Omar Khalid
Plastic is one of the most widely used materials in the world, with 200 million tons of plastic consumed annually. However, the vast majority of plastics are made from non-renewable fossil fuels, which has led to an environmental crisis. Degradable plastics and bioplastics are two solutions to this problem. Degradable plastics are derived from petrochemicals and break down within a few months in a conventional compost facility. Bioplastics, on the other hand, are biodegradable materials that come from renewable sources such as biomass, including corn, sugarcane, and cellulose. They can be used in a variety of industries, including agriculture, textiles, and medicine, and are especially popular in the packaging market. While bioplastics offer a promising alternative to traditional plastics, they currently represent only a small portion of the global plastics output and face challenges in terms of cost and performance.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition of biodegradable plastic | Plastic that can be broken down into substances found in nature, such as water, carbon dioxide, methane, bacteria, fungi, and algae, within a reasonable timeframe |
| Definition of bioplastic | Plastic produced partly or wholly with biologically sourced polymers |
| Biodegradation conditions | Biodegradation depends on the intrinsic properties of the plastic and the environmental conditions, such as temperature, oxygen levels, UV exposure, and the presence of specific microorganisms |
| Compostability | Compostable plastic can break down faster than biodegradable plastic but requires specific conditions, such as regulated temperatures, moisture, and an industrial setting |
| Environmental impact | Biodegradable plastics may contribute to GHG emissions, leave harmful residues, and not degrade entirely in landfills or oceans, leading to pollution and ecosystem disruption |
| Types of biodegradable plastics | Plant-based (hydro-biodegradable) and petroleum-based (oxo-biodegradable) |
| Examples of biodegradable plastics | Polylactic Acid (PLA), Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), Polybutylene Adipate Terephthalate (PBAT) |
| Examples of bioplastics | Bio-based PET, PHA derived from organic waste |
| Challenges and limitations | Misinformation and greenwashing by companies, lack of transparency about degradation conditions, potential for fragmentation instead of biodegradation, and the time required for complete biodegradation |
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What You'll Learn
Biodegradable plastics are not always eco-friendly
Firstly, biodegradable plastic is tested 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 challenging to be certain that biodegradable plastic will biodegrade in the natural world if it is littered. When these materials do not break down, they can have similar consequences to their non-biodegradable counterparts, polluting the ecosystems and habitats that both nature and people depend on.
Secondly, biodegradable plastics are not always eco-friendly due to the lack of regulation surrounding them. There are no federal standards that define or regulate bioplastic, biodegradable, or compostable products. Most states do not require 'compostable' products to be certified, which leads to consumer confusion. Manufacturers can label products as biodegradable or compostable without meeting any standards. Therefore, any bioplastic product must be carefully vetted.
Thirdly, biodegradable plastics may have a heavy environmental and carbon footprint. When considering their lifetime impact, compostable products and bioplastics often produce significantly more greenhouse gas emissions than single-use plastic. The production of biodegradable plastics is projected to increase from 1.5 million metric tons to almost 5.3 million metric tons, and understanding how these materials impact the environment is critical.
Additionally, the land required for bioplastics competes with food production. The crops that produce bioplastics, such as corn, sugar beets, or cassava, can also be used to feed people. To meet the growing global demand for bioplastics, more than 3.4 million acres of land will be needed, which is an area larger than Belgium, the Netherlands, and Denmark combined.
Furthermore, biodegradable plastics are not always clearly distinguishable from regular plastics. Oxo-degradable plastics, for example, are conventional plastics with additives that accelerate the oxidation process. While they break down quickly through exposure to sunlight and oxygen, they persist as large quantities of microplastics rather than any biological material.
Lastly, biodegradable plastics are not always eco-friendly because they are not a comprehensive solution to the plastic pollution crisis. Compostable and biodegradable plastic should only be used when it adds value and works with the systems that can recover it. Reducing and reusing plastic is more effective than relying solely on biodegradable options.
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Bioplastics are not always biodegradable
Degradable plastics are those that can be broken down into tiny fragments or powder, but this does not necessarily mean that the materials will return to nature. Some traditional plastics can be made to degrade more quickly with additives. For example, photodegradable plastic breaks down more readily in sunlight, and oxo-degradable plastic disintegrates more quickly when exposed to heat and light.
Biodegradable plastics, on the other hand, can be broken down completely into water, carbon dioxide, and compost by microorganisms under the right conditions. This process should take weeks to months. Bioplastics that don't biodegrade this quickly are called "durable". Some bioplastics made from biomass are considered non-biodegradable because they cannot easily be broken down by microorganisms.
Bioplastics are plastics manufactured from bio-based polymers. They are typically produced from renewable or recycled raw materials, such as biomass, crop waste, or genetically modified crops and bacteria. Bioplastics are considered more environmentally friendly than traditional plastics, as they can have a lower carbon footprint and can be recycled or composted at the end of their life.
However, bioplastics are not always biodegradable. For example, bio-based PET is a non-biodegradable bioplastic. It is a petrochemical plastic derived from fossil fuels, but it has identical technical properties to its fossil-based counterpart. Similarly, polylactic acid (PLA) is a compostable plastic, but it cannot be claimed as biodegradable because it cannot biodegrade naturally in the biosphere.
Furthermore, while oxo-degradable plastics are commonly perceived to be biodegradable, they are simply conventional plastics with additives that accelerate the oxidation process. They break down into microplastics rather than biological material, and they take too long to fully break down. These plastics do not meet the ASTM standard definition of compostable plastics, which outlines that they must become "not visually distinguishable" at the same rate as something that is compostable under the traditional definition.
The biodegradability of bioplastics is advantageous, but it is not without its challenges. Most bioplastics need high-temperature industrial composting facilities to break down, and very few cities have the infrastructure to deal with them. As a result, bioplastics often end up in landfills, where they may release methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Additionally, the crops used to produce bioplastics could be used to feed people, so there is competition with food production.
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Bioplastics can be made from plant biomass
Bioplastics are plastic materials produced from renewable biomass sources. The use of bioplastics can contribute to a more sustainable commercial plastic life cycle as part of a circular economy, in which virgin polymers are made from renewable or recycled raw materials. Bioplastics can be made from plant biomass, including microalgae or cyanobacteria, and macroalgae or seaweed.
Bioplastics made from natural materials like shellac or cellulose were the first plastics to be created. However, since the end of the 19th century, they have been largely replaced by fossil-fuel plastics derived from petroleum or natural gas. Fossilized biomass is not considered renewable within a reasonable timeframe.
Today, bioplastics are being reconsidered as part of a bioeconomy and circular economy. Bioplastics can utilize previously unused waste materials, such as straw, woodchips, sawdust, food waste, and crop residue. For example, Full Cycle Bioplastics in California produces PHA from organic waste, including food waste, crop residue, garden waste, and unrecycled paper or cardboard. This bioplastic is compostable, marine degradable, and has no toxic effects.
Bioplastics can also be made from biomass combined with petroleum. For instance, microalgae cultivated in a wastewater treatment plant was used as biomass mixed with glycerol to obtain bioplastics. Additionally, the whole red macroalga Kappaphycus alvarezii was used to produce a bioplastic film with the addition of polyethylene glycol for food packaging applications.
Bioplastics made from plant biomass offer several advantages. They are independent from fossil fuels as a raw material, which is a finite and unevenly distributed resource with environmental impacts. When biomass is used as a raw material, some bioplastics can be produced with a lower carbon footprint than their fossil-based counterparts. Bioplastics can also be biodegradable, breaking down into water, carbon dioxide, and biomass under specified conditions. However, it is important to note that not all bioplastics are biodegradable, and the biodegradability of a plastic depends on its molecular structure, rather than the raw material used.
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Biodegradable plastics can be made from petrochemicals
Biodegradable plastics are plastics that can be decomposed by microorganisms into water, carbon dioxide, and biomass under specific conditions. The biodegradability of plastic is a "system property", meaning that it depends on the intrinsic properties of the plastic item and the environmental conditions in which it ends up.
Biodegradable plastics can be made from a variety of materials, including renewable raw materials, microorganisms, and petrochemicals. While bioplastics are typically associated with renewable sources, it is important to note that not all bioplastics are biodegradable, and some biodegradable plastics are fully petroleum-based.
Petrochemicals are derived from fossil fuels, such as crude oil, coal, or natural gas. An example of a biodegradable plastic made from petrochemicals is polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Bio-based PET is synthesized with bacteria and has identical technical properties to its fossil-based counterpart. However, it is important to distinguish between biodegradable and non-biodegradable bioplastics. Some bioplastics made from petrochemicals may be considered non-biodegradable if they do not meet the specified standards for biodegradation.
The development of biodegradable plastics made from petrochemicals offers potential benefits in addressing the environmental impact of traditional plastics. Traditional plastics have come under scrutiny due to their slow degradation rate, contributing to pollution in landfills, beaches, and oceans for extended periods. Biodegradable plastics, on the other hand, provide a more sustainable alternative by decomposing into non-toxic, environmentally friendly substances.
However, it is worth noting that the effectiveness of biodegradable plastics depends on proper waste management systems. If biodegradable plastic products are improperly discarded into conventional waste streams or end up in natural environments like rivers and oceans, they may not fully decompose, thus failing to realize their potential environmental benefits.
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Biodegradable plastics can take years to decompose
Biodegradable plastics are plastics that can be broken down by microorganisms into water, carbon dioxide (or methane) and biomass under specified conditions. However, the term "biodegradable" is often misused, as many so-called biodegradable plastics do not actually biodegrade in the natural environment. For example, oxo-degradable plastics are marketed as biodegradable but only break down into microplastics rather than any biological material, and these microplastics do not continue to degrade at an appreciable rate.
The rate at which plastic biodegrades depends on a wide range of environmental conditions, including temperature and the presence of specific microorganisms. For example, plastic bags in the ocean can take 20 years to decompose due to the constant motion and UV light exposure. In contrast, plastic water bottles made with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are estimated to take approximately 450 years to fully break down in landfills. This is because PET is made with chemicals that bacteria cannot consume, and landfills are compact and repeatedly layered with soil, making it difficult for UV radiation to reach the waste and break it down.
While some biodegradable plastics can take a few months to decompose, others can take years or even centuries, depending on the specific material and environmental conditions. The ASTM standard definition outlines that a compostable plastic must become "not visually distinguishable" at the same rate as something that has already been established as compostable under the traditional definition. However, even after this point, biodegradable plastics may leave behind toxic residue and microplastics.
To address the issue of biodegradable plastics taking years to decompose, universal standards have been implemented, new materials have been developed, and a compostable logo has been introduced to guide consumers and give them confidence in a plastic's biodegradability. Additionally, companies should be transparent about the specific biodegradable conditions of their products, rather than simply labelling them as biodegradable without providing details on the time and environmental constraints required for degradation.
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Frequently asked questions
Degradable plastics are plastics that can be broken down into tiny fragments or powder. Degradable plastics include photodegradable plastics, which break down more easily in sunlight, and oxo-degradable plastics, which disintegrate more quickly when exposed to heat and light. However, oxo-degradable plastics often do not fragment optimally for microbial digestion and can leave behind plastic fragments that are not biodegradable.
Bioplastics are plastics whose components are derived from renewable raw materials, such as plant biomass, sugar beets, seaweed, or other plants. Bioplastics can also be made from organic waste such as food waste, crop residue, garden waste, and unrecycled paper or cardboard. A plastic is considered a bioplastic if it was produced partly or wholly with biologically sourced polymers.
While degradable plastics and bioplastics are often touted as being more environmentally friendly, they may not always live up to the hype. For example, biodegradable plastics can still end up in landfills and contribute to the release of methane and other greenhouse gases. Additionally, some biodegradable plastics fragment rather than biodegrade, leading to soil pollution and increased risk of ingestion by animals. Bioplastics and biodegradable plastics alone will not solve the plastic pollution crisis, and proper waste management and reduction in plastic use are also necessary.
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