DESIGN & ENGINEERING OF NON-PLASTIC WASTE BAGS BASED ON “BIOFIBER - ORGANIC & INORGANIC MODIFIER” HYBRIDS

Northern Technologies International Corporation (NTIC), MN, in collaboration with Michigan State University (MSU), East Lansing, MI, plans to formulate and engineer chemically modified, marine biodegradable, biofiber-based, non-plastic waste bags. These bags will be high strength, lightweight, processable with the Navy equipment and marine biodegradable as per ASTM standard D7081. NTIC will specifically (a) investigate three classes of biobased, non-plastic materials that function as a laminate or as an adhesive depending on the manufacturing process employed (b) investigate two manufacturing processes – lamination/extrusion coating of selected paper substrates using the three material classes so as to provide new biobased, hybrid, composite material and nonwoven bag manufacturing process where materials will function as adhesives and provide water resistance, high strength while providing marine biodegradability; and (c) conduct end-of-life testing along with shipboard wastes in a marine environment using the Navy pulping equipment.