Production and composting of waste-filled biofilms as a sustainability educational experience for a secondary school setting

Authors

  • Greta Vicentini University of Camerino, Italy
    IT Italy
  • Sara Mattiello University of Camerino, Italy
    IT Italy
  • Carlo Santulli University of Camerino, Italy
    IT Italy

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62672/joease.v3i3.112

Keywords:

Bioplastics, Circular economy, Waste materials

Abstract

Waste upcycling is often seen as a scattered concept, difficult to be put into practice in an educational yet scientific context. The idea is to provide an educational experience able to supply the students a wider perspective over how waste can be brought back into the productive system, until at all possible not. Outsourcing and characterization of waste, production of biofilms, home composting experiments. The experimentation gives a practical view of what is meant by circular economy moreover suggesting ideas about possible options for selecting waste and starting characterising it. In particular, it offers indications about the scientific method for testing materials including waste and being aware of their end-of-life, which all have influence on sustainability of the process. Ideally, depending on the time allotted for experiments, the work can be repeated iteratively to improve the results. Also, a database about possible local waste for DIY production of bioplastics can be generated over time, including considerations about ease of outsourcing, availability, seasonality, etc.

References

Aguiar, F., Antunes, R., Almeida, H., Vitorino, L., & Carvalho, F. (2024, May). Design with spent coffee grounds: The Coffee Cup Project. In International Conference on Water Energy Food and Sustainability (pp. 258–266). Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-80330-7_27

Andika, A., Perdana, T., Chaerani, D., & Utomo, D. S. (2025). Transitioning towards zero waste in the agri-food supply chain: A review of sustainable circular agri-food supply chain. Sustainable Futures, 100917. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sftr.2025.100917

Anunciado, M. B., Hayes, D. G., Astner, A. F., Wadsworth, L. C., Cowan-Banker, C. D., Gonzalez, J. E. L. Y., & DeBruyn, J. M. (2021). Effect of environmental weathering on biodegradation of biodegradable plastic mulch films under ambient soil and composting conditions. Journal of Polymers and the Environment, 29(9), 2916–2931. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10924-021-02088-4

Austin, C. C., Mondell, C. N., Clark, D. G., & Wilkie, A. C. (2024). Kenaf: Opportunities for an ancient fiber crop. Agronomy, 14(7), 1542. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14071542

Ayadi, R., Hanana, M., Mzid, R., Hamrouni, L., Khouja, M. L., & Salhi Hanachi, A. (2017). Hibiscus cannabinus L.–Kenaf: A review paper. Journal of Natural Fibers, 14(4), 466–484. https://doi.org/10.1080/15440478.2016.1240639

Azmin, S. N. H. M., & Nor, M. S. M. (2020). Development and characterization of food packaging bioplastic film from cocoa pod husk cellulose incorporated with sugarcane bagasse fibre. Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts, 5(4), 248–255. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobab.2020.10.003

Bomfim, A. S. C. D., De Oliveira, D. M., Walling, E., Babin, A., Hersant, G., Vaneeckhaute, C., … Rodrigue, D. (2022). Spent coffee grounds characterization and reuse in composting and soil amendment. Waste, 1(1), 2–20. https://doi.org/10.3390/waste1010002

Colajanni, S., Campisi, T., Senatore, A., & Bellomo, M. (2023). Development of new bio-based materials derived from Sicilian agri-food industry waste. In Urban and Transit Planning: City Planning: Urbanization and Circular Development (pp. 187–200). Cham: Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-20995-6_17

Fathurohman, M., Al Ghozali, M. I., & Purwati, R. (2022). The effectiveness of experimental methods on student learning outcomes in science subject in elementary school. ICOBBA_2021, 388–390. https://doi.org/10.51773/icobba.v1i2.107

García-García, D., Carbonell, A., Samper, M. D., García-Sanoguera, D., & Balart, R. (2015). Green composites based on polypropylene matrix and hydrophobized spent coffee ground (SCG) powder. Composites Part B: Engineering, 78, 256–265. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2015.03.080

Ghisellini, P., Cialani, C., & Ulgiati, S. (2016). A review on circular economy: The expected transition to a balanced interplay of environmental and economic systems. Journal of Cleaner Production, 114, 11–32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.09.007

Giupponi, L., Leoni, V., Carrer, M., Ceciliani, G., Sala, S., Panseri, S., … Giorgi, A. (2020). Overview on Italian hemp production chain, related productive and commercial activities and legislative framework. Italian Journal of Agronomy, 15(3), 1552. https://doi.org/10.4081/ija.2020.1552

Jabłonowska, M., Ciganović, P., Jablan, J., Marguí, E., Tomczyk, M., & Končić, M. Z. (2021). Silybum marianum glycerol extraction for the preparation of high-value anti-ageing extracts. Industrial Crops and Products, 168, 113613. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2021.113613

Kamble, Z., & Behera, B. K. (2021). Sustainable hybrid composites reinforced with textile waste for construction and building applications. Construction and Building Materials, 284, 122800. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2021.122800

Muñoz-Gimena, P. F., Oliver-Cuenca, V., Peponi, L., & López, D. (2023). A review on reinforcements and additives in starch-based composites for food packaging. Polymers, 15(13), 2972. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15132972

Odo, E. O., Ikwuegbu, J. A., Obeagu, E. I., Chibueze, S. A., & Ochiaka, R. E. (2023). Analysis of the antibacterial effects of turmeric on particular bacteria. Medicine, 102(48), e36492. http://doi.org/10.1097/MD.000000000003649

Rognoli, V., Bianchini, M., Maffei, S., & Karana, E. (2015). DIY materials. Materials & Design, 86, 692–702. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2015.07.020

Rognoli, V., Garcia, C. A., & Pollini, B. (2020). DIY recipes: Ingredients, processes & materials qualities. In Material Designers: Boosting talent towards circular economies (pp. 27–33). Elisava Barcelona School of Design and Engineering.

Romero‐Hernández, O., & Romero, S. (2018). Maximizing the value of waste: From waste management to the circular economy. Thunderbird International Business Review, 60(5), 757–764. https://doi.org/10.1002/tie.21968

Sadaf, S. A., Hassan, S. K., Ahmad, Z., & Butt, M. N. (2024). Extraction and application of turmeric dye on silk fabric. Journal of Innovation in Science, 10, 1–6. https://dx.doi.org/10.17582/journal.jis/2024/10.1.1.6

Santulli, C., Lucibello, S. (2018). Experience of material tinkering from waste in the Year 3–Year 5 primary school age range as an introduction to design and sustainability. Journal of Education and Practice, 9(18), 115–126.

Santulli, C., Pallottini, T., Gentili, G., & Ortenzi, C. (2020). An experience on environmental education based on respect-reduce-reuse-recycle in a village primary school in the Marche region, in Italy. Journal of Education and Practice, 11(15). https://doi.org/10.7176/JEP/11-15-04

Santulli, C., Zerani, M., Petronella, A., Pelagatti, M., & Marcucci, M. (2017). Integration of agro-waste in fibrous form in DIY composites for prospective design applications. Current Journal of Applied Science and Technology, 24(5), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.9734/CJAST/2017/37280

Solano, G., Rojas-Gätjens, D., Rojas-Jimenez, K., Chavarría, M., & Romero, R. M. (2022). Biodegradation of plastics at home composting conditions. Environmental Challenges, 7, 100500. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envc.2022.100500

Swain, M. R., Singh, A., Sharma, A. K., & Tuli, D. K. (2019). Bioethanol production from rice-and wheat straw: An overview. In R. C. Ray & S. Ramachandran (Eds.), Bioethanol production from food crops (pp. 213–231). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-813766-6.00011-4

Vigneshwaran, S., Uthayakumar, M., & Arumugaprabu, V. (2019). Development and sustainability of industrial waste-based red mud hybrid composites. Journal of Cleaner Production, 230, 862–868. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.05.131

Downloads

Published

01-09-2025

How to Cite

Vicentini, G., Mattiello, S., & Santulli, C. (2025). Production and composting of waste-filled biofilms as a sustainability educational experience for a secondary school setting. Journal of Environment and Sustainability Education, 3(3), 360–368. https://doi.org/10.62672/joease.v3i3.112

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 3 (2025)

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Environment and Sustainability Education

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.