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biodegradability

July 18, 2024

Report by Beyond Plastics introduces terminology, current regulations and certifications, data on toxicity, waste management options, and considerations for policymakers; criticizes voluntary standards overseen by industry groups; notes bioplastics can be just as toxic as conventional plastics; offers guidance and checklist for businesses to ask suppliers
Reading time: 2 minutes

August 28, 2023

McKinsey report investigates consumers’ attitudes toward sustainability in food packaging; finds hygiene & food safety, as well as shelf life are most important aspects to consumers; consumers think compostable and plant-based packaging is the most sustainable, metal containers among least sustainable
Reading time: 2 minutes

November 9, 2022

Publications from government, academia, civil society organizations, and consultancies paint problematic picture of a circular plastics economy; plastic packaging waste per person found to increase over last decade; low percentage of plastic produced is effectively recycled; pyrolysis (a type of chemical recycling) of plastics produces 9x more emissions than mechanical recycling; “biodegradable” and “compostable” plastics found to not break down in home compost systems
Reading time: 8 minutes

January 25, 2022

European Commission (EC) opens a public comment period on biobased, biodegradable, and compostable plastics; consultation will advise EC during development of new policies for these plastics; three areas of particular focus: sustainability of feedstocks, verification of biodegradation claims, and “widespread confusion” among consumers on terms and proper disposal routes; comment period open until March 15, 2022
Reading time: 1 minute

July 15, 2021

Food Packaging Forum publishes third episode of video blog; discusses the presence of non-intentionally added substances in food packaging and the safety and circular economy challenges they pose; reviews the limited enforcement of known chemicals in marketed food packaging, challenges posed by biodegradable packaging, and the approach of prioritizing the most hazardous chemicals
Reading time: 1 minute
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