Comparison Between Plastic and Bioplastic Products in Our Waterways
Plastic pollution has become a major environmental issue in recent years. Around 18 billion pounds of plastic enter the ocean from coastal areas each year according to National Geographic.
There has been a lot of chatter about biodegradable plastic that should provide hope for this plastic pollution problem, right? You might be wondering — how long does it take for plastic to decompose and are biodegradable plastics really better for the environment? Unfortunately, the outlook for certain types of plastic decomposition may not be as great as you’d like to believe.
But does bioplastic offer a solution that normal plastic might not?
How Is Bioplastic Different from Normal Plastic?
We see plastic bags up and down our beaches, and who hasn’t had one wrap itself around their leg while floating through the water? Is there a difference between normal plastic and biodegradable plastic that could provide a more sustainable way forward?
Traditional Plastic
Science tells us that traditional plastic products ending up in the ocean or in landfills will last for hundreds of years, and they are wreaking havoc on our world’s oceans and waterways. National Geographic has estimated that 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris currently float in our world’s oceans, and more are being added every day.
It’s widely believed that by 2050, measuring by weight, the oceans will contain more plastic than fish. This projection is very alarming, and with an estimated 300 million plastic bags ending up in the Atlantic Ocean alone every year (Healthguidance.org), it would not be surprising to see plastics outweigh fish one day.
While it is widely believed most plastic bags will take 200-1000 years to decompose, the truth is, no one knows if grocery bags will ever go away. These bags are composed of traditional fossil-based products; so, they never naturally decompose because microorganisms don’t recognize them as a source of food. Instead, over time, they break down into smaller pieces of the same bag and create another problem, microplastics.
Plant-based Biopolymers
Kaneka’s PHBHTM plant-based biopolymer resin naturally breaks down when in various environment because it is enzymatically digested by naturally occurring microorganisms that live in soil or water.
Straws, made from Kaneka’s PHBHTM are completely stable when used with water, juice, or hot liquids, but when these straws are put in a compost bin, they will naturally biodegrade in a matter of a few months, not hundreds of years like standard plastic straws.
So, the difference between normal plastic and biodegradable plastic? One clutters our waterways and landfills, Kaneka PHBH™ resin, in various environments will fully decompose and return to the earth.[disclaimer]
Is Bioplastic Biodegradable?
It helps to define what is meant by “bioplastic” before addressing this question. For example, the Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) defines bioplastics as a plastic that:
Has biobased content
Is biodegradable
Is both biodegradable and biobased
It’s important to highlight the fact that under the SPI definition, a bioplastic that is labeled as such because of its biobased content is not necessarily biodegradable. For example, Bio-PE, Bio-PP, and Bio-PEF are examples of biobased plastics that aren’t biodegradable.
Bioplastics vs. Biodegradable Plastics
Thus, the difference in bioplastics vs. biodegradable plastics is that biodegradable plastics is that not all bioplastics are biodegradable. Some biodegradable plastics, like PBAT or PBS, are actually Fossil-based, and not considered bioplastics.
The relationship can be shown with the following table.
Kaneka PHBH™ Resin is a bioplastic that is both biobased and biodegradable. It can be composted industrially or at home, it is marine biodegradable, and it can even be anaerobically digested (like most breakdown in landfills).[disclaimer]
Kaneka has been perfecting PHBH™ products for 30 years. While we don’t claim it is the only answer to our world’s plastics pollution; it certainly is a strong alternative that deserves attention. Recycling, education, and personal responsibility are important and should be continued, but finding alternatives to traditional plastics production will help us move into a more sustainable, cleaner future.
Contact our team today to request more information about Kaneka PHBH™.
For more information, see our compostability / degradability disclaimer
