Compostable bioplastics: A sustainable replacement for single-use plastic?

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Lucia Doyle

ttz Bremerhaven, Germany

: Expert Opin Environ Biol

Abstract

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Plastic and microplastic pollution are a pressing environmental issue and currently on the hotspot. Both the UN (2017) and the European Commission (2018) are setting measures to reduce single-use plastic items to address this problem. This opens up a huge opportunity for biodegradable and compostable bioplastics. Currently, bioplastic shopping bags, domestic bio-waste bags, cutlery and coffee-to-go lids are reaching the market. However, they are often rejected and even banned by composting facilities, who are reluctant of their true compostability. This work evaluates the recyclability, compostability, and barriers to overcome for compostable bioplastics to be a sustainable alternative to single-use plastic.

Biography

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E-mail: LDoyle@ttz-bremerhaven.de