The use of renewable resources is becoming increasingly important if we are to address the negative impacts of petroleum-based polymers. Utilising renewable resources, such as agri-food wastes (AFWs), for biopolymer production offers the advantages of lower dependence on fossil fuels, resource recovery (generating added value), and waste management. AFWs are generated as by-products or residues at every stage of the food supply chain: harvest, processing, and post-consumption. AFWs are a significant societal challenge but their full potential as renewable resources remain unexploited. Hence, this study aimed to identify feedstocks that can provide a continuous supply of raw materials for the manufacture of biopolymers. Harvest and process wastes from major crops were assessed using information from published reports and government departments over the period 2013‐2017. The analysis was based on criteria focusing on the availability, characteristics, and market value of the identified AFWs. The analysis was conducted for the crops: wheat, barley, oats, rapeseed, sugar beet, carrots, and onions. Total AFW production in the UK over the reference period was estimated at 15 Mt dry matter/yr, to which wheat is the major contributor (≈7 Mt). The results show that harvest residues, e.g., straw, have medium to high theoretical availability and competing uses, whereas processing residues, e.g., onion peels, have low theoretical availability and cost but are well suited for biopolymer production. These findings provide valuable information about resources that will enable potential investors to conduct studies to accurately assess the practicality of valorising AFWs into biopolymers.

如果我们要解决石油基聚合物的负面影响，使用可再生资源就变得越来越重要。利用可再生资源，例如农业食品废料（AFW）进行生物聚合物生产，具有以下优势：对化石燃料的依赖性更低，资源回收（产生附加值）和废物管理。AFW是在食品供应链的每个阶段（收获，加工和消费后阶段）的副产品或残留物生成的。AFW是一个巨大的社会挑战，但作为可再生资源的全部潜力仍未得到开发。因此，本研究旨在确定可为生产生物聚合物提供连续原料的原料。使用出版的报告和政府部门在2013-2017年期间的信息对主要农作物的收成和加工废物进行了评估。该分析基于侧重于已识别AFW的可用性，特征和市场价值的标准。对以下作物进行了分析：小麦，大麦，燕麦，油菜籽，甜菜，胡萝卜和洋葱。在参考期内，英国的AFW总产量估计为每年15 Mt干物质，其中小麦是主要贡献者（约7 Mt）。结果表明，收获残余物（例如稻草）具有中等至较高的理论利用率和竞争性用途，而加工残余物（例如洋葱皮）具有较低的理论利用率和成本，但非常适合于生物聚合物的生产。