Banana Food Wrap and Cassava Bioplastic Packaging: Assessment of Biodegradability

Plastic pollution was identified as one of the main problems in the world, with plastic taking hundreds or thousands of years to decompose. Consequently, there has been a growing inclination towards utilizing biodegradable materials such as bioplastics for packaging purposes. Bioplastics can be derived from organic materials such as food waste, although it's important to note that not all bioplastics are biodegradable. This study aimed to determine the biodegradability rate of the Banana Food Wrap compared to a commercial product, the Cassava Packaging, under different environmental conditions including soil, freshwater, and saltwater. An experimental design was employed to fulfill the study's objectives and examine its underlying theory. The researchers utilized the soil method to assess the biodegradability rate and observe any disparities between the Banana Food Wrap and Cassava Packaging in terms of weight loss and physical appearance over a period of 90 days in various environments. The study revealed that the Banana Food Packaging achieved a 100% biodegradability rate at a faster pace compared to Cassava Packaging. T-tests were conducted to compare the two types of packaging, leading to the finding that the degradation mean loss for Banana Food Wrap (84.58%) was significantly higher (p=.034) than the mean loss for Cassava Packaging (69.76%). Understanding the biodegradability rate of the Banana Food Wrap could alleviate strain on the environment and current waste management facilities, prompting the food industry to consider bioplastics as a viable alternative to traditional packaging materials.