SUMMARY

Plastic. It’s causing a lot of environmental problems, but we need it.

The quantity of plastic packaging in the food and consumer goods industries is part of the problem. Yet at the same time, tons of food end up in landfills every year. Petroleum-based plastics don’t truly biodegrade or compost. However, in order to preserve food and other items, packaging is still needed.

Plastic bans by governments, cities, and stores can help to cut down on the amount of plastic we use. Clean up organizations and ocean conservancy groups can help with the existing plastic pollution. But we have been dependent on plastic in many ways for a long time. If we eliminate plastic completely, what will its replacement be? Food still needs to be preserved. Items still need protection during shipment. And people still eat on the go.

How do we resolve these issues? With a better plastic. Bioplastic.

There are three main objectives in creating a more sustainable, environmentally friendly plastic – better sourcing, better performance during its lifetime, and better end-of-life options.

Bioplastic checks off all of those boxes.

It is plant based and sustainably sourced, and more eco-friendly sources are discovered every year. It has several end-of-life options that create a closed loop cycle. Also, due to constant advancements in the field of bioplastics, its performance during its lifespan continues to improve allowing it to be used in greater capacities.

For the consumer packaging industry, it provides a better material for single-use products. The main advantage is that bioplastic end-of-life options divert a large amount of waste away from landfills and oceans, and do not contribute to the environmental issues that we see traditional plastics causing today. Consumers would be able to have their take-out without the guilt or environmental damage.

THE PROBLEM

The problem is plastic. But it’s not just plastic, it’s how we handle it, how we use it, how it’s made, how we dispose of it. That combination of circumstances has made it into one of the world’s biggest environmental issues.

Traditional plastics don’t biodegrade or compost, and stay around for years

Conventional, petroleum-based plastic does not biodegrade. By that definition, it will not decompose or break down through the help of microorganisms or bacteria.  It can, however, degrade or photodegrade. The UV exposure will break petroleum-based plastics apart into tiny fragments known as microplastics. The breaking down of the plastics into microplastics releases chemical compounds which can pollute the ground if they are in a landfill, or the water if they are in the ocean.

Every year, about 8 million tons of plastic end up in our oceans.[1] As a result, marine wild life is at risk. We’ve all seen it. A turtle with a straw so deeply embedded in its nose that it had to be surgically removed. A pilot whale that beached itself and died several days later because it had eaten 17 pounds of plastic bags, as well as other incidents involving the plastic diet of whales in recent years.[2]

Plastic has invaded sea life, so in turn, invades seafood. Microplastics don’t dissolve completely. They continue to break down to 100 nanometers, so small you can’t see it without a microscope. If the fish that we eat are living in and consuming these microplastics, then so are we. Even sea salt can contain several hundred microplastics per kilogram.[3]

Professor Richard Thompson of Plymouth University released the first research on microplastics in 2004, when it was not at the dangerous level that it is today or will be in the years to come. “We’re on the edge of a major ecological disaster. Microplastics in seafood is an illustration of that. There are things we can do, but we need to do them now.”[4] Again, that was 14 years ago.

Apart from possibly ingesting microplastics from seafood, there are other ways that dangerous chemicals can get into our bodies. The chemical makeup of the plastic can be the problem.

BPA, Bisphenol A, is an industrial chemical commonly found in polycarbonate plastics. Polycarbonates are used in many durable items – water bottles, beverage containers, the linings of food cans, and in food storage containers used in homes.

Food containers that are made of plastic resins 3 and 7 should not be used to heat foods, as the BPA chemicals can leach into the food through melting from high heat. BPA has been found in 93% of urine samples of people over the age of six.[5]

The consumer goods packaging industry is part of the problem (and solution)

In 2016, the amount of plastic produced was approximately 335 million metric tons.[6] That amount increases significantly each year due to demand. Unfortunately, about half of the plastics being produced are for single-use products. If we only recycle around 14% of plastic packaging, then too much of it ends up polluting the environment in landfills or oceans.[7]

Consumers are now looking at brands to help curb our dependency on harmful plastics. And some government regulations are now requiring a more sustainable production process.

In a recent Greenbiz article, ClientEarth wildlife lawyer Tatiana Lujan stated, “With the amount of plastic waste literally choking our marine environment, there are serious risks for companies that don’t move fast enough in responding to the business risk associated with plastic waste.”[8]

It is a world-wide issue that all companies must take into consideration, particularly in the consumer goods industry. According to the EPA, almost 45% of landfill materials are from food and packaging/containers.[9]

Like it or not we need plastics, particularly for food storage, shipment, and longevity

It is a difficult situation because packaging is needed to protect and preserve goods during shipment, especially foods. In spite of the large amounts of packaging materials that are discarded, over 33 million tons of food in 2010 entered landfills in the United States. Improper storage resulting in spoilage accounts for part of food waste. Rotting food in landfills releases methane gas which is a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming.

Many food items can have extended shelf lives and avoid being thrown away by the use of plastic packaging. Out of the variety of resources that could be used to package and preserve food items, plastic is by far the most efficient. Plastic packaging and wraps are lightweight and strong, provide an airtight seal when needed, and are the best materials for freezing foods.

However, this same need creates the high demand for plastics in food packaging. Add to that single-use plastic containers for on-the-go meals and drinks and there seems to be no end to the cycle.

REFERENCES AND SOURCES

[1] World Health Organization Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office. (2018). “World Environment Day 2018: A Call to Beat Plastic Pollution.” Retrieved from
http://www.emro.who.int/media/news/world-environment-day-2018-a-call-to-beat-plastic-pollution.html

 

[2] Smithsonian Magazine. (2018). “Whale Dies in Thailand With 80 Plastic Bags in Its Stomach.” Retrieved from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/whale-dies-thailand-80-plastic-bags-its-stomach-180969232/

 

[3] The Conversation. (2018). “You’re Eating Microplastics in Ways You Don’t Even Realise.” Retrieved from http://theconversation.com/youre-eating-microplastics-in-ways-you-dont-even-realise-97649

 

[4] Smillie, S. (2017, February). From Sea to Plate: How Plastic Got Into Our Fish. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/feb/14/sea-to-plate-plastic-got-into-fish

 

[5] Earth Day Network. (2018). “Fact Sheet: The Plastic Threat to Human Health.” Retrieved from
https://www.earthday.org/2018/03/14/fact-sheet-the-plastic-threat-to-human-health/

 

[6] Earth Day Network. (2018). “Fact Sheet: Single-Use Plastics.” Retrieved from
https://www.earthday.org/2018/03/29/fact-sheet-single-use-plastics

 

[7] United Biopolymers. (2017). News & Media: Article 21 June 2017 – Whitepaper 06/2017 Time is Right for Bioplastics! Retrieved from https://unitedbiopolymers.com/news/whitepaper-062017/

 

[8] Holder, M. (2018, July). How should businesses tackle risks posed by the shift away from plastics? GreenBiz. Retrieved from https://www.greenbiz.com/article/how-should-businesses-tackle-risks-posed-shift-away-plastics

 

[9] United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2015). Toolkit: “Reducing Wasted Food & Packaging: A Guide for Food Services and Restaurants.” Retrieved from
https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-08/documents/reducing_wasted_food_pkg_tool.pdf