Plastic bags made from shrimp shells might help Egypt's trash problem

A team of bioengineers from the University of Nottingham and Nile University in Egypt are developing a new substitute for conventional plastic carry bags using a material made out of shrimp shells. This biodegradable alternative to the more conventional polythene made from fossil fuels that is used in shopping bags is not only greener, but can also extend the shelf life of foodstuffs,

Plastic carry bags may be a convenience, but they're also a major headache for developing nations like Egypt that not only must deal with them in terms of disposal, but also as a source of water contamination in the very crowded North African country. One alternative would be bioplastics made from plants, but that isn't feasible in Egypt, where most cultivation is for the production of food and cotton.

To help remedy this, the research team is looking at chitosan, which is a man-made polymer made from shrimp shells that are already a waste problem for the country. The aim of the research is to produce a biopolymer nanocomposite material suitable for Egyptian conditions that can do the job of polythene in shopping bags, yet is inexpensive and biodegradable.