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BIOPLASTIC
The
New Beginning
Issues with Bioplastic
Ethical Issues
Although bioplastic is perceived as a solution to the pollution all over the world, it can not be. Pollution will forever be a problem in the world, and bioplastics are made to help reduce pollution. Bioplastics are not all biodegradable, some are compostable. Consumers are depended on to properly dispose bioplastic. Some bioplastics need extreme heat, oqygen or the sun. There are many needs in order for the process to work and when consumers do not dipose properly, then that depeats the purpose of bioplastic and reducing waste.
Social Issues
Bioplastics are composed of various materials such a vegetables. As the bioplastic industry increases, more and more resources will be needed and food supply would decrease. As the population increases, food supply will become a problem. Bioplastics and the food industry will compete for crops as they can be used to produce plastic or feed people. This can also lead to of intesive agriculture which can lead to the use of more oil to fuel farm machinery. Bioplastics can also be expensive as it is a complex process to create bioplastics from vegetables such as corn. Companies have tried developing an efficient way for production but the process is still complicated and costly.
Legal Issues
As companies label products as "bio", "green", or "eco", this may mislead consumers to believe that bioplastics are environmentally friendly and that all of them are biodegrdable. This leads to consumers believing that this plastic will biodegrade on its own if thrown away, and this is not true. This leads to comntaminated recycling streams that then cannot continue the process and it ends up in a land fill. This is mainly from the lack of communication between consumers and producers. Many bioplastics need specific conditions to degrade, and if it is not met then the bioplastic will remain.
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