BIOPLASTICS AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO PETROLEUM-BASED PLASTICS
The development of bioplastics – plastics that are biodegradable and made of natural materials – provides businesses with eco-friendly alternatives for packaging and products, especially single-use items that contribute a lot of waste. The bioplastic industry is still in its early stages but steadily growing and will begin replacing many disposable items made from petroleum-based plastic, such as cups, cutlery, packaging, containers and straws. This article introduces the reader to the 5 basic types of bioplastics and how businesses can benefit from them in practical ways.
THE TRICKY THING ABOUT PLASTIC
We’ve heard it all before: Plastic waste is unquestionably a huge threat against the planet. The world has produced over nine billion tons of plastic since the 1950s and only about 9 percent of it gets recycled. Every piece of plastic made in the last century is still present somewhere on earth, meaning we have a HUGE amount of plastic waste and it’s not going away anytime soon.
Petroleum-based plastics can take up to 500 years to decompose, slowly releasing toxic chemical additives into the surrounding environment and breaking down into harmful microplastics. When improperly recycled, they can contaminate whole batches of recyclable plastics and damage recycling infrastructure. Not to mention petroleum-based plastics are only draining our finite supply of fossil fuels.
While conventional plastics are useful – and often necessary – for many business and industrial uses, there must be a shift towards a more sustainable alternative for single-use items like packaging.
WHAT ARE BIOPLASTICS AND ARE THEY TRULY BIODEGRADABLE?
Unlike conventional plastics made from petroleum, bioplastics are derived from renewable biomass sources such as vegetable fats and oils, corn starch, straw, woodchips, sawdust, recycled food waste, etc. Many types of bioplastics offer the same qualities as conventional plastics like durability, flexibility, etc. while also being a more sustainable product.
However, just because these plastics are made from biodegradable substances does not necessarily mean they are good for the environment. In the end, they are still plastics and need to be disposed of properly. They have the potential to biodegrade but only under special conditions, meaning they’re often not safe to toss into your backyard. That’s where purchasing from a verified sustainable company and reading the fine print is crucial.
TYPES OF BIOPLASTIC DEGRADABILITY
The term biodegrade refers to the process by which microbes break down a material under suitable conditions. Under the right conditions and over a certain amount of time, technically speaking, all materials are degradable.
We typically consider a material “biodegradable” if it degrades within a relatively short period of time (less than a year). Due to this, not all types of bioplastics are considered biodegradable and they can fall into a few different categories based on their end-of-life plan.
- Degradable – All plastics, even conventional petroleum-based plastics, are technically degradable. Given the right amount of time and environmental conditions, they will break into tiny fragments. However, such plastics will never fully return to their “natural” organic state, thus they remain a source of pollution, leaking chemicals and micro fragments into the environment.
- Biodegradable – Bioplastics that are considered “biodegradable” can be broken down by microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and algae into water, carbon dioxide, methane, biomass and inorganic compounds. As stated above, types of bioplastics that can completely be broken down within a few months are considered biodegradable.
- Compostable – Compostable bioplastics can be broken down by microorganisms just like biodegradable bioplastics, but they will decompose into nutrient-rich biomass often in as little as three months, leaving behind no toxins or residue. Some compostable bioplastics can be composed naturally in home gardens while others may require the high temperatures of a specialized composting facility……..Readmore