The Effects of Using Biodegradable Packaging

The increased use of plastic and plastic products has led to many environmental problems, including waste accumulation and pollution. Plastic is not biodegradable and stays in a landfill, producing harmful gases. The concern over the effects of plastic has slowly led to the use of biodegradable packaging, especially in the food packaging industry.

Significance

• Biodegradable packaging is essentially made from corn and other materials like recycled paper, sugarcane waste, hemp, rice fiber, and bamboo. This packaging will degrade and help reduce the amount of garbage in land fills.

Positive Effects

• Biodegradable packaging materials degrade when exposed to the sun and the air. They should be used in compost bins, where they will degrade to form manure for agriculture or gardening purpose. This approach helps in the reduction of greenhouse and toxic gases released by the plastics that accumulate in waste landfills.

  Biodegradable packaging helps reduce the use of plastic and prevents waste accumulation. It also helps reduce carbon emissions.

  When waste material like bagasse (sugar cane waste) or paper is used for manufacturing biodegradable packaging, it results in optimum use of energy resources.

  Environmentally friendly or green packaging attracts the attention of the consumer and is a good medium of promotion.

Negative Effects

• Improper disposal of biodegradable packaging material in landfills compounds waste management problems. It cannot decompose in landfills as they get cut off from air and sun. Thus, the problem remains the same.

  Large agricultural farms are used to produce the corn (major contributor to biodegradable material) for manufacturing biodegradable packaging. This means huge amounts of fertilizers and pesticides are used to grow the crop.

  It displaces food crops.

  Increased use of agricultural crops could lead to increasing prices in the market.

  Many of these types of packaging are vulnerable to water. If they become wet during transportation or use, they will deteriorate, affecting the packaged products.

  When mixed with plastic meant for recycling, it can hamper the recycling procedure.

  Most are not reusable.

  Manufacturing of biodegradable packaging may end up using more resources than for conventional packaging.

Green Option

• Biodegradable packaging material is a green option only when used and disposed of properly. If disposed in composts, it can prove to be a great option Not only will it help reduce waste accumulation, but it will also provide organic manure for gardens or even agricultural crops.