Re: bioplastics...
Posted by Southern Man on Jul 12, 2002 at 10:28
(209.102.131.139)Re: bioplastics... (anyman)
This seems old news (I know you said it's not an entirely new concept). We had a law enacted more than 10 years ago that demanded we use only biodegradable plastic sacks for lawn refuse. The sacks were certainly degradable in that they fell apart in a few weeks if left out in the sun. Just left in the open on a shelf would cause them to disintegrate in a month or so. They weren't very strong so we had to use dozens to contain what a couple of paper bags would have contained. But then the composters started complaining. Turns out that if you buried them so they didn't get any air or sunlight they lasted as long as any other plastic bag. The leaves wouldn't compost in all that plastic.
http://www.kycorn.org/newcornuses/plaabc.html
Now we must use paper or specially labeled trash cans. Eventually common sense CAN overcome environmental correctness. :)