Maya Ellison
Plastic bags are a common way to dispose of food waste, but there are environmental considerations to keep in mind. Many plastic bags are recyclable, but if they end up in landfills, they can contribute to the creation of landfill gas, which is mostly made up of methane and carbon dioxide due to the decomposition process occurring without oxygen. Biodegradable plastic is marketed as an alternative, but it also needs oxygen to decompose, which landfills lack. As a result, when sent to landfills, regular plastic bags may be a better option for the environment than compostable bags.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Recyclability | Many plastic bags are recyclable |
| Biodegradability | Plastic doesn't decompose well and requires oxygen to biodegrade |
| Environmental impact | Plastic bags may be better for the environment than compostable bags when going to landfill |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic bags are recyclable
However, many retail stores and drop-off centres accept plastic bags and wraps for recycling. These include large retailers, grocery stores, and thrift stores. Some stores, such as Harris Teeter, have bins for plastic bags at the entrance to their stores. It is important to note that all materials should be clean and dry before recycling. Food residue, stickers, labels, staples, and receipts should be removed to prevent contamination.
The types of plastic bags that can be recycled include high-density polyethylene (HDPE or #2 plastic) and low-density polyethylene (#4 plastic or LDPE). These are the types of plastic commonly used in shopping bags and some product packaging.
While plastic bag recycling is available in many locations, it is important to check with your local recycling guidelines to ensure proper disposal.
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Biodegradable plastic needs oxygen to decompose
Biodegradable plastic does indeed require oxygen to decompose. In fact, biodegradable plastics are designed to break down with the help of bacteria, sunlight, and oxygen. However, it's important to note that the term "biodegradable" can be misleading. Many people assume that biodegradable plastics will naturally vanish when thrown away, but in reality, they often require industrial composting conditions to properly decompose.
The decomposition of biodegradable plastic is a complex process that depends on various factors. Firstly, let's understand what biodegradable plastic is. Biodegradable plastics are made from plant-based substances or partly biological matter. They are designed to be completely broken down by bacteria within a reasonable timeframe under specific conditions. However, it's important to note that they don't always break down 100% and sometimes leave behind residues.
Now, let's discuss the role of oxygen in the decomposition process. Oxygen is crucial for the breakdown of biodegradable plastics. Without oxygen, these plastics cannot break down properly. This is why biodegradable plastics struggle to decompose in landfills, compost heaps, soil, or the ocean, as these environments often lack sufficient oxygen. In landfills, waste is buried and compacted, creating an oxygen-deprived environment that hinders the decomposition process.
Additionally, the presence of oxygen alone is not enough for the decomposition of biodegradable plastics. Sunlight and bacteria also play vital roles. Biodegradable plastics are designed to break down with the help of sunlight, which provides the energy necessary for the process. Bacteria are another key factor, as they consume and break down the plastic into simpler matter. However, traditional plastics like PET (polyethylene terephthalate) are made with chemicals that bacteria cannot consume, prolonging the decomposition process.
To ensure the proper decomposition of biodegradable plastics, specific conditions must be met. Industrial composting facilities provide the necessary high temperatures to break down certain types of biodegradable plastics, such as PLA (polylactic acid). It is important to separate bioplastics from traditional plastics to prevent contamination and ensure effective decomposition. While biodegradable plastics can break down into tiny pieces in the ocean, similar to traditional plastics, they require exposure to oxygen to fully decompose.
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Landfills create methane and carbon dioxide
Plastic bags are recyclable, but if they end up in landfills, they will contribute to the creation of methane and carbon dioxide. Landfills are among the largest sources of methane emissions, a greenhouse gas that is far more potent than carbon dioxide and a major contributor to global warming.
When organic waste such as food scraps, yard waste, wood, and paper decompose in landfills, they produce landfill gas, primarily methane and carbon dioxide. This decomposition process occurs without oxygen, creating methane through anaerobic decomposition. Methane is a significant concern due to its heat-trapping properties, contributing to global warming.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reported that methane emissions from landfills are equivalent to the greenhouse gas emissions from millions of gasoline-powered vehicles or the CO2 emissions from millions of homes' energy use. Reducing methane emissions is crucial for mitigating climate change, as methane remains in the atmosphere for a shorter time compared to carbon dioxide, which can linger for over a century.
Landfill gas, composed mainly of methane and carbon dioxide, can move through the soil and collect in nearby buildings, displacing oxygen. This displacement of oxygen can lead to health issues such as an increased heartbeat and deeper breathing. Additionally, methane is highly flammable, and in enclosed spaces with poor ventilation, it can form explosive mixtures with air.
While biodegradable plastic bags are marketed as environmentally friendly, they require oxygen to biodegrade. In landfills, where waste is buried without oxygen, biodegradable bags may not effectively decompose. In this context, non-biodegradable plastic bags might be considered a better option as they do not decompose and release methane. However, the overall environmental impact of plastic waste remains a critical concern.
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Plastic doesn't decompose well
Plastic does not decompose well, and it can take hundreds or even thousands of years to break down. Even though wind currents, sunlight, and other natural processes will slowly wear plastic down, it does not revert to nature. Instead, it breaks into smaller and smaller pieces, becoming microplastics and releasing toxic chemicals and carcinogens into the environment. These microplastics can further break down into nanoplastics, which can infiltrate our bodies through the skin, food, and air.
The reason plastic doesn't biodegrade is related to how it's made. Plastic is derived from oil, specifically a fossil fuel called petroleum, which comes from the remains of ancient living organisms like algae, bacteria, and plants. When making plastic, refiners heat propylene, a chemical found in petroleum, with a catalyst, causing the molecules to form strong bonds and create a polymer chain. This process results in a substance with exceptionally strong molecular bonds that microorganisms cannot easily break down and digest, as they do with biodegradable materials like cardboard.
The non-biodegradability of plastic has severe environmental implications. Since plastic does not break down naturally, there is a build-up of plastic waste in the environment. Approximately 79% of all plastic produced ends up in landfills or the environment, and it will remain there indefinitely. Landfills, which are supposed to contain waste in enclosed cells, eventually leak, releasing toxic chemicals into the soil, air, and waterways. The plastic waste also makes its way into rivers and oceans, accumulating on beaches and in certain areas due to rain, wind, or ocean currents.
While recycling can help keep some plastic out of landfills, not all plastic can be recycled, and the recycling process itself generates microplastics. To truly address the problem of plastic pollution, we need to reduce plastic production and usage and explore alternative materials like bioplastics. Bioplastics, made from natural rubber and bacteria, can degrade when people are done using them, offering a promising solution for the future.
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Compostable bags are worse for the environment than plastic bags in landfills
Plastic bags are recyclable and can be reused for various purposes. However, they are not biodegradable and do not decompose. Instead, they break down into tiny particles called "microplastics", which are harmful to wildlife and human beings. Microplastics can enter our bodies through inhalation and absorption, introducing chemicals like methyl mercury, plasticizers, and flame retardants.
Compostable bags, on the other hand, are designed to decompose and offer a solution to the challenges posed by single-use plastics. They are made of compostable resins, typically compostable biopolymers, PBAT, and PLA, which allow them to decompose as easily as organic matter like a banana peel.
However, the key issue with compostable bags lies in their disposal. Compostable bags require specific conditions to effectively decompose, such as those found in industrial composting facilities. In contrast, landfills often lack the necessary oxygen levels for proper decomposition, rendering compostable bags ineffective. According to research, only a small percentage of compostable packaging in certain regions ends up in proper composting facilities, with a significant portion going to landfills or being incinerated.
Therefore, when considering the environmental impact of compostable bags versus plastic bags in landfills, it is important to recognize that compostable bags may not always be the better option if they are not disposed of properly. In such cases, plastic bags might have a lesser impact on the environment in landfills since they will not decompose regardless of the conditions, whereas improperly disposed-of compostable bags can persist for extended periods without decomposing, potentially causing pollution and other environmental issues.
In summary, while compostable bags offer an attractive alternative to single-use plastics, their environmental benefits hinge on proper disposal infrastructure. Without adequate composting facilities and practices, compostable bags may end up in landfills, failing to decompose and potentially exacerbating waste management challenges. In these scenarios, plastic bags might be considered a lesser evil in landfills, albeit still detrimental to the environment in other ways, such as through the creation of microplastics.
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Frequently asked questions
It is not advisable to put food waste in plastic bags as they do not decompose well and can create methane and carbon dioxide, which are harmful to the environment.
Biodegradable bags are a better alternative to plastic bags for food waste as they can decompose naturally and do not create harmful gases.
Yes, many plastic bags, like typical grocery store bags, are recyclable. However, it is important to check with your local recycling program to ensure that plastic bags are accepted.
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