Bioplastics Do Not Biodegrade Like Previously Believed

Bioplastics seem almost too good to be true. Unlike traditional, petroleum-based plastics, bioplastics are made from renewable, plant-based materials. This means that the raw materials used for bioplastics are renewable. Even better? Bioplastics are often touted as biodegradable and compostable. This means that, unlike traditional plastics, they can break down over time. However, recent research has shown that these claims may be a form of greenwashing. While bioplastics do break down over time, it is only under specific conditions.

Just like traditional plastics, bioplastics may often end up entering the environment as pollutants. The 5 Gyres Institute, a plastic Pollution research organization, set out to understand what happens to bioplastics when they end up on land or in the sea. 

The team carried out a study that tracked how 22 types of bioplastics broke down across various environments over 64 weeks. The team tested bioplastics’ biodegradability at sites in California, Maine, and Florida. They found that bioplastics did not break down consistently. Instead, there was a wide variation between how different types of plastics broke down in different environments. Thickness, polymer type, and the environment all played key roles in how bioplastics broke down.

The researchers discovered that bioplastics broke down more quickly in marine environments than on land. This is likely due to a lack of moisture and microbial activity in terrestrial environments. Thinner bioplastics also broke down more quickly than thicker objects. Lastly, Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) broke down more quickly than Polylactic acid (PLA). PHAs are produced by algae and other microorganisms. PHAs are gaining popularity due to their increased ability to biodegrade whereas PLAs are compostable in industrial settings. 

While different factors affected bioplastics’ ability to biodegrade over time, after 64 weeks the research showed that 78 percent of the bioplastic objects remained. However, some of these items had fragmented into smaller pieces. 

The research showed that, despite their green claims, many bioplastics are only compostable in industrial facilities. Composting infrastructure is sorely lacking in many localities. Additionally, many industrial composting facilities only accept certain forms of materials. When bioplastics enter the environment, they frequently have effects similar to those of traditional plastics. Sadly, bioplastics are also rarely disposed of correctly. One report has shown that this greatly increases their impact on global warming. 

These findings show that bioplastics are not the silver bullet solution to the plastic crisis that they once seemed. Instead, industries and individuals should focus on reducing and reusing plastics to fight plastic pollution. 

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Solution Not Pollution Sweatshirt by Tiny Rescue: Climate Collection

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• Tackling the Overwhelming Marine Plastic Problem 

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