Journal of Sustainable Energy & Environment 4 (2013) 15-19
Greenhouse Gas Evaluation and Market Opportunity of Bioplastic Bags from Cassava in Thailand
Narissara Kaewphan1,2 and Shabbir H. Gheewala1,2,*
1The Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand
2Center for Energy Technology and Environment, Ministry of Education, Bangkok, Thailand
*Corresponding author:
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Abstract: Due to the huge amount of feedstock availability, bioplastic products have chance to penetrate in Thailand’s plastic market, as most of the plastic products are relying on fossil fuels. Thus, this paper illustrates greenhouse gas emissions from bioplastic bags are manufactured from cassava. This could replace percent conventional plastic bags share by 10% of total plastic bag product in Thailand. The study also focuses on market opportunity for bioplastic by using interview questionnaire. The opportunity can be predicted by analyzing the consumer behavior result and give recommendations for future support to bioplastic products. The results show that on the basis of global warming effects, plastic bags perform better than bioplastic bags. On the other hand, bioplastic bags help to reduce fossil fuel use and offer advantages vis-?-vis less emissions from disposal stage. Consumer behavior analysis revealed that on average a person receives about 140 bags per year from shopping at the supermarket. About 60% of the people interviewed said that they are willing to pay a small extra amount for bioplastic bags.
Keywords: Bioplastic bag, consumer behavior,greenhouse gas, market opportunity,plastic bag.
