Page 58 - Plastics News February 2025
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IN THE NEWS




             mentally friendly plastics while efficiently           their supply networks while cutting back on
             eliminating prevalent plastic waste.                   disposable product usage.

          ♦   Enzyme-Based Degradation: Scientific teams        Challenges Facing Biodegradable Plastics
             research enzyme solutions that speed up
             plastic degradation as a means to combat           Despite their potential,  biodegradable  plastics
             the harmful effects of microplastics.              face several obstacles:


          2.   Regulations and Standards                        1.   High Production Costs

          Biodegradable plastics need standardized labe-        Production costs for biodegradable plastics ex-
          ling protocols to succeed worldwide. Lawmak-          ceed those of common plastic products in most
          ers need to create standards which distinguish        cases. The high production costs function as a
          biodegradable products from compostable and           major obstacle to achieving widespread market
          recyclable plastics for public and industrial con-    adoption mainly because price-sensitive mar-
          sumers to select appropriate choices. For in-         kets resist investment in these products.
          stance:
                                                                2.  Limited Infrastructure
          ♦   Mandatory      Certification:  Governments
             through regulations should implement certi-
             fication systems which prove biodegradable
             plastics can function properly based on de-
             fined settings.
          ♦   Bans on Misleading Claims: Driven by strict
             regulatory measures producers face pen-
             alties when they practice greenwashing or
             make false statements about biodegradabil-
             ity.


          3.   Consumer and Industry Roles

          The successful adoption of biodegradable plas-
          tics requires active participation from both con-     Industrial composting facilities in many regions
          sumers and industries:                                cannot efficiently process biodegradable plas-
                                                                tics because the needed facilities are absent.
          ♦   Consumer  Awareness:  Public  education           The materials lose their intended environmental
             about suitable disposal practices combined         benefits when users cannot access proper facili-
             with clear biodegradable plastic limitations       ties to enable their expected degradation pro-
             will help stop incorrect use of these materi-      cess.
             als.
                                                                3.   Contamination in Recycling Streams
          ♦   Industry Leadership: Companies need to
             practice environmental sustainability by im-       Introducing biodegradable plastics into conven-
             plementing biodegradable plastics across           tional plastic recycling operations creates con-


             58   PLASTICS NEWS                                                                  February 2025
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