With plastic pollution on the rise, bio-based plastic alternatives have been developed in recent years to counteract the increasing accumulation of plastic. However, not all types of bioplastics are fully biodegradable, as bio-based only refers to their production from renewable materials and does not guarantee their biodegradability. This can lead to further plastic pollution, as consumers are misled by the ‘green’ claims of the materials and may dispose of the waste improperly.
Non-biodegradability of bio-based plastic alternatives
With plastic pollution on the rise, bio-based plastic alternatives have been developed in recent years to counteract the increasing accumulation of plastic. However, not all types of bioplastics are fully biodegradable, as bio-based only refers to their production from renewable materials and does not guarantee their biodegradability. This can lead to further plastic pollution, as consumers are misled by the ‘green’ claims of the materials and may dispose of the waste improperly.
Nº 53
- Chemicals & Waste
- Waste Reduction
- Phasing Out or Substituting Plastics
Non-biodegradability of bio-based plastic alternatives
A market assessment of the bio-based and/or biodegradable plastics available in Denmark shows that these materials can have a full range (0-100%) of typical bio-based carbon content, depending on the type of plastic. There is often confusion about the difference between bio-based and biodegradable materials. This has led to a reduction in the number of Danish municipalities using compostable bags for food waste. Bags produced by the company Biobag have been used by the City of Copenhagen. They were certified according to the composting standard EN 13432 and were widely believed to be bio-based, although the company never claimed this. A report on the bags revealed that they actually contained 70% fossil-based plastic and were immediately seen as less ‘green’. This led directly to a reassessment of whether the bags should be used and an updated recommendation to stop using them. This was due in part to the price and recycling potential of conventional plastic bags. As a result, 150,000 households switched to traditional plastic bags.
- Multilple (effects disconected from each other)
Hann, S., Scholes, R., Lee, T., Ettlinger, S., & Jørgensen, H. (2020). Biobased and biodegradable plastics in Denmark. Industrial Biotechnology, 16(3), 164-175. https://doi.org/10.1089/ind.2020.29213.sha
Nazareth, M. C., Marques, M. R., Pinheiro, L. M., & Castro, Í. B. (2022). Key issues for bio-based, biodegradable and compostable plastics governance. Journal of Environmental Management, 322, 116074. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116074
Ferreira-Filipe, D. A., Paço, A., Duarte, A. C., Rocha-Santos, T., & Patrício Silva, A. L. (2021). Are biobased plastics green alternatives?—A critical review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(15), 7729. https://doi.org/10.3390%2Fijerph18157729
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