Bioplastics guidance looks to counter greenwash claims

Bioplastics is becoming an increasingly popular choice among companies such as Coca Cola looking to source more sustainable packaging, but the drinks giant recently came under attack from Unilever for using such materials.

Back in March Unilever’s senior vice president of sustainability Gavin Neath issued a stern warning about increasing amounts of land being used for bio-polymer products, arguing that there were “limits to this” in terms of safeguarding natural environments.

According to industry body European Bioplastics, misleading information around the environmental properties of bioplastics is a widespread problem in the marketplace.

To address this, the association has drawn up a 30-page guide that provides recommendations regarding relevant claims for these materials such as biobased, biodegradable, compostable or CO2 neutral.

European Bioplastics’ chairman Andy Sweetman said the publication would hopefully set a “new benchmark for good environmental communication – all along the value chain”.

Maxine Perella