Bioplastics: Alternatives to Conventional Plastics

Plastics are used in all industries, becoming increasingly prevalent all over the world. Data shows that currently we use around 460 million tonnes of plastics which is projected to triple in the following few decades. However, more plastic leads to a direct increase in pollution, worsening climate change and the health of our planet. To solve this problem, biotechnology has been able to come up with an effective solution: Bioplastics. Bioplastics both acknowledge the demand for plastic-like material, and the need to negate the climate crisis. 

Bioplastics are made from renewable sources, such as sugarcane, corn, algae, and microorganisms. Bioplastics are both resource efficient and degradable, leading to them to cultivate a more sustainable environment for the world. Through bioplastics we can shift away from traditional plastics, decreasing millions of tonnes of greenhouse gases. Bioplastics are currently being applied in the automotive and food industry, such as carpeting, vehicle hoods, upholstery, and sustainable packaging.They play a huge role in packaging because they help reduce odors and improve food safety. Bioplastics naturally degrade into carbon dioxide and water through enzymatic activities and microorganism metabolisms. Through this, they can be composted, leading their carbon footprint to be exponentially less than natural plastics. Not only are they a huge benefit for our environment, they also have aesthetic appeal when it comes to their soft texture and flexibility. 

However, bioplastics are still just a step in the right direction, not the final answer. There are currently a few drawbacks to bioplastics, leading them to be a debatable optimal solution to the climate crisis. Currently, bioplastics are more expensive to produce than traditional plastics due to research and their complex manufacturing process. They are not always degradable; they require certain conditions to fully degrade properly. Furthermore, since bioplastics are mainly produced from feedstock, more land needs to be given to farmers that cultivate the stock for bioplastic production. Finally, while bioplastics reduce the carbon footprint immensely compared to natural plastics, they still have an effect on the environment, and are not always environmentally friendly. 

To conclude, bioplastics are an up and coming option for the replacement of natural plastics. They include several benefits, primarily acting as a sustainable alternative, but are also packed with a couple of downsides, such as expense. There has been a lot of legislative action done to promote the research and production of bioplastics; a March 2023 report from the Biden administration aims to replace 90% of plastics with bioplastics in the next 20 years. Manufacturing companies also call for an increase in awareness for the support to adopt bioplastics. Bioplastics are a huge step in the right direction, and with the correct support and awareness, it can have a huge positive impact on our world, environment, and Mother Nature. 

References:

Rathner, Zack. “Bioplastics: A Sustainable Alternative to Traditional Plastics.” M. Holland Company, 26 Oct. 2023, www.mholland.com/market-insights/bioplastics-a-sustainable-alternative-to-traditional-plastics

Huang, Shirui, et al. “Bioplastics and Biodegradable Plastics: A Review of Recent Advances, Feasibility and Cleaner Production.” Science of the Total Environment, vol. 969, 28 Feb. 2025, p. 178911, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969725005467, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.178911 

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