In 2018, Americans generated 35.7 million tons of plastic waste. Some plastics are recyclable, but not all of them are. Less than 10% of plastic items are properly recycled. HDPE (29.3%) and PET (29.1%) are the types of plastic with the highest recycling rates. Some people don’t recycle as they should due to confusing policies or proximity to recycling facilities.

Take my area for example. My town is in one county, but most curbside companies go to another county’s processing facilities. The recycling center in my town doesn’t accept any black plastic, but it takes all other plastics, including #6 and #7, provided the pieces are larger than two inches. The neighboring county’s facility takes all plastics except #6 and #7 or black plastic. 

Before residents can properly recycle, they must find out which recycling facility the curbside hauler goes to. It’s frustrating and leads to plastics going to the wrong place. With one landfill left in the state and an estimated 20 years left before it reaches maximum capacity, minimizing the amount of trash sent to the landfill is essential. Plastics take decades to break down and release microplastics in the process, which isn’t ideal. That’s where bioplastics come in.

What Are Bioplastics?

Bioplastics are plastic replacements made from renewable materials like algae, cornstarch, rice, potato starch, soy, sugarcane, and vegetable oil. These renewable materials are often leftovers from food manufacturing and processing, which keeps them from the landfill as foods are made for humans, livestock, and pets. 

There are two types of bioplastics. Polylactic acid (PLA) bioplastics are made from the sugars in plants like corn, cassava, and sugarcane. Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) comes from the fermentation of items like vegetable oils and starches. The bacteria formed in fermentation are fed high levels of carbon while being shielded from oxygen and nitrogen.

Because these items are reused, it helps support the circular economy while reducing waste. It also lessens the need for harmful traditional plastics. Bacteria and fungi can feed off them to break them down. If any of these plastics do make it to waterways and oceans, they have a much shorter lifespan and do not contain petroleum, so they’re better for the environment.

The Effects of Traditional Plastics on People and the Environment

Traditional plastics are made from crude oil and natural gas, specifically from a byproduct of fracking known as ethane. They’re heated while adding a catalyst that creates plastic resins known as polymers. Those polymers become the plastic that is molded or extruded to become items you recognize like bottles, bowls, packaging, cases on appliances, PVC pipes, etc.

This process starts with fracking, which is a process where vertical tunnels about 18 to 20 inches in diameter are drilled a mile down into the ground. Additional horizontal tunnels are drilled from the vertical tunnels. Once the tunnels are created, they’re blasted with chemicals, sand, and water to open fissures for oil and gas to come from.

Fracking poses a danger to people and wildlife. The chemicals used in fracking may leak into groundwater sources and enter drinking water supplies. Those chemicals and water have to be pumped out and taken to wastewater treatment plants, which requires care to ensure all chemicals are removed before going to lakes, rivers, ponds, or the ocean.

There are also concerns about the combustion processes that increase air pollution. Studies find that some of the air pollutants that are found near fracking sites are carcinogenic and increase cancer rates. Instead of relying on traditional plastics, which impact health, there is increased demand for bioplastics.

Bioplastics Offer Undeniable Benefits, But There Are Challenges

Around the world, bioplastic production has doubled. Current production is estimated to be about 2.2 million metric tons. It’s expected to reach over 7 million metric tons in the next three years. Asia is in the lead and produces almost 51% of the world’s bioplastics. Despite this, bioplastics only account for 1% of the world’s market share of plastics.

The benefits of bioplastics are plentiful. Start with the ability of bacteria, fungus, and yeast to digest them, they break down easily in humid settings. When exposed to sunlight, bioplastics break down in weeks or months instead of decades like traditional plastics.

Bioplastics do not break down and create microplastics. Microscopic particles of traditional plastic or microplastics end up in so many things. They’ve been found in ocean fish, blood vessels, organs like the liver and kidneys, and the air. A move towards bioplastics could be a game-changer for our health, and the animals living on the land and in the water.

There are downsides, too. Moisture is needed to break down bioplastics. They still shouldn’t go to landfills. For the best decomposition rates, higher humidity levels are necessary. They break down best in water, so recycling is better handled in pools or vats of water. Composting is another option for recycling.

Right now, the infrastructure for composting or soaking and degrading bioplastics is not in place. Facilities need to be planned, built, and staffed. People need to be trained in the best techniques for composting or recycling, and wastewater treatment plants need to be ready to take on the extra water used in bioplastics recycling.

People worry about the loss of food stock in a shift away from traditional plastics. If the demand exceeds the amount of byproducts from corn, soy, sugarcane, and other possible feedstocks, what happens? Would food grown for people, livestock, and pets go towards plastics and impact food security? The good news is that experts estimate only 1.5% of the world’s agricultural lands would be needed to grow enough feedstock for bioplastics.

The Future of Bioplastic Technology

The world of bioplastic technology is still in the early stages. Patents for different types of bioplastics are increasing, but it’s going to take time to implement the technology and build the plants needed to manufacture them on a large scale. Until then, people need to do their part.

Avoid purchasing plastics when you can. Invest in reusable produce bags and shopping bags. Use glass lunch containers that last longer than plastic ones. If you place an online order, see if you can get the items packaged in one box rather than different boxes to lessen the amount of plastic bubble wrap or air pillows that are used.

Recycle plastic items properly. Before you throw out a plastic item, make sure it must go in the trash. See if it can be recycled locally, even if it means bringing it to a specific facility. Things like plastic bags, cling wrap, and bubble wrap are recyclable in plastic film recycling bins at grocery stores and mass merchandise retailers.

Before you recycle or throw away plastic items, ask neighbors or people in your community if they need them. Plastic or Styrofoam egg containers are valuable to people with backyard chickens. Just six hens can lay upwards of three dozen eggs a week, so egg cartons are always needed. 

Learn where to recycle your plastic items using the tool at Recycle Nation. Enter your ZIP code and item name. You’ll have instant results with driving directions and contact information.