Bioplastics: Saviour or the Next Problem?
We all want to move away from fossil fuels and reduce plastic waste. Bioplastics promise a solution to both, but current data suggests they only deliver on that promise in very limited circumstances.
The Definition Trap
A major barrier is confusion over what "bioplastic" actually means. It is an umbrella term that hides two very different concepts, often leading consumers to believe a product is "greener" than it really is.
Bio-based refers to the origin. The carbon comes from plants, like corn or sugarcane, rather than oil. However, many of these are chemically identical to standard plastics and can last forever.
Biodegradable or Compostable refers to the end-of-life. The material can break down, but usually only under specific industrial conditions.
These two are not the same. A bio-based bottle can be just as indestructible as a standard PET one, while a biodegradable cup might not be bio-based at all.
The Hidden Cost of Production
Bioplastics are often presented as a clean loop where plants grow and plastic is made. In reality, the supply chain is carbon-heavy. Most are made from crops like corn, sugarcane, or potatoes, which compete for arable land.
Farming this feedstock requires fertiliser, water, and fuel-intensive harvesting. When you account for these inputs, plus the energy to ferment and polymerise the sugars, the carbon footprint often rivals that of conventional plastics.[1]
Worse, scaling this production creates new environmental risks. Studies indicate that widespread adoption of crop-based plastics could drive land conversion, potentially leading to a 20% increase in deforestation if production keeps scaling at current rates.[1] This is the exact opposite of the environmental preservation most people associate with the word "bio." Read about why plastic is not the enemy here.
The Reality of Disposal
The biggest practical failure of bioplastics is the lack of infrastructure to handle them. Most people simply do not have access to the systems required to dispose of compostable packaging responsibly.
According to the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, as of 2025, only 18% of the US population has access to kerbside or drop-off programs that accept compostable packaging.[4]
Without this infrastructure, biodegradable plastics end up in landfill, where they often fail to degrade properly or release methane, a potent greenhouse gas, as they rot anaerobically.[3] Meanwhile, many bio-based plastics cannot be processed in standard recycling streams, meaning they contaminate batches of recyclable material and send even more waste to landfill.
Why Durability Still Wins
The most reliable way to reduce environmental impact is not to switch to a "green" disposable material, but to use fewer materials overall.
That is why we follow a Durability Code:
- Design products that last.
- Make repair simple.
- Use materials with clear, established recycling pathways.
A durable product that stays in service for a decade beats a bioplastic alternative that needs replacing every two years, regardless of where the carbon came from. Until the data changes and disposal infrastructure catches up, we will stick to materials that last and that users can recycle confidently.
Read more about our Durability Code.
Sources
[1] Islam et al. (2024) – Bioplastics promise a smaller footprint but often deliver hidden costs – land use, fertilisers, and incomplete degradation can shift the burden rather than remove it. Process Safety and Environmental Protection, Vol. 188, pp. 151–166.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0957582024006359#ab0010
[2] Yu & Flury (2024) – Home-composting tests showed that 60 percent of certified home-compostable plastics failed to degrade effectively. npj Materials Sustainability, Vol. 2, Article 9.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s44296-024-00012-0
[3] European Environment Agency (EEA) (2020) – Industrially compostable plastics are designed to biodegrade under specific, controlled conditions in industrial composting plants. They do not necessarily compost in home composters or the natural environment.
Biodegradable and compostable plastics — challenges and opportunities | Publications | European Environment Agency (EEA)
[4] Beyond Plastics / Mongabay (2024) – Only 46 of 173 U.S. industrial composters accept compostable packaging – meaning most 'compostable' plastics end up in landfill.
https://news.mongabay.com/2024/07/most-compostable-bioplastics-are-anything-but-says-new-report
[5] Forfora et al. (2024) – Even though starch-based foams are often referred to as compostable materials, some of them do not fully degrade in commercial facilities and are under scrutiny. Chemical Engineering Systems, Vol. 7.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cesys.2024.100177