Relevance
- Prelims : Bioplastics
- Mains : Issues associated with bioplastics
Why in NEWS
- The study from the University of Bonn in Germany, published in the journal Environmental Research Letters, suggests that shifting to plant-based plastics could have less positive effects than expected.
Consumption
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- It is estimated that by 2050, plastics could already be responsible for 15% of the global CO2 emissions
Bioplastics
- Bioplastics are plastics derived from renewable biomass sources, such as vegetable fats and oils, corn starch, straw, woodchips, food waste, etc.
Advantages
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- Reduce human carbon footprint
- Reduction of non-biodegradable waste
- No adverse change to flavour or scent in food
- Increased energy savings
- Bioplastics are in principle climate-neutral since they are based on renewable raw materials such as maize, wheat or sugar cane.
Assumption doesn’t hold true
- Environmentally friendly alternative.
- Change land use globally.
- Conversion of forest areas to arable land.
- Forests absorb considerably more CO2
- Massive deforestation
- Not all bioplastics are easily degradable
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