| Biodegradable Label Less Eco-Friendly Than It Promises | |
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In an attempt to reduce pollution and the amount of waste going into limited landfill space, the country has started to buy into a newly developed form of plastic that rapidly degrades, known as oxo-biodegradable plastic. However, these plastics have come under fire by environmentalists because, contrary to how they are marketed, they are not truly biodegradable. Lack of environmental regulation means that labelling can be misleading and consumers don’t necessarily get what they are promised. South Africa does not have a certification system in place which distinguishes between degradable and biodegradable plastics. Oxo-biodegradable plastic is, like other plastics, petroleum-based, with an added chemical which breaks up the product into tiny little pieces. As a result, these plastics don't take up space in landfills but they produce toxic dust that pollutes the environment and is known to be detrimental to human health. "[The South African government is] far too quick to allow companies to release products without any sort of oversight," lamented Muna Lakhani, national coordinator of Durban-based Institute for Zero Waste in Africa. "The number of new chemical products released every year, with zero requirements for environmental, social and health impact assessment, is of great concern." There is no regulatory framework in South Africa to force companies to provide independent health assessments, for instance. "Legislation tends to kick in only when harm is done, so there is no application of the precautionary principle," says Lakhani. Last year, British manufacturer Symphony Environmental Technologies clinched a deal to supply plastic packaging to Albany Bakeries, a subsidiary of South African food giant Tiger Brands. It claims its packaging contains an added chemical compound that causes the plastic to degrade in less than six months, leaving behind no fragments or harmful residues. However, environmental experts say this is not good enough to be rated biodegradable. "To be beneficial to the environment, a polymer [plastic] should disappear completely. In biodegradation this means a natural conversion to CO2 and water," explained Bruno de Wilde, lab manager at Organic Waste Systems (OWS), a Belgium consulting company that tests and certifies the biodegradability of consumer products and packaging. Another problem with oxo-biodegradable plastics is that they can only be safely and successfully recycled if they are captured into the recycling stream within a few days of use. Article Continues: http://www.ipsnews.net/africa/nota.asp?idnews=46512
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South Africans buying products with "biodegradable" plastic packaging are often duped by companies eager to profit from the current trend towards environmentally-conscious consumerism. While the plastics do break up into small pieces, they remain toxic and potentially dangerous to human health.
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