Landfilling Creates New Problems
Landfilling bioplastics—the last remaining option for those of us who can’t compost our cups and straws—introduces new issues. Landfill conditions aren’t conducive to the breakdown of many biodegradable or compostable plastics, meaning that they may never decompose. And if they do break down, they help create more greenhouse gases.
“When compostable products end up in a landfill—a common final resting place for them due to the lack of commercial composting facilities in the U.S.—their climate footprint increases because they release methane, a greenhouse gas that is 30 times more potent than carbon dioxide,” Fox said.
