Scientists from Malaga will create a planet-friendly plastic packaging from tomato peels … Researchers from Malaga turned waste from factories for the production of tomato paste and ketchup into environmentally friendly plastic, the portal TheMayor.EU writes.
The peel, which is not needed in food enterprises, will become a source of fatty acids – they will then be used to produce biomaterial for packaging products … Thus, it will be possible not only to reduce waste from food production, but also harm to the atmosphere from plastic from petroleum products.
Tomato packaging is not inferior to traditional packaging, but decomposes much faster – it will take about a month to completely disappear. while ordinary plastic will remain on the Earth's surface for the next 450 years. However, it will take time for the mass introduction of the new technology – it is necessary to develop equipment to make the production of bioplastics simple, fast and low-cost.
Many countries around the world have already realized the harm to the planet from plastic packaging and have begun to discourage its use. In France, from January 2022, it will be prohibited to sell certain types of fruits and vegetables in single-use packaging. From July of the same year, a ban on most plastic goods will come into effect in India. Starting from 2023, Russia may also stop selling some types of packaging made of petroleum products.