Let’s use solutions for a cleaner future

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Global production of plastics reached almost 370 million tons in 2019, and this number is growing. The production of plastics is estimated to double by 2050.

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Nearly 80% of plastic waste ends up in landfills, oceans, or elsewhere in nature.

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Only around 12% is recycled. The problem requires a radical change in our approach to plastics production, usage, and handling of plastic waste.

Giving back to nature what we take from it

“The global problem with plastic waste is severe, and it is necessary to address it. Recycling is not a final solution. It is only postponing the problem because we cannot recycle plastics indefinitely. Let’s face the fact that today we are not technologically prepared to replace all synthetic plastics with new materials. However, we must start somewhere. We must say that these materials are somewhat more expensive than the plastics made from oil, and they will be this way for a long time due to objective reasons. Now, we have a decision to make – to either live a cheaper life, destroying our environment or, in a way, “buy” a healthy environment.

Banning plastics is not a solution to this environmental problem. For instance, we needed the packaging anyway, but if we went back to the traditional packaging materials, such as glass, paper or metals, the consumption of fuel and energies needed for their production and transport would increase dramatically. Increasing energy consumption would have a negative ecological impact. As a result, we would harm the environment instead of helping it. Solutions need to be found elsewhere by introducing new progressive materials. Such as Nonoilen.”

Prof. Ing. Pavol Alexy, PhD.

Several types of materials exist on the market, which are all called bioplastics:

materials based on renewable sources that cannot prevent biodegradation
(bio-PE, bio – PP, bio-PET ….),

they stay in nature for decades to hundreds of years and are part of plastic waste (pollution),

materials based on fossil sources that can undergo biodegradation (PVA, PCL, PBAT …),

their degradation products contribute to the global warming effect,

materials based on renewable sources which can undergo biodegradation (PLA. PHA, TPS …),

these are ecological solutions with a minimum negative impact on the environment.

Characteristics of most of the plastics currently
on the market:

they contain polymers or other additives on fossil base,

products made from them are usually very brittle and exhibit insufficient shape stability,

mechanical properties deteriorate over time (physical ageing effect),

biodegradation is very slow or none,

their properties limit application areas.

There is a solution:

Our
Goals

Replacing as much single-use plastics packaging with reusable biodegradable materials based on Nonoilen as possible.

Reducing plastic waste thanks to the introduction of material recycling which is possible with Nonoilen (in contrast to other bioplastics which are not recyclable usually).

Comprehensive solution of Nonoilen products life cycle in a closed-loop system for waste recovery without any harmful effects on the environment.

We are continuously extending the application segment of Nonoilen in technical applications, automotive, medicine, gastronomy, 3D printing and others.

We are using waste products from other industrial segments as raw material for Nonoilen production.

Development of cooperation between academic and industrial sectors.

Research and Development

During the years 1993-1995, prof. Alexy came up with an idea of how to connect his relationship to nature and his profession of polymer chemist – researcher and technologist. Even though at the time, plastic pollution was not as alarming as today, it was clear that the rapid growth of plastics production was going to bring problems related to the presence of highly stable plastic materials in the environment.

After coming to the Faculty of chemical and food technology in 1997, he founded – together with prof. Bakos – a research group, focused on biodegradable plastics, working under the dept. of Plastic, rubber and fibres of Institute of natural and synthetic polymers. The group was continuously growing, mainly joined by PhD. students interested in biodegradable plastics. Over the years, the group was more and more focused on biodegradable plastics and those based on renewable raw materials.