All You Need To Know About Bioplastics - The Renewable Version Of Plastics, Its Pros And Cons

We hear the word ¡®plastic¡¯ more frequently than any other in our daily lives. The sheer convenience and ease combined with the affordability of plastics have made them ubiquitous. This was probably why we continued to use them in different ways even when we started seeing their ill effects on the environment and biodiversity, convinced that the environment will adapt to our way of living. However, plastics continued to cause irreparable damage to our flora and fauna and we realised the magnitude of this problem when The Centre banned the manufacture, stocking, distribution, and use of ¡®single-use plastic¡¯ from July 1.

Unsplash/Representational Image

Even while there had previously been restrictions on the use of plastic, it wasn't until lately that we realised how much of a problem plastic pollution and its effects still are. This not only offered us a chance to consider how we interact with the environment but also inspired us to consider eco-friendly and sustainable alternatives to plastics.
Bioplastic is one such alternative that is made of biodegradable materials that come from renewable sources. Materials required to make bioplastics can be derived from various renewable biomass resources such as vegetable fats and oils, corn starch, pea starch or microbes, microalgae and banana peels. These raw materials degrade faster in the environment, emit less amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.

Unsplash/Representational Image

The bioplastic industry is growing rapidly owing to its sustainable nature. In fact, between 2019 to 2024, its production capacity is anticipated to increase by 15% from around 2.1 million tonnes to 2.4 million+; it¡¯s evident that people are coming to realise the benefits of ditching the good-old but harmful plastic and opting for an eco-friendly alternative. We need to remember that all plastic products have not been banned but this could be a first step towards reducing plastic usage, popularising bioplastics and other eco-friendly alternatives and increasing awareness about man-environment cohabitation.

The usage of petrochemical (oil-based) plastics, which pose a serious threat to the environment, animals, and human health, would decrease if more bioplastics were produced. Many bioplastic polymers are naturally occurring and have a lower carbon footprint than oil-based plastics since their production does not include oil refinement. It takes a lot of energy and generates a lot of CO2 to refine the oil to make the building blocks for oil-based plastics¡ªpossibly as much as 500 million tonnes of CO2 annually.

Unsplash/Representational Image

In contrast to other plastics that leach oestrogen-like substances into the food that is packaged in them, some bioplastics, notably PLA and PHB composed of starch, are non-toxic and 'of no health risk.¡¯ They are therefore useful for food packing because they don't impart any flavour to food or leak chemicals. In fact with ¡®green¡¯ and ¡®sustainable¡¯ becoming the new jargon, bioplastics can make your product more marketable. Studies have also shown that customers tend to take a greater interest in products that have minimal impact on the environment.

Despite all the benefits that bioplastics offer, we must be aware of a few drawbacks of this substance. Given that they are more expensive and have a shorter lifespan than conventional plastics, bioplastics may have a difficult time becoming widely used. Crop-based bioplastics are dependent on the weather and require fertile land, water, and fertilisers. This means that natural events like drought could threaten the supply of raw ingredients for bioplastics.

Unsplash/Representational Image

Yes, bioplastics degrade faster, but we need to keep in mind that local authorities need to encourage a specific disposal procedure for them as well. Industrial composting is frequently needed for bioplastics in order to keep them out of landfills where they might deteriorate poorly.

We are aware that we have a finite supply of fossil fuels. Thus, using plant sources for commonly used plastic products is a healthy and sustainable alternative. However, plastic is plastic and its usage needs to be reduced and its disposal needs to regulate. A bioplastic bag can also strangle a turtle and be harmful to marine life. While bioplastics would pave way for a hopeful tomorrow, let¡¯s make ¡®Reduce.Reuse.Recycle.¡¯ our motto so that there is less waste overall.

Ban on single-use plastics can also be an opportunity to promote bamboo cultivation and bamboo products. Our experience of growing bamboo for over 10 years has made us realise that its ability to multiply quickly combined with its versatile nature can help us a great deal in our fight against pollution, climate change, and global warming.

Supriya Patil is an environmental expert with Grow-Trees.com. All views/opinions expressed in the article are of the author.

For more on news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.