Iran-Made Degradable Plastic Bags Welcomed by Foreign Customers

The company, stationed at Aras Free Zone in East Azerbaijan province in the Northwestern part of Iran, produces environmentally friendly plastic bags by using nanotechnology.

The products of the technological company are exported to Iraq, Russia, Georgia, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan.

Among the features of the company's products mention can be made of being non-leaking and impervious to viruses and microbes, having smart antibacterial properties, high physical resistance, the scent of medicinal plants, favorable heat resistance, decomposition and degradability to protect the environment.

Also, the degradable plastic products of the company can be decomposed in less than 5 years.

In a relevant development in April 2023, the Iranian Research Institute of Food Science and Technology in cooperation with the private sector had also developed biodegradable compostable plastic containers using biopolymers.

With the aim of reducing the disadvantages of common disposable plastic containers of petroleum and plant origin, the project was launched to make completely biodegradable containers.

Today's lifestyle has led to the use of disposable containers as the most common environmental pollutants.

Recently, polypropylene containers as well as so-called plant-based containers made of starch are used in the country for storing and packing some liquids and hot food such as tea, hot drinks, soups, and also some frozen data-x-items such as ice cream.

Due to their reasonable price, disposable polystyrene containers are mostly used. When these containers come into contact with liquids and hot food (with a temperature of more than 70 degrees Celsius) or frozen food, the styrene monomer will gradually release into the food.

Such substances are a source of all types of cancers and significantly increase the cost of treatment.

The disposable containers available in the market have not been able to prevent the pollution of the environment and the occurrence of diseases.

Therefore, the Iranian Research Institute of Food Science and Technology embarked on launching the plan for developing biodegradable polymer composites to manufacture biodegradable compostable containers.

At first, biodegradable and compostable polymer composite granules were produced from the combination of synthetic biopolymers with natural polymers such as starch and lignocellulosic materials.

Then various disposable food packaging containers were made using the produced granules.

Due to their long lifespan which sometimes reaches several hundreds of years, in addition to reducing the permeability of the soil surface, common plastic containers cause soil pollution and decrease the fertility of agricultural lands.

4155/v