Bioplastic v.s. Plastic

A bioplastic is either a plastic that is made from biological sources, such as sugarcane, starch, or cellulose from trees and straw, or a plastic that is biodegradable or compostable at the end of its useful life, a process aided by fungi, bacteria, and enzymes.

Bioplastics are plastics made out of biopolymers. Some biopolymers are identical to their oil-derived polymers; others are unique and have no petro-polymer equivalent. In general, bioplastics can be directly substituted for their oil-based equivalents. They are commonly promoted as "green" alternatives to regular plastics, but it is much more complicated than it may seem. [citation T2.19]

WHAT IS A BIOPLASTIC?

BIOPLASTICS CATEGORY

Depending on their sources, bioplastics are divided into: bioplastics from renewable resources, bioplastics from fossil resources, and bioplastics from a mixture of renewable and fossil resources. They are also defined by their ability for degradation, depending on whether they are compostable or not. With the combination of these two criteria, source of the material and degradability, there are 6 options: [citation T2.20]