Packaging industry gets on Soap Box over biodegradable plastics

All of our respondents questioned the disposal methods of supposedly compostable or biodegradable materials.

“Most compostable packaging is not truly compostable, it is industrially compostable,” posted Rob Nathan.

“This means that it will not degrade in a personal compost heap as the temperature will not attain that of an industrial composter,” he said.

Harry Hotfoot added that most “degradable” material is oxydegradable and consequently “just breaks up into smaller pieces – not particularly good for the environment”.

Danjim Marketing highlighted the contentious issue of using GM crops for compostable packaging and the higher cost of compostable packaging.

“Up until such time as people are better about recycling and reusing, landfill-degradable materials are best,” concluded Rob Nathan.

The resounding answer from the industry seems to be that until biodegradable packs can breakdown in landfill then the focus should be on creating reusable and recyclable packs.

To add your comments to this week’s discussion click here.

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