ISU researchers may have found the perfect ingredient for a new environment-friendly plastic.

Chicken feathers.

Disposable utensils made from conventional plastic take many years to break down and are not good for the environment, said Jay-lin Jane, professor of food science and human nutrition and co-developer of the new plastic.

“It would take more than 400 years to degrade a little plastic fork,” Jane said.

Perminus Mungara, assistant researcher for food science and human nutrition, said plastic produced from the feathers can decompose in as little as two weeks if composed under the proper conditions.

The pair began research with the plastic after being approached by industries interested in reducing waste by using biodegradable products. The research using plastic created from the feathers has been three years in the making, Jane said.

Products such as plastic utensils, garbage bags and flower pots could all be made from the material, which incorporates feathers that would have been waste products.

The researchers, who have also worked with plastic created from soy protein, said Iowa’s economy can benefit from these new materials.

“In Iowa we produce a lot of crops, so it’s in direct use of these crops,” Jane said. “We wanted to promote the use of products that will help Iowa’s economy.”

Biodegradable products such as those made from the feathers will also benefit Iowa farmers, Mungara said. Farmers use plastic sheets, called mulch film, for early weed prevention in crops, but must pay for the labor required to remove them. The biodegradable sheets will eliminate this cost.

Mungara and Jane said their research will also help conserve petroleum, which is currently used in some types of plastics.

“Petroleum is running out, and it’s not renewable,” Jane said. “It’s just a matter of when.”

Most petroleum must be imported, the researchers said, and energy sources need to be defended. Chicken feathers contain keratin, a protein that is common and can also be found in hair and fingernails, which Jane said is ideal for the plastic products.

“You can make a very strong material out of keratin, yet it’s degradable,” Mungara said.

The product is also more water resistant, which Mungara said would be a plus for consumers.

The research is being funded by institutions such as the Center for Crops Utilization Research and the Sara Lee corporation. Jane said companies such as Sara Lee could benefit from the reduced waste and lower costs as a result of these biodegradable plastic products.