PLASTIC OR BIOPLASTIC?
Bioplastic, according to the definition given by the European Bioplastics association, is made up of materials and artifacts, from renewable sources and also of fossil origin, which have the characteristic of being biodegradable and compostable. What is the difference between these two terms? A material is said to be biodegradable when it can be broken down into simple organic molecules (water, carbon dioxide, methane) by 90% within 6 months. On the other hand, a material is compostable when, in addition to breaking down into simple organic molecules, it decomposes into compost (natural fertilizer) by 90% within 3 months.
Having clarified this basic concepts, let us now analyze how bioplastics are obtained, trying to focus also on their current diffusion. For the realization of biodegradable plastic, two fundamental elements are necessary: large quantities of water for specific plantations (such as hemp) and large plots of land, to the detriment of wheat, barley or cereals, going further to fuel the process of deforestation, which is already highly compromising on an environmental level.
Today, environmental awareness can be increased through separate waste collection, but acting already at the source, thinking about production in the long term and designing objects and tools whose parts can be easily separated at the end of their life.
Plastic, if used to produce long-lasting objects, is a precious material and absolutely eco-compatible. Bioplastics will probably gain a good share of the market and Panozzo S.r.l. is ready to face the change, but the solution to the environmental problem is not the demonization of plastic and the consecration of bioplastics, but rather the use that the end users make of the products. As far as we are concerned as a company, we are committed to developing cutting-edge products, thinking about the forseeable future and not just about the here and now. This is the real eco-compatible solution.
