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WRAP | Understanding Plastic Packaging 1 Plastic Can Be Made from Fossil-Based This Diagram Demonstrates the Or Bio-Based Materials

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WRAP | Understanding Plastic Packaging 1 Plastic Can Be Made from Fossil-Based This Diagram Demonstrates the Or Bio-Based Materials Understanding plastic packaging and the language we use to describe it The way a plastic is designed This document sets out to clarify the differences Contents to behave alongside what between the materials used Material type 3 to make plastic packaging, Behaviour and features 4 material it’s made from, the way plastics can behave affects what it can be used and, the terminology used Suitability for recycling 5 for as well as how it can be to describe plastics. Treatment and disposal route 6 Environmental impact 7 recycled and disposed of at Carbon footprint over life cycle 8 the end of its life. Glossary 9 References 10 With plastics top of the sustainability compostable – and the effect these agenda many companies are looking factors have on how it’s collected at alternatives to conventional and disposed of. plastic typically used for packaging applications. Understanding the terms that we use to describe plastics is essential However, there is potential for the to ensure that the right materials language that we use to describe are used in the right applications, plastics to be confusing: with the and so that all plastics are recycled different material types of plastic – in the right way and pollution of fossil-based or bio-based; how the environment is prevented. plastic is described and referred to – conventional plastics or bioplastics; This document is aimed at anyone and, how plastic behaves – non- who is interested in understanding biodegradable, biodegradable or the complexities around different types of plastic. WRAP | Understanding plastic packaging 1 Plastic can be made from fossil-based This diagram demonstrates the or bio-based materials. Both can be complexity of the term bioplastics; used to make highly durable, non- which refers to a diverse family of biodegradable plastics, or plastics materials with differing properties – Bio-based which either biodegrade or compost. there are three main groups: The nature of the material used 1 Bio-based or partially bio-based to make a plastic or the term used non-biodegradable plastics such to describe it does not necessarily as bio-based PE or PP 1 2 dictate the way it will behave at the end of its life e.g. a bio-based plastic 2 Plastics that are both bio-based Bioplastics Bioplastics or bioplastic does not automatically and biodegradable, such as eg. PE, PET, eg. PLA, PHA, PBS, mean it will biodegrade. biodegradable PLA and PHA PA, PTT Starch blends or PBS Biodegradable 3 Plastics that are fossil-based and biodegradable, such as PBAT See glossary for acronyms. 3 Non biodegradable Conventional Bioplastics plastics eg. PBAT, PCL eg. PE, PP, PET Fossil based WRAP | Understanding plastic packaging 2 Material type Fossil-based plastic Bio-based plastic Made from a wide range of polymers Made using polymers derived from derived from petrochemicals. Fossil- plant based sources e.g. starch, based plastic packaging is generally cellulose, oils, lignin etc. long lived, durable and non- biodegradable; this is what’s referred Bio-based plastic is the term used to as conventional plastics. However, for any plastic made from bio-based fossil-based plastic can also be polymers, and refers to the source designed to biodegrade and this from which the plastic is made, not type is considered a bioplastic. how the material will function. IMAGE? Bio-based polymers can be used to make plastic packaging that behaves like conventional plastic and is long lived, durable and non-biodegradable. It can also be used to make biodegradable and compostable plastics. Both types are referred to as bioplastics (see diagram on page 2). WRAP | Understanding plastic packaging 3 Behaviour and features All plastics, regardless of whether they are fossil-based Non-biodegradable Biodegradable Compostable or bio-based, can be designed Is durable and lasts for years. Breaks down in a defined period Can meet EN13432 or a comparable to behave in three ways: of time. standard for compostable packaging It has high strength and can be used so that the material decomposes/ in low weight applications. It can now be made with similar biodegrades in industrial composting strength, plasticity and elasticity conditions. Materials that meet properties of non-biodegradable an appropriate home composting plastics, and made into products standard can be composted in using the same technologies home composting systems. (e.g. film processing or moulding). It can have similar strength, plasticity The fact that a plastic is described as and elasticity properties to non- biodegradable does not mean that biodegradable plastics and can be it should be freely released into made into products using the same the environment in an uncontrolled technologies (e.g. film processing manner. The speed, method and or moulding). nature of biodegradation differs between materials and users should question the behaviour of biodegradable materials before using them in any application. Importantly, not all biodegradable plastic is compostable, but all compostable plastic is biodegradable. WRAP | Understanding plastic packaging 4 Suitability for recycling The way a plastic is designed to behave dictates Non-biodegradable Biodegradable Compostable its suitability for recycling – Non-biodegradable packaging Currently biodegradable plastics Compostable plastics can be not whether it is fossil-based plastics can be recycled, if collected cannot be recycled in the same way composted at industrial scale or bio-based. and sorted into separate material as non-biodegradable plastic. composting facilities or, in some reprocessing streams. cases, may be suitable for home It must be separated from non- composting. It is vital that only The route for recycling or disposal biodegradable plastic streams and compostable plastics are sent to must not compromise other recycling dealt with separately. If not, it causes these routes as non-compostable routes. Non-biodegradable plastics problems during the recycling plastics can contaminate the final entering the composting processes process. compost produced. can contaminate the final product. Biodegradable packaging needs to be Compostable plastic packaging clearly labelled and easy for citizens needs to be clearly labelled and easy to identify, separate and correctly for citizens to identify, separate and dispose of. The route for treatment correctly dispose of in an appropriate and disposal must not compromise collection and recycling scheme for other existing recycling routes. compostable plastics. The route Biodegradable packaging can only for recycling compostable packaging be composted when it meets the must not compromise non- appropriate composting standard. biodegradable recycling routes. WRAP | Understanding plastic packaging 5 UK treatment and disposal routes Non-biodegradable Biodegradable Compostable Recycling Energy from waste Landfill ++ AD * * * Composting ** * Any non-biodegradable, biodegradable or compostable packaging sent to wet AD systems that do not include a composting step for the treatment of digestate in the UK will be removed during pre-treatment of the feedstock material and sent to landfill or energy from waste. ** Plastic packaging can only go to industrial composting if it complies with the EN13432 compostable standard or a recognised home composting specification. It can only be composted at home if it complies with a recognised home composting specification. ++ Compostable packaging can be accepted at dry AD systems that can process the material fully or at wet AD sites where the process includes a composting step for the treatment of the separated digestate fibre. WRAP | Understanding plastic packaging 6 Environmental impact Any plastic that evades appropriate collection and treatment that escapes into the environment has the potential to have a long-lasting impact on the environment. Non-biodegradable plastic Biodegradable and packaging compostable plastic packaging Conventional plastic debris has been shown to accumulate in inland waters There is a lack of clarity concerning and marine environments. The impact standards that define the of this is now being widely discussed. biodegradability of biodegradable or compostable plastics in any There is very limited information environment. There is a particular on the impact of conventional plastic lack of evidence on the behaviour of in soil-based environments, though these materials in water, and there is it is clear that plastic fragments will a need to understand biodegradation persist for long periods of time. at lower temperatures. Therefore, it is very difficult to accurately assess environmental impact of biodegradable and compostable plastic packaging. WRAP | Understanding plastic packaging 7 Carbon footprint over life cycle Life Cycle Assessment is a complex technique to quantify the environmental impact of a single product over its whole life cycle. For greenhouse gas emissions from The opposite is true for biodegradable all types of plastic, studies show that plastics, which has the potential to raw material extraction, production, give rise to methane under landfill and waste disposal contribute most to conditions, but in energy recovery emissions. Bio-based plastics usually are considered carbon neutral have a lower carbon impact in their (short cycle emissions). extraction and production phase. Compostable plastics contribute Where conventional plastics enter to compost structure, but contain energy from waste facilities, they no nutrients (NPK). emit greenhouse gases, which can be higher than combusting coal or
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