Almost every day, we encounter bags filled with plastic waste as we leave the laboratory.
Single-use plastics are indispensable, but there might be a way to make our practices more sustainable despite this.
Bioplastics –Are they the solution?
The term "bioplastics" often brings to mind associations such as a smaller production footprint, biological origins, and easy degradability.
But what qualifies as a bioplastic? Let's find out:
Today's Lesson: Bioplastic Explained
Defining the seemingly green plastic
Number Of The Day
Out of the 400 million kilograms of plastics produced worldwide every year, approximately 0.42% (with estimates ranging from 0.1% to 0.5%) are biobased plastics. Although the biobased plastics industry is considered to be "growing," projections estimate that the current production of 2.2 million tons will only increase to around 7.4 million tons by 2028.
0.42
Designing Experiments Sustainably
Bioplastics is a broad term, referring to plastics that are either biobased, biodegradable, or both.
Explaining Biobased
Biobased plastics are derived from renewable biomass instead of fossil fuels. Common examples include:
Polylactic acid (PLA) - derived from corn starch or sugarcane
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) - produced by bacterial fermentation of sugars or lipids.
Cellulose acetate - derived from plant cellulose.
Importantly, even plastics like polypropylene or polyvinyl chloride can be made from biological sources. This is achieved through chemical synthesis methods such as olefin metathesis or the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis in Biomass-to-Liquid (BTL) processes.
As a result, these plastics can be seamlessly integrated into fossil-based plastic production lines as a "drop-in" solution.
I thought adding some historical data for the plastic production growth might be interesting as well. While plastics really took off between the 1970-2000 we see a steady growth until 2020. Please not that the Million Tons of “Bioplastics” is “Bio-attributed”.
Several LCAs e.g., for PVC, ethanol-derived and other bioplastics have shown that biobased plastics can significantly reduce carbon emissions (on average between 40–80%), though nuances matter.
Caution: Biobased products are often a blend of fossil fuel-derived plastics and bioplastics. For example, a "biobased" cup may consist of 30% biobased material and 70% fossil-based material.
Biodegradable
Exploring Biodegradability
Biodegradable plastics are capable of breaking down into simpler compounds in natural environments or through the action of microorganisms. Still, we have to distinguish between two types of biodegradability:
Environmental Degradation
Degradation occurs in natural settings like soil or water. However, this process can take months to years, depending on factors such as temperature, pH, and microbial activity. Problematically, incomplete degradation can result in microplastic pollution before full breakdown.
Composting
Composting is a controlled biodegradation process carried out in industrial facilities. It requires high temperatures and specific conditions to facilitate breakdown effectively. However, if conducted in properly sealed and maintained facilities, it can be well controlled apart from the release of gases and microplastics.
Applying The Knowledge
Not all bioplastics are inherently more sustainable. Due to variations in sourcing, production processes, additives, limited production capacity, and restricted composting infrastructure, their environmental footprint is not necessarily smaller. Higher biological toxicity, eutrophication, and acidification are additional concners.
In countries with effective plastic disposal systems (e.g., Germany, the UK, and Italy), packaging made with bioplastics can be a great step in the right direction.
Although these alternatives are not perfect and may be victim to greenwashing, adopting them when sensible, sends an important signal that we, the consumers, are ready to adopt greener alternatives.
Upcoming Lesson:
Why Is The Bioplastics Adoption So Slow?
How We Feel Today
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