The European Commission is working on a new soil health law, and the European Bioplastics Association lobbied for compostable plastics to be taken into account.
The European Commission (EC) is currently working on a new EU soil health law that aims to clarify the conditions for soil health and soil restoration. Soil is a vital non-renewable resource that plays a central role in our lives by providing healthy food and sustainable materials for a growing world population.
The European Bioplastics Association believes that it is crucial that new laws take into account and support the importance of compostable plastics. They can bring multiple benefits to composting and organic waste management.
1、Convenient collection of food waste
Compostable plastic bags help separate and collect biowaste and also recycle food scraps attached to packaging that would be discarded if the packaging was sifted out of the waste stream. They also reduce the contamination of compost by traditional plastics, reduce the moisture content and increase the swelling effect, which is useful when composting food waste.
2、Beneficial to industrial composting and home composting
The value of industrial compostable plastics (certified according to the harmonized European standard EN 13432) is that they can be recycled organically as an additional waste disposal option and provide a more efficient method for separate collection of household food waste. A perfect example is compostable plastics in Italy, where compostable packaging is widely supported and used. 80% of household kitchen waste was recycled separately in 2018.
3、It helps to reduce microplastics
By improving the separate collection of organic waste, industrially compostable plastics also help reduce the contamination of biowaste by conventional plastics and ultimately reduce microplastics in fossil-based polymers in compost. Because biodegradable polymers do not break down into permanent secondary microplastics when they degrade, microorganisms capable of metabolizing these polymers are present in most natural environments. Thus, biodegradable plastics help to minimize the environmental impact and reduce the accumulation of microplastic particles in different environments.
4、Biodegradable mulch does not accumulate in the soil
Soil biodegradable mulch is a good example of an industrial use of biodegradable plastics. They have been on the market for many years and play a vital role in modern agriculture as they help increase yields, improve crop quality, enhance weed control and reduce water irrigation and pesticides. Compared to conventional (PE) plastic mulch, soil biodegradable mulch is completely biodegradable in less than two years and does not accumulate in the soil. The advantages over conventional mulch have also been recognized by the United Nations. Soil health is also protected by a strict certification process. The European standard EN 17033 sets clear requirements for the biodegradability of mulch used in agriculture and horticulture.
5、Help to reduce carbon
In developing a new soil health law, the European Commission should also consider that organic recycling generates carbon sinks. Some of the carbon stored in bio-waste converted to compost through organic recycling can be converted to a very stable form and retained in the soil for decades. As industrially compostable plastics help send more biowaste for organic recycling, they help create carbon sinks and contribute to CO2 reduction.
EUBPA's recommendations for the planned EU soil health law.
Recognize the link between the health, quality and resilience of our soils and the quality and efficiency of waste management, particularly the ways in which improved biological waste management can simultaneously benefit our soils.
Recognize the contribution of certified compostables in improving the quality and quantity of separately collected biowaste to produce high quality compost.
The role of certified compostable plastics in reducing contamination from captured biological waste and composting with conventional plastic debris.
The contribution of certified soil biodegradable plastics in protecting crops and soils while reducing the production and accumulation of microplastics in soil and other habitats.
Recognize the significant contribution of composting to Europe's ambition to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.
