Cellulosic fraction from agricultural biomass as a viable alternative for plastics and plastic products

Plastics are versatile and cost-effective materials with a variety of functionalities. Their non-biodegradability, accumulation in landfills and natural habitats, physical problems for wildlife resulting from ingestion or entanglement in debris, leaching of chemicals and transfer to humans are concerns of greater magnitude, however. In this regard, plastic replacing materials are warranted. A possible respite is seen in agriculture that feeds the world but a significant portion of crops exists as biomass or the parts that can’t be used as food by humans. Agriculture biomass such as corn stalk, wheat straw, rice straw and soy stalk offers a viable source of cellulose that has excellent potential to replace plastics. Herein, the benefits of agriculture biomass and its prospects for cellulose-based biodegradable products are highlighted. The use of agriculture biomass further offers a unique value-added proposition to the agriculture industry and farmers to capitalize on their byproducts to increase the profitability of their operations. The Earth, and its current and future generations, will benefit immensely with this cost-effective and environmentally sustainable solution to curb the ills associated with plastics. •Plastic has an adverse effect on the environment and human health.•Cellulose is vastly present in the agricultural biomass.•Versatile plastic replacing products can be produced using cellulose fraction from agricultural biomass.•Cellulose based functional products are green and biodegradable.