But first: What is bioplastic anyway?
When we stand in the supermarket, it is clear to us that if it says “organic” on it, it means that the food is from organic farming. However, this is not so clear when it comes to the term bioplastic. Neither “bioplastic” nor “biosynthetics” are protected terms and there is no uniform definition. According to Federal Environment Agency (UBA), bioplastics must either:
– be made from renewable raw materials (often corn, sugar cane or potatoes), but not be biodegradable, these are then called bio-based
– according to recognized DIN standard biodegradable This means that they decompose under certain conditions, but can still consist of petroleum-based polymers
– or be bio-based and biodegradable at the same time
Source: Federal Environment Agency: Report on the treatment of biodegradable plastics, 2018: 28.
It should be noted that not all biodegradable plastics are made from renewable raw materials and not every plastic made from renewable raw materials is biodegradable.
It all sounds a bit confusing and anything but “organic”, right?
Here are 9 arguments why bioplastics do not deliver what the name promises
The term misleads us
The lack of a clear definition of bioplastics is already misleading, and on closer inspection it becomes clear that it is not always about ecological raw materials, but only that the end product is either bio-based or biodegradable. In addition, there is no clear label on products indicating whether it is bioplastic. And if it is labeled, how do we know whether it is bio-based or biodegradable bioplastic?
Disposal is complicated and unclear
So we cannot know how it should be disposed of. Putting it in the yellow bin is not the right way, as bioplastics interfere with the recycling of conventional plastics. On the one hand, the technical requirements are often not met, and on the other hand, they do not have the potential to be material recycling like conventional plastics and thus impair the quality of the secondary raw materials. Bioplastics do not belong in the organic waste either because they cannot be composted quickly enough. Moreover, at first glance they look like normal plastic, which can lead to the garbage collectors not taking the organic waste away at all. Well, the only option left is to put it in the Residual waste , however, is incinerated – the only advantage that remains is that renewable raw materials only emit as much CO 2 when burned release as they previously absorbed during growth.
Cultivation for raw materials takes away arable land
Bio-based plastics are made from raw materials that are otherwise used as food. The arable land on which, for example, corn and sugar cane are grown for bioplastics is then no longer available for growing food, for wild animals or simply for preserving the natural basis of life. Competition for land can arise if arable land is used for packaging material.
The cultivation of raw materials pollutes the environment
The cultivation of the required raw materials has a negative impact on the environment. Large quantities of fertilizers and pesticides are used, which pollute the soil and water. The soil becomes acidic and nutrients enter rivers and lakes, which accelerates the growth of algae. This eutrophication can also lead to fish deaths, among other things. According to UBA This burden is even higher than in the production of conventional plastics.
The ecological footprint is hardly better than that of conventional plastic
Less CO 2 is produced in the production of bioplastics; fossil fuels such as oil and natural gas are still consumed, for example in the form of diesel or fertilizers. The ecological balance therefore seems to be almost the same in the end, since the ecological footprint is simply reflected elsewhere. In any case, this is the conclusion reached by a Study by the UBA .
If the market share of bioplastics increases, greenhouse gas emissions also increase
If the proportion of bioplastics increases, more land will be needed for cultivation. If forests are cleared for this purpose, more greenhouse gases will be released into the atmosphere because the forests that no longer exist will absorb the CO 2 can no longer bind.
The composition of plastics is often opaque
For bio-based plastics, the minimum proportion of renewable raw materials is not defined. Bioplastics often contain a large proportion of fossil raw materials in the form of stabilizers, lubricants and antistatic agents. Manufacturers do not have to disclose the proportion of these additives and so the bio-based proportion can be determined according to UBA can only be determined experimentally in polymers and products.
Bioplastics are often not composted
Even if bioplastic ends up in the composting facilities of a waste disposal plant, it is often sorted out. industrial composting plants Bioplastic does not decompose quickly enough, it only has 3-6 weeks there, but would need 12 weeks, and thus leaves contaminants in the finished compost. In some cases, these must be sieved out afterwards (which causes additional high costs). In addition, even if bioplastics were to decompose completely, only CO 2 remains at the end. and water and no valuable compost components such as minerals, nutrients or humus.
Bioplastic persists in nature and the sea
In nature and in domestic compost, bioplastic does not simply decompose, so it has no discernible advantages over petroleum-based plastic and does not change our plastic problem at all. This is because the conditions for decomposition are not optimal in nature either. Usually there is not enough heat - temperatures of 60 degrees would be necessary - and decomposing enzymes and fungi are missing, for example.
Bioplastics cannot simply degrade in the sea either. Our oceans are so diverse and the conditions are so varied. Researchers have found that certain bioplastics can seabed in the tropics faster than in the Mediterranean. In ice-cold water, the Arctic or the deep sea, however, bioplastics persist for years; at temperatures of 0 to 4 degrees, nutrients are lacking and bacteria have difficulty digesting the materials. A bioplastic that would be degradable in all these different conditions sounds utopian and also makes no sense. Because throwing packaging into nature or into the sea clearly sends the wrong message and also immediately harms the ecosystem and the animals living in it.
Source: Heinrich Böll Foundation, BUND: Plastic Atlas : Data and facts about a world full of plastic 2019 (2nd ed.): 35. CC BY 4.0.
Our conclusion
The issue of bioplastics seems complicated, but we are of the clear opinion that, as things stand, bioplastics cannot be a sustainable alternative to conventional plastics. Of course, it is always better to use fewer fossil resources and reduce CO 2 However, if the environment is then affected elsewhere by the acidification of soils and the eutrophication of water bodies, the advantages and disadvantages cancel each other out. If we as consumers do not know when bioplastics are involved and how we should dispose of them, there is no advantage here either. The biodegradable packaging suggested to us is definitely not compatible with industrial composting plants and domestic compost. We would therefore like to have a clear designation as to whether and what type of bioplastic it is.
The approach of producing plastics from natural resources is not bad in principle – and not new either (plastics were developed from cellulose as early as 1870), but there is still a lot of room for improvement. circular economy Research is being carried out into producing bioplastics from organic waste, residual raw materials such as corn leaves or leftovers from wood processing. This would make more sense, as no land would have to be used to grow the raw materials and the CO2 balance would also be lower. The research will certainly take a few more years, but even then it remains questionable whether the market share will change, the current disadvantages will be reduced and structures for clear disposal can be created.
For us, the basic principle is always: avoiding plastic products as much as possible is the most sustainable alternative and one should not be misled by the misleading term “bioplastic”. We also try to avoid plastic in the Netquarter. Our Bracenets and dog leashes are packed in cotton bags, our team wear is packed exclusively in cardboard boxes. We are also in constant contact with our suppliers and ask them to avoid plastic packaging. And it goes without saying that we transport our lunch in reusable containers.
Here we also have 31 tips for you on how to reduce plastic in your everyday life.