Banana waste converted into biodegradable plastic

The technique, developed at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, takes the pseudostems of the banana plant and converts the waste into nanocellulose, which can then be used as a feedstock to create bioplastics. According to the researchers, the actual fruit of the banana tree makes up just 12 per cent of the plant, with the rest discarded as waste. This makes the crop an enticing target for alternative uses, both to reduce waste and provide a solid supply of raw materials for industrial production of bioplastics.

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“What makes the banana growing business particularly wasteful compared to other fruit crops is the fact that the plant dies after each harvest,” said Associate Professor Jayashree Arcot, UNSW School of Chemical Engineering. “We were particularly interested in the pseudostems – basically the layered, fleshy trunk of the plant which is cut down after each harvest and mostly discarded on the field. Some of it is used for textiles, some as compost, but other than that, it’s a huge waste.