Biodegradable

If you’re looking for everything and anything to do with biodegradability, you’re in the right place!

I have high standards when it comes to research. If you’re looking to learn more about biodegradable materials, then take your time to read through my blog pages.

Finding viable biodegradable products can be a challenge, luckily I’m here to help you on your journey. I’ve taken the time to find the best biodegradable products on the market.

What are you waiting for?

What Does It Mean If Something Is Biodegradable?

The definition of biodegradable is that it can be broken down by natural organisms. The biodegradable material should be able to do this without harming the environment.

Once the materials have broken down, it should leave behind nothing but:

  • Carbon
  • Water
  • Naturally occurring minerals

The problem is not all biodegradable products live up to the terms. For example many biodegradable plastics don’t have this ability.

So, is plastic biodegradable?

No, after plastics have decomposed, they leave little pieces of microplastic behind. And it’s these pieces of plastic that are doing so much damage to our water and food. Even biodegradable plastic bags don’t hold up to their terms of the agreement.

Recently there was a study about how long it took for biodegradable bags to degrade. The finding where pretty shocking!

What Is Biodegradable And Non Biodegradable?

Some people get confused with what makes items biodegradable and non-biodegradable. To make it easy lets split it down into sections.

Biodegradable

Biodegradable wasteBiodegradable means the product/material can break down naturally with no human influence.

It gets broken down by bacteria and other organic materials. Once decomposed, it leaves no traces of chemicals or other toxins.

Once the minerals are left behind, they help to feed other forms of life. Here’s a list of a few biodegradable items:

  • Paper
  • Animal waste
  • Plants
  • Fruits
  • Flowers
  • Vegetable

So pretty much anything that is naturally occurring is biodegradable. But, what about non biodegradable products?

Non Biodegradable

Unlike like biodegradable items, these can not break down naturally, and if they do break down they quite often leave behind toxins.

As I said, non-biodegradable items can’t be broken down by living organisms. This means they stay on the planet for years and years. You just have to think about the biodegradability of plastics. It can take over 500 years for it to “biodegrade.”

Examples of non-biodegradable items are:

  • Rubber
  • Plastic
  • Metal
  • Chemicals
  • Glass
  • Paint

You might have noticed all of these products are man made. Turns out the human race isn’t good at making things that are good for the planet.

Are Biodegradable Products Environmentally Safe?

Well, it’s debatable!

A lot of biodegradable products on the market are entirely harmless to the environment. But, unfortunately, there are a few products that can’t stand up to the terms of biodegradability. The problem is that there are no environmental standards a business has to live up to.

This has led to the term being used for business marketing, which isn’t sustainable.This is causing issues, now that biodegradable doesn’t always mean it’s good for the environment.

Greenwashing term

It’s making people lose faith in bioproducts, ability to biodegrade.

If you’re looking for something genuinely biodegradable; you should choose compostable. They break down a lot better and don’t harm the environment.

We need to compost if we want to start making a difference.

Are Biodegradable Bags Good For The Environment?

Again this is a tricky question to answer!

It’s better than traditional plastic, but still not sustainable, and I’m going to share with you why it isn’t.

Biodegradable bag in the oceanUnfortunately, the way we dispose of the bags means that they very rarely decompose.

This is because the conditions at landfill sites don’t allow it.

This either means they stay in landfill sites forever, or they get blown away into the ocean.

This causes problems with our food and water sources.

Sea animals and company alike mistake the plastic for food. Which then blocks their digestive system. Ultimately this means that the animals die.

And that’s not the only issue we face because of these bags. Most of them are still made with petrochemicals. Which means they use roughly the same amount of emissions.

And to make it worse if they ever do break down, the tiny pieces of microplastic start to contaminate their earth. It also means we can’t compost biodegradable bags. So no there good but they are better.

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