Omar Khalid
Biodegradable plastic is often touted as a greener alternative to traditional plastics, but recycling it is not as straightforward as it seems. While biodegradable plastic can be recycled, it cannot be recycled with common synthetic plastics. If biodegradable plastic ends up in the wrong bin, it can contaminate the recycling process. In fact, bioplastics are not accepted by most municipal composting programs or recycling programs, and often end up in landfills. To recycle biodegradable plastic, it must be correctly separated from traditional plastic waste and put in the correct bin.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Biodegradable plastic | Bioplastics, compostable plastics, bio-based plastics |
| How to recycle | Separate from traditional plastic waste, then recycle mechanically |
| Where to put it | Organic bin if biodegradable and compostable, plastic bin or undifferentiated bin if not compostable |
| Composting | Industrial composting plants under specific conditions of temperature, time, humidity, and the presence of microorganisms |
| Energy recovery | Incineration, landfill, biogas plants |
| Drawbacks | May not break down in a timely fashion, especially in oceans or soil; may require large amounts of water, energy, and cause deforestation |
| Benefits | Reduced harm to wildlife and ecosystems, reduced need for landfill space |
| Challenges | Lack of clear labeling, consumer confusion, greenwashing, lack of recycling technology |
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What You'll Learn
Biodegradable plastic is not always compostable
Biodegradable plastic is tested to ensure that it breaks down under controlled conditions in a lab, including factors such as oxygen levels, UV exposure, and temperatures. However, nature does not have controlled conditions, so it is uncertain whether biodegradable plastic will actually biodegrade in the natural world if it is littered. In fact, some biodegradable plastics have been found to survive a year in either seawater or freshwater without breaking down.
Compostable plastic, on the other hand, has defined conditions for breaking down. Composting facilities enable specific conditions like temperature and moisture to turn the plastic into usable soil conditioner. However, it is important to note that not all compostable plastics are accepted by municipal composting programs.
The disposal of biodegradable and compostable plastics depends on the waste management infrastructure available in a particular country or region. Biodegradable and compostable plastics can be recycled through mechanical processes in recycling plants. However, if the sorting and processing cannot be done economically, these plastics will likely be used for energy recovery through incineration.
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Composting biodegradable plastic requires specific conditions
The specific conditions required for composting biodegradable plastic include temperature, time, humidity, and the presence of microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi in the environment. These factors can be controlled in industrial composting plants, ensuring an effective composting process. For example, compostable plastic is designed and tested to be processed in either home or industrial composting facilities, with specific conditions like temperature and moisture turning the plastic into usable soil conditioner.
On the other hand, biodegradable plastic is tested to break down under controlled conditions in a lab, including factors such as oxygen levels, UV exposure, and temperatures. However, nature does not have controlled conditions, so it is uncertain whether biodegradable plastic will actually biodegrade if it is littered.
Therefore, it is important to note that biodegradable and compostable plastic alone will not solve the plastic pollution crisis. While they can play a helpful role in reducing waste under specific conditions, they must be collected and paired with the right recovery systems to keep them out of nature.
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Biodegradable plastic can be recycled mechanically
Companies like Gianeco have successfully recycled bioplastics such as PLA, PBS, PBAT, and blends of biodegradable plastics. However, post-consumer bioplastic waste often ends up in landfills or incinerated due to insufficient collection and recycling infrastructure. Mechanical recycling of bioplastics requires a sufficient volume of waste to be economically feasible.
To recycle biodegradable plastic mechanically, it is essential to separate biodegradable and compostable bioplastic items from non-compostable ones. Biodegradable bioplastics can be placed in the organic bin, while non-compostable bioplastics belong in the plastic or undifferentiated bin.
It is worth noting that not all biodegradable plastics are bio-based, and some may not degrade in a timely manner in certain environments like the ocean or soil. Compostability and biodegradability depend on factors like temperature, time, humidity, and the presence of bacteria and fungi. Therefore, industrial composting facilities are usually required to ensure effective degradation.
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Biodegradable plastic recycling plants exist but are not operational
Biodegradable plastic is often touted as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional plastic. However, the reality is that biodegradable plastic does not always live up to its eco-friendly image. While biodegradable plastic can be recycled, there are currently several challenges and limitations to the process.
Firstly, it is important to note that not all biodegradable plastics are created equal. Some biodegradable plastics are designed to be composted, while others are meant to be recycled. Compostable biodegradable plastics, such as PLA, require industrial composting facilities with specific conditions, such as temperature, time, and humidity, to fully decompose. However, these facilities are not widely available, and even when they are, compostable plastics are often not accepted by municipal composting programs. As a result, these plastics often end up in landfills, where they contribute to the global waste problem.
On the other hand, recyclable biodegradable plastics can be recycled through mechanical or chemical processes. Mechanical recycling involves sorting and reprocessing the plastic into new products, while chemical recycling plants use chemical processes to recycle biodegradable plastic waste. However, there is a limited availability of biodegradable plastic waste to run these chemical recycling plants, making it challenging to operate them sustainably.
While biodegradable plastic recycling plants exist, they are not operational due to the insufficient volumes of biodegradable plastic waste required to run them economically. This highlights the importance of proper waste separation and the need for consumers to correctly separate biodegradable plastic waste from traditional plastic waste. Without sufficient volumes of biodegradable plastic waste, recycling plants cannot operate, and the potential environmental benefits of biodegradable plastics are not fully realized.
To address this issue, some companies have explored innovative ways to replace plastic altogether. For example, the use of materials such as red marine algae, edible films made from milk protein, and mushroom-based packaging materials offers potential alternatives to traditional and biodegradable plastics. However, when considering all aspects of their life cycle, it is challenging to claim that biodegradable plastics are more environmentally friendly than traditional plastics.
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Biodegradable plastic waste can be used for energy recovery
The process of incineration or combustion of MSW reduces the volume of solid waste and can recover energy and metals from multi-layered non-recyclable plastics. This method of energy recovery is especially useful when sorting and processing bio-based plastics cannot be done economically due to low volumes. However, incineration and landfill disposal of plastics also generate greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change.
In some cases, biodegradable bio-based plastics can be composted at home, but most will only degrade in industrial composting plants under specific conditions of temperature, time, humidity, and the presence of bacteria and fungi. The processed biowaste from industrial composting can be used directly as compost or for biogas plants as renewable energy.
Mechanical and thermal recycling processes are also options for homogeneous and mixed plastic waste, respectively. Pyrolysis, a thermal process, is one of the most promising methods of turning plastic trash into valuable chemicals. Chemical recycling techniques have the potential to recover monomers from plastic waste, but they have not yet proven to be commercially viable due to significant economic drawbacks.
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Frequently asked questions
Biodegradable plastics are plastics that can be broken down into carbon dioxide, water, and compost. They are made from plant materials instead of being made from oil or natural gas.
Biodegradable plastics can be recycled by putting them in the organic bin if they are compostable and in the plastic bin or undifferentiated bin if they are not compostable. Some recycling companies allow the recycling of single-use bags if they are bundled together in a tight, tied package.
No, biodegradable plastics cannot be recycled with common synthetic plastics. They have to be disposed of separately.
Compostability or biodegradability does not mean that a product will degrade in any environment. Biodegradable plastics will only degrade in industrial composting plants under specific conditions. If biodegradable plastics are thrown into the environment, they can lead to methane emissions and have a negative climate impact.
