Warning to MEPs over biodegradable plastics

A British academic has warned MEPs against introducing a policy on plastic bag waste that would encourage greater use of biodegradable and bio-based plastics.

Professor Richard Thompson, of Plymouth Universitys School of Marine Science and Engineering, was speaking at a seminar organised by MEPs from the Greens and European Free Alliance group on carrier bag waste at the European Parliament in Brussels this week (February 19).

Proposed measures to curb the use of single use carrier bags are currently being examined by the European Parliaments ENVI committee (see letsrecycle.com story). The committee is expected to finalise its position on the proposals in the coming weeks, which could form new EU laws to restrict the use of plastic carrier bags.

Addressing MEPs, Professor Thompson, said: There will be discussion about the benefit of degradable plastics. We need to be very careful that if we are selecting a route towards degradability that we are selecting something that will do that. Should we be taking a techno-fix for materials that rot in the environment? Should we not be thinking about capturing more of that material at the end of its lifetime into new products?

Bio-plastics

Meanwhile, Professor Thompson also questioned whether firms should be looking to develop bio-plastics as an alternative to fossil-based plastics, and said instead more focus should be placed on increasing the content of recycled material in new plastic products.

Bioplastics can be made to degrade more quickly than fossil based material but it is not inherently a property of that material. In reality the quantity of plant based material we could grow would be trivial. It is not about creating a grow-to-throw culture, it is about using our waste as an input.

They are a small component of waste but I think plastic bags represent a good place to start on the issue of resource use, they are the epitome of our single use society. If we look at the tonnage of single use bags it is very small but it will help society focus down more clearly on this problem.

The UK government has already acted to try and cut the number of single use bags handed out by retailers and has announced plans for a levy on carrier bags that would apply in England from 2015. However, a group of MPs have described the plans as a complete mess due to the inclusion of exemptions for biodegradable and paper bags (see letsrecycle.com story).

Defra has carried out a consultation of its own into the measures, findings from which are expected to form the drafts of the regulation. Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland have also agreed to implement charging schemes which are already underway in the former two countries.