What is Bioplastic?

The term "bioplastic" refers to plastic substances based (in whole or in part) on organic biomass rather than petroleum. Many bioplastics are biodegradable, which in theory is one of their biggest advantages (more on that later). However, some common terms in use can be confusing; Although they sound similar, many of the terms surrounding bioplastics are not interchangeable. Here are three different descriptors: What does bio-based plastic mean? This is a very broad term that basically means that a substance comes from plant material, whether in whole or in part. Starch and cellulose are the two most common renewable raw materials used to make bioplastics. These usually come from corn and sugar cane. Bio-based plastics differ from the more common petroleum-based polymers. Although many would assume that any "biobased" is biodegradable, this is not the case.

What does biodegradable plastic mean? Whether plastic is biomass-based or petroleum-based is a different question than whether it will biodegrade (the process by which microbes break down the material if the conditions are right). Technically, all materials are biodegradable, but for practical purposes, only those that degrade within a relatively short period of time (usually weeks to months) are considered biodegradable. As mentioned earlier, not all bio-based plastics are biodegradable; Bioplastics that do not degrade for months or years are sometimes referred to as "durable." In contrast, some petroleum-based plastics degrade faster than their organic biomass counterparts under optimal conditions.

What does compostable plastic mean? According to the American Society for Materials and Testing, compostable plastics are those that "are able to biodecompose in a compost site as part of an available process, such that the plastic is visually indistinguishable and decomposes into carbon dioxide, water, and inorganic at rates consistent with known compostable materials.

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