Bioplastics from renewable resources offer the intrinsic value proposition of a carbon neutral footprint and in complete harmony with the natural biological carbon cycle. This presentation explains the fundamental principles on which this is based. To be classified as “bio” or biobased, the bioplastic or bioproduct must be organic and contain recently fixed (new) carbon from annually renewable resources. Identification and quantification of bio (biobased) content is based on the radioactive C-14 signature associated with (new) bio carbon and is measured as the percent weight of bio carbon to the total organic carbon present in the product. This approach has been codified in ASTM standard D6866, and forms the basis of U.S. Federal law mandating the procurement of biobased products. This presentation explains the principles of this test method, and provides examples of the experimental and theoretical calculations. However, one has to be careful that the intrinsic value proposition of a zero carbon footprint in using bio/renewable feedstocks is not negated during the conversion to product and ultimate use and disposal. This presentation reviews how to compute a product’s carbon and environmental footprint using LCA (life cycle assessment) tools and illustrate it with starch foam and poly(lactic acid) products as examples.

Biobased and biodegradability are not the same -- not all biboased products are biodegradable, and not all biodegradable products are biobased. Complete biodegradability in conjunction with disposal systems like composting, anaerobic digestors provides an ecologically sound end-of-life option by ensuing complete removal of the product from the environment through the microbial food chain. However it is very important to ensure that any degraded fragments generated are completely consumed by the microorganisms within a short time in the specified disposal environment, otherwise there are serious environmental and health consequences.