Plant-based plastics have been promoted as the environmentally conscious alternative to traditional petroleum-based products.
But mA new study shows that no so-called “bioplastic” products have degraded after more than a year in the ocean or on land.
The products are becoming increasingly popular, with companies such as Starbucks, Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Lavazza, Lego, Nestlé, Lush Cosmetics and Kellogg's using them in all types of packaging, either as single-use plastics or as linings for other materials. .
Previous research has shown that paper straws contain carcinogenic PFAS, known as “forever chemicals” because they remain in the environment for many years.
The new study suggests that even if these bioplastics aren't toxic, they don't appear to break down either.
Disposable straw, made from PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate). PHA is what is known as a bioplastic, which is produced by microorganisms such as bacteria, after being fed with fats or sugars.
The same straw after spending 64 weeks on Earth. It broke into pieces, but did not decompose
Given the growing popularity of bioplastics, researchers at the 5 Gyres Institute set out to find out how these products would fare when thrown into the ocean or left on the side of the road — the common fate of plastic bags, bottles, straws and forks.
They placed the bioplastic in multiple locations on land and sea, alongside traditional plastics and some made of wood or paper for comparison.
Almost none of these went away after 64 weeks, and some were almost unchanged. Those that corrode tend to break down into smaller pieces, rather than decompose.
The bioplastics industry is estimated to be worth $11.6 billion worldwide, and it is It is expected to grow About 19 percent annually.
Products left on land tend to decompose more slowly than those left in water, but even after 64 weeks, 78% of the bioplastics remained in some form.
“Bioplastics” is a category that includes both bioplastics made from renewable sources such as vegetable fats, cornstarch, straw, sawdust or recycled food waste, and what are known as “biopolymers”, which are plastics produced by microorganisms such as bacteria. Or yeast, which is fed fats or sugars.
The bottle is made of PHA. Bioplastic has been advertised as a more environmentally friendly option
In fact, they tend not to break down in the environment. This bottle was buried in California for 64 weeks
The study mainly looked at the products PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate) and PLA (polylactic acid), both of which are biopolymers.
The researchers deposited 22 different products at 6 sites in California, Maine, and Florida – one on land and one at sea in each state. Seventeen of the products were bioplastic. For comparison, these included three polyethylene products, one bamboo product, and one paper product.
Mesh bags keep items in place, while keeping them out of the elements. The terrestrial elements were buried, and the sea elements dangled in the water.
The researchers retrieved the items at specific intervals to track the extent of their disintegration: two weeks, four weeks, eight weeks, 16 weeks, 32 weeks, and 64 weeks.
As expected, none of the polyethylene products failed after 64 weeks. The bamboo prongs didn't do that either.
The paper straws at all three aquatic sites decomposed after 32 weeks, but only the ones on land in Maine were completely gone by 64 weeks.
Bioplastics followed a similar pattern: of those that actually broke down, most were in water. Overall, about 78 of the 102 pieces of bioplastic remained intact.
This PHA bottle cap is made of biopolymer, PHA. The problem with biopolymers is that even though they come from natural sources, the end result is chemically almost identical to regular plastics.
This bottle cap was left in the ocean off the coast of Maine for 64 weeks. It barely collapsed at all
The 5 Gyres Institute is a non-profit environmental organization funded mostly by corporate donations and charitable foundations. Charitable navigator value Three out of four stars.
The results of the study were published in A a report On the group's website.
One of the main conclusions of the study is that consumers should be aware of the difference between “biodegradable” products versus “compostable” ones.
All compostable products are biodegradable, but that doesn't mean they will break down while floating in the ocean or lying in the dirt.
Part of the problem is that although the products may start their lives as natural ingredients like corn, chemical tweaking results in a chemical structure nearly identical to regular plastic made from petroleum products.
Most need high-temperature composting facilities, and most will never get there — and much of it ends up in trash incinerators just like any other trash.
Previous research has shown that bioplastics are rarely disposed of properly, making them a greater risk for global warming than traditional plastics. Environmental groups described it as a “false solution” to the plastic waste problem.
(Tags for translation) Daily Mail