A group of researchers from four state universities in the country joined forces to create bioplastics from banana and pineapple waste.
According to these experts from the University of Costa Rica (UCR), the National University (UNA), the Technological Institute of Costa Rica (TEC), and the National State University at Distance (UNED), thousands of tons of bananas not suitable for exports and pineapple industrial waste are wasted every year in the country.
It is estimated that 226 thousand tons of banana remain as reject fruit and more than 90 thousand tons of pineapple residues result from the production of juices, which represent an economic and environmental problem for the agroindustry.
The idea of the project that is financed by the National Council of Rectors (CONARE) is that these waste serve to produce bioplastics and thus manufacture packaging, bags and other biodegradable consumer items such as glasses, plates, fabrics and carpets.
“The main advantage of this material is that it degrades in a short time by microorganisms in the environment, unlike the common plastic, which is produced from petroleum derivatives and takes hundreds of years to degrade,” said the Office of Dissemination and Information of the UCR.
The full results of this research will be presented on December 6th at the UCR.