Although I do not like to eat cheese I would like to show you a video, that explains how to obtain bioplastic from whey. If you want to watch this video, please click on the link below:
http://www.rtve.es/alacarta/videos/agrosfera/agr-ldi-suero/3743752/
You can read, on the image: Bioplastic from lactic whey. A round cycle to pack cheese.
Voice in off: “To make one kilo of cheese, nine litres of whey --considered a residue-- are generated. The cheese industry, in the European Union, produces 75 million tonnes of whey, a year, which is an important environmental problem".
Miguel Alborch (Organiser of the project Life “Wheypack”): “Although much of this amount is reintroduced in the process, to obtain other types of cheese or other type of products, about 40% has to be managed by the own company, as a residue”.
Voice in off: “In AINIA TECHNOLOGY CENTRE, they have obtained a first generation of bioplastic, with the help of microorganisms”
Ana Torrejón (Researcher Technology Centre AINIA): “They take, sources of carbon --in this case: lactose, which is what is in the whey--, they accumulate inside it and, inside, what they do is a transformation, which converts that lactose into PHB; they keep it, as a source of energy, and what we do is to try that they keep as much as possible, then take it out and obtain the plastic”.
Voice in off: “The result is a polymer, known as PHB, completely biodegradable, but lacking the resistance, which the market demands to be used as a tin; that one will be a second phase of the research”.
Miguel Alborch: “They need to be improved, to be improved their impact resistance capabilities; breaking resistance; the permeability capacities, against the gases; it needs to be improved and take additive and be improved its characteristics”.
Voice in off: “There, the other associates of the project come on the scene: the Plastic Technology Institute (AIMPLAS) and the Portuguese packaging company (EMBALNOR). There is also an important Spanish cheese industry, which participates in the research and will be a beneficiary of the results”.
Ana Torrejón: “Really, what we are getting is to close the cycle. Then, from a material, which is a product that does not have an use, you are giving it a second life, you are getting a product that, in addition, will serve to pack the own cheese, which gives rise to the whey; ie, it is a round project”.
Voice in off (Paco Alonso. Editorial office Valencian Community): “The final bioplastic will have the same characteristics of the traditional plastic tin; but with a carbon footprint, lower than which is generated by the current process, for the production of plastics, derived from petroleum”.
Well, I hope that you have lied this article.
Until my next post, kind regards,
Luis.
Sponsored by Costaluz Lawyers.
Please click below:
