Plastic became the most popular packaging material because it is strong, cheap and flexible. Its complex chemistry means only 9% of plastic gets recycled, so people keep looking for alternatives.
Scientists at South Dakota State University set out to see whether banana peel could be that alternative. Bananas are the second most produced fruit after citrus. Every year the world generates almost 36 million metric tons of banana peel, which is thrown away as solid waste and left to rot in landfills.
The researchers ground banana peels in a blender, then processed the material to extract lignocellulose. They bleached the resulting fibers and formed the new material into a film.
The packaging holds its own against conventional plastic film in quality and strength, and it breaks down in soil far faster. Plastic takes more than 700 years to decompose. The banana film breaks down 90% within 30 days at 21% soil moisture.
Earlier attempts made packaging film from avocado peel, coffee grounds and millet. Banana peel performed best: the film was strong, transparent, flexible and eco-friendly. The scientists believe it could replace up to 40% of all plastic produced in the world.
