Adding Hemp to Create a New Bio-Based Alternative to Plastic

“It is meant to be actually a fairly simple chemical structure and material.”In a study published in the Journal of Polymer Science, researchers from Western University in Canada tested the possibility of using hemp powder to create a new biomaterial to use instead of plastic (1,2). Cost, lack of research, and certain materials’ inability to degrade were noted in the study as barriers to overcome in the current pursuit of biodegradable alternatives to plastic (1). The study also noted the benefits of hemp as an addition to a biocomposite material (1). “The incorporation of natural materials as reinforcement in biocomposite materials can impart strength and stiffness,” the Introduction stated (1). We envision that these materials can be used in applications such as packaging,” the Conclusions section stated (1).