Bio-buzzwords

If something’s biodegradable, that means it can be broken down by natural organisms – such as bacteria or fungi – into basic elements like water, carbon dioxide, and organic matter. But watch out. The ‘biodegradable’ label doesn’t commit to a timescale, and it could take years for the material to break down. It might only decompose under specific conditions too. For example, in a compost pile something might break down in a few weeks. In landfill, though, it could be decades. By the way, beware of things that are described as ‘degradable’ – it’s meaningless, as everything degrades over time. Often, these things degrade only over centuries and leave toxic residues behind.

This is a term that describes where the material has come from, rather than what happens to it after use. If a material is bio-based, that means it doesn’t come from oil. Instead, it’s at least partly made from renewable sources like corn, algae, yeast – or even captured CO₂. But again, something bio-based doesn’t necessarily break down easily or quickly. A bio-based plastic bottle made from sugarcane, for example, might not biodegrade.

This is about how a material breaks down. If something’s compostable, it’ll break down within a specific time, under specific conditions, and leave no toxic residue behind. Materials can either be home compostable, which means they will break down in your garden compost bin, or industrially compostable, in which case they need the high heat, moisture, and special microbes of commercial composting facilities. Materials made from plants and even fossil fuels can be compostable. And compostability certification standards vary around the world.

Bio-based bioplastics come from biological sources, instead of fossil fuels. Think corn, sugarcane, algae, or even captured carbon dioxide. The idea is to reduce our reliance on oil and use materials that can be grown again and again. But not all bioplastics are biodegradable, so a bio-based plastic won’t necessarily break down easily. Some are designed to be durable and long-lasting – just like traditional plastic.

These bioplastics are designed to break down naturally over time with the help of natural organisms, like bacteria and fungi. They turn into harmless substances like water, carbon dioxide and organic matter. But how quickly and successfully a biodegradable bioplastic decomposes depends on the conditions. For the environment, the best bioplastics are both bio based and biodegradable – made from biological materials and designed to break down in the environment rather than languishing in landfill for centuries after use.

As you can see, it’s all a bit complicated and confusing. Hopefully this helps make sense of things for you.