Biodegradable Plastic vs Non-Biodegradable Plastic
Biodegradable plastics are usually made from petrochemicals and are broken down more easily compared to traditional plastics, making it more sustainable for the environment in the long run.
Biodegradable plastics are broken down into water, carbon dioxide and biomass by microorganisms. This process usually takes weeks to months for a plastic to fully biodegrade and it also requires the right environment for it to take place. As for non-biodegradable plastics, these polymers are unable to be broken down into organic matter but instead are broken apart into tiny pieces of plastics which are still harmful for the environment.
There are many types of biodegradable as well as non-biodegradable plastics in the market. Let us take a look at a few of the more commonly used plastics in each category.
Biodegradable Plastic Application
There are two types of biodegradable plastics:
1) Oxo-biodegradable plastic (OBP)
2) Hydro-biodegradable plastic (HBP)
The differences between these two are mainly the chemical process of biodegradation that the plastics go through. Oxo-biodegradable plastics biodegrade through oxidation while hydro-biodegradable plastics undergo hydrolysis. OBPs are made by introducing a tiny amount of fatty acid compounds to traditional plastics whilst HBPs are made from natural sources such as corn, wheat, sugarcane as well as petroleum-based sources or a combination of both.
Biodegradable plastics can be used to make all types of plastics from films, plastic bags, pallet covers, food covers and even medical capsules.
Non-Biodegradable Plastic Application
There are many types of non-biodegradable plastics, but we’ll be exploring one of the most widely used plastic which is polyethylene. Polyethylene can be made using renewable sources, but the product is still non-biodegradable as there is nothing natural in the composition of the polymer. Albeit non-biodegradable, the most commonly used low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) can be recycled and reused to create other plastic products like garbage bags.
LDPE and HDPE plastics are used for a myriad of products from household items like plastic bags to industrial application such as stretch film, pallet covers and even agriculture films. Many companies still prefer to use these plastics as they’re affordable, easy to work with and easily available. Despite all these benefits, it is still detrimental to our environment as non-biodegradable plastics either that a very long time to break down or they leave behind microplastics after they degrade.
Why Choose Biodegradable Plastics?
Biodegradable plastics are more sustainable for the environment in the long run. As plastic pollution increases every year, biodegradable helps to slow down and curb the rise in plastic pollution globally. Biodegradable plastics can also be made with natural sources which are alternative to non-renewable sources like petroleum. The manufacturing process of biodegradable plastics also emits less carbon and consumes less energy.
As biodegradable plastics break down faster than traditional plastics, we curb the need to choke our landfills with plastics that take a long time to break down. The amount of harmful plastics that get leaked into the ocean and rivers will also be substantially reduced. These microplastics can harm our wildlife which inevitably affects us when ingested.
Biodegradable plastics are also easy to blend with other types of plastics like polyethylene to create a blend of plastic that is 25% plant-based. This reduces carbon footprint and requires minimum to no changes to the current mechanics, operations and systems used in your process. Thus, adopting this solution does not require much cost nor time to implement.
Convinced to make the switch to biodegradable plastics today? Why not speak to one of our experts at Impact Rank! We are the leading biodegradable plastics supplier in Singapore, with over 19 years of experience in the industry. As a thought leader and lead advocate for environmentally sustainable plastics, we pride ourselves in educating the public on environmentally sustainable plastics as well as to encourage the adoption of these solutions.
To know more about our biodegradable plastics, read more here. Alternatively, if you prefer to get in touch with an industry expert with regards to plastics, do contact us here!