Sustainable bioplastic: a comprehensive review on sources, methods, advantages, and applications of bioplastics

Throughout its lifespan, petroleum-based plastics are associated with a number of environmental problems, including pollution, the release of greenhouse gases, persistence in aquatic and terrestrial environments, etc. As an alternative to conventional plastics generated from petroleum, bioplastics, a class of polymeric materials that is quickly developing, are regularly promoted. The development of renewable resources led to the emergence of bioplastic substitutes. Since these polymers employed sustainable resources like agricultural wastes (instead of petroleum sources) and are biodegradable under different conditions, they are more commonly accepted than conventional plastics. Bioplastics' physical and chemical composition significantly affects how quickly they deteriorate. Natural biomass sources can be used to produce bioplastics like starch, cellulose, chitosan, chitin, and polyhydroxyalkanoates. All these bioplastics have the appropriate physiochemical, thermal, and mechanical characteristics to be used in the development of bioplastics that are naturally biobased and biodegradable. Biopolymers are used for more than just bioplastics, including sustainable manufacturing. In this review, we have covered the different types of bioplastics, their classification, sources, production techniques, advantages over traditional petroleum-based plastics, and their applications in different sectors. Also, industries involved in the production of bioplastics worldwide has also been mentioned.