No doubt, there are many advantages and disadvantages of biodegradable plastics. Although it would be ignorant to say that biodegradable plastics are 100% safe, they are usually viewed as a product that supports sustainable business practices by consumers and those in the C-Suite. The typical farmer produces 168 bushels per acre. In fact, most plastic items will take up to 1,000 years before they actually decompose. Once the natural materials are turned into polymers, they can work with the ones that were manufactured using oil molecules. The remainder goes into landfills and other waste disposal programs, where it could take up space for more than a century. While this is an excellent idea as it helps businesses save on costs, plastics are turning into an environmental disaster. Thus, they either turn into microplastics or float on the sea. 2023 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. Using a printing machine, company name, logo, etc are printed . This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. We might be using natural products to create biodegradable plastics, but that doesnt mean we are eliminating our exposure to chemicals through this manufacturing process. Making biodegradables a top priority could become a moneymaking tool for the country that can perfect this technology first. 3. It degrades naturally in base compounds in a reasonable amount of time. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Due to the raw materials and certain making process, bioplastic has a slightly higher price than fossil fuel plastic. There are typically two forms that we use today: solid and injection-molded. Another factor to consider is costs. The Growing Problem Of Plastic Waste And How To Recycle Plastic Bags, Are Clear Plastic Food Containers Recyclable? Specialized bacteria may hold the key to reducing already-existing plastic deposits, however. Phthalates soften the plastic to turn it into PVC. 10. biodegradable plastics are also extremely . Because the plants that produce bioplastics absorb the same amount of carbon dioxide as they grew, there is no net increase in carbon dioxide as they decompose. Using a material flow analysis, the challenges of the plastic market are highlighted, and with it the . Waste Reduction. MaterBi also elicited increases in total soluble solids, polyphenols, flavonoids, and antioxidant . Biodegradable and compostable plastics offer a suitable alternative to fossil oil-based plastics Benefits and concerns of using plastic in agriculture The discovery of plastic and its range of beneficial applications has changed the way we live our lives. Thankfully, biodegradable plastic is an effective solution to mitigate the world-wide epidemic of non-biodegradable plastic bags and provide feasible alternatives to improve the environment and save marine species. Advantages of Using Biodegradable Plastics 1. That means we can mix the traditional manufacturing cycle with the natural one, reducing the percentage that comes from fossil fuels. You can play a part in cleaning up our planet, now and in the future. You can use less energy to create a large amount of plastic within a short duration. Biodegradable plastics have many advantages, which include: The production of biodegradable plastics does not involve the burning of fossils. Use of ground-breaking technology in recycling the bioplastic has closed the loop by creating the materials that lessen our reliance on traditional plastics. One of the greatest issues with bioplastic is that it helps people feel better about themselves as they continue to abuse disposable materials. Oxo-Biodegradable Plastic (OBP) Hydro-Biodegradable Plastic (HBP) Made by adding a small portion of fatty acid compounds of specific transition metals to traditional plastics. Finally, we'll explore the potential risks and drawbacks of cactus-based biodegradable plastic. Biodegradable products are made from renewable resources like corn, sugar cane and potato starch instead of oil: 200,000 barrels of oil a day are presently used in the United States alone in the manufacture of plastic packaging, and significant portions of this use could be eliminated by employing biodegradable plastic products. These are the current advantages and disadvantages of biodegradable plastics to review. After all, using biodegradable plastic is an effective way to protect the environment. Unless we can eliminate chemicals from the entire manufacturing chain, there will always be a risk of pollution to consider with biodegradables. Biodegradable plastics do not release other dangerous items upon decomposition. Biodegradable plastics are frequently made from petrochemicals, microorganisms, renewable raw materials, or mixtures of all three. Required fields are marked *. That means we are burning fewer fossil fuels, consuming less of them during the manufacturing process, and releasing fewer contaminants when the plastics reach their end-of-life stage. That means we are simply trading one issue for another until there is a better solution to find. Types of Biodegradable Packaging Materials. This is a greenhouse gas 23 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Besides, there are many benefits using biodegradable plastics. While around 9 percent of that plastic goes into recycling programs, the remainder enters landfills, where it takes up space for hundreds of years or more. As this is plant-based, the manufacturing process produces far fewer carbon emissions than traditional plastic. Because corn products represent 40% of the U.S.-based bioplastics industry, so it is notable that one acre requires 3,000 gallons of water for each bushel of yield. Biodegradable & compostable plastic breaks down only in a period of a few months, depending on the material used to make the bio plastic and the method of disposal. Oil is a significant material in making plastics. Therefore, we can gain many benefits of using biodegradable plastics to save the future. Temperature and humidity play significant roles in the process. He began his writing career in 2007 and now works full-time as a writer and transcriptionist. The creation of bioplastics was prompted by the 1970s rising oil prices and reliance on oil. In the US, only about 20% of plastic beverage containers are recycled. This advantage can only occur if the items are disposed of properly, meaning that these items must be treated in a manner that is similar to compost. Some of these biodegradable items can break down in a measurement timed in weeks instead of months or years. When we reduce the amount of traditional plastics that we use by mixing biodegradable molecules in with the oil-based ones, then it does create less of a dependence on petroleum. Saves Non-renewable Sources of Energy. In contrast, biodegradable plastics do not release carbon or methane as no carbon is used in its manufacturing process. As you may know, the raw materials for producing these plastics come from plants such as corn and soybeans. The traditional plastics are thrown on the scrapheap at landfills. Producing and recycling biodegradable can be expensive. It will last many years if stored indoors. The wide use of plastic has come with the consequence of the poor disposal of it. You must pay attention to the quality and labeling of the bioplastic items upon purchase to ensure that you are using items that can decompose rapidly. Biodegradable plastic decomposes naturally when bacteria in the environment are able to "metabolize" and break down the plastic structure. Plastic is a major source of pollution in the land and sea with very few ways to recycle and dispose of them. We need to do something about our planet, and we need to do something soon or we may be facing a future where the planet may be inhabitable. Essentially, the cost of producing these types of plastic is higher than one of the traditional ones. Much of the plastics that are produced today cannot be recycled or can only be recycled a few times. 185.229.237.37 If your company needs assistance in making products that are more environmentally friendly and/or using plastics that are biobased, we can help. 4. Poland Spring is reducing the number of plastic components that they use for their packaging needs. Bioplastics are considered to be more eco-friendly than traditional plastics. In addition, it generates 68 percent fewer greenhouse gases during its manufacture, representing a significant environmental benefit. Because there is no general oversight on the manufacturing cycle from crop growth to final distribution, there isnt reliable data available to suggest that biodegradables are useful beyond the ability to offer more profits to some companies or create compost fodder. It will last for many years if stored indoors. To help you fully understand, here are some advantages when you decide to use bioplastics. One major problem with plastic is that it often takes an extremely long time for it to break down once discarded, leading to massive problems with landfill waste and posing a danger to wildlife. Both are considered to be endocrine disruptors that are toxic to the reproduction cycle of humans. The other option makes the other plastic items that we consume. The future of our future generations needs to be accounted for and having a place where they can thrive is important. This is because they help reduce plastic waste and safeguard the environment by breaking it down quickly. These materials take centuries to decompose, becoming a threat to the environment, humans, and animals. This indicates that, in contrast to traditional plastics, they are intended to degrade into biological components. Many people are looking at the way we eat, drive, produce, etc., and are coming up with sustainable ways to do them. For instance, the cost of PET or PE made from sugar cane or bio-ethanol is around 20% higher than that of traditional plastics. These are applications wherein reuse and recycling of plastics is often limited because the plastics are contaminated with food residues or soil, or wherein plastics cannot be recovered. Methane is a central greenhouse gas with higher heat absorption than carbon dioxide. During decomposition, the contamination can get to the soil or water and have harmful effects on animals and humans. Advantages of Biodegradable Plastics. Historically, additives are blended into plastics to stabilize products against degradation, which is why blending additives into plastic products to promote their degradation (i.e. The formation of traditional plastic involves use of carbon in an excessive amount. Biodegradable plastics require the weather to cooperate with their disposal. Assuming demand continues to increase while production volumes rise at a lower manufacturing cost, the eventual consumer prices for this option should be similar to most of the conventional plastics that we use today. While there are several types of biodegradable plastics currently in use, plastics treated with BDP provide a great balance of durability, sustainability, and ease of use. Biodegradable plastics may reduce the amount of recycling that we can do. This includes financial losses to the fishing and tourism sectors as well as expenses for beach cleanup. 1. Several different types of bacteria have evolved the ability to consume hydrocarbons, giving them the capacity to "eat" plastic and hasten its decomposition. Also, they do not need fossil fuels to be recycled. On the other hand, biodegradable plastics are petroleum-based plastics with an additive that harnesses their decomposition. They Consume Less Energy During Their Manufacture. Compounding the data reported in 2019 for biodegradable/bio-based plastics 72 and CO 2-based plastics, 32 the contribution of sustainable plastics is nearly unnoticeable. 2. Plastics are but one small facet of the problem. Biodegradable plastics have many advantages, which include: 1. The machines that are necessary to produce these plastics and to maintain them is another major cost to take into consideration. They found a bacteria called Flavobacterium in pools containing waste water from a nylon mill that degraded nylon. In 1975, a group of Japanese researchers identified the basic idea behind biodegradable plastics. Your email address will not be published. For now, our biodegradable facial sheet masks are: Vitamin C, Hyaluronic Acid, Retinol and our NEW Cica + Niacinamide. Also, the environment matters. Various Advantages of Using Biodegradable Plastics 1. Bioplastics are not as toxic as other plastics. SUWON, South Korea -- South Korean conglomerate CJ Cheiljedang is jumping into the global market to begin mass production of PHA . The net carbon savings for recycling would be up to 30%, and for some researchers, the savings could be as high as 80% if we switch to biodegradable plastics. The formation of traditional plastic involves use of carbon in an excessive amount. Biodegradable plastics have ignited a revolt against ubiquitous plastic bags and by using them one can effectively contribute in conserving non-renewable resources of Earth that are depleting at a high-speed. Biodegradable plastics require less energy during the manufacturing cycle. As a consequence, the land that could have been used for agriculture, residence or industrial applications is converted into landfills by non-biodegradable plastic. Less energy means low pollution. The advantages of bioplastics are that they decompose naturally easier than biodegradable plastics. The products produced are non-toxic as they dont contain chemicals or toxins if compared to traditional plastic. Pollution from the different industries and the ignorance that we as humans have done over the last century or two has caused so much damage that many experts in the field think that we are too far out to stop the planet from dying. As the demand for biodegradable plastics increases, they will contribute to save our planet. If were talking about the bio ingredients that can decompose faster than conventional plastic, these materials are safe for the environment. 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