Researchers develop environmentally-friendly plastic substitute

An award winning master’s candidate from the University of Manitoba has discovered a way to use canola proteins to create a plastic alternative to reduce pollution.

A team of researchers have found a way to turn canola into biodegradable packaging material. The material comes from a part of the canola plant that otherwise go to waste.

“This is something huge, so I just wanted to find a very good solution to this problem,” said Thilini Dissanayake, developing canola-based plastic replacement at the University of Manitoba. “Knowing that we can use this bi-products for something good in society, it’s very exciting.”

Dissanayake worked with developing food packaging material using canola protein – a more environmentally-friendly product that is rich in Manitoba.

“We know that the canola industry is huge in Canada. As a result of this, the biproduct of this industry, the canola meal, it doesn’t have any other applications instead of being used in the animal feed industry. We wanted to provide and value to this biproduct, and by that we wanted to provide an answer to the huge environmental pollution coming from the petroleum-based plastic food packages.”

The impacts of single-use plastics on the environment have become a forefront issue over the last few years – with countries like Canada banning plastic bags, straws, and take out containers.

Dissanayake says there are some biodegradable plastic items available, but lack the quality needed. Dissanayake says having an alternative to an ongoing environmental issue is something we need to address fast.

“Most of the time, these food packaging materials, after they are consumed, end up in the landfills or oceans. This has become a serious problem for the animals, humans and also as a whole for the entire planet.”

Dissanayake says the team is now working on creating a plastic bag alternative out of the canola-based product.