Biodegradable plastics are becoming more and more popular as consumers demand greener alternatives. From poorly labeled materials to low standards and little regulation, knowing if and how to discard these materials can be quite tricky.

Plymouth University did a research study on marine garbage. Pictured above is one of their samples.

While conventional plastics are derived from fossil fuels, bioplastics are made of plants. Bioplastics can be separated into two different categories: bio-based plastics, a hybrid material made from biological matter and fossil fuels, and biodegradable plastics, plastics that can be decomposed under certain conditions and in a specific timeframe. Hypothetically, bioplastics can be easily broken down by microorganisms and turned back into biomass, water, and carbon dioxide. Yet, not all bioplastics are biodegradable, even if they are made completely from plants. For example, some plastic polymer chains can be recreated from renewable materials. Since the conventional plastics and bioplastics are chemically identical, they also have the same indecomposable characteristics. For example, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a plastic most often used for beverage bottles, can be made from fossil fuels or plants, like sugarcane. PET made from sugarcane behaves the same way as conventional plastics and can persist in the environment for hundreds of years.

Misleading Labels

Companies have always been known for having misleading labels as means of selling a product. Imogen Napper…