IS ‘BIOPLASTIC’ REALLY ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY?
Sustainability and environmental awareness are on everyone’s lips these days and are increasingly becoming a priority. People are starting to think about how they can live more sustainably and protect nature. Everyone is certainly aware that plastic is definitely not good for the environment, which is why bioplastics sound extremely promising for them as a way to maintain their own lifestyle while still protecting the environment.
But what is this bio-based plastic actually and is it really as environmentally friendly and sustainable as many assume? Are there better alternatives?
We would like to take a closer look at these issues in the following text.
WHAT IS BIOPLASTIC ACTUALLY?
Bioplastic is defined as biodegradable or biobased plastic. Biodegradable, also known as compostable, means that the bioplastic can be broken down by fungi or microorganisms under certain conditions. Biobased means that the plastic is largely or partially made from renewable raw materials.
Bioplastic from residual materials can be produced in different ways. Polylactic acids, known as PLAs, are currently the most commonly used for the production of bioplastics. These are derived from corn or sugar cane. One reason they are widely used is that they come from factories that also produce products like ethanol. This makes PLA cheaper than other biological plastics.
Another production method involves the use of biopolymers, also known as polyhydroxyalkanoates or PHA for short. These substances are produced by microorganisms.
While PLA, or bioplastics made from polylactic acids, is primarily used in food packaging, PHA is mostly used in the medical sector, where they are used to produce threads and vascular patches, for example.
As you can see, bioplastics can vary widely. This leads to the fact that there is no precise definition and you cannot know how environmentally friendly the ‘eco-plastic’ actually is.
HOW SUSTAINABLE IS BIOPLASTIC?
It is now becoming increasingly clear that bioplastics are not the solution to all problems and can even lead to more problems. There are several reasons for this, which we would like to look at in more detail below:
- Bioplastics from food
The plastics made from PLA mentioned above are currently the most criticised. They are made from food sources such as corn and sugar cane, which are also needed to feed humans and animals. As a result, bio-based plastic competes with human and animal nutrition, which is criticised by many opponents of bioplastics. Of course, these resources are sustainable and can be planted again and again, but this also comes at a high price. Fossil fuels are required for cultivation and the increased cultivation often leads to overuse of the soil. This leads to soil and water acidification. Additionally, biodiversity can be lost, which will have a major impact on the environment in the long term. Last but not least, fertilisers are frequently used during cultivation and pesticides often have to be used. For this reason, it is even assumed that the life cycle assessments of bioplastics and conventionally produced plastics do not differ from one another. - Composting of plastics
Difficulties arise not only in the production of biodegradable plastic, but also in its disposal. As previously mentioned, bioplastics require very specific conditions in order to decompose. For this to happen, it needs a certain temperature and sufficient oxygen and moisture must be available. Additionally, microorganisms or fungi must be present. Conventional compost at home does not fulfil these requirements, which is why you should never dispose of your bioplastic waste in it. Moreover, plastic is considered compostable if 90% of it has broken down into pieces smaller than 2 millimetres within 12 weeks (according to the standard DIN EN 13432). The problem with this is that normal biowaste decomposes much faster. This can lead to the quality of the compost suffering if the biodegradable plastic has not yet fully decomposed when the compost is used. In anaerobic digestion plants, most bioplastics also do not contribute effectively to biogas production, as they decompose poorly. For these reasons, bioplastics are often sorted out and incinerated together with conventional plastics, as it simply takes too long for them to decompose. - The throwaway society
We still live in a throwaway society. Advertising with biodegradable plastic can further reinforce this behaviour. Products are often advertised as ‘environmentally friendly’, ‘green’ or ‘eco’. This suggests to the consumer that the product can be thrown away without hesitation. It is not uncommon for them to be thrown carelessly into the environment. However, as previously mentioned, bioplastics only decompose under special conditions. If these conditions are not met, most bioplastics are just as difficult to degrade as conventional plastics made from crude oil. In this way, the use of biodegradable plastic can further exacerbate the problem of littering, as bioplastics cannot decompose in the oceans and waterways.
CONCLUSION
In summary, it can be said that although bioplastic is slightly better than conventional plastic made from fossil fuels, it is still far from being the answer to all our problems. In fact, its use can often exacerbate environmental problems. But what can you do to actually live a sustainable and environmentally conscious life without having to restrict yourself too much? Because the fact is, nobody wants to give up their ‘simple’ standard of living completely in order to live in an environmentally conscious and sustainable way.
The answer is actually quite simple – no waste through reusability!
Avoid the waste caused by disposable packaging right from the start and use reusable packaging. By using reusable packaging, some of which you can reuse up to 1000 times, you create significantly less waste. As a result, you don’t have to deal with the issue of correct disposal. What’s more, reusable packaging conserves raw materials, as packaging that has been produced once can be used again and again. This means that the eco-balance of reusable packaging is significantly better than that of bioplastics.
In conclusion, you can help the environment by using reusable products and still continue to live your lifestyle without a guilty conscience. Give it a try and join our community today. Of course, we will be happy to assist you if you need any further information.