In response to the growing consumption of plastics and the limitations of traditional recycling methods, materials collectively referred to as bioplastics are being developed. They are often seen as a solution to the environmental problems associated with plastic, although in practice their role and effectiveness depend on many systemic factors. Bioplastics are not a homogeneous group of materials, and the term itself is sometimes used imprecisely, leading to false expectations about their properties and applications.

What are bioplastics in practice? Bioplastics do not constitute a single, coherent group of materials. It is a collective term covering various polymers that may:

• Derived from renewable raw materials: bio-based
• Biodegradable under specific conditions: biodegradable
• Meets compostability standards: compostable (a specific type of biodegradation)
• Or combine some of the above characteristics

HOW IT WORKS:

Bioplastics are designed in such a way that:

• use renewable raw materials or
• enable biological decomposition under specific environmental conditions.

The origin of the raw material does not determine the behaviour of the material after end of use – bio-based and biodegradable are independent characteristics.

Purpose

• limiting the consumption of fossil raw materials,
• reducing the environmental impact in selected applications,
• enabling alternative end-of-life paths for products,
• adapting materials to regulatory requirements.

Target group for this tool:

• research units and institutes,
• public administration and regulators,
• packaging, agricultural and processing companies,
• teams dealing with LCA, ESG and sustainable development.

Further information:

Bioplastics encompass a wide variety of materials with different technical properties, costs and waste management options. Their environmental effectiveness depends on:

• specific application,
• waste collection and processing infrastructure,
• realistic end-of-life scenario for the product.

They are not a universal substitute for plastics.

Results / Observations:

Market and research experience indicates that:

• the market share of bioplastics remains limited,
• many implementations face economic and infrastructural barriers,
• improper use of bioplastics may not produce the expected environmental benefits.

Conclusion::

Bioplastics are a material tool whose effectiveness depends on system conditions rather than on the mere fact of using a ‘bio’ material.

LINKS

1. European Bioplastics (2023). Bioplastics facts and figures. https://www.european-bioplastics.org/bioplastics/
2. Niaounakis, M. (2019). Biopolymers: Applications and Trends. William Andrew Publishing
3. Spierling, S., et al. (2018). Bio-based plastics – A review of environmental, social and economic impact assessments. Journal of Cleaner Production, 185, 476–491
4. PlasticsEurope (2021). Plastics – the Facts: Bioplastics. https://plasticseurope.org/knowledge-hub/plastics-the-facts/
5. ISO 17088:2021 – Specifications for compostable plastics.