To fulfill the many expectations placed upon polymers and plastics to
remain competitive and acceptable compared to other materials, they must constantly
improve in their functional properties and their cost/benefit ratio. More recently it has
also become imperative that the environmental burdens caused by polymers and
plastics be reduced and that overall sustainability of these materials be raised. Today
the environmental aspect of a material are one of the key factors for assessing its
acceptability and for making decisions about its use.
Thus there is now a greater emphasis on evaluating the environmental impacts of
polymers and plastics. Using the life cycle assessment method polymers and plastics
are being compared to each other and to other materials. The environmental emphasis
has also prompted active development of new, or in some cases reengineered, biobased
and biodegradable polymers and plastics. During the last decade these materials have
moved from research laboratories into commercial production and represents one of the
fastest growing niche segments in plastics, although the overall quantity still remains
relatively low.
Now that bioplastics have been successfully launched and real-life experiences from
early applications have been obtained, their sustainability is undergoing a thorough
examination. The results show that these new biomaterials cause environmental
burdens similar to those caused by conventional plastics. In general, bioplastics offer
reductions in emissions of greenhouse gases and the use of fossil resources, whereas
the production of bioresources from farming contributes to higher acidification and
eutrophication burdens. End-of-life waste management can also strongly influence the
overall results. It is expected that future developments in technology and organization and the use of second generation bioresources will improve the environmental profile
of bioplastics. Bioplastics can contribute to reaching policy goals e.g., regarding the
reduction of greenhouse gases but they must be used properly to achieve the desired
sustainability benefits.
Keywords: Biobased, Biocompatible bioplastics, Biodegradable, Bioeconomy,
Biomass, Bioplastics, Bioresources, Ecobalance, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA),
Plastics, Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), Polymers, Standardization, Sustainability.
