Biopolymers: Making Materials Nature's Way Page: III
86 p. : ill. ; 28 cm.View a full description of this report.
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Over the past century, global economic activities have increased more than fifty-
fold. This extraordinary growth has raised serious concerns about current pat-
terns of production and consumption. As society has increased its understanding
of the environmental implications of its industrial practices, greater attention
has been given to the concept of sustainable economic systems that rely on renewable
sources of energy and materials. The use of biologically derived polymers-biopoly -
mers-could emerge as an important component of this new paradigm of economic
development.
By transforming agricultural or marine feedstocks, or harnessing the enzymes
found in nature, a new class of renewable, biodegradable, and biocompatible materials is
being introduced. Emerging applications of biopolymers range from packaging to indus-
trial chemicals, to medical implant devices, to computer storage media. In addition to
producing "green" materials with unique physical and functional properties, the process-
es used to create biopolymers could lead to new manufacturing approaches that minimize
energy consumption and waste generation.
As the United States and other countries address a growing list of environmen-
tal problems, the possibility of using proteins, carbohydrates, and other biopolymers to
meet the materials requirements of an expanding economy is likely to receive increasing
attention. However, as with other nascent technologies, difficult engineering and eco-
nomic hurdles stand in the way of biopolymer commercialization efforts. With its current
areas of emphasis, the extensive U.S. public investment in agricultural science and
biotechnology can only be expected to provide modest assistance in overcoming some of
these barriers. Advances in biopolymer technology have been driven principally by
industry and academia, with Federal programs being relatively limited in scope. Because
biopolymers have applications in many different sectors of the economy, their wide-
spread use could have important competitive implications. At present, Japan and the
European Community are sponsoring major programs in biopolymer science and manu-
facturing. Due to the potential importance of biopolymer technology, the Federal role in
this interdisciplinary field warrants closer scrutiny.
This Background Paper was requested by the Senate Committee on Energy and
Natural Resources. The study provides a basic introduction to biopolymer technology;
profiles some of the more promising polymer materials; reviews research activities in the
United States, Europe, and Japan; and describes the principal technical challenges and
regulatory issues that may affect biopolymer commercialization efforts.
OTA appreciates the assistance provided by its contractors and the many
reviewers whose comments helped to ensure the accuracy of the study.
Roger C. Herdman, Directoriii
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United States. Congress. Office of Technology Assessment. Biopolymers: Making Materials Nature's Way, report, September 1993; [Washington D.C.]. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc40046/m1/3/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.