Biodegradable plastics, or bioplastics for short, are marketed as a better alternative than the old traditional ones. Unsurprisingly, people have embraced this new type of plastic simply because it is environmentally-friendly. Already, stores are filled with products with labels such as "sustainable" or "compostable plastic." Big companies also support the idea of using bioplastics for their products. The Wrigley Company, for example, plans to roll out Skittles in biodegradable packaging sometime next year.
But is it true? Does the use of biodegradable plastic products help in preserving our planet? In theory, it is. In reality, it isn't. In fact, promoting the use of bioplastic could "encourage more wasteful consumption," which leads to more harm to the environment.
While bioplastics do break down faster than traditional plastics, they require something else: proper disposal. We either put them in an industrial compost facility or dispose of them via home composting. Unfortunately, many of us only dispose of trash via the garbage bin, which is taken by the garbage truck. This means that bioplastics "generally end up in... landfills."
As bioplastics are promoted as less polluting, Zero Waste France advocacy manager Moira Tourneur thinks that consumers might overconsume bioplastic products.
The question is: if biodegradable plastics could still do damage, then what is the best way to preserve the environment? The answer is less plastic usage. Of course, plastic products will always be in use, especially in healthcare and transport systems. And so, experts agree that governments need to create better disposal infrastructures for bioplastics.
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