Compostable confusion
A group has been working with recycling organisations to survey shops’ anonymous responses to public anxiety about plastic polluting the oceans.
Its spokeswoman, Libby Peake, told BBC News: “A lot of shops are selling packaging described as biodegradable or compostable.
“In fact the items might only be composted in an industrial composter – and, even then, some items might not be fully digested.”
The report says: “Over 80% of consumers think biodegradable or compostable plastic is environmentally friendly, but there is little understanding of what the terms mean and how the material should be dealt with.
“Our interviewees wanted a clearer approach to where it should be used and how it should be marked to avoid confusing consumers and potentially causing more problems.”
The retailers worried that confusion could potentially harm the environment if people either put “compostable” plastic in with conventional plastic, or littered it, wrongly assuming it would biodegrade like an apple core.
Some companies that had tried using this type of plastic also suggested that the material did not degrade as expected in real world conditions.
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-51040155