Study: Bio-plastic goods not eco-friendly

April 27, 2008

Bio-plastic goods can still damage the environment by emitting gases that can impact climate change, a study by a British newspaper found.

The Guardian reported Saturday that its study determined the plant-based goods being embraced by supermarkets worldwide can cause environmental problems and add to the world's food crisis.

The replacements for oil-based plastic goods have been found to increase greenhouse gas emissions when placed in landfills, the British newspaper said.

The study found that some of the supposedly eco-friendly goods only begin to decompose at high temperatures and others cannot be used for recycling purposes in Britain.

The increasing amount of land needed to create the materials for bio-plastic goods can impact the food crisis currently facing the international community, the Guardian said.

The newspaper said its study found the growing amount of land used for these purposes means less land is available for food-growing purposes to fight the escalating crisis.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International


print this article email this article download pdf blog this article bookmark this article     Stumble it Digg this share on Facebook retweet share on Reddit add to delicious
Rate this story - 3.4 /5 (16 votes)

Rank Filter

Move the slider to adjust rank threshold, so that you can hide some of the comments.


Display comments: newest first

  • mikiwud - Apr 28, 2008
    • Rank: 2 / 5 (4)
    LOL.Not content in regurgitating Al Gorebells crap,the tabloids are making their own up now.ALL foodstuffs give off carbon dioxide and/or methane when they decompose.
    Although I have not seen it in print,I imagine the mid atlantic/pacific ridge is the biggest single emitter of CO2.(36,000 mls of continual volcanic action).

April 27, 2008 all stories

Comments: 1

3.4 /5 (16 votes)
  • Stumble this up

  • Digg this

  • share this

  • hide
  • Related Stories

  • Lunar Touchdown For China
    created Jul 12, 2006 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0
  • Open shop for environmental data
    created Nov 17, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0
  • Advertisers face resistance to on-line tracking
    created Nov 08, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0
  • Panel says NASA should skip moon, fly elsewhere (Update)
    created Oct 23, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0
  • Popping the Cork on Biofuel Agriculture
    created Oct 19, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0



  • hide
  • Relevant PhysicsForums posts

  • The IPCC and the term "most"
    created 4 hours ago
  • Is global warming a fact?
    created 6 hours ago
  • Random variability of wind patterns
    created 21 hours ago
  • Record precipitation in the UK
    created Nov 22, 2009
  • More from Physics Forums - Earth

Other News

New computer-developed map shows more extensive valley network on Mars

New computer-developed map shows more extensive valley network on Mars

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created 4 hours ago | popularity 4.5 / 5 (4) | comments 0

New research adds to the growing body of evidence suggesting the Red Planet once had an ocean.


Supervolcano eruption -- in Sumatra -- deforested India 73,000 years ago

Supervolcano eruption -- in Sumatra -- deforested India 73,000 years ago

Space & Earth / Earth Sciences

created 6 hours ago | popularity 4.4 / 5 (5) | comments 0

A new study provides "incontrovertible evidence" that the volcanic super-eruption of Toba on the island of Sumatra about 73,000 years ago deforested much of central India, some 3,000 miles from the epicenter, ...


Spitzer Telescope Observes Baby Brown Dwarf

Spitzer Telescope Observes Baby Brown Dwarf

Space & Earth / Astronomy

created 3 hours ago | popularity 4.8 / 5 (5) | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has contributed to the discovery of the youngest brown dwarf ever observed -- a finding that, if confirmed, may solve an astronomical mystery about how these ...


The Crab Nebula: A Cosmic Icon

The Crab Nebula: Energy for 100,000 Suns

Space & Earth / Astronomy

created 3 hours ago | popularity 4.7 / 5 (3) | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- A star's spectacular death in the constellation Taurus was observed on Earth as the supernova of 1054 A.D.


Is global warming unstoppable?

Space & Earth / Environment

created 15 hours ago | popularity 3.8 / 5 (20) | comments 20

In a provocative new study, a University of Utah scientist argues that rising carbon dioxide emissions - the major cause of global warming - cannot be stabilized unless the world's economy collapses or society builds the ...