Ecosurety head of innovation and policy, Robbie Staniforth, said the UK government must lead in overcoming confusion regarding bio-based, biodegradable, and compostable plastics and their implications for the circular economy. Results of the UK government’s consultation with environmental scientists, manufacturers, consumers, and industry stakeholders, launched in 2019, revealed misinformation about the materials and their sustainability benefits. The UK government defines bio-based as plastics “made using polymers derived from plant-based sources”; biodegradable as plastics “that can be broken down into water, biomass, and gases”; and compostable as “a subset of biodegradable plastics that break down into water, biomass, and gases under composting conditions”.
[Image Credit: © Ecosurety]