Is Biodegradable Plastic Really a Thing?
A May 20, 2024 article in the New York Times about biodegradable plastic caught our attention.
As we have learned over the last few years, recycling plastic is more wishful thinking than reality.
Subsequently, far too much plastic is sent to landfills where it will remain and ultimately degrade into pollutants.
Biodegradable plastic is a promising solution because it supposedly breaks down and goes back to nature after it is thrown away. However, the news article points out that we need the right conditions for such plastic products to biodegrade. As stated in the article, biodegradability changes depending on where you’re at and what happens to the plastic.
Please read the article posted below to learn more about these plastics.
In addition, we are including a helpful graphic from the Nova-Institute, an independent research organization that identifies some of the main types of biodegradable plastic. The graphic also provides guidance about whether such plastics are proven to biodegrade in soil, landfills , freshwater, in the sea - or they require more specialized treatment.
