Biodegradable products 'harm environment' during disposal

‘Biodegradable materials, such as disposable cups and utensils, are broken down in landfills by micro-organisms that then produce methane,’ said Prof Morton Barlaz, head of NC State’s Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering. ‘Methane can be a valuable energy source when captured, but is a potent greenhouse gas when released into the atmosphere.’

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that only about 35 per cent of municipal solid waste goes to landfills that capture methane for energy use. The EPA predicts that another 34 per cent of landfills capture methane and burn it off on site, while 31 per cent allow the methane to escape.

‘In other words, biodegradable products are not necessarily more environmentally friendly when disposed of in landfill,’ said Barlaz.

The problem may be exacerbated by the rate at which these man-made biodegradable materials break down. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines call for products marked as ‘biodegradable’ to decompose within ‘a reasonably short period of time’ after disposal.