The best biodegradable alternatives to single-use plastic
Plastic pollution is one of the most serious problems facing our planet today. Despite greater global awareness of the need to recycle and of recycling processes, more than 90% of the world’s plastic waste still ends up in landfill. Replacing plastics in everyday life does not have to be difficult, so it is time to give up single-use plastic in favour of these environmentally friendly alternatives.
Plastic production has increased considerably over the last 50 years, from 15 million tonnes in 1964 to around 311 million tonnes in 2014 (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2016). This explosive growth in the production and use of plastic is due to its unmatched physical properties, which allow it to be used in a wide range of low-cost industrial processes. Plastics have thus become the “workhorse of the modern economy”, with forecasts that production will double over the next two decades. Food handling, storage, information technology, healthcare, transport, energy management, construction and packaging are some of the industries that use them, with the HoReCa channel (hotels, restaurants and cafés) standing out among them.
Great progress has recently been made in the production of biodegradable plastic, which is mainly made from renewable natural resources and works much like conventional plastic. Biodegradable polymers (BDPs), or biodegradable plastics, are polymeric materials that can break down into carbon dioxide, methane, water, inorganic compounds or biomass, mainly through the enzymatic action of microorganisms, and that can be measured with standardised tests over a given period of time.
Below are the best biodegradable alternatives to single-use plastic, to raise public awareness of the plastic ban and of the possibility of using biodegradable packaging materials to protect the environment.
Natural fabric. Natural fabric can replace plastic bags. When clothes made of organic cotton, wool, hemp or bamboo are washed, they do not shed plastic fibres. For toys, household containers and more, felted or recycled wool is a flexible, safe and compostable material.
Wood. As a renewable resource, wood can replace single-use plastic in products such as cutlery, cleaning brushes, cooking containers, chopping boards and similar items.
Bamboo. Bamboo is another fast-renewing resource that can replace plastic in goods such as drinking straws, furniture, baskets, roofing and more. It is biodegradable, light and strong, making it an alternative to plastic for HoReCa businesses.
Paper. Paper cutlery is an excellent alternative to plastic and wooden cutlery. Not only is it a strong, smooth and functional material; many utensils (knives, forks and spoons) are made from certified sustainable paper. Although it degrades better than plastic, paper cannot be recycled indefinitely because its fibres get shorter with each use, which limits its use.
Cardboard. The properties of cardboard make it suitable for shaping food packaging and single-use tableware and cutlery, which makes it ideal for the hospitality sector.
Natural alternatives. Many companies are developing all kinds of fully biodegradable products. Mushroom roots, seaweed, pressed hay, banana leaves and similar plant and tree leaves are some of the materials already on the market for making cutlery and packaging. There is even a sustainable and healthy substitute for single-use plastic today: edible spoons and straws.
As the negative environmental effects of plastic become more widely recognised, people are starting to question its usefulness. By banning single-use plastics, several governments and cities are trying to tackle modern life’s dependence on this material. While there is no silver bullet to make plastics more environmentally friendly, combining existing ideas with new technologies is a step in the right direction. Individuals, as well as governments and businesses, are looking at ways to minimise the use of plastics. They are developing sustainable and even eco-friendly alternatives to single-use plastic, from straws to bottles, cutlery and dishwashers, that are changing the world day by day.