Plastics marketed as "biodegradable" are quickly hitting the market but they may not be as environmentally friendly as the manufacturers make them out to be. Although much better than regular plastic, they are still damaging to the environment in ways people may not be aware of.

Petroleum-based Biodegradable Plastic
Some plastics labeled "biodegradable" are actually not capable of fully breaking down in the environment. Instead, they are made with additives that break the plastic apart into tiny particles which are still harmful to the environment and can actually move into groundwater. In many cases they are still better for the environment than large pieces of plastic but will not be absorbed into the earth as many people are lead to believe.

Organic-based Biodegradable Plastic
Fast emerging in the market are plastic products derived from plant sources. The most common is a corn-based material called polylactic acid, or PLA. It is a sustainable means of creating plastic and is fully biodegradable, but only in certain conditions that consumers may not be aware of.

Biodegradable labeled PLA products don't simply degrade in landfills and can't be just thrown in the trash or compost like other biodegradable products. PLA products actually require moisture and heat to breakdown and must be processed in commercial composting centers, which unfortunately, aren't that common. There are new materials being developed by a few companies, such as Mirel and Earthworks, that can decompose in regular soil but these are not as abundant due to the cost of production.

Another issue with PLA products is that they are recyclable, but require their own recycling process, which means that it cannot be lumped in with traditional plastic products for recycling. As this creates more work on the consumer's part, many people that don't already recycle will find little motivation to start.

Eco-Costs
A major argument brought forth from critics is that biodegradable plastic may cost more to manufacture in terms consumption than tradition plastic made from recycled goods. As most of the energy still comes from traditional powerplants, bio-plastic may not be as green as the finished product seems to be. The bright side is that as powerplants move away from fossil fuels into sustainable energy generators, this will balance out. Another factor that plays a role in the overall eco-footprint of biodegradable plastic is the source material. As much of it is derived from corn, there are still issues of pesticide and chemical use to maximize harvests.

All this is not to say that biodegradable plastic is a bad thing, as it does have its benefits. For some uses such as plastic mulching for commercial crops, biodegradable plastic is a much more eco-friendly choice than traditional plastic. For the home, companies like Glad are manufacturing biodegradable garbage bags for the purpose of composting. Instead of the hassle of emptying and washing kitchen containers, people can simply tie up a bio-bag and throw it in the compost, which may lead to more people hopping on the compost wagon.

Biodegradable plastic is still a relatively new invention and may develop to fully replace traditional plastic for the better in the future, but at the moment, care must be taken not to view this as a ticket to increase our plastic consumption. Having plastic bottles that you can simply throw away that will decompose within a year is a step forward for reducing our environmental impact, but can't compare with cutting out the use of plastic altogether in the form of reusable containers and utensils.