Hemp Biomass as a Raw Material for Sustainable Development

Abstract

Hemp cultivation is becoming increasingly common worldwide, although it still raises many concerns. These plants are gaining popularity due to their versatility and the ability to use virtually every part of them in almost all economic branches. Hemp products are sought after and appreciated by consumers. The cultivation of hemp does not place a large burden on the environment. All this makes hemp an ideal plant in terms of land use, which is closely related to the idea of sustainable development. This paper describes the legal aspects of hemp cultivation in Europe and briefly presents its breeding and cultivation. The possibilities of their versatile use are presented, with particular reference to biofuel production. Moreover, the suitability for ecological cultivation, description of the economic and social aspects of industrial hemp cultivation, as well as future outlooks, are also described.

Toward an Environmentally Friendly Future: An Overview of Biofuels from Corn and Potential Alternatives in Hemp and Cucurbits

“…Currently, there is a growing interest in hemp grain production due to the increased awareness of its high nutritional value for human health, nutritional potential, and industrial applications. Hemp seeds, previously considered waste products from fiber production, are now being recognized as valuable commodities [79].…”

From Hemp Waste to Bioactive Nanofiber Composites: Deep Eutectic Solvents and Electrospinning in Upcycling Endeavors

“…The use of natural fibers from plants has attracted increasing interest in recent years due to their low cost, abundance, biodegradability, low density, high stiffness, and strengthto-weight ratio [1][2][3][4]. In addition, among the different natural fibers, hemp fiber has engaged a prominent position on the international scene due to its advantages both in terms of cultivation and application [2,[5][6][7].…”

“…Moreover, the hemp planting process does not require the use of fertilizers, herbicides, and insecticides, requires 50% less water consumption than the production and processing of cotton, and it is possible to obtain a production yield 250 times greater per unit area [5,8,9]. Furthermore, hemp can help refresh depleted soil by restoring stability and nutrients to the area and presents the potential to absorb contaminants [6,10]. On the other hand, in terms of industrial applications, hemp fibers have proven to be a source of green and sustainable raw materials and products for use in textiles, paper, food, medicine, personal care products, animal feed, biofuel, automotive accessories, building materials, and chemical feedstocks for paints, biodegradable plastics, and adhesives due to their high tenacity, high softness, great sweat-wicking performance, antibacterial capability, exceptional UV and corrosion resistance ability, among other extraordinary properties [1,6,8,9,[11][12][13].…”

“…Furthermore, hemp can help refresh depleted soil by restoring stability and nutrients to the area and presents the potential to absorb contaminants [6,10]. On the other hand, in terms of industrial applications, hemp fibers have proven to be a source of green and sustainable raw materials and products for use in textiles, paper, food, medicine, personal care products, animal feed, biofuel, automotive accessories, building materials, and chemical feedstocks for paints, biodegradable plastics, and adhesives due to their high tenacity, high softness, great sweat-wicking performance, antibacterial capability, exceptional UV and corrosion resistance ability, among other extraordinary properties [1,6,8,9,[11][12][13]. Nevertheless, these plant fibers are highly prone to wrinkling, display a hydrophilic character, and are susceptible to contamination and microbial attack.…”

“…Hence, there is a need for approaches that can enhance their performance to microbial degradation [14]. Moreover, although hemp fibers have the potential to be used by different industries, hemp stumps are typically discarded as agro-waste [6,9]. In this sense, utilizing hemp agro-waste (HW) as a raw material for the industry has been shown to be extremely important and effective, particularly in terms of environmental and economic benefits, adopting circularity as the driving force [6,9].…”