Bio-based/"Biodegradable" Plastics Report, Environmental Considerations

Biodegradability is an end of life option that allows one to harness the power of microorganisms present in a selected disposal environment to completely remove plastic products designed for biodegradability from the environmental compartment via the microbial food chain in a timely, safe, and efficacious manner.¹

"Designing plastics that can be completely consumed by microorganisms present in the disposal environment in a short time frame can be a safe and environmentally responsible approach for the end-of-life management of single use, disposable packaging."² That being said, when considering any bio-based resin, there are some environmental considerations one must take into account. These include: end-of-life management, complete biodegradation, its agriculturally-based feedstock, and the energy required and the greenhouse gasses emitted during production.

Before we expand on these concepts accessible via the links below, let us quickly discuss the biological processes that degradable plastics endure during biodegradation.

Microorganisms utilize carbon product to extract chemical energy for their life processes. They do so by:³

1. Breaking the material (carbohydrates, carbon product) into small molecules by secreting enzymes or the environment does it.
2. Transporting the small molecules inside the microorganisms cell.
3. Oxidizing the small molecules (again inside the cell) to CO2 and water, and releasing energy that is utilized by the microorganism for its life processes in a complex biochemical process involving participation of three metabolically interrelated processes.

If bio-based plastic packaging harnesses microbes to completely utilize the carbon substrate and remove it from the environmental compartment, entering into the microbial food chain, then biodegradability can be a good end of life option for single use disposable packaging.

Please click on the following links to learn about the different environmental considerations involved in discussions about bio-based plastics.

• Complete Environmental Considerations Report
  • End-of-life management considerations
  • Complete biodegradability considerations
  • Agriculturally-based feedstock considerations
  • Energy requirements and fossil fuel consumption of production considerations
  
  

¹Ramani Narayan (2009), “Biodegradability…” Bioplastics Magazine, Vol. 4, p. 28-31.
²Ibid. p. 29.
³Three-step process of biodegradation provided via Narayan, as above, p. 29.