Bio-based materials vs. biodegradable materials Bio-based materials are often
biodegradable, but this is not always the case. By definition, biodegradable materials are formed or organic compounds which can thus be broken down by living organisms, such as bacteria, fungi, or water molds, and reabsorbed by the natural environment. Whether a material is biodegradable is determined by its chemical structure, not the origin of the material from which it is made. Indeed, the
sustainability benefits of drop-in biobased plastics occur at the beginning of the
material life cycle, but still, when manufactured, their structure is identical to their fossil-based counterparts. Therefore, these plastics, known as 'drop-ins', are not biodegradable, and should be recycled in existing recycling systems. The term "organic" instead refers to the cultivation of plants or the keeping of the animals in compliance with the requirements of the European organic farming standard. Consequently, a bio-product can be both "bio-based" and "organic," but it is not necessarily so. Their
environmental performance depends on a series of factors, related to the sourced material and to the amount and typology of
manufacturing processes the raw natural material need to undergo to become a bio-product. while bio-residues and
wastes coming from either the agro-industrial and forestry sectors are gaining interest. Moreover, manufacturing processes needed for the production of competitive bio-alternatives to fossil-based products might lead to higher energy consumptions or to "linear", non-circular, products. Therefore, it is recommended to maintain a critical mindset based on
Life Cycle Assessment analysis, as some bio-products could require either extra material or processing to ensure the same quality, resulting necessarily in more energy consumption. == See also ==