The road to long term sustainable goal setting.

What does Sustainability mean, to a layman?

Sustainability, in apt words, is “meeting the necessities of the present without trading-off the ability of the future generations to meet their needs”. Had our predecessors not thought of it, exhausting even the last tinge of plastic, we would have been left with one less a business. Furthermore, if we had not timely come up with a solution, our future generations would stand no chance of conserving polymers. Guaranteeing green engineering to the world, along with sustainable products for generations to cherish and applaud, is a prior responsibility.

What are the advantages of sustainable polymers over traditional polymers?

Not only are sustainable polymers easier to produce, with minimal water and non-renewable energy intake when compared to petroleum-derived polymers but also result in low pollutant emissions. Also, sustainable polymers are environment friendly and give out byproducts, which can be used up as feedstock, while traditional ones harm nature in every possible way, whose waste disposal is a mammoth task.

Why is there an upcoming surge to produce sustainable polymers?

Till 2016, bioplastics contributed 1% to the total plastic production, but eventually showed a growth of 7.3% annually. Traditional polymers employ usage of petroleum or natural gas, while sustainable polymers include recyclable bioengineered plant-derived sugars,whose byproduct(organic matter) is used to regenerate the renewable resource feedstock. With the recent effective and efficient advent of biopolymers, produced from tapioca, seed oils, lignan, polysaccharides, soybean, corn, sugarcane, and vegetable starch via green chemistry methods, they are widely used to make plastic cutlery, food containers, fibers, or even cellphone cases. It not only aids in pollution reduction but also facilitates ecological balance.

AKMY is committed to continuous improvements in sustainable environmental outcomes – enabling green engineering for the world and as a steward in the communities where we operate.