Reason for development：
Many different materials are used for packaging including metals, glass, wood, paper or pulp, plastics or combinations of more than one material as composites. Most of these enter municipal waste streams at the end of their service life. Over 67 million tonnes of packaging waste is generated annually in the EU, comprising about one-third of all municipal solid waste (MSW) (Klingbeil 2000). Plastics contribute 18 per cent of the 10.4 million tonnes of packaging wastes produced annually in the UK (DEFRA 2007).
Biodegradable plastics with functionalities and processabilities (Bioplastics 07/08) comparable to traditional petrochemical-based plastic have been developed for packaging applications.
In addition to performance and price, biodegradable plastics must offer advantages for waste management systems in order to realize an overall benefit. This paper discusses the potential impact of biodegradable plastics, with particular reference to packaging, and waste management via landfill, incineration, recycling/reuse and composting. It provides an overview of the key life cycle issues that inform judgements of the benefits that such materials have relative to conventional, petrochemical-based counterparts. Specific examples are given from new research on biodegradability in simulated ‘home’ composting systems
