Why compostable plastics may be no better for the environment

As companies move to get rid of single-use plastic bags and bans on microbeads are coming into force, new biodegradable or compostable plastic products seem to offer an alternative. But they may be no better for the environment.

Recently, European scientists argued that existing international industry standards are insufficient and cannot realistically predict the biodegradability of compostable plastics. New Zealand’s Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (PCE), Simon Upton, weighed into the debate, questioning the merit of biodegradable plastics and urging the New Zealand government to deal with the confusion surrounding their labelling.

The key concerns include the terminology itself, the lack of appropriate recycling or composting infrastructure and toxicity of degradable plastics.

read more: https://theconversation.com/why-compostable-plastics-may-be-no-better-for-the-environment-100016

Posted by admin on Aug 14 2018. Filed under Zero waste. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry