Hemp plastics for the better good- Can hemp replace plastic?

Plastic was supposed to save the trees and other natural resources, it ended up destroying them instead. Plastic is not only affecting the environment in a bad way but has also become an inescapable part of almost everyone’s routine. There are many people who are trying to find a way out, an alternative to plastic that can replace it and is environment-friendly. You might have heard something about agricultural hemp, if you do not know much about it then it is referred to as a cousin of cannabis (which is widely known as marijuana). It has a lot of potential uses such as in clothing or paper.

Industrial hemp has a variety of benefits, let’s discuss them one by one in order to know more about Hemp plastics, for the better good.

1. The hemp-plastic is absolutely biodegradable:

There is no doubt about plastic being toxic to the environment, one of the reasons is its shelf life which is long enough to destroy the environment. We use a water bottle or shopping bag which is made up of plastic for a minute, but then it takes more than a lifetime to decompose. On the other hand, the hemp plastic is absolutely biodegradable due to the fact that it is made with such polymers. It is not going to contribute to pollution of the environment as hemp plastic can be made so it takes a maximum of 6 months to decompose. Science is incredible, compared to conventional plastics which can take a thousand years. Another good thing is that hemp plastic can be recycled indefinitely. On the other hand, petroleum-based plastics can also be recycled but the process of doing that is toxic. Harmful substances can leak into the environment from the process of recycling plastic such as BPA.

2. Hemp plastic is not toxic at all:

The existing evidence enough to prove that plastic is toxic to our environment as well as health?

One of the reasons is that they consist of endocrine disruptors, such as BPA which mess with our hormone endocrine in our body. Once it gets inside our body, it starts acting like a hormone estrogen. This can result in stimulation of the development of tumors, in fact, can also be related to birth defects, cancer, and other disabilities.

While, the hemp plastic is not toxic at all, there are no harmful chemicals such as BPA in it. Also, hemp plastic does not release any toxins in the air when it’s produced or recycled.

3. The endangered wildlife can be saved by Hemp plastic:

The damage caused to oceans and jungles by plastic waste is known to everyone. The marine life chokes to death every day due to plastic. According to research conducted by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization and Imperial College of London the findings show that almost 60 percent of sea birds have plastic in their gut. This won’t stop and is on the rise. The use of hemp plastic is recommended because its biodegradable and wildlife can be saved.

4. Hemp plastic is versatile:

You might not know about the fact that almost all plastic products can be made by using hemp plastic instead. The reason is that hemp plastic can be molded into any shape. Here are the uses of hemp plastic:

• Bags
• Boats
• Bottles
• Car Parts
• Containers
• Cosmetics
• Electronics
• Furniture
• Toys

These are just a few examples, whereas hemp plastic can replace all the toxic plastic products in every way possible. As hemp is on the rise, manufacturing of hemp plastic will start to drop in price and create a friendly alternative for the environment.

5. Hemp plastic reduces the pollutants:

The reality of our earth is that there is a lot of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, more than its required amount and it will keep on increasing. This results in warming of our planet’s atmosphere, affecting the climate in so many ways. Increase in carbon dioxide results in environmental pollution, plastic production is one of the sources which contribute to the increase. If hemp plastic is widely used it will help in reducing the greenhouse effect. The reason is great, the hemp plant has the ability to absorb carbon dioxide from our atmosphere. Not only that, hemp further converts it into oxygen and with zero toxins and toxic byproducts.

6. Hemp plastic is strong:

The plastic made by hemp is 5 times stiffer and 3.6 time stronger than the conventional plastic. It is also lighter in weight, with no health risks. It is safe, strong and a lot lighter. Not only that, its durability is commendable.

Hemp-plastic is the future, here is why.

Not only people have started accepting the fact that there is a need of going for an alternate of plastic. Till now, wildlife and the environment are slowly dying and its not far away when human beings will start to die. We need something which is bio-degradable and there is no doubt that hemp plastic can help in various ways. Even the manufacturers of different products have been using it as an alternate, One of the prominent real-life example is of Henry Ford, who utilized Hemp and sisal cellulose plastic in order to build the fenders and doors of the car back in 1941. We are living in 2019 and we are still stuck with plastic, it is hard to believe. The hemp plant has thousands of uses such as in food, nutrition and let’s not forget hemp-plastic.

If we replace the plastic with hemp-plastic, there is no drawback but only benefits to our lives and the environment. It’s about time that this alternate should be given as much as attention, it requires. The people who are concerned about prices should know that it is not yet accepted in abundance. As soon as the demand will go up, the manufacturers will start producing the hemp plastic in good quality and quantity. It will be a step forward to make the earth a better place.