In college, I drove a small electric truck around campus, picking up crates of fruit and vegetables, plant clippings, and coffee grounds and hauling them 50 meters high to the student farm. haemorrhoids. While we ask our drop-off points not to dispose of household waste, “compostable” plates, cups and bags inevitably end up in our trash. When they do, I take them out and throw them in the trash can.
This is a problem with labels like “biodegradable” or “compostable”. These products, often from plant sources, often from corn, end up being biodegradable, meaning that microbes and other organisms break down the materials into the soil. But the environment in which the product is processed is important. While banana peels and straws turn into crumbly compost, “compostable” bags and “biodegradable” cups stay intact. They would rot if sent to large industrial recycling yards, where workers monitor material condition and chemistry to keep millions of microbes at work to break down these durable materials. but here? Not for years, if ever.
On Sunday, scientists from the University of Plymouth published a study addressing the problem of labeling confusion. The researchers tested how well several bioplastic bags (labeled biodegradable and compostable) and traditional high-density polyethylene (read: plastic) bags decompose in soil, atmospheric air and seawater. After three years of soaking in water and soil, all but biodegradable bags are still capable of filling a truck with food. It’s still there after 27 months in the ground, but it tears easily.
“In everyday life, [these labels] are misleading,” said lead author Imogen Napper, a marine scientist. Although these products are intended for use in industrial composters, most of them will not be used for this. Napper believes the labels mislead consumers into thinking the products are perishable in the natural environment she tested, when in fact it can take many years before the product gets into the soil. “When it comes to a biodegradable or compostable product, what do you think is the shelf life of the product in the natural environment?” – she said. “For me, it’s probably days or months. If you start talking about two or three years, is there any significant environmental benefit? I disagree.
Headlines about the study reflected this sentiment, such as Vice’s “Biodegradable plastic bags are bad for the environment.” Much of the coverage has focused on the fact that biodegradable bags can still carry groceries after three years in the ground. But as shocking as this discovery is, the reality is a little more complicated.
It starts with the differences between the labels. In theory, “biodegradable” and “compostable” should mean the same thing – organisms in the soil can degrade the product. But the truth is, “biodegradable” gives you just as much information as a “natural” food label, says Keith Bailey, director of policy and research at Eco-Cycle, a non-profit recycling group. ) explains. Biodegradable simply means some indefinite time in the future – months, years, decades, who knows! – The item is damaged.
Continuing with the food analogy, the term “compostable” is more like “organic” because regulators try to make sure it meets certain standards, although work is still ongoing to define these standards. When a product is labeled “Certified Compostable,” it means that when you ship it to a manufacturing facility, it takes about the same amount of time to compost as it does other things in the pile, such as food scraps and yard clippings——Typically 90 to 180 days. There are several third-party reviews for this, including ASTM International, an organization that sets standards for thousands of products and services. “We’re seeing some movement towards ‘this [label] has to mean something’, it can’t just be thrown away and mislead consumers,” Bailey said.
But, Bailey added, the word “biodegradable” still causes stress for compost bins. “People are very concerned about labels,” she added. “Composters want a product certified as compostable, and biodegradable is not for them.” In fact, “biodegradable” is just another laundered word that some companies use to make us feel good about an expensive purchase, even though its environmental benefits aren’t really clear.
Some agencies are taking action. In its latest Green Guidance, the FTC stated that “degradability claims” must be backed by “sufficient and reliable scientific evidence that the entire article would be completely… Breaking the habit of the elements.” If there is no evidence, the country bans the sale of products advertised as “biodegradable”, “compostable”, etc. Golden State is close to paying $1.5 million in damages after district attorneys sued Amazon over the sale products with misleading labels, including “biodegradable”.
By now, you’re probably wondering about the little green pouches you use to line your compost bin on your kitchen counter, or your eco-friendly office cutlery, wondering if it’s all a waste of money. If your city is partnering with composter makers like San Francisco, Seattle, and Portland, great! There is a special place for these products to be turned into soil. Just double check the label. “Look for certified compostable labels,” Bailey says.
But what if you are one of the roughly 95% of households without such services? Even if a product is “certified compostable”, it may not be as good as plastic. Many biodegradable bags, cups and cutlery are now made from corn, a process that has all sorts of environmental impacts, from pesticide leaching into rivers to greenhouse gas emissions from the factories that produce them. “There is a lot of hope that we will be able to make compostable plastic from materials like mushrooms, algae or hemp — materials that can be much more useful than plastic,” Bailey said, “but right now … since most products are made from corn, unclear [Are there really many advantages over plastic?”
Research by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality confirms this. The scientists looked at previous life cycle assessments of various “packaging attributes”—labels like “recycled content,” “bio-based,” and our friend “compostable.” Each study analyzes the environmental impact of a product throughout its entire "life cycle" from production to disposal. The analysis concluded that compostable products are not a simple answer to plastic. “Many compostable packaging is made from bio-based materials and their production inherits a significant environmental burden,” the authors write. "This burden is often much greater than the offsetting benefits that composting provides."
Much of the environmental impact of these greenwashing products comes from their production. As the study summary states, “39 percent of our domestic greenhouse gas emissions occur before products reach consumers, and only 2 percent are disposed of (landfill, compost and incinerate).”
However, these life cycle assessments largely ignore what happens when items don't follow their ideal path of disposal, be it landfill, recycling or compost heaps. But tons of plastic break down every year. In 2010, a study found that between 48,000 and 12.7 million tons of plastic debris littered the oceans. Plastic does not decompose in the environment - it just breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces with the same chemical structure. This microplastic is a problem because it is almost impossible to clean, it is eaten by marine life and even ends up in the fish we eat and, as a result, ends up in our own bodies.
Compostable products may have an advantage in containing this ocean plastic scourge. In a University of Plymouth study, compostable bags were dissolved in seawater for three months. So while they may be useless in terms of life cycle, they may be less harmful to marine life.
While there are many ways to measure the impact of traditional plastics on biodegradable alternatives, there is only one clear path that wins on all environmental fronts. It's what you've heard before: reduce the amount of plastic, especially single-use items, and you'll produce less waste and use fewer resources. But in situations where it's impossible to avoid disposable bags, cups or plates, "clearer labeling standards [for compostable products] are an important first step,” Bailey said.
Post time: Apr-03-2023