Why Go Biodegradable?

THE NATURAL ALTERNATIVE

Renewable plant-based raw materials

Our compostable bioplastic products are made from renewable resources. Our products offer business and consumers a more sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional
plastic products made from fossil fuels. The current generation of bioplastics are produced using abundant, rapidly renewable and cost effective plant resources. The next generation will utilise non-agricultural feedstocks such as algae, bacteria, carbon dioxide and methane gas, further reducing the environmental impact of these materials.

Reduce your carbon footprint

When thinking about reducing the environmental impact of single use disposable packaging, it’s important to recognise that the most significant benefits are realised at the very beginning of the production process by using sustainably sourced raw materials. By design, producing IngeoTM PLA bioplastic results in up to 75% less greenhouse gas emissions
compared to the production of conventional plastic. Even if both end up in a landfill, the reduced emissions alone make bioplastic the more sustainable option.
What’s the difference between bioplastic and plastic with a biodegradable additive? This can be a confusing landscape to navigate, with various claims a nd technical terms. One should always be on the lookout for unscrupulous marketing. The most common type of misleading marketing is for plastic products labelled as ‘degradable’, ‘biodegradable’ or even ‘landfill degradable’. Unlike bioplastics, degradable plastics are conventional plastics derived from fossil resources with an additive that the manufacturers claim will render the product biodegradable under specific conditions. The problem with these claims is that there is no independently verified and conclusive scientific proof that the plastic will completely biodegrade. If the plastic does break down into smaller fragments that persist in the environment, they could be ingested by animals and eventually make their way up the food chain. It also does not address the problem of using finite fossil resources for single use packaging and is certainly not a solution for littering. All this does is offer consumers and brand owners a false sense of sustainability.

What’s the difference between bioplastic and plastic with a biodegradable additive?

This can be a confusing landscape to navigate, with various claims a nd technical terms. One should always be on the lookout for unscrupulous marketing. The most common type of misleading marketing is for plastic products labelled as ‘degradable’, ‘biodegradable’ or even ‘landfill degradable’. Unlike bioplastics, degradable plastics are conventional plastics derived from fossil resources with an additive that the manufacturers claim will render the product biodegradable under specific conditions. The problem with these claims is that there is no independently verified and conclusive scientific proof that the plastic will completely biodegrade. If the plastic does break down into smaller fragments that persist in the environment, they could be ingested by animals and eventually make their way up the food chain. It also does not address the problem of using finite fossil resources for single use packaging and is certainly not a solution for littering. All this does is offer consumers and brand owners a false sense of sustainability.

 

Compostable
Another major benefit of producing compostable bio-based food service packaging is that it can be diverted from landfill along with any remaining food residues at the end of its life through commercial composting – returning nutrients back into the soil and eliminating the methane gas that organics emit when they biodegrade in landfill.

Our bioplastic cups and bowls are certified commercially compostable to Australian standards – AS4736 and will completely biodegrade in a commercial compost facility within 120 days.

Recyclable
Technically, PLA bioplastics can be recycled, but they currently represent only a small fraction of the plastic waste stream so it’s not yet  commercially viable to do so. The fact that no recycling facilities currently accept PLA does not mean that this material should not be used. Rather we should persevere and educate business owners and consumers on the benefits and help grow and support the recycling infrastructure until it becomes commercially viable. Bioplastics do not contaminate existing plastic recycling waste streams. Material recycling facilities use electronic equipment to identify and separate multiple types of plastics used. This equipment can easily identify and separate PLA bioplastics from conventional plastics.

What happens if bioplastic ends up in the bin?
It’s a common misconception that products sent to landfill should biodegrade. This is not the desired outcome for landfill waste. Landfills are designed to entomb their contents and to remain stable after they are capped. Scientific studies prove that PLA bioplastic remains inert in landfill.

The problem with plastics

Plastics are polluting the planet and damage the environment at
every stage in their lifecycle. Single-use disposable packaging
with a functional life of minutes should not be made with materials
that will last hundreds of years.
Recycling only delays plastic’s inevitable destination to a landfill
or the ocean. As of 2015, 7 billion tons of plastic waste has been
generated. 9% was recycled, 12% incinerated and 79% ended
up in landfills or the environment.
We need to rethink all packaging and product design that
aligns with the circular economy

Understanding landfills

Landfills are not designed to promote the biodegradation of
waste, nor is it sustainable or beneficial to bury valuable
resources in the ground. Organic waste still decomposes in
a landfill, albeit slowly due to the sealed, oxygen-free
environment. This process of decomposition causes the
bacteria in the waste to produce methane gas, which is a
potent greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming.
Choosing compostable packaging is one step closer to
achieving a sustainable circular economy where resources
are preserved and recycle.

Like what you see?

_____

PACKAGING FOR A CIRCULAR ECONOMY

There is no waste in a circular economy – products are made and remade from sustainably sourced, infinitely recyclable materials.