Over the past two years, plant-based food consumption has grown by 49% across the EU, reaching a total sales volume of €3.6 billion.
Plastic Packaging vs. Biodegradable Packaging
2025-05-15
Pollution from packaging is a serious problem we face every day. For the past 50 years or so, the use of inexpensive plastic bags to package products has become commonplace. While this plastic is cost-effective, it has caused numerous environmental problems over the years, and governments and businesses are working to address these issues.
This effort has led to the emergence of an alternative product: biodegradable plastics. These plastics are broken down by organisms (usually bacteria) as a biodegradable additive, added to plastics to speed up the degradation of the polymer. The additive actually attracts the organisms that break down the plastic.
So what's the difference between more traditional plastics and this new biodegradable plastic alternative? And what are the downsides of this new plastic?
Traditional recycling
As part of green living, many households and businesses make an effort every day to recycle plastics. This involves collecting used plastics and making new, useful products to complete the recycling process.
The recycling process involves sorting plastics by type and color to prevent any contamination. Machines detect the resin content of the plastics so they can be sorted in the most efficient manner. The plastics are then shredded, streamlining the sorting between heavy and lightweight plastics. The plastics are then cleaned and melted down into tiny components called pellets.
It is this target pellet that is sold and shipped to companies around the world to be made into new packaging bags of various shapes and sizes.
The rate of plastic recycling has increased every year since 1990, likely reflecting a growing awareness of the plastics around us and the environmental impact of plastics. Government incentives have also contributed to an increase in plastic recycling by households and businesses across the country.
Biodegradable alternative to plastic recycling
Biodegradable plastics have recently emerged as a leading alternative to traditional plastics, potentially eliminating the need for plastic recycling. Using plastics that degrade over time simplifies waste disposal and is a natural choice for many businesses. These plastics include polyanhydrides, polyvinyl alcohol, and cellulose esters. On the surface, they appear to be the perfect solution to the plastic recycling problem.
However, biodegradable plastics and current recycling processes still present risks. As a combination of biodegradable materials and traditional plastics, the final product changes the composition of the plastic, potentially significantly damaging it when entering current recycling systems. If the reconstitution process isn't done correctly, it can be difficult to recycle.
This is a major issue that could lead to recycling problems for plastics in the long run.
Overall, the trend toward plastic recycling appears to be increasing year by year. There's also a growing trend toward finding alternatives to traditional plastics, driven by a determination to avoid the potential harm of landfills. Whether biodegradable plastics are an environmentally friendly alternative, or whether plastic recycling remains the best solution, remains to be seen.
KLBD-Kosher certification assures consumers that the product is reliably sourced and that all packaged food is in full compliance with Kosher law and its relevant regulations to avoid cross contamination. To apply for Kosher certification, please contact us: +86 400-001-7706