The broke-down side of biodegradable and compostable packaging

There?s a lot of green talk in the packaging world these days. Recyclable, biodegradable, compostable? you know the drill. What?s not to love about plates and cups that just happen to help the world as they degrade? Well, a lot actually. The fact that a specific type of packaging hails from the beloved and royal family Green doesn?t guarantee it to be the most environmentally beneficial option.

Biodegradable (material that will eventually break down, not bound by time constraints) and compostable (material that degrades at the same rate as paper, leaves no toxic residue) containers are some of the greenest goods around, right? Yeah sure, under the right circumstances that is. Truth be told, packaging specially constructed to biodegrade may do more harm than a traditional plastic bottle in a landfill void of oxygen and sunlight. Especially given the fact that plastic bottles can be recycled and the earth-friendly types of packaging tend to linger, building up the enormity of landfills.

The hype is high for eco-packaging, but society needs more than the steam of innovation to make alternatives to recycling a fully functioning reality. Until then, let?s break down the current infrastructure surrounding the end-of-life practices for standard recyclables and eco-based packaging.

Recyclable packaging?

How are recyclable containers disposed of? You set them on your curb. It doesn?t get much simpler than that. Though the U.S. recycling program has great room to grow and develop, recycling is by far the most readily available form of disposal that doesn?t default to a landfill.

Not only is the recycling infrastructure well established, there are several other benefits to consider when determining whether this traditional practice is more environmentally sound than other up-and-coming green techniques. For instance, using recyclable containers is often an environmentally sound choice given that the resin can frequently be used for the same purpose, several times over. The use of products made from recycled goods is a valuable point too, as the benefit on the environment has already been completed.

Biodegradable and Compostable packaging?

Unlike recycling, you can?t collect all your biodegradable and compostable goods and put them out front on Monday morning for the compost man. At least not in most cities you can?t. And often times even that heaping pile of stuff in your yard that you call compost won?t do the trick. Commercial composting facilities are the only sure bet for proper breakdown. And as surprising as it might sound, these said facilities are few and far between, even in major metropolitan environments.

So, what?s to be said about the current state of eco-friendly packaging? Innovation is great, but the market has to sustain it. The practice of recycling is pervasive throughout our country, allowing for the proper processing of such containers. Biodegradable and compostable packaging may be the future of the packaging industry, but a likewise, proper infrastructure must be implied before these sustainable packaging options can actually fulfill their purpose successfully.

Source: http://blog.containerandpackaging.com/2012/10/the-broke-down-side-of-biodegradable.html

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