this post was submitted on 15 Jul 2023
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[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

compostable or biodegradable plastics will no longer be allowed to be sold

This is needed both in the short and long term

If you hate biodegradable and compostable things, you're the baddie. The math seems solid.

[–] giantshortfacedbear@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I'm mean, they are better than the non-degradable plastics, but it's not like they breakdown remotely fast. Those products are more greenwash, [airquotes] biodegradable

[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 year ago

it’s not like they [break down] remotely fast

Okay, I'm hitting the (qualified) opinion pieces and I'm seeing the issues like the microplastic intermediate stage and the low 'success' rate of plastic breaking down after a 6 month period (which I'm assuming isn't arbitrary).

You've forced me to learn, dammit. Thanks (Thanks; I hate it?)

[–] heyheyitsbrent@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 year ago

I often re-use the biodegradable bags for garbage, and half the time they're disintegrating before the bag's even full.

[–] CanadianCorhen@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

A lot of biodegradable plastics are only biodegradable in industrial composting facilities, so while better than non-biodegradable plastic, it's not a good solution.

[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Perfect is indeed the enemy of adequate.

[–] CanadianCorhen@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yea, but I think compostable plastic is closer to damaging than helpful, since it's so hard to actually compost very little.of it will ever be.

[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)

it’s so hard to actually compost [and] very little[ ]of it will ever be.

I'm not seeing the difficulty angle on the composting, but I'm learning the labeling on them is both confusing and not-really-regulated (that I've yet seen); and not really validated either way, it seems. Bloody big tip-off that it's shite greenwashing. Argh.

If 90% of the carbon in the test materials had disappeared within six months it was considered compostable.

The results showed there was no specification that was reliably home compostable

bah. Zero fun.

So to make terms like 'biodegradable' or 'compostable' even remotely valuable as terms for packaging, we need inspectors and testers confirming them. Having gone through a series of halfwit governments run by 'small government' platforms (the 'small' is when they shed oversight and safety inspectors, naturally, so their lobbyists can further victimize people for profit), I think we're a long way off.

I'm learning, and I'm correcting my opinions as we go. Thanks for catalyzing that.

[–] CanadianCorhen@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 year ago

Yea, if compostable plastics were compostable at home, I would be all in favor of them!

[–] CanadianCorhen@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 year ago

This is kind of why I'm against bio-degradable plastics: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/dog-poop-bag-on-trails-fredericton-1.6906054

People think they will naturally compost so they just throw them off the trail, and then they don't break down!