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My plastics recycling source said the same thing about contamination of PET plastic.

I was intrigued to hear about potential PET contamination it’s not something I have ever thought about. I think it is important to remember though that plastic can only be recycled so many times and bioplastic could help remedy waste issues.

The issue Lloyd raised about the different recycling streams is an interesting one. Some retailers are refusing bioplastic packaging on the grounds that people will inevitably not know what to do with it. Some people already can’t figure out how to sort their garbage, and the danger is that more complexity will just turn some (not very smart) people off the idea of recycling altogether. Besides, most people in most countries don’t have access to composting facilities. I don’t know what the “role” of biodegradation is in the context of a conventional landfill…source of methane, I guess.

But taking the long view, I have hope that bioplastic will eventually fit into a low-waste society. The city of Toronto’s great success with its own household recycling/commposting program indicates that people aren’t always as dumb as they look, and that with good guidance they’ll get a handle on the recylcing/composting thing. Unfortunately people’s behaviour in public is not the same as at home, and water bottles are, tellingly, already one of the most common types of litter on the streets. We’ve got a long way to go, but ultimately I think bioplastic bottles will turn out to be a good thing.