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The Sustainable Biomaterials Collaborative (SBC) is a network of organizations working together to spur the introduction and use of biomaterials that are sustainable from cradle to cradle.
About Bioplastics
Bioplastics are plastics that are up to 100% biobased and may also be biodegradable. The percentage of biobased ingredients and the conditions under which the product biodegrades, if at all, vary widely.
According to the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), a biobased material is:
an organic material in which carbon is derived from a renewable resource via biological processes. Biobased materials include all plant and animal mass derived from CO2 recently fixed via photosynthesis, per definition of a renewable resource.
Products on the market are made from a variety of natural feedstocks including corn, potatoes, rice, tapioca, palm fiber, wood cellulose, wheat fiber and bagasse. Products are available for a wide range of applications such as cups, bottles, cutlery, plates, bags, bedding, furnishings, carpets, film, textiles and packaging materials. In the US, the percentage of biobased ingredients required for a product to be referred to as biobased, is defined by the USDA on a product-by-product basis. ILSR has recommended that the USDA set a minimum threshold of 50 percent biobased content for products to be considered biobased.
A biodegradable material is, according to the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI), "where under the right conditions the microbes in the environment can break down the material and use it as a food source". Some biobased products can biodegrade in municipal or commercial composting facilities, home composting, worm composting and aquatic and roadside environments, others will only biodegrade in very specific environments and some will not biodegrade at all. In North America the BPI is in charge of certifying products as compostable. To receive the BPI Compostable Logo, products must meet the ASTM Standards D6400 (for Compostable Plastics) or ASTM D6868 (for Compostable Packaging). According to the BPI, to be certified, a product must:
- Disintegrate rapidly during the composting process (so that no large plastic fragments will wind up on the composters' screens when the process is finished).
- Biodegrade quickly under the composting conditions.
- Not reduce the value or utility of the finished compost. The humus manufactured during the composting process will support plant life.
- Not contain high amounts of regulated metals.
Bioplastics have many benefits over petro-plastics, but several challenges also lie ahead.
Potential Benefits of Bioplastics, Problems with Petro-Plastics
| Benefits of Biopolymers | Petro-Plastic Woes |
|---|---|
|
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Challenges with development and widespread acceptance of bioplastics include:
- Concern over genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
- Desire for sustainably grown biomass
- Need to develop composting programs
- Concern with nanocomposites and fossil-fuel-plastic blends
- Lack of adequate labeling
- Concern over contamination of recycling systems
