Great to have been involved in the @SAPEAnews report on #biodegradability of #plastics in the open environment ( https://www.sapea.info/wp-content/uploads/bop-report.pdf) - with a dedicated chapter on #social & #behavioural aspects

A THREAD about the report's conclusions (1/10)

Key message is: Biodegradable plastics have a role to play but are certainly not a silver bullet to solve #plasticpollution (2/10)

Biodegradable plastics can help with specific applications in the open environment (such as agricultural #mulch or #dollyropes) where it is difficult to avoid leakage AND expensive to remove residuals from the environment (3/10)

They should however not be considered as an alternative to poor waste management. In most cases the old adage of #reduce #reuse #recycle still holds, including for most single-use plastics and packaging! (4/10)

Furthermore, there is still a lot of confusion about #biodegradable #plastics, and not only among consumers. This has to do with #biodegradability being a 'system' rather than a 'material' property (5/10)

#Biodegradability requires BOTH material properties that allow for biodegradation AND suitable conditions in the environment where the #plastic ends up in (6/10)

Labelling #plastic items as #biodegradable *without* explaining what conditions are needed for them to break down, is a recipe for confusion. This can lead to incorrect #recycling/ #contamination of waste streams and #littering (7/10)

Accurate information on the properties, appropriate use and disposal, and limitations of biodegradable plastics are therefore needed to inform all relevant user groups (these include but are certainly not limited to consumers!) (8/10)

This requires (a) coherent standards
for testing and certification - assessing the
#biodegradation of #plastic products in specific
environments; and (b) clear labelling to inform end users about the correct use and disposal of biodegradable
plastics (9/10)

Want to know more? You can find the
@SAPEAnews evidence review, policy recommendations and scientific opinion reports here: https://www.sapea.info/topics/biodegradability-of-plastics/ (10/10)