On March 7, 2022, the Food Packaging Forum published a fact sheet addressing common questions and mix-ups around bioplastics. The fact sheet clarifies the meaning of the terms “bio-based” and “biodegradable” when talking about bioplastics and further discusses aspects of chemical safety, environmental impacts associated with production, and practical implications for bioplastics use and disposal.
The fact sheet can help consumers and retailers make evidence-based decisions on when they want to use bioplastics. Using bioplastics has tradeoffs and may require carefully weighing their limitations and benefits. For instance, bioplastics can interfere with waste management because biodegradation can only take place under specific conditions. These conditions are not present in many environments and are often not even reached in standard industrial composting facilities.
Additional information about bioplastics is provided on a dedicated resources page and dossier. The two-page fact sheet can be downloaded as a pdf file. The Food Packaging Forum has also created a set of fact sheets on food packaging and recycling as well as on food packaging and health.
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Food Packaging Forum (March 7, 2022) “Bioplastics Fact Sheet.”
