BIOPLASTIC REMAINS PLASTIC: Bio-based, biodegradable and compostable plastics False solutions to the plastic crisis in the ocean © OCEANA / Juan Cuetos
November 2022 New plastic products made of bio-based, biodegradable, or compostable plasticsa,1,2 (hereafter “bioplastics and compostable plastics”; see Box 1) are increasingly being presented as a ‘sustainable’ alternative to conventional plastics and as the solution to the plastic crisis – including marine plastic pollution. The use of bioplastics and compostable plastics has grown substantially in recent years.3 This increase partly reflects the growing popularity of ‘corporate social responsibility’ (CSR) and, more recently, ‘environmental, social, and governance’ (ESG) as business promotion tools, with companies frequently making claims about their products being “green”, “environmentally friendly”, “biodegradable”, or “100% compostable”.4 In the case of bioplastics and compostable plastics, such claims are misleading and offer a false solution to the marine plastic crisis. Here, Oceana details the reasons why these materials pose a threat to the marine environment, and why it is therefore unlikely that their use can reverse the tide of plastic pollution at sea, pursuant to the objectives of the European Union Single-Use Plastics Directive ((EU) 2019/904).b The exponential growth in global plastic production6,c has led to increased amounts of plastic waste in the environment, polluting and harming marine ecosystems to an alarming extent. Annual plastic flows to the ocean are expected to grow from 11 million metric tons in 2016 to 29 million metric tons in 2040 if no action is taken.7 Over 80% of the annual input of plastics comes from land-based sources, with drink bottles, bags, and other plastic packaging representing the main types of items.8,9,10
BOX 1: Types of bioplastics and compostable plastics Bio-based plastics are fully or partly made from biological raw materials as opposed to the fossil raw material (oil) used in conventional plastics. They can be either biodegradable or non-biodegradable. Biodegradable plastics are designed to biodegrade in a specific medium (water, soil, compost) under certain conditions and in varying periods of time. Industrially compostable plastics are designed to biodegrade in the conditions of an industrial composting plant or an industrial anaerobic digestion plant with a subsequent composting step.
29 M metric tons
Home compostable plastics are designed to biodegrade in the conditions of a well-managed home composter at lower temperatures than in industrial composting plants. Most of them also biodegrade in industrial composting plants.
11 M metric tons
2016
Non-biodegradable plastics last for long periods of time. They can disintegrate into smaller pieces, forming microplastics, and accumulate in the environment.
2040
Increase of annual plastic flows to the ocean
29 M metric tons
a
The term “bioplastic” comprises bio-based plastics or biodegradable plastics (Abioye et al. 2018; European Bioplastics 2018).
b
Article 1. Directive (EU) 2019/904 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 June 2019 on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment “The objectives of this Directive are to prevent and reduce the impact of certain plastic products on the environment, in particular the aquatic environment, and on human health, as well as to promote the transition to a circular economy with innovative and sustainable business models, products and materials, thus also contributing to the efficient functioning of the internal market”.
c
Global production of plastics has followed a clear exponential trend since the beginning of mass plastic consumption and production in the 1950s. Global production stood at 311 million tonnes in 2014, and is projected to reach around 1800 million tonnes in 2050 (Gallo et al. 2018).
Over
of the annual input of plastic comes from
land-based sources 2040
Adapted from European Environment Agency, 20205.
1