Bioplastics have seen significant adoption by the global public, resulting in higher production rates and subsequent waste generation.

The Problem

Most end-of-life bioplastics enter organic waste streams destined for anaerobic digestion or composting facilities. Penetration of bioplastics into established plastic recycling streams is also expected to increase as bioplastics become more prevalent. The influx of bioplastics in these settings causes processing problems which incur significant financial costs to waste processing facilities and raises environmental concerns about the overall sustainability of the bioplastic life-cycle. Better suited and more efficient waste management technologies are urgently needed for end-of-life bioplastics.