Is Biodegradability a Solution to Plastic Waste Pollution in the Ocean and on Land?

ACS Webinars

Marine biodegradable straws and products, biodegradable in landfill, oxo-biodegradable are headlines in print, TV, and E-media. Journal articles report findings of macro-organisms like meal worms and wax moth as solutions for plastic waste management. Furthermore, biodegradability in closed loop managed disposal systems like composting using certified compostable plastics offer an environmentally responsible end-of-life to plastics waste. However, “biodegradable” has become a much misused and hyped term with many misleading claims in the marketplace. 

Join Ramani Narayan, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at Michigan State University, to discover the science of biodegradability and compostability, as well as identify facts vs. hype so that you can ask the right questions.

What You Will Learn

  • The science of biodegradability-compostability and its use for environmentally responsible plastics waste management. Learn to recognize false and misleading “biodegradable product claims” 
  • What does the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, the State of California, NGO’s like the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Ocean Conservancy, the European Union Packaging Directives, and United Nations Environmental Program have to say on the subject 
  • Learn how certified and fully biodegradable-compostable plastics in conjunction with food and paper wastes work – exemplars: members of the Green Sports Alliance comprising major league teams, University & office campuses become zero-waste generators 

Co-Producer

The Fine Print

ACS Webinars® does not endorse any products or services. The views expressed in this presentation are those of the presenters and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the American Chemical Society.

Meet the Experts

Ramani Narayan
Michigan State University

Mark Jones
The Dow Chemical Company

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