  Plastic waste production is a global challenging problem since its
accumulation in the environment is causing devastating effects on the planet's
ecosystem. Sustainable and green solutions are urgently needed, and this pairs
with increasingly stronger regulations combined with improved ecological
awareness. This study proposes a simple, scalable and water-based process to
produce free-standing, transparent and flexible bioplastic films by combining
amyloid fibrils with biodegradable polymers as two main building blocks.
Amyloid fibrils can be obtained through denaturation and self-assembly from a
broad class of food proteins found in milk, soy, and egg, for example. Whey is
used here as a model protein, since it is the major by-product of dairy
industries, and its valorization creates a valuable opportunity to produce
sustainable, biodegradable, and environmentally friendly bioplastics perfectly
integrated within a circular economy. Against this background, we highlight the
sustainability superiority of these bioplastics over common plastics and
bioplastic via a detailed life cycle assessment, anticipating an important role
of this new class of bioplastics in mitigating the pressing plastic pollution
challenge.
