These days, it seems like every company is out to find better ways to treat Mother Earth, and this is one of the reasons behind the quest to make plastics more compostable. Plastics can be difficult to compost, and many of them sit in landfills for decades and never go anywhere. Of course, there are many different types of plastic, but that now includes compostable types that are just as easy to use but which disintegrate much faster once they are thrown away.
Types of Plastic Now Available
Bioplastics are considered the wave of the future, and there’s little wonder why. Bioplastics include products made out of agricultural raw materials or petroleum. If you look at the bottom of the plastic container you’re using, you’ll notice a certain symbol that indicates that a particular plastic is, indeed, compostable. Most compostable plastic is either biobased, which includes polylactic acid (PLA) and polybutylene succinate (PBS); or petroleum-based, which includes PBAT, PCL, and several others.
Some biobased and petroleum-based plastics are not compostable, which is why it is so important to learn the difference. Much like paper and other recyclable materials, not all plastics are easily recyclable, but if you can find products made out of compostable plastic, you won’t have such a hard time throwing out your plastic products. And because there are now companies that specialize in manufacturing all sorts of compostable products, it’s becoming easier to know just what to do with your plastics.
Doing Your Due Diligence
If you care about the environment, you’ll want to recycle or reuse as many items as possible, and that is now easier to do than you think. City waste management companies now offer separate recycle bins and will even pick up certain products that you’re not sure what to do with, so it takes a group effort if you want to do what’s best for the planet. While you can’t do it alone, if everyone does their part and companies continue to research more sustainable packaging options, this will go a long way in helping the environment.
