Shrilk - a degradable bioplastic derived from shrimp shells and silk protein

Chitosan based plastic. Shrilk: A degradable bioplastic derived from shrimp shells and silk protein.

Shrilk is a fully degradable bioplastic made using a material called chitosan (found in shrimp shells) and a protein from silk called fibroin that mimics the microarchitecture of insects’ exoskeletons. Shrilk can be used to manufacture objects without the environmental damage caused by conventional synthetic plastics, and it rapidly biodegrades when placed in compost, releasing nitrogen-rich nutrient fertilizer. Because chitosan and fibroin are both used in FDA-approved devices, Shrilk also may be useful for creating implantable foams, films, and scaffolds for surgical closures, wound healing, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine applications. Shrilk is derived from chitosan, found in shrimp shells, and a silk protein called fibroin that mimics the microarchitecture of insects’ exoskeletons, and rapidly biodegrades into nitrogen-rich fertilizer. 

Fossil based plastics.