Why Bioplastics Aren’t the Solution

Bioplastics are being touted across industries as the solution to the plastic problem. However, there’s a misconception that these products can just be thrown away because they are made from plant-based materials. Although bioplastics can be broken down by specific microorganisms and processes, this only happens if the plastic is collected and composted in carefully controlled, high-temperature industrial composting facilities. When bioplastics end up in landfills, they can take hundreds of years to decompose and they release harmful methane into the atmosphere. With a lack of infrastructure to degrade these new materials, they still cause environmental hazards similar to single-use plastics. With the current competitive landscape of plastic alternatives, we are confident the soil industry will embrace a fully-compostable packaging solution, like NaturallyContained, to reduce its environmental impact.