People looking to avoid single-use plastic are increasingly turning to items labeled “compostable” but environmental groups warn they may not be as green as consumers think.
Darby Hoover, senior resource specialist for the Natural Resources Defense Council, said the “compostable” label does not guarantee a product is free of toxic chemicals. She pointed out many compostable single-use plastics still contain the same chemical additives found in fossil fuel-based plastics, including substances which could be detrimental to human health.
“It’s what we add to those plastics to make them more durable, to make them more flexible,” Hoover explained. “Those particular additives are the same no matter what the feedstock for the plastic is and those are the additives we see that have the toxic concerns associated with them.”
Hoover argued products considered compostable should not be made of fossil fuel derived plastic but rather from renewable sources such as hemp, seaweed or agricultural waste. She stressed they should also be 100% free of toxic chemicals, which would help ensure the materials return nutrients to the soil without contributing to environmental harm.
Hoover noted potential health consequences for communities living near landfills and incinerators where many of these products end up. Both release harmful greenhouse gases and dangerous pollutants into surrounding areas. Hoover added it is often minority, low-income communities paying the price.
“Moving from non-renewable fossil fuel material to renewable bio-based material is a start," Hoover acknowledged. "But we also need to do the research to say, 'What kinds of additives could we use that don’t create these concerns for health and the environment?'”
