Bioplastics vs Biodegradable Plastic - Are they more environmentally friendly than conventional plas

With the rising concern about plastic polluting and permeating our Earth, researchers have strived to develop different forms of plastic which are more environmentally friendly. However, the terms used to describe this new generation of plastic have been confusing, and whether they are truly eco-friendly remains a question.

Bioplastics are created from renewable carbon sources, such as starch and cellulose. Most bioplastics are produced from polylactic acid (PLA) which is derived from corn. As PLA can be processed using existing equipment for conventional plastics, it is thus cost-efficient to produce. They are also claimed to be able to reduce greenhouse emissions by 30 - 80%. Although they reduce the reliance on petrochemicals (which are used to create conventional plastic), they are not necessarily more environmentally friendly.

Firstly, not all bioplastic are biodegradable. Terms used by some companies have marred the distinction between bioplastic and biodegradable in order to market their product. Consequently, bioplastics are not disposed properly as consumers may not be able to differentiate if the bioplastic is compostable, recyclable or biodegradable.

A worry arising from improper disposal of bioplastic is contamination of recycling facilities. The presence of PLA in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) can cause hazing, especially in concentrations above 0.1%. Consequently, the whole batch of PET cannot be recycled. There are several other drawbacks when using bioplastics, such as the need to clear land for corn plantations.

Biodegradable plastic can be broken down completely by microbes to water, carbon dioxide and biological waste under the right conditions, leaving no toxic residues behind. They may not be biobased and can be produced from oil like conventional plastic. They are designed to be less durable through the use of additives. These additives make recycling harder and may pollute the environment. In addition, biodegradable plastic can only be broken down in composters. Consumers may not be aware and may send these plastic to the landfill, where the conditions are not right for composting/biodegradation. Even if they do decompose, the anaerobic conditions in landfills will release methane instead of carbon dioxide. Currently, bioplastics can only be broken down in industrial composter. Such facilities are not widely available and cannot meet the demands.

Are there no solutions for our plastic nightmare? Kevin Kumala, founder of Avani Eco, has pioneered the use of cassava in plastic bags. These plastic bags are claimed to be able to biodegrade in the span of months or even instantaneously when treated with hot water. Bioplastics that can truly biodegrade rapidly even under landfill conditions will be a highly viable field to explore.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioplastic#Biodegradation

http://www.sustainableplastics.net/bioplastics/issues-with-recycling

https://www.creativemechanisms.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-bioplastics

http://www.futurenergia.org/ww/en/pub/futurenergia/chats/bio_plastics.htm

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/may/23/biodegradable-plastic-false-solution-for-ocean-waste-problem

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/un-biodegradable-plastics_us_57435cb2e4b045cc9a71afa5

http://www.sustainableplastics.net/about

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2008/apr/26/waste.pollution

http://explainthatstuff.com/bioplastics.html

http://pepctplastics.com/resources/connecticut-plastics-learning-center/biodegradable-plastics/

http://motherjones.com/environment/2009/04/do-biodegradable-plastics-really-work/

http://treehugger.com/ocean-conservation/great-awful-truth-about-biodegradable-plastics.html

http://phys.org/news/2017-02-cassava-carrier-bags-indonesian-entrepreneur.html

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/01/16/world/cassava-plastic/index.html