CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction

Plastic pollution is the accumulation in the environment of man-made plastic

products to the point where they cause problems for wildlife and their habitats as well as

for human populations. D’Alessandro (2014), by the end of the 20th century, plastics

were established to be continuous cause of pollution to many environmental niches and

had found to produce greater amount of the material than during the whole of the last

century. Plastics are being mistaken for food by animals and responsible for flooding

low-lying areas by clogging drainage systems. By just simply causing significant

aesthetic blight, plastics have attracted increasing attention as a large-scale pollutant.

Plastic utilization had already crossed borders and sectors for human needs and

considered as an unavoidable externality. Cheap, capable of being made into any

conceivable shape, strong and durable, plastic is something of a wonder material. It has

proved to be so useful to humans that since the 1950s humans have produced an

estimated 8.3 billion metric tons of the stuff (Wheeling, 2017). However, the victim of

this success appears to be much of life on Earth. And humans, one day, could find

themselves among them. Uses of the powerful material plastic have evidently changed

from being a solution to making destruction.

The banana peel is something that is thrown away every day; however, it has

much more efficient uses. Starch and cellulose are the most important raw materials in

the plastic production. Banana peels are rich in starch and cellulose which makes it a
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possible ingredient of making bio-plastic from waste. The starch from these peels will be

used to make the bio-plastic, along with the organic plasticizer such as honey. The honey

will improve the plasticity of the material by disconnecting the polymer chains from one

another to acquire formation of film, making the plastic much more durable and increase

its tensile strength.

Replacing bio-plastic from the conventional hazardous plastic will have a greater

impact in facing today's biggest challenge, plastic pollution. Waste materials will not be a

waste; instead, it will be an essential tool to face the challenge. Producing plastic made

from fruit will make it edible and not poisonous. Also, its characteristic of being

biodegradable and to decompose in a short period of time makes it an eco-friendly plastic

for the future generation to use.

With this study, humans can further understand that everything has multiple uses.

Even waste can be as much important as the new ones. The word waste should be

forgotten. Proper utilization and understanding of recycling are the only things that are

needed to attain the continuous cycle of material usage and pollution free world.

Statement of the Problem

This research was intended to determine the effectiveness of Banana peel as bio-

plastic and substitute for toxic plastics.

Precisely, it sought answer to the following questions:

1. What materials can be used to produce a bio plastic?

1.1. Banana Peel; and

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1.2. Honey.

2. What are the processes needed to produce Banana Peel-astic?

3. How will the Banana Peel-astic perform in terms of?

3.1. Corrosion Resistance;

3.2. Tensile Strength; and

3.3. Edibility.

Significance of the Study

The study determined if the Banana Peel-astic could be a substitute for the widely

used toxic plastics. This study helped the plastic consumers to find a better approach in

using safe and non-hazardous materials. Moreover, this research educated people that

nothing is waste and that all things can be used continuously. Lastly, the study proved

whether the Banana plastic could be the missing solution for the long term plastic

pollution.

This study served as a guide and reference data of future researchers as they

conduct and develop another study concerning the said topic. With the help of this

research, plastic pollution can be solved through providing innovated steps in producing

much more usable and eco-friendly plastic bag.

Scope and Delimitations of the Study

The main focus of this study was to determine the effectiveness of banana peel

infused with vinegar, honey, thyme, and cinnamon as a raw material in producing bio-
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plastic. Distinctiveness of the material were tested which includes the property of being

consumed by animals and the potency of the plastic to withhold a certain amount of mass.

This study is limited to any kind of banana peel as raw material in producing

Banana Peel-astic. Any kind of banana peel contains starch and cellulose regardless of

what kind of banana it is.

Cows will be used to measure the edibility of Banana Peel-astic. Cows are largely

important because of its importance to the agricultural sector, which is why its health

concern is a priority. Moreover, being able to resist chemical corrosion and tensile

strength of the Banana Peel-astic were measured through different apparatus.

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Definition of Terms

Bio plastic. Plastic made from biomass sources.

Edibility. Can be consumed by animals and humans.

Conventional Plastic. It is the commonly used plastic of today’s generation

which its chemical components are toxic and hazardous to health of humans, animal, and

environment.

Tensile Strength. The amount of material to withhold a certain amount.