Compostable plastic is a material marketed as a more sustainable alternative to conventional plastic, and is increasingly used for foodware, bin liners, and packaging. Despite being designed to break down under controlled industrial composting conditions, the compostable plastic materials that are currently available create significant challenges for composting systems and rarely deliver promised environmental benefits. And even though these “compostable” products consist largely of plant-based materials (from corn or sugarcane), some are derived from fossil fuels, and most still contain plastic additives derived from petroleum-based materials.
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