For solving these problems
③Use of biodegradable plastic
Should we change all plastics into biodegradable ones?
Because biodegradable plastics have the nature of being separated into carbon dioxide and water at last, some people think that if it’s possible, all plastics should be made of biodegradable materials. However, our group has concluded that we don’t have to convert everything into biodegradable plastic.
The point of whether we should use biodegradable plastic or not is divided into below two things.
1.Does the application need to require durability?
2.Has it been able to be collected?
Figure 1． The point of whether we should use biodegradable plastic or not MCreated based on Mitsubishi Research Institute, Inc. "Problems and Future Prospects of Biodegradable Plastics"
For example, personal computers and home appliances require durability, and plastics mustn’t be decomposed, must it? For such products, we should use conventional plastics. Currently, PCs and home appliances are collected, so it would be desirable to continue proper collection.
On the other hand, for the applications that don’t require durability and can’t be recovered after use, the replacement into biodegradable plastics should be promoted. The products that don’t go through the waste disposal process such as fishing lines and fishing nets, and that flow into the sea as they are need to be replaced with biodegradable plastics. Also, the applications that don’t require durability, but can be recovered at present, have the advantage of replacing with biodegradable. One example is agricultural multi-film. If agricultural multi-films are replaced with biodegradable ones, the labor for collecting them would be reduced and the waste of plastic products can be reduced. In other words, it is desirable to promote the use of biodegradable plastics for applications that have the merit of using biodegradable plastics, and to collect and dispose of them properly for other applications.
Because biodegradable plastics have the nature of being separated into carbon dioxide and water at last, some people think that if it’s possible, all plastics should be made of biodegradable materials. However, our group has concluded that we don’t have to convert everything into biodegradable plastic.
The point of whether we should use biodegradable plastic or not is divided into below two things.
2.Has it been able to be collected?
On the other hand, for the applications that don’t require durability and can’t be recovered after use, the replacement into biodegradable plastics should be promoted. The products that don’t go through the waste disposal process such as fishing lines and fishing nets, and that flow into the sea as they are need to be replaced with biodegradable plastics. Also, the applications that don’t require durability, but can be recovered at present, have the advantage of replacing with biodegradable. One example is agricultural multi-film. If agricultural multi-films are replaced with biodegradable ones, the labor for collecting them would be reduced and the waste of plastic products can be reduced. In other words, it is desirable to promote the use of biodegradable plastics for applications that have the merit of using biodegradable plastics, and to collect and dispose of them properly for other applications.