‘Sustainable’ bio-plastic can damage the environment '可持續'的生物塑料可以破壞環境
By通過 John Vidal 約翰維達爾 |
The worldwide effort by supermarkets and industry to replace conventional oil-based plastic with eco-friendly “bioplastics” made from plants is causing environmental problems and consumer confusion, according to a Guardian study.世界範圍內的努力，超級市場和產業取代傳統的油基塑料與生態友好“生物塑料”從植物中是造成環境問題和消費者混淆，根據監護人的研究。
The substitutes can increase emissions of greenhouse gases on landfill sites, some need high temperatures to decompose and others cannot be recycled in Britain.該替代品可以增加溫室氣體的排放對堆填區，有些需要高溫分解及別人不能循環再造的在英國。
Many of the bioplastics are also contributing to the global food crisis by taking over large areas of land previously used to grow crops for human consumption.很多的生物塑料也有助於全球的糧食危機，採取大面積的土地，以前用於種植作物供人食用。
The market for bioplastics, which are made from maize, sugarcane, wheat and other crops, is growing by 20-30% a year.市場生物塑料，它是由玉米，甘蔗，小麥和其他作物，是由日益增長的20-30 ％的一年。
The industry, which uses words such as “sustainable”, “biodegradeable”, “compostable” and “recyclable” to describe its products, says bioplastics make carbon savings of 30-80% compared with conventional oil-based plastics and can extend the shelf-life of food.業界，它使用的詞語，如“可持續” ， “ biodegradeable ” ， “堆肥”和“循環再造”來形容它的產品，說，生物塑料，使碳節省30-80 ％相比，與傳統的石油為基礎的塑料和可以延長貨架-生命的食物。
Concern centres on corn-based packaging made with polylactic acid (Pla).關注的中心，對玉米為基礎的包裝與聚乳酸（ PLA ） 。 Made from GM crops, it looks identical to conventional polyethylene terephthalate (Pet) plastic and is produced by US company NatureWorks.從轉基因作物，看來相同的常規聚對苯二甲酸乙二醇酯（ PET ）檢查和塑料是由美國公司natureworks 。 The company is jointly owned by Cargill, the world’s second largest biofuel producer, and Teijin, one of the world’s largest plastic manufacturers.該公司是共同擁有的嘉吉公司，世界第二大生物燃料的生產者，帝人之一，世界上最大的塑料製造商。
Pla is used by some of the biggest supermarkets and food companies, including Wal-Mart, McDonald’s and Del Monte.解放軍是所用的一些最大的超級市場和食品公司，包括沃爾瑪，麥當勞和Del Monte的。 It is used by Marks & Spencer to package organic foods, salads, snacks, desserts, and fruit and vegetables.這是所用的Marks ＆ Spencer的包裝有機食品，沙拉，點心，甜品，以及水果和蔬菜。
It is also used to bottle Belu mineral water, which is endorsed by environmentalists because the brand’s owners invest all profits in water projects in poor countries.它也可以用於貝魯一瓶礦泉水，這是通過環保，因為該品牌的所有業主投資的利潤在水利工程中，在貧窮國家。 Wal-Mart has said it plans to use 114m Pla containers over the course of a year.沃爾瑪已表示它計劃使用114米解放軍貨櫃的過程中1年。
While Pla is said to offer more disposal options, the Guardian has found that it will barely break down on landfill sites, and can only be composted in the handful of anaerobic digesters which exist in Britain, but which do not take any packaging.而解放軍是說，提供更多的處置方案，監護人發現它會勉強打破對堆填區，並且只能製成堆肥，在少數厭氧沼氣池，其中存在於英國，但不採取任何包裝。 In addition, if Pla is sent to UK recycling works in large quantities, it can contaminate the waste stream, reportedly making other recycled plastics unsaleable.此外，如果解放軍是送往英國再造工程，在大量，它可以污染的廢物流，據報導，作出其他再生塑料unsaleable 。
Last year Innocent drinks stopped using Pla because commercial composting was “not yet a mainstream option” in the UK.去年無辜的飲品停止使用，因為解放軍的商業堆肥是“尚未成為主流的選擇”在英國。
Anson, one of Britain’s largest suppliers of plastic food packaging, switched back to conventional plastic after testing Pla陳方安生，其中英國最大的供應商，塑料食品包裝，轉回到傳統的塑料測試後，解放軍
in sandwich packs.在夾心包。 Sainsbury’s has decided not to use it, saying Pla is made with GM corn.塞恩斯伯里的已決定不使用它，說解放軍是與轉基因玉米。 “No local authority is collecting compostable packaging at the moment. “沒有地方當局正在收集堆肥的包裝，收於11.942美元。 Composters do not want it,” a spokesman said.堆肥不想它， “一位發言人說。
Britain’s supermarkets compete to claim the greatest commitment to the environment with plant-based products.英國的超級市場競爭，要求最大的保護環境的承諾與植物為基礎的產品。 The bioplastics industry expects rising oil prices to help it compete with conventional plastics, with Europe using about 50,000 tonnes of bioplastics a year.該生物塑料業預計石油價格上漲，以幫助它競爭，與傳統的塑料，與歐洲使用的約5.0萬噸的生物塑料一年。
Concern is mounting because the new generation of biodegradable plastics ends up on landfill sites, where they degrade without oxygen, releasing methane, a greenhouse gas 23 times more powerful than carbon dioxide.令人關注的是越來越多，因為新一代的生物降解塑料結束了對堆填區，他們在那裡降解，沒有氧氣，釋放出甲烷，溫室氣體的23倍，更強大的比二氧化碳。 This week the US national oceanic and atmospheric administration reported a sharp increase in global methane emissions last year.這個星期，美國國家海洋和大氣管理局的報告大幅增加在全球甲烷排放量去年。
“It is just not possible to capture all the methane from landfill sites,” said Michael Warhurt, resources campaigner at Friends of the Earth. “這是剛才不可能捕獲所有甲烷垃圾填埋場，說： ”邁克爾warhurt ，資源運動在地球之友。 “A significant percentage leaks to the atmosphere.” “一個重要的百分比洩漏到大氣中” 。
“Just because it’s biodegradable does not mean it’s good. “只是因為它的可生物降解，並不意味著它的好。 If it goes to landfill it breaks down to methane.如果這是不言而喻堆填區，它分解甲烷。 Only a percentage is captured,” said Peter Skelton of Wrap, the UK government-funded Waste and Resources Action Programme.只有一個百分比是被俘， “彼得說： skelton總結，英國政府資助的廢物和資源的行動方案。 “In theory bioplastics are good. “在理論的生物塑料是好的。 But in practice there are lots of barriers.”但在實踐中有很多的障礙“ 。
Recycling companies said they would have to invest in expensive new equipment to extract bioplastic from waste for recycling.回收公司表示，他們將要投資於昂貴的新設備，以提取bioplastic從廢物循環再造。 “If we could identify them the only option would be to landfill them,” said one recycler who asked to remain anonymous. “如果我們能確定他們唯一的選擇將是堆填區，他們表示， ”一回收再利用的人要求保持匿名。 “They are not wanted by UK recycling companies or local authorities who refuse to handle them. “他們是不會因此而被通緝，由英國回收公司或地方當局拒絕處理他們。 Councils are saying they do not want plastics near food collection.議會說，他們不想塑料附近的食物收集。 If these biodegradable [products] get into the recycling stream they contaminate it.如果這些生物降解[產品介紹]進入循環流它們污染。
“It will get worse because the government is encouraging more recycling. “這將進一步惡化，因為政府是鼓勵更多的循環再造。 There will be much more bioplastic around.”會有更多的bioplastic左右“ 。
Problems arise because some bioplastics are “home” compostable and recyclable.出現問題，因為有些生物塑料是“家” ，堆肥及可循環再造的。 “It’s so confusing that a Pla bottle looks exactly the same as a standard Pet bottle,” Skelton said. “這使混亂解放軍一瓶看起來完全一樣，一個標準的PET瓶， ” skelton說。 “The consumer is not a polymer expert. “消費者是不是一個聚合物專家。 Not nearly enough consideration has gone into what they are meant to do with them.幾乎沒有足夠的考慮，已投入什麼，他們的意思這樣做與他們。 Everything is just put in the recycling bin.”一切只是提出，在回收的垃圾桶。 “
Yesterday NatureWorks accepted that its products would not fully break down on landfill sites.昨天natureworks接受其產品不會完全破裂，對堆填區。 “The recycling industry in the UK has not caught up with other countries” said Snehal Desai, chief marketing officer for NatureWorks. “循環再造業，在英國並沒有趕上與其他國家說： ” snehal德賽，首席營銷官natureworks 。 “We need alternatives to oil. “我們需要替代石油。 UK industry should not resist change.英國工業界不應抗拒改變。 We should be designing for the future and not the past.我們應該設計為未來而不是過去。 In central Europe, Taiwan and elsewhere, NatureWorks polymer is widely accepted as a compostable material.”位於中環的歐洲，台灣和其他地方， natureworks聚合物被廣泛接受，作為堆肥的材料“ 。
Other users said it was too soon to judge the new technology.其他用戶說，這是太早來判斷新技術。 “It’s very early days,” said Reed Paget, managing director of Belu. “這是很早就天，說： ”蘆葦paget ，董事總經理貝魯。 “The UK packaging industry does not want competition. “英國包裝業不希望競爭。 It’s shortsighted and is blocking eco-innovation.” Belu collects its bottles and now sends them to mainland Europe.它的短視，是阻礙生態創新“ 。貝魯收集其瓶，現在他們傳送至歐洲大陸。
“People think that biodegradable is good and non-biodegradable is bad. “人們認為，這是良好的生物降解和非生物降解是壞。 That’s all they see,” said Chris Goodall, environmental analyst and author of How to Live a Low-carbon Lifestyle.這是所有他們的所見， “克里斯說，古，環境和分析師的作者如何生活低碳的生活方式。 “I have been trying to compost bags that are billed as ‘biodegradable’ and ‘home compostable’ but I have completely failed. “我一直試圖堆肥袋，是被稱為'生物降解'和'家庭堆肥' ，但我已完全失敗。 They rely on the compost heap really heating up but we still find the residues.”他們依賴於堆肥堆真的暖氣，但我們仍然發現殘留物“ 。
Bioplastics compete for land with biofuels and food crops.生物塑料的競爭，為土地與生物燃料作物和糧食作物。 About 200,000 tonnes of bioplastics were produced last year, requiring 250,000-350,000 tonnes of crops.約20.0萬公噸的生物塑料製作，去年，要求250000-350000噸的作物。 The industry is forecast to need several million acres of farmland within four years.業內人士預測，需要幾百萬英畝的農田內的四年。
There is also concern over the growing use by supermarkets of “oxy-degradable” plastic bags, billed as sustainable.也有關注，越來越多地使用超級市場“氧降解”塑料袋，帳單，作為可持續發展。 They are made of conventional oil-based plastic, with an additive that enables the plastic to break down.他們所作的常規石油為基礎的塑料，與添加劑，使塑料打破。 The companies promoting it claim it reduces litter and causes no methane or harmful residues.公司推廣資訊科技的索賠減少亂拋垃圾及原因沒有甲烷或有害的殘留物。 They are used by Wal-Mart, Pizza Hut and KFC in the US, and Tesco and the Co-op in the UK for “degradable” plastic carrier bags.他們所使用的沃爾瑪，必勝客和肯德基在美國，和Tesco和合作的作品在英國的“可降解”塑料承運人袋。
Some environmentalists say the terminology confuses the public.一些環境保護主義者稱，術語，混淆公眾。 “The consumer is baffled,” a Wrap briefing paper said. “消費者是莫名其妙， ”總結簡報文件說。 “It considers these products degradable but … they will not degrade effectively in [the closed environment of] a landfill site.” “它認為這些產品可降解，但… …他們將不會有效地降解，在[該封閉的環境]垃圾填埋場” 。
A spokesman for Symphony Plastics disputed that.發言人交響樂團塑料有爭議的。 “Oxy-bioplastic can be re-used and recycled, but will degrade and disappear in a short timescale”, he said. “氧bioplastic可重複使用和回收，但會降低和消失，在很短的時間內， ”他說。
See More: 看到更多的： World News 世界新聞Have Your Say: ‘Sustainable’ bio-plastic can damage the environment 你說： '可持續'的生物塑料可以破壞環境
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