Biodegradable this, biodegradable that. What does it mean? It’s a stupid question, really.

So, I had to look it up because nothing is ever as simple as it seems. The textbook definition of biodegradable is something that can be broken down by bacteria, fungi and other organisms, thus avoiding pollution. 

That is all for today. Thanks for joining this blog, have a great day!

I am only joking – this is just the beginning. A pressing issue that was touched on in our previous blog, The Cost of Green, is that slapping an eco-friendly or biodegradable label on a product is becoming quite common.

The truth about the label is – it’s not a lie – but it can be misleading. A perfect juxtaposition of truth and deception.

By now, you might know how much I love my analogies, so here’s another one for you. If I said that planting a single seed would transform your backyard into a flourishing garden overnight ... Technically, yes, the seed is the starting point of growth, but a thriving garden requires time, proper care and the right conditions. Am I lying to you? No. But am I misleading you? Absolutely.

And that is the issue with biodegradable labels.

The problem with the definition of ‘biodegradable’

The definition of ‘biodegradable’ omits two crucial elements: time and controlled conditions. You’ll soon see why the term is arguably meaningless without these two factors.

The time factor 

Being biodegradable doesn’t mean something will disappear overnight. Similarly to load-shedding, it could take days, months, years, or even decades to fully disappear!

Take a biodegradable plastic bag, for example. According to BBC Science Focus it would take 3 to 6 months to degrade, while Biogone suggests that it could take tens of years. Neither statement is necessarily wrong, as it is dependent on the conditions of the landfill and the composition of materials used to make up the biodegradable plastic.

Yet, it begs the question, should we still consider something biodegradable if it takes decades to degrade? 

Controlled conditions: Industrial vs. natural biodegrading

Controlled conditions are an important part of life. If you’re sick, it doesn’t help to sit outside in the rain. If you’re tired, don’t try to sleep at a music festival (unless music puts you to sleep). Point being, most things need controlled conditions – just like biodegradable products. 

Depending on the material composition, biodegradable products will go through one of two processes:

1. Industrial biodegradation: This refers to items that need high heat, moisture and specific bacteria to break down, such as compostable plastics. These materials won’t degrade properly in a home compost bin or landfill. 

2. Natural biodegradation: This applies to materials like food scraps or paper, which can decompose in a backyard compost heap without special conditions. 

So, at the end of the day, if you aren’t careful about checking what kind of plastic your biodegradable plastic bag is made of, it could end up outliving you in that compost pile.

If you can’t trust the label, what can you trust?

It’s not that we can't trust labels, but rather that we need to remember that marketing can 'colour outside the lines’ in a way that misleads us. Ultimately, it's up to us to draw our own conclusions, and unfortunately, brands are well aware of this. But don’t worry – here’s what you can do:

• Material transparency:  Evolve Biodegradable – biodegradable is right there in our name. So, are all Evolve Biodegradable’s products biodegradable? Yes, every one of our products is biodegradable. However, not all of our packaging is. Some items come in paper-based packaging. For others, we’ve opted for plastic over glass, as it's more durable, reusable and has a significantly lower carbon footprint during manufacturing. The way we see it, plastic isn’t all doom and gloom – well, single-use plastic is – but plastic can be useful. We just have to be careful about how we dispose of it (or better yet, try to reuse it). How does Evolve Biodegradable approach packaging, responsibly? We clearly label the type of plastic used in our products, prioritising PET or HDPE, which are recyclable with plastics. Not all plastics are recyclable, so be sure to have a look! (PS. Stay tuned for our upcoming laundry detergent – no plastic involved!)

• Repurposing: Our philosophy is simple: Reduce, Refill, Reuse. If you're unsure about the biodegradability of a product, don’t recycle it. Recycling should always be the last resort. Instead, tap into your inner creativity and repurpose! Think plant pots, propagation bottles, or herb and spice containers. How about a weirdly shaped lunchbox? Let your imagination run wild – get it? Wild?

• Recycling: So, you've turned 20 plastic containers into lunch boxes, 50 into watering cans and 80 into plant pots, but now you're stuck with that one bottle that you have no use for. It's time to recycle (cue dramatic music). While Evolve Biodegradable’s plastics are accepted in recycling programmes, not all of plastics are. A quick Google search can make all the difference. Knowledge is literally right at our fingertips – let's use it!

'What happens if I recycle a plant-based bottle or a biodegradable bottle because I thought it was PET plastic?' 

Great question.

Firstly, it is easy to get mixed up – bottles are designed to look like PET plastic. PET plastic has to go to commercial composting facilities, but if you were to accidentally throw a non-PET bottle into recycling, it could end up in a PET stream. There, it cannot be recycled due to different melting points and could contaminate the whole batch – meaning it will all be thrown away. And if it ends up in a landfill? Well, it might not degrade at all. 

If a bottle is marked as PLA or compostable, make sure to not put it in the recycling bin , but rather throw it in a normal trash bin or take it to a commercial composting facility. 

The term ‘biodegradable’ shouldn’t have a negative connotation, but with misleading news, marketing tricks and a lack of transparency, it's easy for consumers to fall for the 'eco-friendly' image that some brands try to sell. 

So, remember, just because it says ‘green,’ doesn't mean it won't leave the environment feeling blue!