Are Bioplastics Better for the Environment? It’s Complicated

https://undark.org/2019/07/23/bioplastics-biodegradable-plastics-better-for-environment/

by nkurz • 7 years ago

24 6 7 years ago

undark.org

IshKebab• 7 years ago

I definitely think PLA should not be able to be advertised as "compostable".

infecto• 7 years ago

I imagine only the bay area is able to compost it by industrial composting?

inkuplex• 7 years ago

I've actually been looking for a facility near the East Bay to allow me to dispose of it properly with no avail.

thebluehawk• 7 years ago

I think there needs a be a different term.

To me "compost" is a decomposing pile of natural materials. Plants, certain types of food waste, animal waste, etc. that anyone can put in their backyard (or scale up to industrial size) to turn waste into nutrient rich soil.

A very specific industrial process that can break down a very specific type of material in just the right circumstances is so completely different that it seems odd to me to share the same name.

cptskippy• 7 years ago

There's definitely confusion that's being exploited. Maybe we need a new marking on products that indicates how long it takes to break down under normal "in the wild" conditions?

Biodgradable means that it can be broken down by a biological agent, however most people assume it means that it will break down under normal conditions or "in the wild" which is not the case.

Composting is a controlled process, regardless of whether it's your backyard or an industrial facility, where the materials undergo exposure to certain conditions that expedite, or in the case of PLA, facilitate decomposition.

Compostable is a subset of biodegradable, is there a term for biodegradable items that will decompose under uncontrolled conditions?

jefflombardjr• 7 years ago

Energy consumption from production aside, if it means preventing more microplastics from entering the environments I think that in and of itself is a marginal win.

This is all based on the assumption that they are actually compostable and it doesn't get greenwashed like "organic"

Are Bioplastics Better for the Environment? It’s Complicated

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