Is Biodegradable Plastic Actually Better
Launch library · evergreen read
The word biodegradable on plastic packaging often creates an impression that the item will simply disappear harmlessly once discarded, but biodegradable plastic generally requires quite specific conditions, often particular temperature, moisture and microbial activity levels, to actually break down within any genuinely meaningful timeframe rather than persisting indefinitely regardless of setting.
Placed in an ordinary landfill, where oxygen and moisture levels differ considerably from the conditions many biodegradable plastics are actually designed and tested for, these materials can persist for a surprisingly long time, sometimes not meaningfully different from conventional plastic under those particular disposal conditions found in a typical landfill site.
Because biodegradable plastic can also contaminate conventional plastic recycling streams if placed in the wrong bin, understanding exactly what a specific product requires for genuine breakdown, and disposing of it accordingly through the correct dedicated pathway, matters considerably more than simply trusting the word biodegradable printed somewhere on the packaging itself.