December 17, 2024 – As environmental awareness rises, the issue of plastic waste has become increasingly prominent, making the search for sustainable bio-based alternatives to traditional plastics a top priority. A recent research report released by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) highlights the challenges posed by unclear disposal labels for the widespread adoption of bioplastics.
Australia’s annual consumption of bioplastics stands at approximately 20,000 tonnes, accounting for just 1% of the total plastic usage. Notably, a significant portion of these bioplastics is imported, with polylactic acid (PLA) mainly sourced from Thailand and bio-polyethylene (BioPE) largely imported from Brazil. While PLA is widely used in packaging applications in Australia, most of these materials end up in landfills, underscoring the urgent need for improved waste management and recycling infrastructure.
According to industry sources, polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are showing immense commercial potential in the single-use product sector due to their ability to decompose in various environments. Bioplastics are also gradually replacing traditional plastics in horticulture, agriculture, and biomedical applications, such as using biodegradable films to aid agricultural production. In the food industry, compostable bioplastic polymers are shining, particularly in cutlery, cups, coffee cup lids, and water-resistant coatings for paper cups, with an estimated 8,000 tonnes of PLA used annually for these purposes. Additionally, FOGO (food organics and garden organics) kitchen shopping bags are increasingly being made from compostable bioplastics.
In the agricultural sector, bioplastic materials have equally wide applications, especially in the form of mulching films. A survey reveals that the industry consumes about 7,300 tonnes of bioplastics annually, with 6,100 tonnes being plant-based starch and the remaining 1,200 tonnes a blend of PLA, PBAT, and starch, complicating the accurate calculation of actual PLA usage in the sector. Furthermore, bioplastics are making their mark in 3D printing and biomedical fields, although consumption in these areas remains relatively low, resulting in limited data for Australia.