Biobased, biodegradable polymers may not be as eco-friendly as you think
“Biobased” and “biodegradable” are terms that are bandied about universally when discussing solutions to the proliferation of polymer waste, according to Ramani Narayan, distinguished professor at Michigan State University.
But both terms are useless unless people understand what they mean and how they work scientifically, Narayan told his audience in his keynote speech at the International Elastomer Conference in Cleveland Oct. 8.
“It is wrong, misleading and deceptive to use ‘biodegradable’ in an unqualified way,” Narayan said. In fact, careless use of the term in advertising is forbidden by the Federal Trade Commission and the State of California.
This is why Biogone always refers to its biodegradable products as Landfill-Biodegradable. This informs the user of where the product has to go for it to biodegrade or if it does not go there it will not biodegrade. It is very important that the consumer understands this.
