The bioplastics market is experiencing strong growth. However, the lack of a clear understanding of technical terms by the general public, and sometimes even by manufacturers, creates fertile ground for greenwashing.
Greenwashing involves misleading consumers or users about a product’s environmental performance, often by making vague or uncertified claims.
At NaturePlast, our role is to clarify these concepts to enable objective material choices.
Some clarifications on the terms used:
Biobased: Partially or entirely derived from biomass (primarily plant-based, but may also be animal-based).
Biodegradable: The material can be broken down by microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, algae) in a given environment and under standardised conditions. Please note that this does not mean that the object can be thrown away in the natural environment and that it will biodegrade. Specific conditions applicable to each material must be respected.
Biobased does not mean biodegradable, and vice versa.
Transparency and scientific evidence are needed to combat greenwashing.
- Require certifications: Any claim of biodegradability or compostability must be based on tests carried out in accordance with recognised standards (EN 13432, NF 51800) or validated by independent certification bodies issuing labels (OK, Compost, OK Biodegradable, etc.).
- Adopting Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): A comprehensive approach is not limited to the origin of the material. LCA assesses the impact of a product throughout its entire life cycle, from resource extraction to end of life.
At NaturePlast, we provide transparent support for your material choices and related communication.
This involves:
- Custom Formulation: we formulate and produce custom compounds and biocomposites according to precise specifications (using different polymer matrices that may be bio-based, biodegradable, recycled or virgin) in order to optimise technical characteristics while ensuring the appropriate end-of-life solution.
- Valorisation of by-products: We incorporate by-products into our biocomposites in order to work towards circular solutions. This is an application of the circular economy.
- Education and compliance: We support and train our partners and customers to help them understand the technical and regulatory implications (PPWR coming soon) and the impacts of their material choices.