Plastic waste is choking our planet -- polluting the air, water, and soil both people and wildlife depend on. Ninety-nine percent of new plastics are made from fossil fuels. This means, from the moment plastics are made, they are contributing to climate change and habitat degradation. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
We must reimagine the lifecycle of plastic. This means reducing plastic use and responsibly managing the plastic we have. We must create a system that is much more circular than today’s, so that we can do more with less and demand less from our planet.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Although we still require some new plastic to meet our most critical needs – from keeping our foods fresh to our medications safe, we don’t need to make this plastic from fossil fuels. Plastic made from plants holds the potential to be more sustainable. However, plant-based plastic must be thoughtfully designed to build environmental, social, and economic resilience across ecosystems and communities.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Convened by WWF, the Bioplastic Feedstock Alliance (BFA) brings a science-based perspective to the sourcing of plant-based plastics and their role in circular systems, ensuring that any shift to plant-based inputs brings lasting value to nature and people.<\/p>","related_publication":["73","74","75","76"],"related_link_name":[null],"related_link_url":[null],"related_bioplastic101":["6","7","8"],"cite_note":null,"cite_note_desc":null,"author":null,"status":1,"position":1,"created_at":"2023-02-13T21:56:07.000000Z","updated_at":"2024-10-24T18:42:14.000000Z","deleted_at":null},{"id":6,"title":"Feedstocks & Responsible Sourcing","slug":"feedstocks-responsible-sourcing","intro":"Learn about sourcing biobased plastic feedstocks.","description":"Biobased feedstocks must be responsibly sourced to ensure they benefit the planet, the economy, and people. Assessing the potential trade-offs between environmental, economic, and social factors is critical for success.","thumbnail":"1678199723-Feedstocks and Responsible Sourcing.png","content":"
Many factors contribute to the performance of a biobased feedstock. Taking a holistic view of feedstock cultivation is critical for success, including assessing tradeoffs between environmental, social, and economic factors. To put these impacts in perspective, BFA has developed a set of criteria to identify optimal biobased plastic feedstocks.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
BFA defines an optimal biobased plastic feedstock as one that: <\/p>\r\n\r\n
Biobased feedstocks are generally divided into first generation (traditional agricultural crops), second generation (cellulosic crops, residue, and waste products), and third generation (non-traditional organisms like algae). However, feedstocks should be evaluated, not just by their 'generation' classification, but by their impacts on our planet and its people. BFA is feedstock neutral – we evaluate the environmental and social impacts of various feedstocks according to an objective set of criteria. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
There is no list of “sustainable” or “non-sustainable” feedstocks; any such list would fail to account for important variation in production practices and regional differences. Instead, feedstocks should be evaluated using consistent and comprehensive performance criteria, and their production should be monitored for continuous improvement. See BFA’s Methodology<\/a> for further information.<\/p>","related_publication":["64","70","72","78"],"related_link_name":[null],"related_link_url":[null],"related_bioplastic101":["10","11","12"],"cite_note":null,"cite_note_desc":null,"author":null,"status":1,"position":2,"created_at":"2023-01-23T03:12:34.000000Z","updated_at":"2025-03-07T20:37:46.000000Z","deleted_at":null},{"id":7,"title":"Biobased vs. Biodegradable","slug":"biobased-vs-biodegradable","intro":"Learn the difference between biobased and biodegradable.","description":"Biobased, biodegradable and compostable plastics are three separate materials, differing in both structure and function. Each material offers unique benefits for sustainability, however only if the correct enabling conditions are met.","thumbnail":"1678199736-Biobased vs. Biodegradable.png","content":" While 99% of new plastic production today derives from fossil fuels, BFA focuses on plastics made from plants. These are known as biobased plastics.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Biobased plastics offer all the valuable properties of conventional plastics, but are made from renewable materials. When sourced responsibly<\/a>, they offer a more sustainable alternative to plastics made from fossil fuels. <\/p>\r\n\r\n As a society, our continued reliance on oil, natural gas, and coal has serious and lasting consequences for both human health and the health of the environment. Fossil resource extraction leads to greenhouse gas emissions and resource depletion – until we break our dependence on fossil fuels, these negative impacts will continue to be a problem.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Biobased plastic represent an opportunity for positive change. We must ensure they are sourced responsibly, using principles that prioritize stewardship of natural resources and build resilience for nature and communities<\/a>. Only then can we begin to realize and explore the full potential of biobased plastic. <\/p>\r\n\r\n Biobased does not mean biodegradable. Whether a material is biodegradable, compostable, or neither is determined by its chemical structure, not the origin of the material from which it is made. Both fossil-based and biobased plastics can be biodegradable or compostable, depending on their specific structure. <\/p>\r\n\r\n Many biobased plastics are structurally identical to their common, fossil-based counterparts. These plastics, known as ‘drop-ins’, are therefore neither compostable nor biodegradable, and should be recycled in existing recycling systems. The sustainability benefits of drop-in biobased plastics occur at the beginning of the material life cycle.<\/p>\r\n\r\n While biodegradable plastic can be valuable in specific situations, it is not a solution to litter or marine debris. Natural conditions can be highly variable, thus impacting a material’s ability to biodegrade in a timely manner. Without a guaranteed timeframe to degrade, these materials will have the same negative environmental impacts on the environment as non-biodegradable plastic. This includes polluting habitats or harming wildlife through ingestion and entanglement.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Biodegradability does not support circularity unless biodegradable materials are recovered and processed by a system that can recapture their value. No plastic belongs in nature; compostability and biodegradability are only valuable when proper infrastructure and sufficient collection and recovery efforts can ensure these materials remain in the material management system, for example, through industrial composting or anaerobic digestion.<\/p>\r\n\r\n While both biodegradable and compostable plastics can break down over time, there are important differences between the two materials. Biodegradable plastic has the ability to break down completely within a reasonable time frame, but only if it encounters the correct enabling environmental conditions. Since nature does not have controlled conditions, it can never be guaranteed that biodegradable plastic will actually biodegrade as intended. <\/p>\r\n\r\n Compostable plastic, by contrast, is specifically designed and tested to be processed in either home or industrial composting facilities. Composting facilities create the specific temperature and moisture conditions that are needed for the plastic to turn into a usable soil conditioner. <\/p>\r\n\r\n For further clarification on compostable vs. biodegradable plastic, see Biodegradable Plastics Fact Sheet (PlasticsEurope) <\/a>and Compostable Plastic Fact Sheet (CalRecycle)<\/a>.<\/p>","related_publication":["78"],"related_link_name":[null],"related_link_url":[null],"related_bioplastic101":["6","9","10"],"cite_note":null,"cite_note_desc":null,"author":null,"status":1,"position":3,"created_at":"2023-01-23T03:37:04.000000Z","updated_at":"2023-03-17T03:02:47.000000Z","deleted_at":null},{"id":8,"title":"Land Use","slug":"land-use","intro":"Learn about land use and biobased plastic sourcing.","description":"Understanding land use by biobased feedstocks is critical to safeguarding against potential trade-offs, such as habitat conversion or biodiversity loss. Every landscape has specific considerations and should be carefully assessed to optimize responsible use of our finite land resources.","thumbnail":"1678199747-Land Use.png","content":" With increasing demand for food, water, fuel, and materials and a raising concern that there is not enough land to meet these needs, we must make thoughtful choices about how and where we source these goods. All activities that utilize land should be done responsibly, with thoughtful consideration of natural resource stewardship. Every landscape and its people will have unique considerations to make regarding best use of arable land. <\/p>\r\n\r\n Biobased materials are just one of the many needs which we rely on land to provide, and although they currently use only a small portion of land worldwide it is an important impact which must be considered in sourcing practices and feedstock choice. Unlike biomass used to produce energy, biobased materials can be re-circulated through reuse, recycling, and composting systems.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Land use change has many consequences, including habitat loss and fragmentation, biodiversity loss, and the disruption of ecosystem services such as climate regulation, pollination, water cycling, and soil formation. Especially given the expansion of agricultural land used to meet biofuel, food, and fiber production, an enormous amount of pressure has been placed on areas rich in biodiversity and of conservation value. <\/p>\r\n\r\n Biobased plastic sourcing should not cause natural habitat conversion. By carefully assessing potential land use change impacts, it is possible to reduce pressure on existing habitats, support positive carbon sequestration, and limit or negate biodiversity loss.<\/p>\r\n\r\n If responsibly sourced bioplastics are to play a role in the transition to a circular economy (replacing the remaining fossil-based plastic after all unnecessary plastic has been phased out), natural habitat conversion must not be a byproduct of their production or sourcing process. Tools and certifying bodies exist and should be deployed to help regularly evaluate and minimize potential impacts (see more in BFA’s Methodology<\/a>).<\/p>","related_publication":["63","70"],"related_link_name":[null],"related_link_url":[null],"related_bioplastic101":["7","9","11"],"cite_note":null,"cite_note_desc":null,"author":null,"status":1,"position":4,"created_at":"2023-01-23T03:39:00.000000Z","updated_at":"2025-03-07T20:36:07.000000Z","deleted_at":null},{"id":9,"title":"Food Security","slug":"food-security","intro":"Learn about overlapping factors in biobased plastic production and food security.","description":"Food insecurity impacts people and communities around the world. It is critical that the production of biobased feedstocks does not exacerbate this problem.","thumbnail":"1678199762-Food Security.png","content":" Food security is a complex sustainability issue, linked not only to human health but also to economic development, environmental protection, and trade. According to the World Health Organization, food security is built on three pillars:<\/p>\r\n\r\n When biobased plastics are produced from crops traditionally used for food and feed, controversy can arise due to concern that these crops would be better utilized for human consumption. Today, the most widely used raw materials to produce biobased plastic are sugar and starch from crops such as sugarcane, corn, cassava, and sugar beet. <\/p>\r\n\r\n However, the bigger picture is not whether food or non-food crops are being used to produce biobased materials, but rather the social, environmental, and pricing impacts of integrating any feedstock for biomaterial production into an existing landscape.<\/p>\r\n\r\n There are many overlapping factors related to biobased production and food security: global food prices, climate change, poverty, nutritional security, resilience of local farmers, land use change, and governmental policies for agriculture. The impact of biobased plastic production on each of these factors is complex and difficult to assess, and depends on the feedstock, the method of production, and regional circumstances. <\/p>\r\n\r\n Biobased plastic sourcing must avoid negative impacts to people’s food security. Ideally, through robust due diligence and comprehensive responsible sourcing practices, the cultivation of biobased feedstocks should contribute to the resilience and economic security of producers and local peoples. <\/p>\r\n\r\n For more information on this topic, see the nova-Institute paper “Food or non-food: Which agricultural feedstocks are best for industrial uses?<\/a>”.<\/p>","related_publication":["70"],"related_link_name":[null],"related_link_url":[null],"related_bioplastic101":["7","8","12"],"cite_note":null,"cite_note_desc":null,"author":null,"status":1,"position":5,"created_at":"2023-01-23T03:40:34.000000Z","updated_at":"2023-03-07T09:36:02.000000Z","deleted_at":null},{"id":10,"title":"Communities","slug":"communities","intro":"Learn about safeguarding the rights of all community stakeholders.","description":"To be truly sustainable, biobased feedstocks must protect and support the wellbeing of all people, including local communities and agricultural workers.","thumbnail":"1678199775-Communities.png","content":" Many areas producing biobased feedstocks are also the home of local and\/or indigenous communities; therefore, biobased production and sourcing must adhere to the proper social safeguards to protect the well-being and rights of these groups. This includes consideration of the potential health impacts associated with living in proximity to any biomass production, such as chemical run-off from pesticides. <\/p>\r\n\r\n Issues of land ownership and control must also be addressed properly, with all land acquisition processes featuring free, prior informed consent with participation and support by all stakeholders involved, including those with customary rights or overlapping resource claims. <\/p>\r\n\r\n Ongoing conflict or uncertainty over land and resource tenure can critically undermine viability, sustainability, and transparency of a project. Biobased production should also minimize any displacement of ecosystem services that communities have historically relied on or held sacred.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Agriculture ranks as one of the most hazardous industries. As such, ethical and safe working conditions must be enforced to protect laborers. Agricultural workers are often at risk of exposure to harmful chemicals or injury from heavy machinery, while also facing demanding physical labor in regions hit hard by climate change. <\/p>\r\n\r\n The agriculture industry can also be vulnerable to human rights abuses, including child or bonded labor, due to the sector’s informality and low education requirements for entry. Producing regions may have varying levels of enforcement and safeguard practices in place, which means conditions should be investigated on a case-by-case basis and with local context in mind.<\/p>\r\n\r\n A third-party assessment of labor conditions could help avoid human rights violations, while ensuring local context is understood accurately and treated with due respect. Labor rights coverage should extend through all aspects of supply chain operations, including cradle-to-gate operations, processing, and subsequent operations requiring significant manual labor.<\/p>\r\n\r\n <\/p>","related_publication":["70"],"related_link_name":[null],"related_link_url":[null],"related_bioplastic101":["8","9","11"],"cite_note":null,"cite_note_desc":null,"author":null,"status":1,"position":6,"created_at":"2023-01-23T03:42:03.000000Z","updated_at":"2023-03-07T09:36:15.000000Z","deleted_at":null},{"id":11,"title":"Climate Mitigation & Resilience","slug":"climate-mitigation-resilience","intro":"Learn how biobased plastics relate to climate impacts and resilience.","description":"Shifting to responsibly sourced biobased materials can help reduce dependence on fossil fuels and build long-term climate resilience.","thumbnail":"1678199791-Climate Mitigation and Resilience.png","content":" Around 99% of new plastics are made from fossil fuels. This means, from the moment of extraction, they are releasing GHGs, degrading habitats and threatening communities around the world. Climate change is one of the biggest threats facing our planet today, with devastating impacts to biodiversity, agriculture, public health, and more. <\/p>\r\n\r\n If global plastic production continues under a business-as-usual scenario, emissions associated with plastic production are expected to reach 15% of the global carbon budget by 2050.<\/p>\r\n\r\n WWF defines climate change adaptation as the process of adjusting to the changing climate and its cascading impacts. Climate adaptation seeks to reduce the vulnerability and build the resilience of people and nature to the current and anticipated effects of climate change while managing the uncertainties of the future. Further resources on climate adaptation can be found at WWF Adapting to Climate Change<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Alternative materials, including biobased plastic, are an essential part of building a material system that reduces our dependence on fossil fuels. By switching to responsibly sourced inputs such as seaweed, beets, or other plants to produce new plastic products, we can reduce the carbon intensity of products and materials. Many feedstocks have the potential to act as carbon sinks, absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis.<\/p>\r\n\r\n With the impacts of climate change already directly impacting landscapes around the world, it’s important that biobased plastic sourcing and production is thoughtfully designed to help people and landscapes adapt. Feedstocks must also be able to withstand unpredictable conditions; building resiliency into the production system to account for the changing climate will be key to maintaining a stable feedstock supply and mitigating the shocks of extreme weather events. Adaptation strategies, such as the diversification of feedstocks and growing locations, can help effectively build climate resilience into biobased production systems.<\/p>\r\n\r\n <\/p>","related_publication":["70"],"related_link_name":["Rising to Resilience"],"related_link_url":["https:\/\/www.worldwildlife.org\/publications\/rising-to-resilience"],"related_bioplastic101":["6","9","12"],"cite_note":null,"cite_note_desc":null,"author":null,"status":1,"position":7,"created_at":"2023-01-23T03:44:53.000000Z","updated_at":"2025-03-07T20:40:14.000000Z","deleted_at":null}]}What is Biobased Plastic? <\/h4>\r\n\r\n
\r\n
Biobased ≠ Biodegradable <\/h4>\r\n\r\n
Compostable vs. Biodegradable<\/h4>\r\n\r\n
Despite Growing Demand, Resources Remain Finite<\/h4>\r\n\r\n
\r\n
Environmental Impacts of Land Use Change<\/h4>\r\n\r\n
Expanding Feedstocks & Potential Risks to Food Security <\/h4>\r\n\r\n
\r\n\t
![\"\"](\"\/storage\/Medium_WW180620.jpg\")
\r\nCommunity Support is Key for Lasting Sustainability<\/h4>\r\n\r\n
![\"\"](\"\/storage\/_WW183766.jpg\")
\r\nEthical Labor Safeguards<\/h4>\r\n\r\n
Plastic and Climate Change <\/h4>\r\n\r\n
![\"\"](\"\/storage\/Medium_WW25586.jpg\")
\r\nThe Role of Biobased Materials in Climate Mitigation, Adaptation, and Resilience<\/h4>\r\n\r\n