MSU Scientist Receives $540K Grant from National Science Foundation to Advance Biodegradable Packaging

Photo by ROMAN ODINTSOV

Research builds on insights from other projects such as the NSF-funded Center for Plastic, Paper and Hybrid Packaging End-of-Life Solutions.

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Packaging materials protect food, pharmaceuticals and consumer goods from contamination, but what happens to them once they’ve served that purpose? Many cannot be recycled — especially plastics — and contribute substantially to the roughly 350 million tons of global plastic waste generated annually.

A new two-year project supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) led by a world-renowned Michigan State University scientist focuses on the development of innovative thermoplastic packaging that is cost-efficient, high-performing, biodegradable and microplastic-free.

Muhammad Rabnawaz,

an MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Faculty Laureate and professor in the top-ranked School of Packaging, is using the $540,000 grant to explore these materials through experiments and artificial intelligence-driven machine learning techniques.

The inability to recycle many of the plastics currently used is perhaps the largest challenge facing the packaging industry.

The goal is to develop materials that break down in composting environments without leaving behind persistent plastic particles. Rabnawaz said the project could potentially help enable the creation of a $40 billion annual compostable packaging market.

“Multilayer plastics serve an important role in protecting moisture-sensitive food, medicine and other products, but they also contribute to the accumulation of plastic pollution and microplastics in food, water and soil,” said Rabnawaz, whose work is funded in part by MSU AgBioResearch. “It’s a priority area for NSF, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and many others that recognize the negative effects of microplastics. This work has a multitude of implications across a range of fields, from agriculture to protecting the environment and human health.”

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Michigan State University AgBioResearch scientists discover dynamic solutions for food systems and the environment. More than 300 MSU faculty conduct leading-edge research on a variety of topics, from health and agriculture to natural resources. Originally formed in 1888 as the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, MSU AgBioResearch oversees numerous on-campus research facilities, as well as 15 outlying centers throughout Michigan. To learn more, visit agbioresearch.msu.edu.