags. This kind of polyethylene is also a safe plastic.

5. PP or PP (polypropylene) far from the most durable type of plastic, but absolutely harmless to the environment and human health. Polypropylene is mainly used for lids, discs, yogurt cups, syrup and ketchup bottles. This plastic is also used for the manufacture of children's products: toys, feeding bottles, etc.

6. PS or PS (polystyrene) - a type of plastic resulting from the polymerization of carcinogenic styrene. Hence its harmful effect. And although polystyrene is often used to make dishes, cutlery, egg containers or meat trays, it is better to refuse such products.

7. OTHER or OTHER. This category includes polymers blends of various plastics not listed above. For example, polycarbonate dangerous view plastic, which, with frequent heating or washing, releases a substance that causes hormonal disorders in the human body. But harmless environmentally friendly plastics can also be marked with this figure.

« CAN PLASTIC BE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY?

Research project

Completed by a student

9b class MAOU SOSH№ 2

municipality

city of Ust-Labinsk

Cherskova

Anastasia Alexandrovna

Scientific adviser:

biology teacher

MAOU SOSH№ 2

Evening Lyudmila Ivanovna

Ust-Labinsk 2015

Can plastic be environmentally friendly?

1. Abstract.

The topic of using environmentally friendly materials is very relevant in our

days. The paper outlines ways to obtain environmentally friendly plastic.

Goals:

Find out if you can create eco-friendly plastics at home..

Find out how they behave in the soil.

Make sure that the technology I propose is harmless to the environment

Tasks:

Make plastics at home

Get from it products in the form of buttons.

Check their action in the soil.

2. Research plan:

Can you make eco-friendly plastic at home?

Hypothesis:

You can make environmentally friendly plastic at home.

1. Search for material about biodegradable plastics on the Internet and in the library

2.Practical work.
3. Observation.
4. Analysis of the obtained results.

Relevance: .

"We have become a civilization of disposable tableware" Jacques-Yves Cousteau

More than forty years ago, mankind invented the plastic material. Nowadays, millions of tons of plastic products are produced and thrown away every year.. And every year plastic waste is growing by 20%. The problem of garbage, its disposal, storage and processing is extremely acute ... The huge amount of garbage in human recreation areas made me think about the question, is it possible to create environmentally friendly plastic?

3. Table of contents.

1. Abstract………………………………….. 1 page

2. Research plan………………………..2 p.

3. Table of contents………………………………….3 p.

4..Main part……………………………...4-9p.

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Beware of plastic!

4.3 Biodegradable plastic.

4.4 Application of plastic from halite in production.

5. Practical part………………………...10-17p.

6. Conclusion ………………………………….18p.

7.Conclusions…………………………………………………….

8. List of literature…………………………20p.

9.Appendix…………………………………21-29p.

4.Main part.

4.1 Introduction.

One of the most serious environmental problems today is the fight against plastic waste. Indeed, every year on our planet, 2.5 million tons of plastic bottles based on a substance such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are sent to scrap. And, most importantly, it is still completely incomprehensible what to do with such waste, because the miraculous microorganism that could destroy all this garbage with the release of thermal energy, scientists still cannot bring out. Well, just burning such plastic is quite dangerous, because when it burns, extremely toxic substances are released into the atmosphere. I learned that scientists from many countries are working on the creation of new biodegradable plastics.
They will be based on natural materials, which, when released into the soil, will turn into fertilizer for plants. I was very interested in this topic, and I set myself the following

Goals:

1.Find out if you can create eco-friendly plastics at home..

2. Make sure that the technology I propose is harmless to the environment.

Tasks:

1.Get plastic at home

2. Make products in the form of buttons from bliss. and plates

3. Investigate the behavior of household plastics in the soil.

4. Analyze the received material.

4.2 Beware of plastics. Take a look around in your office, kitchen or bedroom, plastic is all around us. Our food packaging, clothing, computers, Cell phones, stationery and even toys

baby - it's ALL made of plastic! AT Everyday life we do not even think about how these plastic products affect our health, the health of our children and the environment.
Some types of plastics are a direct threat to our health. So, in the production of polycarbonate, from which some of our dishes are made, Bisphenol A is used, which, according to Western scientists, causes hormonal disorders, which ultimately leads to obesity, infertility, early puberty, and significantly increases the likelihood of developing cancer. On some plastic products, you can see a triangle, the walls of which form arrows. A number is placed in the center of such a triangle. This designation divides all plastics into seven groups in order to facilitate the process of further processing.
In everyday life, by this icon, you can determine for what purposes you can use a plastic product, and in which cases you can refuse to use this product at all

Various soft drinks (juices, water), sunflower oil, ketchups, mayonnaise, cosmetics are poured into bottles made of polyethylene terephthalate.
Advantages of plastic: cheapness, durability, safety.
Disadvantages of plastic: low barrier properties (ultraviolet and oxygen easily penetrate into the bottle; carbon dioxide contained in soft drinks also seeps through the walls relatively easily).
Officially, polyethylene terephthalate bottles are considered safe for health. However, doctors do not recommend reusing bottles, because in everyday life it is difficult to rinse them cleanly enough to "get rid" of all microorganisms.

Made of polyethylene high density bottles for shampoos, cosmetics and detergents, canisters for motor oils, disposable tableware,

containers and containers for foodstuffs, containers for freezing food, toys, various caps, caps for bottles and vials, durable household

bags, packing bags and boxes.
Advantages of plastic: low cost, safety, strength, ease of processing, resistance to oils, acids, alkalis and other aggressive media.
Hazard to health and the environment: Despite the fact that products are considered safe for human health, there are a number of myths according to which hexane and benzene can get into the liquid from the container walls. So far, these are only myths that do not have scientific confirmation.

Polyvinyl chloride, also known as PVC, vinyl is used for the manufacture of linoleum, window profiles, furniture edges, packaging of household appliances, artificial leather, films for stretch ceilings, siding, pipes, shower curtains, folders with metal rings, cheese and meat wrappers, bottles of vegetable butter, and some toys.
Advantages of plastic: resistance to acids, alkalis, solvents and oils, gasoline, kerosene, good dielectric, does not burn.
Disadvantages of plastic: small operating temperature range from -15°С to +65°С, difficulty in processing, toxicity.
Hazard to health and the environment: itthe most poisonous and dangerous for health kind of plastics. When polyvinyl chloride is burned, highly toxic organochlorine compounds are formed; after 10 years of service, products made from PVC begin to release toxic organochlorine compounds into the environment on their own. The most unpleasant thing is that to give greater flexibility, PVC continues to be used in the manufacture of children's toys. There is information that polyvinyl chloride enters the human bloodstream and causes hormonal disorders, leading to early puberty and infertility.

Various packaging materials, bags for supermarkets, CDs, DVDs are made from low-density polyethylene.
Hazard to health and the environment: officially considered harmless, despite the fact that the production of LDPE uses butane, benzene and vinyl acetate that are potentially hazardous to health.
Buckets, dishes for hot dishes, disposable syringes, bags for sugar, containers for freezing food, caps for most bottles, oilers, packaging of some food products are made from polypropylene, and is used in construction for noise insulation. Many home appliance manufacturers are using polypropylene to manufacture their product packaging, ditching the poisonous polyvinyl chloride.
Advantages of plastic: heat resistance (melting point 175°C), resistant to wear; more heat resistant than polyethylene.
Disadvantages of plastic: sensitive to light and oxygen, ages faster than polyethylene; less frost-resistant than polyethylene.
Hazard to health and the environment: It is believed that polypropylene is safe for health.
Polystyrene is used to make disposable tableware, food containers, yogurt cups, children's toys, heat-insulating boards, sandwich panels, ceiling moldings, decorative ceiling tiles, food packaging trays in supermarkets (meat, various nuts, etc.), packaging egg cartons.
Hazard to health and the environment: Previously, the production of polystyrene was associated with the release of trichlorofluoromethane (freon), which destroyed the ozone layer of the Earth. Polystyrene is produced by the polymerization of styrene, which is carcinogenic.
This group includes other types of plastics, so their use in everyday life may be hazardous to your health. So from

which some food utensils and bottles are made, may release , which can cause various hormonal disorders in the human body (early puberty, obesity, cancer,). However, this group may also include environmentally friendly types of plastics that biodegrade in environment with the participation of microorganisms.

It seems to me that: if possible, plastic utensils should be abandoned in favor of wooden, glass, porcelain, metal (instead of a plastic cutting board, you can use a wooden, plastic bottle on a hike can be replaced with a metal flask).
Some manufacturers are already producing reusable stainless steel bottles instead of plastic bottles.

4.3Biodegradable plastics . A number of companies have already begun to produce biodegradable plastic packaging from imported raw materials. Biodegradable plastic is plastic that, being a nutrient medium, is absorbed by microorganisms and converted into compounds such as CO2, water and biomass. Components such as water, CO2, biomass, without polluting environment. Biodegradable plastics, when recycled along with organic waste, follow a natural cycle, just like fallen tree leaves. If biodegradable plastics end up in modern landfills, then the natural cycle, due to the isolation of the landfill directly from the soil, and, consequently, from contact with nature, is violated. Some biodegradable plastics are produced from renewable resources, such as starch, which, by participating in the natural cycle (“from nature to nature”), has a minimal impact on the environment and is a near-ideal option for “environmentally sustainable” use of resources. Biodegradable plastics only undergo optimal degradation under industrial organic waste processing conditions. In nature, this process occurs much more slowly. Waste left directly in nature pollutes the environment and is harmful to animals, just like non-biodegradable plastics. the action of two factors: abiotic (“non-living”, i.e. ultraviolet radiation, water, heat) and biotic (“living”, i.e. through microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, algae). At the first stage, the material is split into parts, which are then absorbed by microorganisms at the second stage.

4.4 Application of plastic from halalite

Also in Soviet time there was a production of buttons from galalit - a special type of plastic, which was obtained by mixing casein milk protein and formaldehyde. The technologies used made it possible to obtain material with a variety of artistic effects, which was well turned and polished. In addition to buttons for coats and other clothes, handles, combs and handles for walking sticks and umbrellas were made from Galalite. Galalite buttonsstainedin a variety of colors. The coloring could be one-color, and it turned out to be very thick, juicy and even. Multi-color variants of such clothing accessories could imitate amber, marble, gems, wood and other materials. When gallalite was treated with certain chemicals, the buttons became very similar to mother-of-pearl..

4.Practical part

1.Production of plastic.

The technology for the production of plastic at home is very simple and uncomplicated, therefore, anyone, even far from chemistry, can prepare galalite plastic. Galalite is well turned and polished. At one time, galalite was used to make fountain pens, buttons, combs, handles, handles for umbrellas and canes. The highest grades of galalite were used to imitate Ivory, amber and horns.

The main components of the recipe are milk and vinegar - also found in any kitchen. It will take a minimum of time to prepare a mass of plastic, about 10-15 minutes. It has the consistency of water cheese and can be shaped into desired shapes. After that, it must be left to harden for about two days. The finished product is quite durable. A thin sheet of such plastic is easy to break with your hands, but if you drop it on the floor, it will most likely remain intact. The greater the thickness of the sheet, the greater the load it can withstand. But from a strong blow with a hammer, of course, the product will break.

To prepare galalite we need:

1. Milk, skim is suitable.
2) Vinegar.

In addition, you may find it useful:
Waxed paper - it can be rolled out and formed into a mass
Aluminum foil - to shape products
Rolling pin–what would detail flat sheets

prepare the necessary materials for this.

Production technology

We take milk and vinegar in a ratio of 16:1, that is, somewhere around a teaspoon of vinegar to a glass of milk. One glass of milk will give us a piece of plastic about 5cm in diameter and 3mm thick. Boil milk, stirring regularly. We carefully monitor that it does not burn. The milk boils - remove it from the heat and add vinegar. You can immediately notice the appearance of particles of separated casein. Mix for about half a minute.

Then you need to slowly strain the liquid through cheesecloth, using two prepared cups. The gauze will retain the bulk of the casein particles. It is important to pour the liquid from vessel to vessel - casein residues can clog the sewer! We wring out the gauze so that the casein sticks together into one lump, and transfer it to wax paper.

Since there is still too much liquid in the mass, squeeze it out with paper napkins, gently pressing them to the mass. At this stage, the main thing is not to overdry the plastic.

So, the mass is ready! It should roll out easily, not crack or crumble. As already mentioned, its strength and drying time will depend on the thickness of the product. To preserve it from deformation, it is advisable to press down the plastic with a load during drying, placing a sheet of waxed paper. More complex shapes of the product are preferably fixed with foil.

When everything is ready, the plastic can be sanded and painted. That, in fact, is the whole technology for the production of galalite plastic!

2. Making buttons

Pour half a glass (120 ml) of cream into a ladle and heat it until it boils. I take the pot off the fire.

Add one teaspoon (5 ml) of vinegar to the cream and stir. Small flakes of cottage cheese are immediately formed, floating in a clear liquid. Instead of cream and vinegar, you can take half a glass of kefir - you just need to warm it up a little.

Before the formation of curd. I put two filters for a coffee maker on top (you can take two squares of gauze) and fix it with a rubber band.

Carefully pour the mixture from the ladle onto the filter. I transfer all the cottage cheese flakes to the filter with a spoon.

I leave the curd for 5 minutes to cool down. I remove the filter from the paper, wrap it around the curd and squeeze out the liquid.

I expand the filter. The cottage cheese turned out to be dense, but soft enough, just such that something can be molded from it.

On a piece of foil, I made several small buttons from cottage cheese. I put them on a paper towel and left to dry. After 24 hours, the pieces of cottage cheese turned into a solid yellowish material - a natural plastic.

3. Experiments with buttons.

Experience number 1. Behavior of buttons in soil

I let the buttons dry, and then set aside a few to transfer them to the soil.

Take out the buttons and flower pots outside.

I poured earth into the pots to about half their height.

I put some curd buttons in the first pot and a regular button in the second pot.

I covered the buttons with soil. For a week I watered the potted soil every day and watched the buttons.

I compared the buttons I made and regular buttons by burying them in the soil.

The results of observations of the state of buttons in the soil

1 day

3 day

Day 5

Day 7

Halalite button

no changes

color changed

broke into 2 pieces

broke into several pieces

regular button

no changes

without changes

Experience No. 2 Mechanical impact on the buttons of the washing machine.

In everyday life, we use buttons on clothes. I decided to check how the buttons I made would behave when washed.

I sewed my button to the fabric and put it in the washing machine. Washed in delicate mode (30 degrees)

Number of washes

1 wash

2 wash

3wash

4wash

Button changes.

No changes observed

Conclusion: Homemade buttons are quite durable.

14 .

I understand that buttons do not so often fall into the soil, but more often soil contamination occurs with disposable tableware after people go out into nature. It is convenient to use disposable tableware for outdoor recreation, only the problem is that the environment is littered with this kind of dishes: it is not customary for many to take their own garbage with them. Some people burn plastic utensils, which is dangerous to health. Natural tableware will decompose in nature.

Therefore, I decided to make disposable plates from homemade Galalite and test them for durability.

Plate experience.

Experiment No. 1 What temperature of liquid can my plates withstand?

I poured cold water into the first plate, room temperature water into the second plate, and hot water into the third.

Conclusion: The plates I made do not differ in strength from ordinary disposable tableware, they have the same properties, given that plastic tableware melts from hot water.

Experience number 2. What is the strength of the plates?

I tested the soy plate for strength by hitting it on the floor. (She crashed)

Application

Ecoplastic preparation

1) Milk, skimmed is fine.
2) Vinegar.
3) Two cups, plastic spoon.
4) Gauze and a lot of paper napkins.

We take milk and vinegar in a ratio of 16:1, that is, somewhere around a teaspoon of vinegar to a glass of milk. One glass of milk will give us a piece of plastic about 5cm in diameter and 3mm thick.

Button after 1 wash

Button after 2 washes

After 3 washes

My disposable plates.

Observation for the presence of bacteria with a mechanical microscope

MOSCOW, November 10 - RIA Novosti. Valery Spiridonov, the first candidate for a head transplant, talks about how the land and oceans of the Earth are rapidly "overgrown" with plastic debris, how it affects the functioning of ecosystems and how it can be combated.

The era of plastic

Often, the modern benefits of civilization create not only convenience for people, but also cause irreparable damage to nature. In the last 10 years alone, more plastic products have been produced worldwide than in the previous century.

Disposable tableware, bags, packaging, bottles and various containers are the most common types of plastic waste that we "produce" every day. Only five percent of its volume is ultimately recycled and reused in everyday life and life.

Plastic causes serious damage to the environment, from its production to disposal. Factories producing plastic products release up to 400 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere per year, and approximately 800 species of animals are now under threat of extinction due to eating and poisoning with plastic.

Disposable bags clog city sewer systems and create flood threats, plastic debris litter beaches and recreational coastal areas, hurting the tourism industry.

The soil

Scientists: Stomachs of 90% of seabirds were filled with plasticOceanologists conducted a large-scale study of the diet of seabirds, which unexpectedly showed that the stomachs of 90% of sea birds contain particles of plastic, which indicates a greater scale of plastic pollution in the sea than previously thought.

It is known that plastic decomposes for about two hundred years. Once in the ground, plastics break down into small particles and begin to be thrown into the environment. chemical substances added to them during production. It can be chlorine, various chemicals, such as toxic or carcinogenic flame retardants.

Microgranules of plastic and its chemicals seep through the groundwater to the nearest water sources, which often leads to the mass death of animals.

Ocean

According to UN environmentalists, about 13 million tons of plastic waste enters the ocean every year.

Attempts to stop the catastrophic trend have been going on since the middle of the 20th century. Even then, environmentalists sounded the alarm about the growing "Great Garbage Patch", which currently, according to various estimates, covers up to one percent of the Pacific Ocean.

According to forecasts by the British Ellen MacArthur Foundation, by 2025 for every three kilograms of fish in the world's oceans there will be a kilogram of garbage, and by 2050 the mass of waste will be higher than the combined weight of all fish on Earth.

Plastic makes up 80 percent of all debris in the world's oceans. Under the influence of sunlight, it breaks down into small particles. Plastic microgranules accumulate persistent toxic substances on their surface.

Undecomposed plastic bags end up in the stomachs of marine mammals and birds. Ecologists have calculated that tens of thousands of birds, whales, seals, and turtles die from this every year. Animals die of suffocation, or indigestible debris accumulates in their stomachs and interferes with their work.

The result is that the same waste that we throw away is returned to us back on the dining table along with food or water.

Salt is no longer

Recent studies by scientists confirm that these fears are well founded. For example, NYU professor Sherry Mason argues that plastic is already everywhere: "In the air, in the water, in the seafood, in the beer we drink, in the salt we use."

In his work, the scientist examined 12 different types of salt from grocery stores. different countries peace. The found particles of plastic indicate that people constantly consume it in food. The calculation showed that Americans eat over 660 plastic particles a year, with an average recommended salt intake of 2.3 grams per day. The consequences of plastic consumption for human health are still little studied, but it is undoubted that it has a negative impact, as it does on any living organism.

Spanish ecologists have also found microplastics in two dozen samples of table salt. Most often, they found in them polyethylene terephthalate, a polymer used in the production of plastic bottles. Another international team of scientists has found other types of plastic in salt, such as polyethylene and polypropylene.

Sources of pollution

According to environmentalists today, China is the leader in pollution of the world's oceans. Others follow him Asian countries— Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. The inhabitants of the sea coast in these states do not always care about its cleanliness and all the garbage here, as a rule, ends up in the ocean.

The total number of daily discarded plastic products in the US, EU, Norway and China reaches 37 thousand tons, in Russia - no more than 10 thousand tons. Existing plastic recycling technologies can only partially solve the environmental problem.

Legislative regulation

Proposals are being put forward for a consolidated international action plan to address the problem of plastic waste.

Experts from the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) acknowledge that the problem has been exacerbated by prolonged inaction. Under the auspices of UNEP, the World Campaign to Combat Marine Litter has been launched.

An illustrative example is the Italian city of Capannori with a population of 46,700 people. In 2007, a zero waste strategy was introduced here. In ten years, the volume of garbage has been reduced by 40 percent. At the same time, only 18 percent of waste ends up in landfills.

It is worth noting that such a strategy requires certain investments and should include mechanisms for financing the fight against garbage. Alternatively, there is the "polluter pays" principle. For an industry with $750 billion in annual revenue, it could be quite effective.

More than 40 countries have established legal restrictions and bans on the use of plastic bags in their territories.

There are no such laws in Russia yet. According to current estimates by environmentalists and economists, Russian industrial enterprises produce approximately 26.5 billion plastic bags. If all of them were collected, then it would be possible to cover an area three times the size of Moscow.

In this regard, Greenpeace Russia launched the campaign "Package? - Thank you, no!" The purpose of the campaign is to call on the largest supermarket chains to abandon plastic bags. Anyone can support the program by sending a letter of appeal to retailers on the organization's website.

Personal culture of consumption

Every day we have an alternative: buy mineral water in a glass or plastic bottle, take disposable paper utensils or plastic plates for a picnic, use reusable shopping bags or shopping bags. Environmental concern or personal convenience? The choice determines the level of a person's self-consciousness.

Of course, such a culture in society is instilled over the years. The less each of us begins to use plastic in everyday life, the faster manufacturers will reduce its production. Don't choose "disposable" plastic solely because of its low price - often many plastic items can be replaced with reusable products made from more environmentally friendly materials.

For example, calculations by British analysts show that the reuse of plastic packaging will save up to 120 billion dollars every year. Decreasing plastic production, it seems to me, can increase the demand for more environmentally friendly reusable products from other raw materials and make them cheaper by increasing their mass production.

It is quite likely that we will be able to turn the tide in a few years and stop or at least slow down the environmental catastrophe.

There are other futuristic views on pollution problems. According to some scientists, irreversible changes are already taking place on our planet, we are threatened with a shortage of drinking water, global warming and other things that will make the Earth unfit for human life.

Some of them suggest not to look for new ways to save the Earth, but to focus on finding new planets that are most suitable for the resettlement of mankind. Even leaving aside questions of ethics and morality, it seems to me that such a path is not reasonable from a strategic point of view. It’s easier to put your “beautiful and well-equipped house” in order by cleaning it than to build and settle in a new one.