6 Reasons Why Bioplastic Packaging Shouldn’t Be Your First Choice

This short guide highlights six reasons why bioplastic packaging isn't practical and discusses various misleading terms associated with the topic.

As the world seeks sustainable alternatives to plastics, various materials have popped up that come close to the versatility of plastic but fall short. Bioplastics have emerged as a seemingly perfect packaging material that has all the benefits of conventional plastic but none of its drawbacks. However, if something seems too good to be true, it usually is.

In this article, we discuss six reasons why bioplastic packaging isn’t feasible and help cut through various confusing terms.

What is Bioplastic?

Bioplastic is a broad term used for plastics made from renewable natural resources. You can make a variety of bioplastic materials by combining natural bases, such as corn or rice starch, with chemical stabilizers to produce long polymer chains.

source: https://environment.umn.edu/

Due to its natural renewable base, bioplastic is often called organic plastic or natural plastic. It is also one of the few plastic materials that are compostable. Although the conditions for bioplastic decomposition are tricky. More about that later in the article.

Bioplastic manufacturing companies often market bioplastics as an eco-friendly alternative to fossil-fuel/petroleum based plastic.

Bioplastics in Food Packaging

The two most common types of bioplastics are Polylactic acid (PLA) and Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA).

• PLA is generally made from cornstarch and PLA packaging is often called cornstarch packaging.

• PHA is made from the assimilation of carbon (from glucose or starch) with microorganisms.

PLA packaging costs slightly more than other plastic materials. Thus, many companies are already using cornstarch plastic (PLA) for food packaging applications.

Contrarily, PHA is very expensive. Therefore, PHA food packaging is limited to the research phase at the time of this article.

The Role of Bioplastic in Packaging

Bioplastic packaging is manufactured in the same way as other plastic packaging. The only key difference is in the sourcing and production of the bioplastic material.

I. Composition of Bioplastics

Before we jump into bioplastic packaging, let’s take a quick look at the insides of bioplastics. PLA is the most common type of bioplastic and the only viable material for bioplastic packaging. It uses a natural biomass (organic matter) base.

Here is a short list of natural materials that can serve as the basis for bioplastics (PLA).

1. Natural Biopolymers (Corn Starch, Rice Starch, Alginate, or Chitosan)

2. Proteins (Soy Protein, Gluten, or Gelatin)

3. Sugar & Sugar Derivatives (Lactic Acid)

4. Lipids ( Vegetable Oil)

The simplest bioplastic (PLA) recipe involves mixing cornstarch with oil, water, glycerine, and vinegar and heating it till the mixture solidifies. However, it should be noted that some bioplastics are composed of 75% oil and only 25% biomass.

II. Market Situation for Bioplastic Packaging

source: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/

The increased consumer concerns regarding plastic pollution and awareness of plastic environmental damage have led to an increased interest in the renewable and biodegradable packaging materials.

As of 2024, the bioplastic packaging market is valued at $7.41 billion USD. Europe represents half of the bioplastics market, with Asia, the Middle East, Africa, South & North America representing the other half.

As governments worldwide implement stringent policies to curb plastic pollution, businesses are increasingly adopting bioplastics to comply with regulations.

III. Concerns Regarding Bioplastic Packaging

More and more businesses are switching to bioplastic packaging materials. However, there is a growing concern regarding the environmental impact of this supposed miracle material.

Environmental activist groups have argued that bioplastic is just as bad as petroleum-based plastic.

In some cases, the damage from bioplastics is considerably worse as consumers are left with a false sense of sustainability. If people think their bioplastic bag is biodegradable they will be less likely to opt for recycling or reusing.

6 Drawbacks of Bioplastic Packaging That Can Adversely Affect Packaging

While bioplastic has its fair share of benefits, it's not too different from traditional plastics. Here are six key reasons for businesses to avoid bioplastic packaging.

1. Bioplastic Packaging Requires More Resources

Bioplastic packaging is made from renewable sources (corn, sugar, agave, etc.). Thus, a lot of resources are required for the farming, harvesting, and processing of these biomasses.

The cultivation of raw materials like corn requires lots of water, and the refining processes consume energy.

Although bioplastic packaging is meant to reduce greenhouse gases (GHG), in many situations they have the opposite effect. Unless manufacturers use reclaimed or wastewater-derived starch, their GHG will be greater than that of petroleum plastics.

2. Bioplastic Packaging has Limited Recycling Options

SOURCE: https://www.indiatoday.in/

Bioplastic packaging is technically recyclable. However, existing recycling processes are not suitable or profitable. Packaging materials contain glue, ink, and trace amounts of unwanted chemicals.

For example, milk cartons are made by layering plastic, aluminum foil, and paper. A layer of an adhesive is used between the materials. Thus, even if you replace the plastic layer with a bioplastic, recycling it would not be easy.

3. Industrial Composting is Necessary for Bioplastics

Composting is another heavily used marketing term in the production of bioplastic packaging. Composting refers to the natural decomposition of materials into water, CO2, minerals, and other biomass.

In order to fully decompose bioplastic packaging (cornstarch packaging), it must be kept at a temperature of 136°F and in the presence of specific enzymes.

This means that home composting is not an option and without industrial composting, PLA is just as bad if not worse for the environment.

4. Bioplastics Contribute to the Ongoing Microplastics Issue

source: Statista

Bioplastic packaging gives people a false sense of sustainability. When people hear terms like biodegradable or compostable, they are led to believe that plastics are safe for the environment.

As such people become more careless about their plastic consumption, which also leads to reduced recycling efforts.

If bioplastic packaging isn't properly composted, it will slowly be crushed into smaller and smaller parts called microplastics. Microplastics are extremely harmful to human health and photosynthesis in multiple ecosystems. Unfortunately, there are very few PLA composting places in the world.

5. Mass Production and Cost

From a pure business perspective, bioplastic packaging is too expensive for large-scale implementation. The time, land, and resources required to produce bioplastics are much higher than conventional plastic.

PLA packaging is slightly more expensive than its petroleum counterparts. There are also fewer bioplastic manufacturing facilities in the world, making mass production of PLA packaging not feasible at the moment.

6. Ethical Concerns About Bioplastic Production

The cost of producing bioplastics isn't limited to financial or environmental. There is a massive human cost associated with the production of bioplastic packaging. Here are four reasons why experts consider bioplastic production unethical.

a. Diversion of drinkable water from houses to bioplastic factories.

b. Allocate farmland for the explicit purpose of cultivating crops for bioplastic production.

c. Risk of deforestation and biodiversity loss as bioplastic crops compete for farmland against food crops

d. Bioplastics manufacturing often uses harmful and toxic chemicals.

Is Bioplastic Really Compostable?

Bioplastics are technically compostable under specific conditions. However, there is no natural way to compost bioplastic materials or packaging. ASTM D6400 sets the composting period at 26 weeks.

A polymer (plastic) can be called compostable if it decomposes into water, minerals, CO2, and biomass within 26 weeks. shows that even after 100 days in a household composting bin, PLA does not decompose.

So bioplastic is a compostable material, but not a naturally composting material.

Most of the confusion around bioplastics comes from the various technical terms scientists and researchers use. You are probably familiar with words like biodegradable, compostable, and renewable.

Let’s compare these words in the context of bioplastic packaging.

I. Renewable vs Natural Materials

Any material that is naturally found in our surroundings is called a natural resource. By this definition, fossil fuels are also made from natural materials. By this definition both corn and crude oil are natural resources.

The word natural is used to separate lab made compounds and materials (called synthetic) from those present in nature. For example, natural rubber is made from tree sap, synthetic silicone rubber is made from various chemicals.

Renewable means, if a resource is consumed or utilized, that it will naturally replenish (renew itself) over time. You can always replenish corn through farming, but you cannot replenish fossil-fuels.

II. Compostable vs Biodegradable

Biodegradable means that bioplastics can break down into their natural components over time. Sugars, plants, and fats will naturally decompose when exposed to bacteria or other organisms. Biodegradation is random and without a specified purpose.

Compostable means the material can break down into a nutrient-rich mixture called compost, which is a natural fertilizer. Composting is a controlled biodegradation process with the explicit intention of producing natural fertilizer material.

Further differences between compostable and biodegradable can be learned in this article.

Finally, Industrial composting is a more stringent type of composting. It requires large industrial equipment to ensure material decomposition.

For example, iron is a biodegradable material that decomposes into iron oxide, which is unsuitable as a fertilizer. Eggshells are also biodegradable, but can also be composted into a fertilizer.

III. Are Bioplastics Natural/Renewable/Compostable/Biodegradable?

1. Bioplastics are categorized as natural materials because they are made from natural ingredients.

2. Bioplastics are not renewable as nature does not produce bioplastics. However, they are made from renewable resources.

3. Bioplastics are not naturally compostable and require industrial equipment. However, by the definitions discussed above bioplastics are compostable.

4. Since bioplastics are technically compostable, they are also technically biodegradable.

Eco-friendly Alternatives to Bioplastic Packaging

There are several great alternatives to bioplastics, such as bagasse, bamboo, paper, and other plant-based fibers.

Here is a quick list of our favorite eco-friendly packaging materials.

1. Bagasse is a byproduct of sugarcane processing. It is a durable and naturally composting material commonly used for food containers, cups, and plates.

   
   

2. The bamboo is a resource efficient crop with an incredibly strong fibrous structure. It is a renewable resource ideal for single use and reusable cutlery, straws, and food packaging.

3. Paper and cardboard, especially when sourced from recycled materials, provide widely recyclable packaging solutions. In recent years, several businesses, including Apple, have switched to recycled paper packaging.

4. Wax-coated paper is an excellent sustainable alternative to plastic films.

5. Glass and aluminum is still the best sustainable option for packaging liquids.

Table 1 - Eco-friendly alternatives to bioplastic packaging based on applications.

If you are still not convinced and need to rely on plastic packaging for your products, we recommend using recycled plastics. It is a greener option than bioplastics and helps reduce plastic pollution.

Conclusion

Bioplastic packaging is a potentially great alternative to traditional plastic packaging. However, the time, resources, and energy required for bioplastic production outweigh its many benefits. If that wasn't enough, bioplastics are also not naturally biodegradable. Bioplastic packaging is only eco-friendly when composted using industrial equipment.  

There are various mitigation techniques to reduce the environmental impact of bioplastic packaging. But there is no denying that this innovation is not ready for mainstream adoption.

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