What are Sustainable Plastics?

Sustainability means using resources that we can continue on using in the long-term and without causing irreversible harm to the environment. 

Our plastic use is clearly unsustainable. Traditional plastics are made from non-renewable fossil fuels, such as oil and natural gas. Plastic released into the environment causes untold and irreversible harm to human health and ecosystems. The life cycle of plastic is also responsible for 3.4% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Is it possible then to make plastics sustainable?

Many potential ‘sustainable’ plastics solutions have been developed. These include bio-based plastics, biodegradable plastics and improved recycling techniques and collections. 

Bio-based plastics are made from biomass e.g. sugar cane or other crops, and so are potentially more sustainable. Alternatively, biodegradable plastics can be broken down into safe by-products, potentially reducing plastic pollution. Recycling collections and techniques have also been advanced to improve waste management.

However, many of these solutions have developed in isolation and may have unintended environmental, social and economic consequences to the rest of the plastics life cycle. Any sustainable plastics solution needs to be developed with an awareness of how it impacts each part of this cycle. 

Importantly, technological solutions alone are not enough to create a sustainable plastics system. With plastic production set to triple by 2060, a drastic reduction in plastic production is required. This means holding corporations to account, introducing effective plastics legislation and encouraging consumer behaviour change (reduce, reuse).