Why Biodegradable Plastic Bags Aren’t a Solution

Biodegradable plastics have been manufactured with certain additional compounds which help them get broken down by microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi, turning into water, carbon dioxide, or bio-material. This might sound like a bold step forward in the right direction, but they don’t work as well in reality.

Part of the Problem

Plastic bags don’t harm the environment; people harm the environment. It’s worth remembering that plastic bags are simply an outcome of an attitude which needs to be changed. People have gotten used to the idea of disposable products, and it’s that mind-set which needs to be reformed. Creating a biodegradable plastic bag takes just as much energy as making a normal one, but they still get thrown away after one use. Consuming a huge amount of resources just to create a bag which is going to be used once and then disposed of is incredibly wasteful, and wastefulness is the source of the problem.

Biodegradable Bags Still Aren’t Natural

Just because something is listed as ‘biodegradable’, doesn’t mean it contains bio-material. The creation of these bags is energy intensive, requiring large industrial factories. The same oils are usually used for both non-biodegradable and biodegradable bags, and they’ll still release harmful emissions as the plastic breaks down. More carbon dioxide is not what our planet requires right now. Materials like cotton might still require energy to work into bags, but they are at least completely natural and reusable.

Situation Dependent

Even if those other problems didn’t exist, it wouldn’t alter the fact that these bags don’t always biodegrade. A recent study found that a number of weather conditions can radically retard the rate of oxidisation which makes the plastic degrade. Moisture and humidity were particularly troublesome, with researchers finding that such conditions slowed rates considerably. Cool temperatures were shown to have a similar impact.

Cotton bags provide a long term solution, not a temporary one. Not only are they reusable, they’re also recyclable, making them a far more eco-friendly option than biodegradable plastic bags. Remember, we don’t need products which are built to break down, we need products which are built to last.