08/11/2021
Definition
When exposed to light, air, moisture and microbes, biodegradable materials break down to natural elements that are found in nature.
While all materials technically are biodegradable, many petroleum-based plastics take tens of thousands of years to do so and leave toxins in the surrounding soil. ‘Biodegradable’ products should biodegrade within a single generation, and leave nothing but water, carbon dioxide, naturally occurring minerals and biomass behind.
Materials are either 100% biodegradable or they are not. Terms like ‘x% biodegradable’ and ‘part-biodegradable’ are half-truths [1] , as the product will leave behind materials that don’t break down in a natural environment.
The core principle of compostability is to leave soil enriched by the composting of a material. While similar, biodegradation and compostability are not the same, as correct biodegradation adds no nutrients, but also does no harm to the soil.
