Banana Peel and Beyond: Transforming Agricultural Waste into Eco-Friendly, Biodegradable Plastics

The management of agricultural wastes is essential for resource conservation and environmental sustainability. Due to escalating worries regarding plastic pollution and the surging expenses linked to petroleum-based plastics, there has been a notable transition towards the creation of biodegradable alternatives sourced from natural materials. Biofibres and bioplastics, especially those derived from agricultural waste, have garnered significant attention for their prospective uses in food packaging, biomedical sciences, and sustainable manufacturing. This study examines the viability of employing banana peel as a natural and environmentally sustainable raw material for the production of biodegradable bioplastic sheets. Due to its abundant polysaccharides and lignocellulosic fibers, banana peel presents advantageous structural and mechanical characteristics for bioplastic manufacturing. Experimental findings demonstrate that bioplastic derived from banana peels has enhanced biodegradability and environmental compatibility relative to traditional synthetic plastics, positioning it as a feasible alternative to mitigate the worldwide plastic waste epidemic. An optimal formulation was constructed using Design Expert software, comprising 55.38 g of banana peel, 27.63 g of fish scales, and 20 g of chitosan powder. This formulation improves the film’s tensile strength, flexibility, and degradation rate, ensuring its efficacy in industrial applications including food packaging and molding. The study’s results highlight the promise of bioplastics made from banana peels as an economical and sustainable alternative, decreasing dependence on petroleum-based plastics and alleviating environmental pollution.