Are biodegradable products really good for the planet?  Turns out biodegradable single-use products aren’t really as good for the planet as you might think. Here is why – 

1. These biodegradable single-use products such as bottles, straws, and bags can’t degrade under normal conditions. To biodegrade properly, these products need highly controlled environments which don’t happen in reality. So, it’s crucial for us to learn about the time and conditions needed for these materials to break down so we can make better buying decisions. 

2. Some of these products such as bottles and cans often contain plastic lining or chemicals that are unable to naturally degrade.

3. Studies have found that degradation of bio-plastics in the guts of sea turtles is no different than plastic. These end up as litter and are potentially deadly food for ocean animals such as fish, seabirds, whales, turtles etc. 

4. Most often these products end up in our landfills and contribute to releasing greenhouse gas emissions into our environment.

5. These products are single use and aren’t renewable so they use up resources and natural raw materials from corn starch to bamboo.

Just because something is made from plants and are plant-based plastics, doesn’t mean they are good for the environment or our planet. The better solution is to say no to all kinds of single-use products including the biodegradable ones. This includes – biodegradable bottles, biodegradable containers, biodegradable plastic bags, and biodegradable straws.

If you think paper and bamboo based products are better, think again.  Paper-based products such as paper bags might lead to deforestation, and bamboo straws to carbon footprint since it has to go through all that transportation.

The best thing to do is go for reusable natural options – Cloth bags like cotton or jute, glass or steel bottles, steel or glass straws, etc.