Exploring Plastic Alternatives: Cost And Feasibility

Plastic is decimating the land and oceans, and the search for alternatives is on. The race is on to find plastic alternatives that are recyclable, biodegradable, or reusable, but also cheap, easy to manufacture, and widely available. The environmental cost of using plastics in consumer goods and packaging is nearly four times lower than that of alternative materials. However, the failure to consider the societal and environmental costs of plastic is devastating for our economies and wildlife. The infrastructure to ensure bioplastics biodegrade is also limited, and supposedly compostable plastic bags may be causing as much damage as conventional plastics. Nevertheless, innovators and inventors are working on natural plastic alternatives, and some companies are tackling existing plastic waste.

Bioplastics and seaweed-based products are more expensive but are better for the environment

Bioplastics and seaweed-based products are being touted as a solution to the world's plastic pollution problem. However, they are more expensive than traditional plastics. The cost of bioplastics varies, ranging from $2,000 to $7,000 per ton, depending on the type of bioplastic.

The higher cost of bioplastics is due to the challenges in producing them cheaply and effectively. For example, bioplastics derived from agricultural crops compete with food crops for arable land, water, and fertilizer. In addition, the production process for bioplastics often requires large amounts of chemicals and water, making it time-consuming and less cost-effective than synthetic plastics.

Despite the higher cost, bioplastics and seaweed-based products offer significant environmental benefits. For instance, seaweed is a resilient and abundant material that can grow in various environments without using agricultural lands, freshwater, pesticides, or fertilizers. It provides food and shelter for marine animals and can help solve the plastic pollution problem by replacing conventional fossil-based plastic coatings.

Seaweed-based bioplastics can also break down in marine environments within a matter of hours, depending on the water temperature. This prevents the formation of microplastics, which can enter the food chain and have negative health impacts.

While bioplastics and seaweed-based products are more expensive, they offer a more sustainable alternative to traditional plastics. To make them a viable solution, it is essential to address the production challenges and increase the adoption rate through improved manufacturing schemes and policies that support the transition to a circular economy.

Natural alternatives like hemp are cheap, fast-growing, and can thrive in challenging conditions

Hemp is a natural alternative to plastic that offers a promising solution to reduce our dependence on fossil fuel-based plastics and mitigate their adverse effects on the planet. Hemp plastic is made from hemp fibres and a biopolymer derived from plant sources, such as corn starch or sugarcane. It is a biodegradable and renewable material that can decompose in as little as 3-6 months in the right environment, in comparison to a conventional plastic water bottle, which can take up to 500 years to decompose.

Hemp is a fast-growing and resilient crop that can thrive in challenging conditions. It has a high cellulose content (65-70%), making it an ideal material for plastic production. Hemp plastic is already being used in various industries, including the automotive and construction sectors, and for sustainable packaging materials. It is lightweight yet strong, making it an attractive alternative to traditional plastics.

However, there are some challenges to the widespread adoption of hemp plastic. Legal and regulatory constraints surrounding the growth and processing of hemp can be a hindrance. Additionally, the cost of producing hemp plastic is currently higher than traditional plastics due to factors such as limited economies of scale, processing techniques, and availability. Nevertheless, as research and technology advance, the cost of production is expected to decrease, making it more economically viable.

Despite these challenges, hemp plastic holds immense potential as a sustainable alternative to traditional plastics. It is eco-friendly, versatile, and robust, and can help reduce our carbon footprint and address plastic pollution. With advancements in technology and increasing awareness, hemp plastic can play a significant role in creating a greener and more sustainable future.

The environmental cost of plastics in consumer goods is 3.8 times lower than alternative materials

Plastic is everywhere. It's in our appliances, computers, clothing, and the things we buy every day. It's an effective way to keep food and cosmetics clean and fresh. But it's also decimating the land and oceans. So, what are the alternatives to single-use plastics? And what is the environmental cost of using them?

However, it's important to note that the infrastructure to ensure bioplastics biodegrade or compost is limited. As a result, compostable plastic bags and biodegradable cutlery may be causing as much climate damage as conventional plastics. Additionally, there isn't enough global supply of alternative materials to replace single-use plastics. Nevertheless, some companies are leading the way in adopting bioplastics, such as British skincare company Bulldog and Coca-Cola, which launched the PlantBottle made with Brazilian sugarcane.

There are also natural alternatives to plastic that are sustainable and renewable. For instance, natural cloth can replace plastic bags, and wood from sustainably-managed forests can be used for household items like cutting boards and utensils. Additionally, mushrooms or mycelium are seen as innovative alternatives to plastics, as they are grown without chemicals, are fully biodegradable, and have special features like thermal insulation and water resistance.

While the environmental cost of plastics may be lower than alternative materials, it's important to consider the long-term impact of plastic pollution. Plastic pollution is costing the world up to $2.5 trillion per year. Moving towards a more circular economy and reducing plastic waste can help mitigate these costs. For example, capturing plastic waste before it reaches the ocean could cut costs by over $2.1 billion.

The infrastructure to ensure bioplastics biodegrade is limited, causing climate damage

Bioplastics are often touted as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional plastics. They are made from renewable biomass products such as corn starch, recycled food, and agricultural by-products. They are biodegradable and compostable, and they don't contain toxic substances like bisphenol A (BPA). Bioplastics also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 25%.

However, there is significant confusion about the biodegradability of bioplastics. While they are biodegradable, most do not biodegrade in natural conditions. Instead, they require specific conditions, including high heat and humidity, to break down. This means that they must be processed in industrial composting facilities, and currently, very few cities have the infrastructure needed to deal with them.

The lack of infrastructure to ensure bioplastics biodegrade is a significant issue. Without proper infrastructure and standardized regulations for organic materials, the environmental benefits of bioplastics may not be fully realized. In fact, bioplastics can end up causing climate damage. If they are not discarded properly, they can contaminate batches of recycled plastic and harm recycling infrastructure. They can also end up in landfills, where they may release methane, a greenhouse gas 23 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

To fully realize the environmental benefits of bioplastics, separate recycling streams are necessary to properly discard them. Additionally, there is a need for standardized regulations and infrastructure for composting facilities to ensure that bioplastics are fully degraded. This includes the presence of specific enzymes and microorganisms that break down organic matter.

While bioplastics have the potential to reduce plastic pollution, the limited infrastructure to ensure their biodegradation is causing climate damage. It is important for cities to invest in the necessary infrastructure and regulations to ensure that bioplastics are properly composted and recycled.

Plastic alternatives must be cheap, easy to manufacture, and widely available to replace plastic

Some of the eco-friendly alternatives to plastic that are currently available include beeswax-coated fabric, natural cloth, organic cotton, wool, hemp, bamboo, wood, ceramics, glass, stainless steel, and bioplastics. However, many of these alternatives are more expensive than plastic. For instance, a burger box made from sugarcane is almost twice as expensive as one made from polystyrene. A biodegradable takeaway fork made from plant starch costs 3.5 times more than a basic white plastic one.

Despite the higher cost of some alternatives, the environmental cost of using plastics in consumer goods and packaging is nearly four times higher than that of alternative materials. Plastic pollution is costing the world up to $2.5 trillion per year. Additionally, plastic is made from petroleum and is, therefore, a non-renewable resource.

One of the most promising cheap plastic alternatives is seaweed. By some estimates, just 0.03% of the world’s brown seaweed could replace all the PET bottles we use in a year. Seaweed packaging also biodegrades in soil in as little as four weeks and certain products are entirely edible. Another possible alternative is mushrooms or mycelium. This raw material can be grown to the exact dimensions required for any given application, without the use of chemicals or pesticides. It is also fully biodegradable, thermally insulating, and water-resistant.

Therefore, while plastic alternatives must be cheap, easy to manufacture, and widely available to replace plastic, it is clear that some of the current alternatives are already meeting these criteria.

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