Just look around and you can see how much we depend on plastic every day. For more than three decades plastic has been an inseparable part of daily life, and as a result plastic pollution has become a major environmental problem.

Several kinds of plastic have become quite popular at the moment, such as bioplastic, biodegradable plastic and compostable plastic. They are thought to be more environmentally friendly than the plastics common on the market and are said to break down naturally without any trouble. The reality, however, is not so simple.

Out of a sense of responsibility towards the environment, people have rushed into using these plastics. But many do not know what they really are, or what lies behind them.

Biodegradable plastic is plastic that can easily be broken down by biological activity. Some biodegradable plastics (not all) are compostable, meaning they break down under certain controlled conditions.

To make biodegradable PET water bottles, manufacturers use plant-based additive compounds that are later broken down in nature by various micro-organisms and bacteria. But only 1–2 per cent additive is used, to keep packaged drinking water and food safe, while resin makes up 98–99 per cent of the PET polymer. Under certain conditions these additives can mix into the soil, and it takes about six months for just 20–30 per cent to break down.

• In everyday language, biodegradable plastic is in fact compostable plastic.
• Most of the bioplastic made worldwide is produced from crop by-products.
• Composting or breaking down any kind of bioplastic needs temperatures of 77 to 140 degrees.
• Complete breakdown or composting still requires separation, cutting, mixing and a specific temperature, which ordinary people cannot manage.
• Bioplastic cannot be broken down in any way under household conditions.
• Without industrial composting facilities this plastic cannot be broken down, and most cities in India lack such facilities. As a result, bioplastic ends up on city streets, where it becomes as harmful to the environment as other conventional plastic.
• Conventional plastic is often sold to customers labelled as biodegradable plastic.

Besides these points, there are several things to keep in mind to curb plastic pollution. None of us is free to use bioplastic carelessly or throw it anywhere in the environment. These plastics are already more expensive than ordinary plastics, and making bioplastic recyclable is costly too. Use such plastic, but cleaning, washing, sorting and above all recycling it are very important.

Recycling plastic is extremely important and deserves due attention. Plastics create huge amounts of solid waste that lie in water or on land for years and harm the environment.

On the other hand, properly recycled plastic can become quite valuable. Recycled PET can be made into yarn or fibre for cloth, mattresses and carpets. Other plastics can be recycled into furniture, storage tanks and more. Fuel made from plastic waste can be used in place of kerosene, and plastic can also be used as an additive in road building or in power plants.

Source: Anandabazar. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.