The main problem with biodegradable plastics is that they have an inherent "expiry date", the countdown to which begins basically upon manufacturing. Product which could be stored for an unexpectedly long time may start degrading too early and thus become prematurely unusable. Trying to avoid waste myself, I've had a few times where I reused plastic bags which were biodegradable, without being too aware of it, and had some bad surprises when they functioned exactly as designed and disintegrated at the worst of times.

Personally, I'm not a fan of biodegradables --- they seem to be a way for the manufacturers to keep making things which don't last as long, a sort of forced obolescence, under the guise of being "green". Also, overall it probably takes more energy to produce these materials than recycling existing plastics.

That's a good point I hadn't considered. I was referring more specifically to really temporary storage. For instance, those baby spinach containers are usually made of bioplastics because the contents expire rapidly no matter your intentions. There are often other vegetable or grocery-shelf products that might not have long shelf-lives or delayed uses that could utilize the plastics.

Surely we could divide the products into long-life and short-life? I'm speaking mainly to food products here. I don't see the immediate need to eradicate all plastics from use! I regularly keep my grocery plastic bags and reuse them time and time again. I should have been more specific!

That said, it looks like the costs required to manufacture bioplastics are reducing[0]. The problem with non-bioplastics being that many of the refuse that people don't properly recycle will be here maybe long after you and me, or we can just punt it on down the generational-line, but as we've been witness to more recently that doesn't seem to be a great strategy.

---

[0] https://phys.org/news/2015-07-biodegradable-plastic-cheaper-...

That leaves two necessary improvements:

1. Decreasing the loudness and crunchiness of the sound, and

2. Controlling the biodegradability of the material.

> Also, overall it probably takes more energy to produce these materials than recycling existing plastics.

Are you taking into account the future cost of de-plasticking oceans, rivers, streams, and other contaminated sites? That should be included too. Deferred costs are still costs.

If the product is explicitly marketed not to last I see no problem with it. I prefer buying food without excess preservatives, for example.