Plastic Soup Foundation
  • The issue
      • Plastic Soup
      • What is plastic?
      • Plastic in the environment
      • Harm to animals
      • Health effects
      • Regulations
      • Bogus solutions
      • Responsibilities
      • Sustainable development
      • Facts & Figures
  • What we do
      • Health
      • Microplastics
      • Education
      • Plastic Waste
  • What you can do
      • As a consumer
      • As an organization
      • As a school
  • Solutions
  • News
  • Donate
  • EN
  • NL
  • Search
  • Menu Menu
You are here: The Issue What is plastic? What are bioplastics?

What are bioplastics?

An estimated 99% of all plastic is made from fossil fuels such as oil and gas. The remaining 1% is made from natural raw materials such as corn, cane sugar, or potatoes. These bio-based plastics, or bioplastics, are used for bags, food packaging, disposable cups, etc. Even though they may eventually biodegrade if disposed of properly, bioplastic behaves like ordinary plastic in the environment and therefore, cannot be a long-term solution for the plastic soup.

Bioplastics Definition Brings a Lot of Confusion

What are bioplastics exactly? The term bioplastics itself is extremely confusing. This is because bioplastics are made from biomass, but may have exactly the same properties as ordinary plastic. Sometimes these plastics are biodegradable. If this is the case, consumers still need to know whether the plastic is biodegradable in an industrial composting facility or in the natural environment. Most forms of biodegradable plastic are only compostable in an industrial facility where temperatures of up to 65 degrees Celcius (165 degrees Fahrenheit) are used. According to legal standards, these bioplastics must be broken down to a particle size of two millimeters within twelve weeks, and full composting may take a maximum of six months. Then, there are other bioplastics packaging you can simply throw on the backyard compost heap. But what about the conditions underwater? Low temperatures, low sunlight and a lack of oxygen are not ideal for decomposing bioplastics packaging in the environment. On the other hand, you don’t want a bottle made of bioplastics to fall apart in the store. The ideal bioplastic, as a solution for the plastic soup, has yet to be invented.

Plastic Pact

As part of the Plastic Pact, the Dutch government and the business community agreed in early 2019 to stimulate the switch from oil-based plastics to plastics made from sustainably produced bio-based raw materials. This will not solve the issue of plastic pollution, but it will help to reduce dependence on fossil raw materials and to pave the way to achieving climate targets.

A major problem raised by waste processors is that bioplastics make the recycling of ordinary plastics more difficult. In practice, consumers deliver a mix of all kinds of plastics, rather than separate types. Companies that make compost from vegetable and garden waste also have to deal with this phenomenon. Here contamination with normal plastic and bioplastics disrupts the composting process. Many composting companies, therefore, remove all types of plastic as much as possible, including that which would break down.


Support our mission!

Join us

Go to

  • Plastic soup
  • What is plastic?
  • Plastic in the environment
  • Harm to animals
  • Health effects
  • Regulations
  • Bogus solutions
  • Responsibilities
  • Sustainable Development
  • Facts and figures

Read more

Monomers & Polymers

Plastic comes in all shapes and sizes, flexible or not, and is made of large molecules called polymers. Read more about the properties of plastic.

Plastic additives & BPA

BPA, plastic additives and endocrine-disruptive chemicals are widely added to plastic items we use every day. But with what effects on our health?

Recycling codes

What do recycling codes and symbols mean and can plastic be recycled? Learn more about the recycling numbers and how much plastic is actually recycled.

Toxicity and pathogens

Plastic contains and carries pollutants and chemicals found in the environment. Plastic can also carry disease and bacteria. So how toxic is it?

About us

  • Frontrunners
  • Mission & Vision
  • Our People
  • Working with Us
  • Annual Reports
  • Inquiries Press
  • Newsletter

Our approach

  • Plastic Soup Angels
  • Funds & Partners
  • Ambassadors
  • Plastic Soup Awards
  • Plastic Soup Atlas
  • Facts & Figures
DONATE
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • LinkedIn

  • YouTube

  • Contact

 

© Copyright - Plastic Soup Foundation
  • Contact
  • Privacy policy
  • GDPR Consent Settings
Scroll to top

GDPR settings

This website uses some cookies which are placed on your device. Your web browser stores these cookies when you visit our Website: www.plasticsoupfoundation.org. These cookies will be retrieved when you visit or use our Website again. This allows us to recognise you as a previous visitor/user.

x
Settings

Your privacy and this website...

This website uses some cookies which are placed on your device. Your web browser stores these cookies when you visit our Website: www.plasticsoupfoundation.org. These cookies will be retrieved when you visit or use our Website again. This allows us to recognise you as a previous visitor/user.

Functional technology enables a website to remember information that changes the way the website behaves or looks, like your preferred language or the region that you are in. No personalised information is collected.

See details

This consent is used to track visitors across websites. The intention is to display ads that are relevant and engaging for the individual user and thereby more valuable for publishers and third party advertisers.

See details

This consent helps website owners to understand how visitors interact with websites by collecting and reporting.

See details
Forget my settings Settings have been forgotten